A Rwanda gorilla trekking permit costs $1,500 per person and covers one hour with a habituated mountain gorilla family in Volcanoes National Park, plus your ranger guide, trackers, and park entrance. Permits are issued by the Rwanda Development Board (RDB) and, like Uganda's, are capped by the number of habituated families available for daily trekking.
Quick facts
- Cost: $1,500 per person, one hour with a habituated family
- Where: Volcanoes National Park, near Kinigi
- Issuing body: Rwanda Development Board (RDB)
- Booking lead time: 4–6 months ahead for peak season (June–September, December–February)
- Minimum age: 15
How Rwanda gorilla trekking compares to Uganda
The headline difference is price: Rwanda's $1,500 permit is nearly double Uganda's $800. What that premium buys is a shorter transfer — Volcanoes National Park sits roughly 2–3 hours from Kigali, against a considerably longer journey from Entebbe to Uganda's Bwindi. For travellers weighing both countries directly, see our full Uganda vs Rwanda comparison.
What the trek involves
Treks begin with an early-morning briefing at park headquarters in Kinigi, where rangers assign trekking groups to specific gorilla families based on fitness level and family location that day. The walk itself ranges from a gentle hour to a genuinely demanding multi-hour climb through dense montane forest, depending on where the assigned family is ranging. Porters are available and commonly used, even by fit travellers, given the terrain.
Booking through Travelmonke
We arrange Rwanda gorilla permits as part of both dedicated Rwanda itineraries and combined Uganda-Rwanda journeys, most notably our 10 Days Uganda & Rwanda Signature Journey, which pairs a Uganda trek with a second Rwanda trek on the same trip.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a Rwanda gorilla permit cost?
$1,500 per person for a standard one-hour trek with a habituated family in Volcanoes National Park.
How far in advance should I book a Rwanda gorilla trekking permit?
4 to 6 months ahead for peak season (June to September, December to February); Rwanda's smaller overall permit allocation compared to Uganda means earlier booking generally pays off.
Is Rwanda gorilla trekking easier than Uganda's?
Not necessarily — Volcanoes National Park's terrain includes genuinely steep sections, and difficulty depends more on where your assigned family is that day than on the country.
Ready to check dates? See our 5 Days Rwanda Luxury Gorilla Safari or enquire now.