Gorillas of Rwanda's Virunga Volcanoes

On this trip, we gently track the world’s largest primate in Rwanda’s Parc National des Volcans—the volcans in this instance being the personable Virunga Volcanoes, a chain of eight major peaks that top out at Karisimbi’s 14,787-foot summit (just barely above timberline in these tropical latitudes). Archetypal jungle volcanoes, the Virungas are densely, dramatically forested, and hiking in them would be a thrill even without the almost certain prospect of suddenly coming into the presence of tremendous Gorilla beringei beringei, our very sweet, very large relatives.

We’ll explore Nyungwe Forest, looking for chimpanzees and black and white colobus monkeys. And we’ll visit Lake Kivu and Kigali, all the while getting an important look at Rwanda’s history and current affairs.

This trip can also be customized as a 4- to 5-day stellar extension to any of our Kenya or Tanzania journeys.