RWANDA GORILLA TREKKING PERMITS

Rwanda Gorilla Trekking Permit 2026: Price, How to Get One & How to Book

A Rwanda gorilla trekking permit costs USD 1,500 per person for foreign visitors in 2026. It is issued by the Rwanda Development Board for one specific date. You can book it yourself through Visit Rwanda Bookings, or book a Five Volcanoes package where the permit is already included, from USD 2,435 per person.
View official RDB permit information
Official RDB information · Minimum age 15 · 07:00 registration · One-hour gorilla viewing time
Silverback mountain gorilla in Volcanoes National Park, Rwanda

How much is a gorilla trekking permit in Rwanda?

The standard Rwanda gorilla trekking permit for a foreign visitor currently costs USD 1,500 per person for one scheduled trekking date in Volcanoes National Park. The permit is issued through Rwanda Development Board and is separate from accommodation, private transport, porter fees and hotel services unless these are explicitly listed in a confirmed package. Permit prices, traveller categories and promotional conditions can change, so the applicable rate should always be checked against current official RDB information before payment.
Official source: Rwanda Development Board · Last reviewed against official Rwanda Development Board information: July 2026.

Rwanda gorilla trekking permit cost 2026: price per person and traveller categories

USD 1,500
Standard foreign visitor permit
Per person, for one scheduled gorilla trekking date in Volcanoes National Park.
Other official RDB categories
  • Foreign resident in Rwanda
  • Rwandan citizen
  • East African citizen
  • African citizen or foreign resident in Africa
Category eligibility is verified through official identification and residency documentation. Reduced‒category rates are governed by the Rwanda Development Board process — confirm your current rate and eligibility with RDB before payment.

What the gorilla trekking permit includes

The official permit includes
  • Access to the scheduled Gorilla Trekking experience
  • Official park briefing
  • Tracking with authorised park rangers and guides
  • Up to one hour with the gorilla family once located
  • Official park access for the booked date
The permit does not automatically include
  • Hotel accommodation and meals
  • Kigali transfers and transfer to the starting point
  • Porter fees and gratuities
  • Travel insurance
  • Clothing and trekking equipment
  • Golden Monkey Permit and additional activities
  • Visa costs

How to book a Rwanda gorilla trekking permit

STEP 1
Choose your preferred trekking date
The permit is date‒specific and tied to one scheduled trekking day. Choose your date first, then plan the stay around it.
STEP 2
Check official availability
Availability is first come, first served through Rwanda Development Board and cannot be guaranteed before official confirmation.
STEP 3
Provide accurate traveller details
You will need each traveller's full passport name, passport details, nationality, date of birth, email, phone number and any supporting residency documents where relevant. Details must match official documents.
STEP 4
Pay the applicable official amount
Processing and payment requirements depend on the booking method and confirmed proposal. Confirm the current official rate before payment.
STEP 5
Align accommodation and transfers
Your permit date determines your arrival date, hotel nights, Kigali transfer, early breakfast, park-headquarters transfer and recovery time.
Official RDB booking page · See Five Volcanoes packages

Who can arrange Rwanda gorilla permits and accommodation together?

Book directly through Rwanda Development Board (Visit Rwanda Bookings)
Best for travellers who already know their exact date, traveller details, accommodation, transfer plan and complete itinerary, and are comfortable managing the official process themselves.
Book a Five Volcanoes package with the permit included
Every Five Volcanoes package includes the gorilla permit, so you get one price for permit, room, Full Board and private driver. 2 nights from USD 2,435, 3 nights from USD 2,815 and 4 nights from USD 3,295 per person. We confirm your permit date in writing before you pay.

When should you book your Rwanda gorilla permit?

As a practical guideline, book your Rwanda gorilla permit 3 to 6 months ahead for the July–September and December–January peak season, when demand is highest and only 8 visitors are allowed per habituated gorilla family per day. In the quieter March–May and November low season, 4 to 8 weeks ahead is often enough. There is no single booking window that guarantees availability — popular dates can still sell out early — so the safest approach is to check as soon as your travel dates become reasonably firm, and confirm the permit before buying inflexible flights or finalising the wider itinerary.

How do you check gorilla permit availability in Rwanda?

Rwanda gorilla permit availability is controlled by Rwanda Development Board and depends on the selected date and remaining official spaces. Five Volcanoes can help coordinate the enquiry and align accommodation around the preferred date, but availability cannot be guaranteed until the permit is officially confirmed.
Typical availability outcomes we help you navigate
  • Preferred date available
  • Alternative date available
  • Hotel available but permit pending
  • Permit available but room category pending
  • Fully confirmed

Plan your stay around the permit date

Five Volcanoes is approximately 15 minutes by road from Volcanoes National Park Headquarters in Kinigi, so the early start feels calm and close.
DAY BEFORE
Arrive in Musanze, check in, enjoy dinner, prepare your clothing and have an early night.
TREK DAY
Early breakfast, transfer to park headquarters, 07:00 registration and briefing, Gorilla Trekking, then return to the lodge for a meal and recovery.
DAY AFTER
Golden Monkey trekking, wellness, additional lodge time or your onward journey.
Plan the stay around your date: 2‒Night Essential Stay · 3‒Night Signature Journey · 4‒Night Slow Journey
The 3-Night Signature Journey includes the Golden Monkey Permit as its special direct-booking benefit, subject to official availability and conditions.

Official rules you need to know

MINIMUM AGE
15 years for gorilla trekking.
GROUP SIZE
A maximum of eight visitors per gorilla group.
VIEWING TIME
Up to one hour once the gorilla family is located.
HEALTH REQUIREMENT
Visitors may be denied access when sick with a cold, flu or another contagious illness, to protect the gorillas.
Responsible behaviour and accurate documents
Follow ranger instructions, keep the official distance, keep voices low, avoid rapid movements, cover coughs, do not litter and never leave the group without instruction.
Traveller names must match official documents. False, incomplete or expired documents, or the wrong traveller category, can lead to denied entry — a system-generated permit does not override incorrect documentation. When in doubt, contact Rwanda Development Board before travel.

Are discounted or low‒season gorilla permits available in Rwanda?

Yes. From November to May, the Rwanda Development Board offers a 30% discount on the gorilla permit (USD 1,050 instead of USD 1,500) when you combine it with a stay in Akagera or Nyungwe National Park: two nights in one park, or one night in each, with a paid hotel and activity. It is a great way to combine gorillas with a savanna safari or chimpanzee trekking. Ask us and we check whether your dates qualify.
Rescheduling, transfers, cancellation and refunds
Gorilla permits are generally non-refundable. Date changes go through the Rwanda Development Board and currently cost 20% of the permit fee (USD 300 per person), subject to availability. Permits are issued to named travellers and cannot simply be transferred. We recommend travel insurance with cancellation cover.

Gorilla trekking permit vs Golden Monkey permit in Rwanda

Gorilla Trekking Permit
  • Experience: mountain gorilla tracking
  • Standard foreign visitor price: currently USD 1,500 per person (verify current RDB rate)
  • Minimum age: 15
  • Reporting: 07:00
  • Booking: official availability required
Golden Monkey Permit
  • Experience: golden monkey tracking
  • Standard foreign visitor price: currently USD 100 per person (verify current RDB rate)
  • Minimum age: 12
  • Reporting: 07:00
  • Booking: official availability required
The 3-Night Five Volcanoes Signature Journey includes the Golden Monkey Permit as its direct-booking benefit; all confirmed permit inclusions are listed clearly in your personalised proposal.
Rwanda vs Uganda gorilla trekking permit price
Permit prices, issuing authorities, parks and transfer logistics differ between Rwanda and Uganda. The lower permit price is not the only trip-cost consideration. Five Volcanoes is a Rwanda accommodation and journey-planning base.
Rwanda's standard foreign-visitor gorilla permit is currently USD 1,500 through Rwanda Development Board. Uganda's standard foreign-visitor permit is currently USD 800 through Uganda Wildlife Authority, with a reduced low-season rate of USD 600 in April, May and November. Each authority sets and updates its own rate independently, so always verify the current official price before booking.
Read the complete Rwanda vs Uganda gorilla trekking guide · Golden Monkey trekking in Rwanda

Gorilla trekking packages with the permit included

Mountain gorilla, Rwanda
2-Night Essential Stay
From USD 2,435 per person. Gorilla permit, two nights Full Board and a private driver for three days.
Explore the Essential Stay
Golden monkey, Rwanda
GORILLA + GOLDEN MONKEY PERMITS
3-Night Signature Journey
From USD 2,815 per person. Gorilla permit plus a free Golden Monkey permit, three nights Full Board and a private driver.
Explore the Signature Journey
Five Volcanoes Boutique Hotel near Volcanoes National Park, Rwanda
4-Night Slow Journey
From USD 3,295 per person. Gorilla and Golden Monkey permits, four nights Full Board and a full rest day.
Explore the Slow Journey
WHY TRUST THIS GUIDE

Written from a lodge that plans permits every week

Five Volcanoes Boutique Hotel is based in Musanze, approximately 15 minutes by road from Volcanoes National Park Headquarters in Kinigi. We coordinate guest stays around confirmed trekking dates throughout the year, so this guide reflects practical experience alongside current official Rwanda Development Board information. We do not control official permit inventory, pricing or rules, and we do not guarantee availability. Every variable fact should be confirmed with RDB. Last reviewed against official Rwanda Development Board information: July 2026.

PERSONAL PLANNING SUPPORT

Plan Your Rwanda Gorilla Journey

Tell us your preferred travel dates, number of guests and what matters most for this journey. We will personally review room availability, official permit timing, private transfers and the itinerary around your priorities.

Whether you are planning a milestone birthday, anniversary, honeymoon or a once-in-a-lifetime wildlife journey, this first inquiry helps us understand the pace, comfort and experiences that would make the trip feel right for you.

This is an inquiry only - not a confirmed booking. No payment is required at this stage.

  • Your details are handled confidentially.
  • We reply personally with suitable room options, logistics and practical next steps.
  • Official permits remain subject to Rwanda Development Board availability and confirmation.

Five Volcanoes can assist with practical coordination around accommodation, transfers and requested trekking dates. Official permits are issued through the Rwanda Development Board process and cannot be guaranteed until officially confirmed.

Download Your Complimentary Gorilla Trekking Guide

No payment is required at this stage.

Rwanda gorilla trekking permits: frequently asked questions

How much is a gorilla permit in Rwanda in 2026?
How much is a gorilla trekking permit in Uganda compared with Rwanda?
How do I get a gorilla trekking permit in Rwanda?
Where can I check Rwanda gorilla permit availability?
How far in advance should I book?
Is the gorilla permit included in the hotel rate or a Five Volcanoes package?
What information is required to book, and can I book without a passport?
Is the permit refundable, and can I change the trekking date?
Can a gorilla permit be transferred to another person?
What happens if I am sick on trekking day?
What is the minimum age, group size and viewing time?
What time must I report, and can I choose my gorilla family?
Does the permit include a porter or transport?
Is there a discount on gorilla permits in Rwanda?
What is the difference between a Gorilla and Golden Monkey Permit?
Is the Golden Monkey permit included in your packages?
Should I confirm the permit or the hotel first, and can Five Volcanoes help?
ALIGN YOUR PERMIT, ROOM AND TRANSFERS

Plan your gorilla trekking stay around the right date

Share your preferred trekking date, travel dates and number of guests. We will help check the practical fit between permit availability, room options, private Kigali transfers and the recommended length of stay.
Compare the 2, 3 and 4‒Night Journeys
Five Volcanoes Boutique Hotel
Information
Contact
Five Volcanoes Boutique Hotel
+250 789 924 969 | +250 780 440 648
marketing@fivevolcanoesrwanda.com
Musanze-Kinigi Road,
Ruhengeri | Rwanda