Rwanda, often known as the land of a thousand hills, is a destination that offers more than just scenic beauty. It’s also home to one of the most profound wildlife on planet Earth, which is the mountain gorillas. For travelers coming from the Netherlands, planning for a gorilla trekking adventure in Rwanda is a dream come true.
Rwanda is considered one of the best gorilla trekking destinations in the world, together with Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Rwanda stands out for its exceptional conservation efforts, ease of access, and breathtaking landscape of Volcanoes National Park. The rich biodiversity, accompanied by great gorilla conservation efforts, makes it a must-visit for wildlife lovers.
To embark on a Rwanda gorilla trekking tour from the Netherlands, proper planning is key. The main factors to consider are flights to Rwanda from the Netherlands with connecting flights to major cities in Europe, where the overall travel time can be 9–10 hours.
Visa requirement
Tourists from the Netherlands can apply for a Rwanda visa online or on the arrival day, though the online visa is quick and simple. We advise our clients to apply for a visa at least 2 weeks before the day of travel and the visa lasts for 30 days and costs about USD 60.
Health requirement
Before traveling, check with your doctor regarding recommended vaccinations such as the COVID-19 vaccine, yellow fever, and hepatitis A and B, among others. You need to pack insect repellant to protect you from insect bites, sunscreen to protect you from direct sunlight, and a personal first aid kit.
Gorilla trekking permits are essential and required for each trekker. This is a legal document issued by the Rwanda Development Board through a tour operator after payment of USD 1500 per person, allowing a trekker to visit the gorilla family. We advise our clients to book the gorilla permits in advance, especially in the peak season. This is because gorilla permits are highly demanded and less.
The gorilla trekking experience is a lifetime adventure where tourists spend an hour in the presence of gorillas in the jungle while learning and enjoying the daily activities of the unique primates. The overall experience takes about 3 to 5 hours, and this experience begins with a briefing, a very important exercise where you are told about the dos and don’ts, checking the gorilla permits, allocation of the gorilla group, and signing the park Ranger guide, hiring Porters and more.
Mountain gorillas can be found in Volcanoes National Park, which was established in 1925 and is the oldest African national park. It was created to protect the mountain gorillas from poaching, and in 1963, Dian Fossey came to this park for primate research and ended up conserving the gorillas.
The park is home to other wildlife, including big mammals like elephants, buffalos, beautiful birds, and more. While in the park, you can have other experiences apart from trekking gorillas, such as bird watching, hiking Dian Fossey graveyard, hiking Mount Karisimbi and Bisoke, nature walks, and more.
While on your gorilla trekking tour to Rwanda, you can opt to take different experiences such as cultural encounters by visiting the Iby’Iwacu Cultural village, taking the Kigali city tour where places like the genocide Centre, Kimironko market, art and gallery centers, and more. You can also opt to visit Lake Kivu, the largest water body in Rwanda located at the border of DR Congo, or visit the twin lakes of Burera and Ruhondo.
We normally combine our gorilla safaris with wildlife and culture to get a real taste of what Africa can offer you. Our gorilla safaris are tailor-made, all you need is to contact our team and plan to create memories on your Rwanda Gorilla safari.
