How Many Days for Gorilla Trekking? 1, 2 and 3-Day Trips from Kigali Compared
How many days for gorilla trekking? From Kigali, one day is enough. Volcanoes National Park is about 2.5 hours away by road, so you can trek and be back at your hotel the same evening. But it is a long, tiring day, and for most travelers two or three days is the better choice: you sleep near the park, start trek day rested, and can add golden monkeys or a second gorilla trek. Our private trips from Kigali include the $1,500 gorilla permit and cost from $1,692 per person for one day, $2,030 for two days and $2,428 for three days, for a group of six.
The gorilla visit itself is the same on every trip: the Rwanda Development Board (RDB) allows one hour with a habituated family, in a group of up to eight. What each extra day changes is how early you start, how much of trek day you spend in a car, and what else you see. For Uganda's gorillas, allow at least two days from Kigali. To add big game and chimpanzees, allow a week.
Checked: October 2026. Permit prices and rules come from RDB, Visit Rwanda (RDB's tourism site) and the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA). Our tour prices are the ones on our tour pages on October 13, 2026. They are per person and include the gorilla permit, and every "extra day" figure on this page is worked out from them.
1, 2 and 3-day gorilla trips from Kigali, side by side
All of these are private tours from Kigali, with your own driver-guide and a Land Cruiser, Toyota Prado or safari van, depending on group size. Each includes its permits, park fees, lodging on multi-day trips and the meals in its itinerary. Prices fall as your group grows, because the vehicle and driver-guide are shared.
| Trip | Days | Nights near the park | Hours on the road | What you see | From, per person, six sharing | Two sharing | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1-Day Rwanda Gorilla Trekking Adventure | 1 | None | About 5, all on trek day | One hour with a gorilla family | $1,692 | $1,830 each | One free day, such as a Kigali business trip |
| 2-Day Gorilla Trekking in Volcanoes National Park | 2 | 1, before the trek | About 2.5 a day, with only a short drive before the trek | Gorillas, Kigali Genocide Memorial, Kigali city tour, Ellen DeGeneres Campus | $2,030 | $2,280 each | A rested first trek, plus Kigali |
| 2-Day Gorilla and Golden Monkey Safari Experience | 2 | 1, after the trek | About 2.5 before the trek, after a 4:30 AM pickup, and 2.5 on day 2 | Gorillas, golden monkeys, Gorilla Guardians Village | $2,130 | $2,380 each | Both of the park's primates in two days |
| 3-Day Rwanda Mountain Gorilla Tracking Safari | 3 | 2 | About 2.5 on days 1 and 3, and short drives on trek day | Gorillas, golden monkeys, Ellen DeGeneres Campus, Kigali Genocide Memorial | $2,428 | $2,718 each | First-timers, older travelers, families with teens |
| 3-Day Double Gorilla Trekking in Rwanda | 3 | 2 | About 2.5 on days 1 and 3 | Two different gorilla families, Gorilla Guardians Village | Price on request | Price on request | Photographers and repeat trekkers |
| 2-Day Uganda Gorilla Trekking Adventure from Rwanda | 2 | 1, in Kisoro | About 4 each way, including the border, plus the drive into Bwindi on trek day | One hour with a gorilla family in Bwindi | Price on request | Price on request | Uganda's lower permit price in two days |
| 7-Day Rwanda Wildlife & Primates Safari Adventure | 7 | 1, before the gorilla trek | A drive on most days, across the country | Akagera game drives, chimpanzees and colobus monkeys in Nyungwe, Lake Kivu, gorillas | $4,378 | $5,306 each | A full week in Rwanda |
Tell us how many days you have
Tell us your travel month and group size. Our team in Musanze checks permit availability and sends a private quote, with the permit included.
Hours on the road are the drives between Kigali and the park, not the short transfers to the trailhead. Solo travelers pay $1,960 on the 1-day trek, $2,668 on the 2-day trip and $3,450 on the 3-day safari. Kigali hotel nights before and after a tour are not included on any of these trips, and neither are flights, tips, porter fees, visas or travel insurance.
Is a 1-day gorilla trek worth it?
Yes, if one day is all you have. A gorilla trekking day trip from Kigali gives you the same hour with the gorillas as a longer trip, at our lowest Rwanda price. Just know what the day involves.
Our 1-day trek picks you up at your Kigali hotel at 4:30 AM, so the first 2.5 hours are a drive north in the dark. After the briefing at park headquarters, you trek: the tour allows two to six hours in total, often on steep, muddy trails. Then come lunch, your gorilla trekking certificate and the drive back, reaching your hotel by early evening. That is about five hours of driving on the same day as a mountain hike.
The trade-offs:
- You trek tired. You start a hike that Visit Rwanda says reaches 2,500 to 4,000 m (8,200 to 13,100 ft) after a 4:30 AM pickup and 2.5 hours in a car.
- There is no buffer. RDB gives no refund for late arrival or flight delays, so land in Kigali at least the day before.
- You see the gorillas and nothing else. There is no time for golden monkeys or the Ellen DeGeneres Campus.
- Some costs sit outside the price. Airport transfers and your Kigali hotel on the night before and the night after are not included.
It suits a business traveler with one free day, or someone adding gorillas to a longer East Africa trip with no spare night. If you have a second day, spend it on the trip.
2-day gorilla trekking in Rwanda: the rested option
Two days let you sleep near the park, and that night is the main thing you pay for. Our two 2-day trips use it differently.
- 2-Day Gorilla Trekking in Volcanoes National Park: the night comes before the trek. Day 1 is the Kigali Genocide Memorial and a city tour, then the drive north and the Ellen DeGeneres Campus. Trek morning starts with breakfast and a short drive, not a pre-dawn ride. Airport transfers are included, and the tour starts after breakfast in Kigali, so arrive the day before.
- 2-Day Gorilla and Golden Monkey Safari Experience: the night comes after the trek. It starts like the 1-day trek, with a 4:30 AM pickup and gorillas on day 1, then golden monkeys on day 2. Choose it for both primates in two days, not for a rested trek. Airport transfers are extra.
On both, day 2 ends with the drive back to Kigali, so check your flight time with us before you book it.
3-day gorilla trekking in Rwanda: rest, gorillas and golden monkeys
Three days take the hurry out of the trip. On our 3-Day Rwanda Mountain Gorilla Tracking Safari, you drive north on day 1 and have a free afternoon at your lodge to rest after your flight. Trek day starts at the lodge, with only a short drive to park headquarters. Day 3 brings golden monkeys, a gentler trek that stays lower on the bamboo slopes, then the drive back, with a stop at the Kigali Genocide Memorial on the way to the airport.
The golden monkey permit, which RDB sells for $100 on its own, is included, and so are airport transfers. Over our 2-day trip, the third day costs $398 more per person for six or $438 for two. If you have the day, this is the trip we recommend for a first gorilla trek.
Our guide to gorilla trekking in Rwanda has the 1, 2 and 3-day itineraries day by day, and our golden monkey trekking guide explains the second trek.
Double-trek trips: two hours with the gorillas
Each family behaves differently, so a second hour often shows you what the first one missed. Our 3-Day Double Gorilla Trekking in Rwanda treks on two mornings in a row, with a different family each time. It is priced on request; the two permits alone cost $3,000 per person.
The trade-off is effort: two days of steep, often muddy hiking back to back. The trip also needs permits on two days in a row, so book early. In Uganda, our 4-Day Uganda Double Gorilla Trekking and Golden Monkey Safari treks in Bwindi and then Mgahinga, from $2,996 per person for six or $3,633 each for two.
Uganda from Kigali: allow at least two days
Uganda's gorilla parks are farther from Kigali than Volcanoes, and the trip crosses a border, so there is no day trip. Our 2-Day Uganda Gorilla Trekking Adventure from Rwanda drives about four hours to Kisoro on day 1, including the border at Cyanika or Gatuna. Day 2 is long: the drive into Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, a trek that UWA says can last 2 to 7 hours, lunch, then the drive back to Kigali. It is priced on request.
The reason to go is the permit. UWA charges $800, or $600 in April, May and November, when those permits cannot be rescheduled, against Rwanda's $1,500. Our 3-Day Uganda Gorilla & Golden Monkey Trekking costs from $1,870 per person for six or $2,240 each for two, less than our 2-day Rwanda trip at every group size. You cross the border twice, so read the visa and yellow fever notes in our Uganda gorilla trekking from Kigali guide first.
What each extra day costs
The permit costs the same whatever the length of your trip, so each added day costs far less than the first. These figures are the differences between our published tour prices, per person.
| Step up | What the extra money buys | Six sharing | Two sharing |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1-day trek to the 2-Day Gorilla Trekking | A lodge night before the trek, so no 4:30 AM start, plus Kigali sights, the Ellen DeGeneres Campus and airport transfers | $2,030 minus $1,692 = $338 | $2,280 minus $1,830 = $450 |
| 1-day trek to the 2-Day Gorilla and Golden Monkey | A lodge night after the trek and a golden monkey trek; the start is still 4:30 AM | $2,130 minus $1,692 = $438 | $2,380 minus $1,830 = $550 |
| 2-Day Gorilla Trekking to the 3-day safari | A second night near the park, a free first afternoon and golden monkeys | $2,428 minus $2,030 = $398 | $2,718 minus $2,280 = $438 |
| 2-Day Gorilla and Golden Monkey to the 3-day safari | The same two primates, with a night before the gorilla trek instead of a 4:30 AM start, plus airport transfers | $2,428 minus $2,130 = $298 | $2,718 minus $2,380 = $338 |
| 3-day safari to the 3-day double | A second gorilla hour, with a different family, instead of golden monkeys | Price on request; the second gorilla permit alone is $1,500 | Price on request |
| 2-Day Gorilla Trekking to the 7-day safari | Five more days: Akagera, Nyungwe's chimpanzees and Lake Kivu | $4,378 minus $2,030 = $2,348, about $470 a day | $5,306 minus $2,280 = $3,026, about $605 a day |
Spread over the trip, the price per day falls fast. For six sharing, it is $1,692 on the 1-day trek, $1,015 a day on the 2-day trip, about $809 on the 3-day safari and about $625 on the 7-day safari. For two sharing, it is $1,830, $1,140, $906 and $758.
For the rest of the budget, from flights and visas to tips, see our gorilla trekking cost guide and our gorilla trekking permit cost guide.
When a week makes sense
The gorilla hour is one morning, so a week makes sense when you want more of Rwanda than the gorillas. Our 7-Day Rwanda Wildlife & Primates Safari Adventure spends two days on game drives in Akagera National Park, treks chimpanzees and colobus monkeys in Nyungwe National Park and takes a boat to Napoleon Island on Lake Kivu. It ends with a night near Volcanoes and the gorilla trek on day 7, from $4,378 per person for six or $5,306 each for two.
Choose a week if you are coming a long way and want big game or chimpanzees as well as gorillas. Skip it if the gorillas are your only goal: the 3-day safari gives you two nights near Volcanoes, against one on the 7-day trip, for less.
Which length is right for you?
- Business traveler with one free day: the 1-day trek. From $1,692 per person for six, $1,830 each for two or $1,960 solo. Book your Kigali hotel for the night before and the night after, and keep the evening free, because the trek can run long. With two free days, take the 2-day trip instead.
- First-timer: the 3-day safari. A free afternoon to rest, a short drive on trek day and golden monkeys to finish, from $2,428 per person for six or $2,718 each for two. With only two days, choose the 2-Day Gorilla Trekking in Volcanoes National Park.
- Photographer: the 3-day double. Two families and two hours give you a second chance at a clear view. Price on request. In Uganda, the 4-day double starts from $2,996 per person for six.
- Older or less fit travelers: the 3-day safari. You rest after the flight, start trek day with a short drive and finish with the gentler golden monkey trek. No specific fitness benchmark is required, Visit Rwanda says rangers allocate families according to fitness levels, and porters can carry your daypack (porter fees are not included). Avoid the 1-day trek and the double, and tell us about any health or mobility concerns before you book. Our gorilla trekking guide covers fitness and what to pack.
- Budget-focused: the 1-day trek, or Uganda. The 1-day trek is our lowest Rwanda price, and sharing helps: six travelers pay $1,692 each, against $1,960 solo. For Uganda's lower permit, the 3-day Uganda trip costs from $1,870 per person for six, and the 2-day Uganda trip is priced on request.
- Families with teens aged 15 and up: the 3-day safari. Everyone on a gorilla trek must be at least 15, and we book each permit with the traveler's name and passport details. A family of four pays $2,538 each on the 3-day safari, or $4,690 each on the 7-day safari for a longer trip with big game.
Before you book, whatever the length
- Book early. Visit Rwanda says only 96 gorilla permits are issued a day, so for July and August we recommend booking 6 months ahead. A 50% deposit confirms your booking. Our best time for gorilla trekking guide compares the months.
- Insure the trip. Permits are non-refundable once issued, so we strongly recommend travel insurance, although it is not required.
- Check advisories. Check current travel advisories before you book; our FAQ has our latest note.
Ready to choose your trip length?
Plan it with us
Tell us how many days you have, your travel month and who is traveling, and we will suggest the trip that fits and check gorilla permit availability for your dates. Request a quote, or WhatsApp or call either of our offices.
We plan trips from Musanze, next to Volcanoes National Park, and from Cedar City, Utah. East Africa Safaris is the trading name of East Africa Safari Tours, Inc., a Utah corporation, licensed by the Rwanda Development Board (license RDB/TL/2026/02/TO/00995).
Frequently asked questions
How many days do you need for gorilla trekking?
One day is the minimum from Kigali, because Volcanoes National Park is about 2.5 hours away by road. Two days let you sleep near the park and trek rested, and three days add golden monkeys and a free afternoon after your flight. For Uganda, allow at least two days from Kigali. To add Akagera's big game and Nyungwe's chimpanzees, allow a week, as on our 7-day Rwanda Wildlife & Primates Safari.
Is a 1-day gorilla trek worth it?
Yes, if one day is all you have. You get the same hour with the gorillas as on a longer trip, from $1,692 per person for six or $1,830 each for two. But it is a long day, with a 4:30 AM Kigali pickup, about five hours of driving and a trek of two to six hours. With a second day, you sleep near the park and trek rested, for $338 more per person in a group of six.
Can you do a gorilla trekking day trip from Kigali?
Yes. Our private 1-day trek picks you up at your Kigali hotel at 4:30 AM, drives you to Volcanoes National Park and has you back at your hotel by early evening, with the gorilla permit and lunch included. Airport transfers and Kigali hotel nights are not included. RDB gives no refund for late arrival or flight delays, so reach Kigali at least the day before.
What is the best 2-day gorilla trekking trip in Rwanda?
For most travelers, our 2-Day Gorilla Trekking in Volcanoes National Park. You see Kigali on day 1, sleep near the park and trek on day 2 without a pre-dawn start, from $2,030 per person for six or $2,280 each for two. Our 2-day gorilla and golden monkey trip treks gorillas on day 1, after a 4:30 AM pickup, and adds golden monkeys on day 2, from $2,130 for six.
What does a 3-day gorilla trekking trip in Rwanda add?
A free afternoon near the park on arrival, a trek day with only a short drive, the Ellen DeGeneres Campus and a golden monkey trek on day 3, with both permits and airport transfers included. Our 3-day safari costs from $2,428 per person for six or $2,718 each for two, which is $398 or $438 more than our 2-day gorilla trekking trip.
How much does each extra day of gorilla trekking cost?
On our published prices, going from the 1-day trek to the 2-day trip costs $338 more per person for six sharing, or $450 for two. Going from two days to three costs $398 more for six, or $438 for two. The $1,500 permit is paid once, so the extra day pays for a lodge night, meals, activities and your vehicle and driver-guide.
Is a double gorilla trek worth it?
For photographers, repeat trekkers and anyone who wants more time, yes: a different family and a second hour often show you what the first one missed. Our 3-day Rwanda double treks on two mornings in a row and is priced on request; the two permits alone cost $3,000 per person. In Uganda, our 4-day double starts from $2,996 per person for six.
How many days do you need for gorilla trekking in Uganda from Kigali?
At least two. Our 2-day Uganda trip drives about four hours to Kisoro, including the border, and treks in Bwindi the next morning before the long drive back to Kigali. It is priced on request. Uganda's permit costs $800, or $600 in April, May and November, when those permits cannot be rescheduled, against Rwanda's $1,500.
Sources
Official sources and our tour prices were checked on October 13, 2026. Official sources come first, then East Africa Safaris.
- Visit Rwanda, Gorilla Tracking (official, RDB): https://visitrwanda.com/interests/gorilla-tracking/. Supports $1,500 per person; minimum age 15; twelve habituated families; eight permits per family a day; 96 permits a day; families allocated on the day according to fitness levels; hikes of 30 minutes to four hours or more, reaching 2,500 to 4,000 m; and porters.
- RDB booking portal, Mountain Gorilla Tracking (official): https://visitrwandabookings.rdb.rw/rdbportal/web/rdb/mountain-gorilla-tracking. Supports $1,500 for foreigners; minimum age 15; one hour with the gorillas; up to 8 visitors per group; hikes of 30 minutes to 4 hours or more depending on the family allocated, with the walk back taking as long; applications made with each client's name and passport details; and no refund for late arrival or flight delays.
- RDB booking portal, Golden Monkeys (official): https://visitrwandabookings.rdb.rw/rdbportal/golden-monkeys. Supports $100 for foreigners.
- UWA Conservation Tariff 2024 to 2026 (official PDF, version uploaded October 2026): https://ugandawildlife.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/UWA-Conservation-Tariff-July-2024-June-2026.pdf. Supports the $800 gorilla permit for foreign non-residents in Bwindi Impenetrable and Mgahinga Gorilla national parks.
- UWA notice, "Introduction of Low Season Gorilla and Chimpanzee Permit Rates and Revised Tariff Structure," Ref TDO 93/04, February 26, 2026 (official PDF): https://ugandawildlife.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Tariff-changes-2026-2027.pdf. Supports $600 gorilla tracking in April, May and November, and that the low-season permits cannot be rescheduled.
- UWA, Gorilla Tracking (official): https://ugandawildlife.org/activities/gorilla-tracking/. Supports treks of 2 to 7 hours in Bwindi and Mgahinga.
- East Africa Safaris tour pages (checked October 13, 2026): https://eastafricasafaris.com/tour/1-day-rwanda-gorilla-trekking-adventure/, https://eastafricasafaris.com/tour/2-day-gorilla-trekking-in-volcanoes-national-park/, https://eastafricasafaris.com/tour/2-day-gorilla-and-golden-monkey-safari-experience/, https://eastafricasafaris.com/tour/3-day-rwanda-mountain-gorilla-tracking-safari/, https://eastafricasafaris.com/tour/3-day-double-gorilla-trekking-in-rwanda/, https://eastafricasafaris.com/tour/2-day-uganda-gorilla-trekking-adventure-from-rwanda/, https://eastafricasafaris.com/tour/3-day-uganda-gorilla-and-golden-monkey-trekking/, https://eastafricasafaris.com/tour/4-day-uganda-double-gorilla-trekking-and-golden-monkey-safari/ and https://eastafricasafaris.com/tour/7-day-rwanda-wildlife-and-primates-safari-adventure/. Supports the tour names, prices (solo, two, four and six sharing; the 3-day double and the 2-day Uganda trip priced on request), permits and inclusions, vehicles, routes, nights and day-by-day plans; the 4:30 AM Kigali pickups; about five hours of driving and a trek of two to six hours on the 1-day trek; the gorilla trekking certificate and early-evening return; about 2.5 hours from Kigali to Volcanoes; about four hours from Kigali to Kisoro, including the Cyanika or Gatuna border, and a trek of two to six hours on the 2-day Uganda trip; the gentler golden monkey trek; the 1-day trek suiting travelers in Kigali for business or a conference; airport transfers (not included on the 1-day trek or the 2-day gorilla and golden monkey trip); Kigali hotel nights before and after each tour not being included; and the minimum age of 15. Every "extra day" and per-day figure on this page is calculated from these prices.
- East Africa Safaris, Payment and Cancellation Policy, Rev. September 12, 2026; Mark Axelson's answers of September 29, 2026; and Mark Axelson's and Anna Axelson's answers of October 5 to 6, 2026: supports the 50% deposit, non-refundable permits, the travel insurance recommendation, the 6-month lead time for July and August, porter fees not being included, no specific fitness benchmark, our vehicles, the 2.5-hour drive from Kigali to Volcanoes National Park, office locations and the legal name, East Africa Safari Tours, Inc., a Utah corporation.
- East Africa Safaris, FAQ: https://eastafricasafaris.com/frequently-asked-questions/. Supports the RDB license number, RDB/TL/2026/02/TO/00995.