5 Days Rwanda Gorilla trekking tour and Karisimbi Hiking safari
This 5 Days Rwanda gorilla tour and Karisimbi hiking safari is one of the most adventurous Rwanda safaris, offering tourists an opportunity to combine gorilla trekking in Rwanda and the Mount Karisimbi hike, both done in Volcanoes National Park. This Rwanda safari requires one to be physically fit to have the best experience throughout.
Gorilla trekking in Rwanda
Gorilla trekking is the topmost safari activity done in Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park. The most interesting part of gorilla trekking in Rwanda is that the driving time from Kigali to Volcanoes National Park is very short as compared to that of Virunga National Park in DRC, Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park and Mgahinga Gorilla National Park in Uganda. However, each of them comes with stunning encounters along the way to the designated park, which all have habituated mountain gorillas ready for trekking daily. So whichever country you choose for your next gorilla trekking safari, we are ready to assist you through the process and book for you exactly what you fantasise.
Mount Karisimbi Hike
Mount Karisimbi is also located in Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda, the land of a thousand hills. This is a dormant volcano that last erupted about 10,000 years ago and stands tall at 4,407 m near the Rwanda and DRC border.
Mount Karisimbi is the highest volcano in the Virunga Massif, where 6 other volcanoes exist, including Mount Nyiragongo, the most active and most hiked volcano in the massif; Mount Mikeno; Mount Gahinga; Mount Bisoke; Mount Muhavura; Mount Sabyinyo; and Mount Nyamuragira, making it 7 volcanoes that are shared amongst three parks: Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda, Virunga National Park in DRC, and Mgahinga Gorilla National Park in Uganda.
The word “Karisimbi” is a Kinyarwanda word which literally refers to the “White Shell” due to the snow that covers the peak of Mount Karisimbi during the dry season.
An adventure to the summit of Mount Karisimbi enables hikers to have a stunning view of the neighbouring volcanoes, including Mount Mikeno, Mount Bisoke and Mount.
The hiking trail rewards tourists with lots of encounters, including the stunning vegetation cover, primates like mountain gorillas on a lucky day, golden monkeys, other animals, and abundant birdlife. While at the summit, hikers view the crater lakes and the caldera.
Mount Karisimbi is open for hiking all year round; however, the dry months of June to September and December to February are highly recommended when the hiking trails are dry and passable, making the hike smooth, unlike during the rainy season when the trails are muddy and slippery, making it difficult to navigate.
While planning your Karisimbi hike, ensure that you’re prepared both mentally and physically to achieve the best experience while in the wilderness of Volcanoes National Park.
Safari highlights
- Day 1: Kigali Pickup up and Transfer to Volcanoes national park
- Days 2 and 3: Mount Karisimbi Hiking safari
- Day 4: Gorilla trekking in Rwanda and a cultural visit to the Iby’iwacu cultural tour
- Day 5: Transfer back to Kigali
Detailed Itinerary
Day 1: Kigali Pickup up and Transfer to Volcanoes national park
Depending on your arrival time, you will be welcomed by an experienced safari driver from Chopper Tour and Travel who will be your driver throughout your safari. You will be briefed about Kigali and Rwanda in particular as you set off on a city tour to learn more about Kigali, its people, history and culture. You will visit key tourist attractions in Kigali City, including the Genocide Memorial sites, the King’s Palace, Kimironko Market and many more, depending on the time. Trust me, you will be impressed by how beautiful and clean Kigali is! By the way, did you know that Kigali was ranked the cleanest city in Africa? Well, you can now affirm that.
After the Kigali city tour, have lunch and embark on a 2-hour drive to your lodge in Volcanoes National Park through Rwanda’s rolling hills, as Rwanda is famously known as the land of a thousand hills. Upon arrival, proceed to check in for dinner and have an overnight sleep, anticipating the next day’s fascinating Mount Karisimbi hiking safari.
Meal plan: Lunch and Dinner
Accommodation options:
Luxury: The 5 Volcanoes Lodge/Bisate Lodge/Mountain Gorilla View Lodge
Midrange: Le Bambou Gorilla Lodge / Davinci Lodge
Budget: Hotel Muhabura/The Garden Place Hotel
Days 2 and 3: Mount Karisimbi Hiking Safari
Start your day with a heavy breakfast at the lodge, then meet your safari driver for a drop-off at the park headquarters, where all hikers meet for a briefing about Mount Karisimbi before the actual hike commences. Hikers are provided with the hiking gear, including the hiking stick. At this point, hikers are encouraged to hire the porter to assist in carrying the extra backpack and camping gear, as well as offer a pull/push during the hike.
The actual hike starts with hikers being driven from Kiningi (briefing ground) to the foot of Mount Bisoke to start ascending up to 3,700 m above sea level, where the 1st day of the hike ends after about 6 hours of ascending. For those who wish to hike only for one day, it’s at this point that they start to descend back to the base, while those on a 2-day hike set up their camping tents and have a night’s rest.
The next morning, on day 3, hikers have a warm breakfast and have the last push to the summit of Mount Karisimbi. This takes only 1 hour, but it’s such a challenging hike due to the steep nature of the trail, which makes it hard to navigate through. With good health and physical stamina, hikers are motivated to reach the summit and watch all the beautiful scenery and stunning views of Mount Nyiragongo, Mount Nyamulagira, and Mount Muhavura.
After spending time at the top of Mount Karisimbi, it’s now time to descend back to Kiningi, where the hike started, and then be driven to the park headquarters to receive your hiking experience certificate before exiting the park to return to your lodge for dinner and overnight rest.
Accommodation options:
Luxury: The 5 Volcanoes Lodge/Bisate Lodge/Mountain Gorilla View Lodge
Midrange: Le Bambou Gorilla Lodge / Davinci Lodge
Budget: Hotel Muhabura/The Garden Place Hotel
Day 4: Gorilla trekking in Rwanda and a cultural visit to the Iby’iwacu cultural tour
Arise as early as possible and meet your safari driver to be transferred to the park headquarters for a briefing at 7:00 am. You will have an opportunity to choose the mountain gorilla family you wish to trek, depending on your fitness level and age.
Physically unfit and elderly people are usually allocated the gorilla families that are near and easier to trek. However, the young and physically fit trekkers can take over the challenging gorilla families.
Whichever gorilla family you choose or are allocated to, you will have a memorable experience in the wilderness of Volcanoes National Park. Each gorilla family allows a group of a maximum of 8 trekkers per day, and the entire trek lasts from a few minutes to several hours, depending on how far the gorilla family slept the night before trekking. Upon finding the gorillas, trekkers have only one hour in their vicinity, after which they will exit and meet their driver for a transfer back to the lodge. Spend your evening with the locals on a tour to the Iby’iwacu cultural centre, where you will learn more about Rwandan culture, enjoy their Intore cultural dance and have a relaxed evening after a successful gorilla encounter and entertainment from the Iby’iwacu.
Luxury: The 5 Volcanoes Lodge/Bisate Lodge/Mountain Gorilla View Lodge
Midrange: Le Bambou Gorilla Lodge / Davinci Lodge
Budget: Hotel Muhabura/The Garden Place Hotel
Day 5: Transfer back to Kigali
On the last day of your Rwanda safari, have breakfast, then check out of the lodge and meet your driver for a few hours’ drive back to Kigali for your next flight. Lunch will be en route.
End of days Rwanda gorilla trekking and Karisimbi hike tour
Packing for gorilla trekking and Mount Karisimbi hiking safari;
- A gorilla trekking permit
- Karisimbi hiking permit
- warm clothes, including sweater pants, a long-sleeved sweater, stockings and hand gloves
- Good hiking shoes/boots
- waterproof or rain jacket
- Insect repellant
- Sunscreen
- A hat
- A walking stick can be provided
- Camping equipment, like a tent and sleeping bag (available for hire)
- Packed lunchbox
- Enough drinking water and a refillable water bottle
- A camera and extra charged batteries
- Gorilla trekking in Rwanda takes only one day, while hiking Mount Karisimbi takes 2 days.
Safari inclusive;
- A gorilla trekking permit at $1,500
- Karisimbi hiking permit at $400
- Camping equipment
- A 4×4 safari van/land cruiser
- An English-speaking safari driver/guide
- All accommodation is on a full board
- Enough drinking water
- All activities included in the itinerary
Safari exclusive;
- Visa
- Flight tickets
- Life insurance
- Porter (available for hire)
- Optional activities
- All expenses of a personal nature, like souvenirs, alcohol,
- Tips and gratuity, etc.
