Rwanda gorilla trekking cost (2025)

Everyone must purchase a permit in order to be allowed to see mountain gorillas in the wild. In Rwanda, a gorilla trekking permit costs U$1,500 (or about 2,000,000 Rwandan francs).

This permit price includes your guided hike to and from your assigned gorilla troop, as well as being allowed to spend an hour in the presence of the gorilla family. (If you're unfamiliar with what a mountain gorilla trek looks like, please read All you need to know about gorilla trekking tours.)

Rwanda's gorilla trekking permits are expensive, we know. So if it's out of reach for you, we recommend that you consider doing a gorilla trek in Uganda instead; a permit there costs only US$800 but you enjoy the same experience.

The main reason gorilla trekking permits are so expensive is that mountain gorilla conservation is a very expensive exercise. The bulk of your permit fee goes towards the park and its many needs, like staff salaries, research and facility maintenance. Some of your permit fee also goes towards the local community, a topic we discuss in Does gorilla trekking help gorilla conservation? And a portion goes to the Government.

Finally, note that the cost of a gorilla trekking permit (in Uganda or Rwanda) doesn't vary between peak and off-peak seasons, but many other costs do, like accommodation. So if you're looking to cut down on costs, perhaps consider an off-peak or shoulder season gorilla trek. And on that note, let's discuss accommodation prices for gorilla trekking in Rwanda ...

There are many luxury lodges near Volcanoes National Park

You want to stay near to Volcanoes National Park (the home of Rwanda's mountain gorillas) so that you don't have to travel far on the day of your gorilla trek, since you must meet your guide early in the morning.

Budget accommodations in the area usually cost between US$50 and $120 per person per night. Mid-range and luxury accommodations options then vary greatly in price.

At Follow Alice, we offer our Rwanda gorilla trekking guests the choice of mid-range or luxury accommodation. For those wanting a five-star holiday, we like to book the eco-friendly Wilderness Bisate, which costs between US$1,800 to $2,800 per person per night sharing.

The Volcanoes National Park website is an easy one-stop resource for finding budget, mid-range and luxury accommodation options in the region.

Porters are freelancers allowed into Volcanoes National Park to offer their services to gorilla trekkers. Their services cost just US$10.

If you'd like any help on your gorilla trek, then we highly recommend using a porter. Not only does your porter carry your backpack for you, but they can also help you navigate treacherous sections of the trail. This is a particularly good idea for anyone a bit older or anyone a little unsure of themselves when hiking in steep or muddy conditions.

Rwanda's gorilla trekking industry is an invaluable source of job creation and income for many locals. So we encourage visitors to hire porters if inclined. We also encourage you to tip your porter at the end of the trek if you were happy with the service rendered. And on the topic of tips ...

One of our gorilla trekking groups with their guide and rangers

Tipping is customary in Rwanda, and your gorilla trekking crew (as well as the other service staff you encounter on your holiday) will be hoping to receive tips. Naturally, tips should be based on the quality of the service rendered. And they're not in any way obligatory.

Here are some recommended amounts to tip each type of service person:

* Given that gorilla families naturally move around the forest as suits their needs, your trek group usually includes a handful of rangers who know how to track the gorilla family assigned to your group. (This is why gorilla trekking is also known as gorilla tracking.)

Most of your food and drink costs will almost certainly be included in your accommodation cost, especially if you book a more upmarket establishment. Usually, your accommodation will also provide you with a packed lunch to carry in your backpack on the day of your gorilla trek.

That said, we can advise you to budget around US$10 per person for a meal in a three-star hotel or restaurant to about $50 per person for a meal in a five-star hotel or restaurant. It often works out more cost effective to have your meals included in your accommodation package.

Note: If you're feeling that everything in Rwanda is just too expensive, even were you to elect to stay in budget accommodation and eat simply, then we once again recommend that you head instead to Uganda for your mountain gorilla trek. Rwanda has chosen to target more high-end tourists, so its entire gorilla trekking setup is more expensive. We discuss this topic in more detail in What is the cost of a gorilla trekking permit? Uganda vs Rwanda.

Volcanoes National Park sits in northwest Rwanda

If you travel with a tour operator like Follow Alice, your transport costs will be covered by your tour package fee. This usually includes a private vehicle and a driver guide.

If you're going to travel to Volcanoes National Park under your own steam, you need to know that the drive from Kigali International Airport to the Ruhengeri District of Musanze (where you can find hotels and lodges catering to gorilla trekkers) takes around two to three hours. Also, you'll need to hire a car and drive yourself, or hire someone to drive you. There are no railway links.

You're looking at around US$140 minimum to rent an SUV for one day in Rwanda. (A sports vehicle is a good idea for navigating the rutted roads nearer Volcanoes National Park.)

Citizens of many countries, especially those in Africa, can travel to Rwanda as a tourist on a free visa. Those living in countries where there is no visa exemption will pay US$50 for a single-entry tourist visa. You can learn more on the Visit Rwanda Immigration & Visas webpage.

Traveller's insurance is always a very good idea when travelling abroad. Usually a tour operator will not host a guest without it. We can recommend World Nomads as being a good travel insurance partner.

Some further potential costs for your Rwanda gorilla trekking trip are as follows:

Please speak to your doctor before travelling to Rwanda about all of the above medical considerations in order to receive personalised advice on the best precautions for you.

Is there anything we didn't cover in this post that you'd still like to ask? Please feel free to reach out to us via the enquiry form or on our socials – we love talking gorilla trekking and would be happy to help. Alternatively, if you're ready to start planning your gorilla trek, check out our exciting Rwanda gorilla trekking packages.