One hour with a habituated mountain gorilla family in the bamboo and hagenia forest of the Virunga Mountains. There are fewer than 1,100 mountain gorillas left in the wild — and conservation permits are strictly capped at 8 trekkers per family per day. We pre-purchase your $1,500 permit, transfer you to Kinigi the day before, and pair you with a porter and an armed ranger team. Some families are reached in 40 minutes, others take 4 hours up to 3,500m. You'll know your assignment at the 06:30 briefing.
Note: the $1,500 permit is non-refundable inside 60 days — set by Rwanda Development Board.
"We sat 4 metres from a 200kg silverback eating bamboo. A juvenile rolled in front of me. My porter Jean-Bosco was the kindest human."
"Three-hour trek up steep mud and stinging nettles. Worth every step. AfriGuide pre-bought our permits so we just showed up — saved us so much stress."
It varies. We can request an "easier" or "harder" family at the briefing — easier groups are 1–2 hours up, harder 3–5 hours. Altitude (2,500–3,500m), mud, bamboo, stinging nettles. If you can walk uphill for 90 minutes at a moderate pace, you'll be fine. Porters lift packs and offer a hand on slopes.
Rwanda doubled the permit price in 2017 to fund conservation and limit pressure on the gorilla families. 10% goes directly to local communities. Population has grown from ~480 in 2010 to over 1,063 today. Uganda permits are $800 — different country, longer drive, similar experience.
Long-sleeve shirt and trousers (nettles!), hiking boots, gaiters if you have them, rain shell, gloves, 2L water, energy bars, and a camera with no flash. The lodge has hot showers and laundry. Temperatures 5–20°C — layers.
Yes. Lake Kivu is 2 hours west of Musanze — add 2 nights for $390/pp (lakeside lodge, kayaking, fishing). Nyungwe in the south has canopy walk and chimp tracking — add 3 nights for $1,290/pp including chimp permit. Tell us at booking.
Trackers locate the families every morning before you set off, so contact rate is >98%. If a family genuinely cannot be found, RDB will offer you another permit on the next available date (subject to capacity). Weather can affect timing — we build in flexibility.