Safari in Rwanda 2026–2027

A permit for international travelers costs $1,500 per person. The Rwanda Development Board sets the price. Booking several months in advance is recommended because the number of permits is limited to a maximum of 96 per day, with no more than eight people in each group. The permit includes entry to Volcanoes National Park, a ranger guide and one hour of gorilla viewing. Revenue from permits supports conservation projects as well as the construction of schools, hospitals and roads. 

One day. Travelers arrive at the Volcanoes National Park headquarters at 7 a.m., where they receive a briefing and are divided into groups. Each group is assigned a specific gorilla family. The allocation takes into account travelers’ physical fitness, age, and the approximate location of the animals, which can sometimes be found at elevations of up to 4,000 meters (13,123 ft). 

The group then sets off on its trek. Finding the family can take anywhere from 30 minutes to several hours. Once the gorillas are located, visitors have one hour to observe them. The group then makes its way back. 

Humidity remains high in the forest even during the dry seasons, so bring a waterproof jacket and trousers, trekking boots and thick gloves – you will need to hold onto branches as you make your way through dense forest. Sunglasses, sunscreen, insect repellent and a rain jacket are also useful. Bring something warm, too: mornings and evenings in the mountains can be cool.

It is impossible to predict in advance, as everything depends on how long it takes to find the gorilla family and how high you need to climb. Trail conditions also make a big difference: during the rainy seasons, trails can be slippery and muddy, making the trek more challenging. Good physical fitness is important, but you don’t need any special training.

Yes. The minimum age for gorilla and chimpanzee trekking is 15, while the minimum age for golden monkey trekking is 12. The minimum age for the suspension bridge in Nyungwe and hot-air balloon flights in Akagera is 6. 

Although many people travel to Rwanda specifically to see mountain gorillas in Volcanoes National Park, the country is also home to the rare golden monkey. In Nyungwe, you can trek to see chimpanzees and huge groups of colobus monkeys, numbering several hundred individuals. For the Big Five – lions, leopards, buffaloes, elephants and rhinos – travelers head to Akagera National Park. The park is also home to hippos, crocodiles, zebras, giraffes, antelopes and other savanna wildlife. Rwanda is also home to more than 700 bird species. 

Yes. Rwanda ranks among the best countries in Africa for expats, while its capital, Kigali, is ranked among the safest cities on the continent. The main reasons include a high level of safety compared with most other African countries, a rapidly growing economy, and well-developed infrastructure in the capital.

Many foreign travelers, including EU and US citizens, need a tourist visa to enter Rwanda. You can obtain it online or on arrival. Your passport must be valid for at least six months from the date of entry. A single-entry visa costs $50 and is valid for 30 days; a multiple-entry visa costs $70 and is valid for up to 90 days. 

All flights arrive at Kigali International Airport. From Europe, direct flights are available from London, Paris, Brussels and Amsterdam.

Flights from the US require a connection either in one of the European cities listed above or in Istanbul (Turkey), Dubai (UAE), Doha (Qatar) or Addis Ababa (Ethiopia).