Wildlife Adventure in Rwanda

Our wildlife adventures put nature front and center throughout the trip. We aim to spend as much time as possible immersed in the wild, whether that’s tracking animals across remote landscapes or sitting quietly, waiting for something remarkable to unfold. That said, these are still proper adventures. Expect plenty of walking safaris, hikes, and other active ways to spend your days, with moments of stillness and observation woven in along the way. An experienced naturalist tour leader will be with you throughout, and group sizes are capped at 12 people—keeping things intimate, minimizing your environmental impact, and ensuring the wildlife barely knows you’re there.

Gorilla tracking is possible year-round in Rwanda, although the best conditions are typically during the dry seasons from June to September and December to February. During these months, trails are less muddy and hiking is generally easier, although the forest remains humid. In the wetter months, trekking can be more challenging underfoot, but the scenery is especially lush, and permits are often available at a lower cost.

Gorilla trekking takes place in Volcanoes National Park and begins early in the morning with a briefing from park rangers. You’ll be placed in small groups of up to eight people and assigned to a specific gorilla family. The trek can take anything from one to three hours each way, depending on the family’s location, covering distances of 6-12 miles with elevation gains of between 656 and 2,297 feet across steep, muddy and uneven terrain.

Trekking takes place at altitude, typically between 8,202 and 13,123 feet above sea level. The park headquarters at Kinigi sit at around 7,874 feet, with routes ascending into the mountainous forest above. Paths are often created by rangers as you go; there aren’t always established trails, and combined with high humidity and unpredictable underfoot conditions, a reasonable level of fitness is required.

Once the gorillas are located, you’ll spend up to one hour observing them from a safe distance. Please note that if you are unwell on the day, you may be unable to take part in order to protect the health of the gorillas.

Permits are strictly limited (just 106 available each day) and are included in the trip price. These typically cost between $1,050 and $1,500 per person for a single trek, depending on the season. This fee plays a vital role in conservation, funding anti-poaching patrols, habitat protection and long-term monitoring of the gorillas, as well as supporting local communities through initiatives such as schools and healthcare. It also covers park infrastructure and the expert rangers and guides who lead the experience. Following ranger guidance throughout is essential to protect both you and the animals.

Akagera National Park is the only place in Rwanda where it’s possible to see the Big Five – lion, leopard, elephant, buffalo, and rhino. It's home to more than 13,000 large animals across a varied landscape of open savanna, lakes, and woodland. That said, wildlife sightings are never guaranteed. You’ll spend the best part of two days in the park, including a morning game drive, a boat safari on Lake Ihema, and a night drive, when predators tend to be most active – giving you a strong chance of multiple encounters. Your local guides know the park inside out, and patient tracking often rewards you with sightings you might otherwise miss. Think of it less as a checklist and more as a genuinely wild experience.

Our adventures are designed by animal lovers, for animal lovers, with a strong emphasis on respect and minimal impact. You’ll be accompanied by experienced wildlife experts who follow strict guidelines to avoid disturbing animals, ensuring all encounters are as responsible as possible.

Group sizes are limited to a maximum of 12, helping to minimize disturbance and allowing sightings to be managed calmly and responsibly. Gorilla, golden monkey, and colobus monkey treks all take place in small groups, led by trained park rangers who enforce clear rules on distance, behavior, and time spent with the animals. Only habituated groups are visited, and contact time is strictly limited to reduce stress and the risk of disease transmission. In Akagera National Park, game drives follow park regulations, and tourism revenue is reinvested into conservation and local communities, supporting the long-term protection of wildlife and habitats. All trips operate in line with our Animal Welfare Policy, ensuring wildlife protection always comes first.

You'll be guided throughout by experienced local hosts and specialist park rangers, who have in-depth knowledge of Rwanda's ecosystems and wildlife. In national parks, official rangers lead activities such as gorilla trekking, canopy walks, and conservation experiences, sharing insight into animal behavior, tracking techniques, and ongoing protection efforts. Their expertise adds depth to each encounter while ensuring everything runs safely and responsibly.

While tap water is unsafe for drinking, please bring a refillable water bottle with you, as a plentiful supply of filtered/treated water will be available during the trip.

At Much Better Adventures, we work hard to accommodate dietary requirements and allergies so your trip is safe, inclusive, and enjoyable. That said, options can vary by country, location, and lodging, and in some places, options may be limited or unavailable. The information below has been provided by your host so you’re fully informed about what will be possible on your trip depending on your individual requirements. This information should be read carefully prior to your trip to ensure that you are adequately prepared for the situation ‘on the ground’.

Once you have booked your trip, please fill out your passenger information form asap with any dietary requirements. Once you complete your passenger information, your dietary needs and any allergies are automatically shared with your host and, in turn, your guide. Please submit this as early as possible so they can plan accordingly and deliver the best experience. Please also remind your guide about your dietary requirements upon arrival, as mentioning these in person allows your guide to comprehend individual preferences and limitations as soon as you arrive.

BACKGROUND

Rwandan cuisine is shaped by its fertile highland geography and farming traditions, with meals centered on locally grown staples such as plantain, beans, sweet potato, cassava, and corn, often prepared simply and seasonally. This makes managing special diets generally manageable, but awareness of allergies may be limited and cross-contamination risks can rarely be fully eliminated, particularly in rural areas.

SPECIAL DIETS

Vegetarian

• Vegetarian diets can be catered for on this trip, provided that your host is made aware in advance. Traditional Rwandan cuisine is largely plant-based, with meals commonly centered on beans, plantain, sweet potatoes, cassava, corn, vegetables, peas, and seasonal produce. However, you may find options can be a little repetitive.

Vegan

• Vegan diets can be catered for on this trip, provided that your host is made aware in advance. Traditional Rwandan cuisine is largely plant-based, with meals commonly centered on beans, plantain, sweet potatoes, cassava, corn, vegetables, peas, and seasonal produce. However, you may find options can be a little repetitive.

Kosher

• Fully certified kosher kitchens and supervision are rare and cannot be guaranteed. Vegetarian or vegan options can often be the most reliable alternative if this is acceptable to you. Please read the related sections above.

Halal

• Halal diets can be catered for on this trip, provided that your host is made aware in advance.

INTOLERANCES

Gluten Free (for Celiac, please see Allergies section below)

• Gluten-free diets can be catered for on this trip, provided that your host is made aware in advance. Gluten-free travelers can find options based on tubers and legumes, but direct substitutes for common items are uncommon. Please do consider bringing your favorite snacks or food supplements from home to ensure that you always have enough fuel for your adventure.

Lactose Free

• Lactose-free diets can be catered for on this trip, provided that your host is made aware in advance. Though milk and yogurt do feature prominently in some regions, dairy-free substitutes are available. Please do, however, consider bringing your favorite snacks or food supplements from home to ensure that you always have enough fuel for your adventure.

ALLERGIES Our host has confirmed that provision for certain mild and severe or life-threatening food allergies on this trip may be unreliable. In Rwanda, awareness and effective management of food allergies remain limited, particularly in local restaurants and hotels, and cross-contamination risks cannot be fully eliminated.

Please get in touch with our CX team prior to booking to discuss whether your requirements can be accommodated safely on this trip. This will allow us to carefully consider the sensitivity and severity of your allergy, the available provision on the trip, and the accessibility of medical care should a reaction occur. Your safety is always our top priority. Please note that when traveling overseas, local ingredients, food preparation methods, and labeling standards may vary, particularly in remote areas. It is also worth noting that any allergies may result in more limited options and repetitive provision in some areas. While your guide will help communicate dietary requirements where possible, customers remain responsible for managing their own allergies during the trip. Guests with intolerances (including peanut intolerance) must carry all necessary medication, including an EpiPen where prescribed.

Sure can! Over 70% of our travellers travel solo, it’s a great way to meet like-minded people.

Our team of Adventure Hunters co-create exclusive adventures which are run by highly vetted, specialist hosts. The trip is run by our trusted host partner in the destination. We only work with independent, local, in-destination experts who know the very best places to explore and how to stay safe. Read more information about the local teams we partner with. You’ll be introduced to the host straight after making a booking via the Much Better Adventures platform.

Much Better Adventures refer to the UK Government’s official travel advice when designing trips and monitoring trip operations. We recommend that all customers review the practical information available on the UK Government’s FCDO website, where you can find up-to-date advice by searching for your destination(s).

If you are based in the United States, you can also check the latest travel advisories from the U.S. Department of State.

For customers joining from other international locations, we recommend checking the official travel advice issued by your country of residence, as guidance may vary.

We recommend checking out the country-specific information and also talking to a travel nurse.

We automatically convert prices from the local currency that a host receives to your chosen currency. We update our exchange rates daily, so prices displayed on the site are subject to currency fluctuations, which is why you may see them change over time.

If you wish to change the currency you pay in, head to the bottom of the page.

All of our group adventures are specially designed for adults to enjoy as we want these adventures to bring together outdoorsy people who are truly like-minded. You must be over 18 to join one of our trips.

You're always in good company on one of our adventures.

Our trips typically consist of a mix of solo travelers and small groups of 2 or 3 friends, with most in their 30s-50s.

Our sociable adventures are solo-friendly by design and naturally attract outdoorsy people with a shared mindset; a love for adventure, a desire to push themselves, and meet awesome, like-minded people along the way.

It’s this camaraderie that has so often turned a great adventure into a life-changing one.

Don't just take our word for it:

• 95% of people rate the group dynamics on our trips 5/5
• 90% of people recommend joining a trip to make new friends
• 75% of people have met people on our trips that they would now consider friends

See here for more info about the Much Better Adventures tribe.