Gorilla Expedition with the Experts
Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund CEO Clare Richardson will lead several expeditions to Rwanda in 2013.
Taking a safari to see the mountain gorillas with the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund International will be the trip of a lifetime. You will be met in Rwanda by a Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund staff member who will be with you the entire trip and will not only share personal insights but will also introduce you to the current staff and researchers working to continue Dian Fossey’s legacy.
Experiencing an hour in the midst of a close-knit living group of mountain gorillas in the wild will confirm all the best things you have heard about them. The infants are playful and adorable while the juveniles can be rambunctious - all of them under the watchful gaze of their mothers and the protection of the immense and dignified, dominant silverback. During your trip, you will have an opportunity to see Dian Fossey’s original Karisoke Research Center high in the volcanoes and visit her grave in the tree-shaded clearing in the gorilla graveyard, next to that of Digit, her favorite gorilla. Guests on our tours will have experiences not available to other groups - the unique opportunity to meet Dr. Fossey’s successors, a team of expert scientists and researchers at the present day Karisoke Research Center, get a behind-the-scenes tour of the facility, see them at work and learn more about their day-to-day activities through presentations and intimate chats over dinner. Our trips include all of this and the knowledge that you are helping the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund's crucial conservation efforts in Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Below is information about the itinerary and the contact information for our travel coordinator. For general information, please contact us.
Currently Planned Trips
2013
June 7th – 12th
July 12th – 17th
Aug. 16th – 21st
Sept. 27th – Oct. 2nd
RWANDA
The Great Lakes
Rwanda, the land of a thousand hills, with its warm yet temperate climate and lush, fertile land, is renowned for its population of majestic gorillas that freely roam steep, mountainous rain forests. This, alongside an abundance of other wild flora and fauna, proves Rwanda to be a very well kept secret. The highest peak in the impressive Virunga Volcanoes is Mount Karisimbi (4,507metres or 14,786 feet).
Volcanoes National Park (Parc National des Volcans) ranks as one of the best places in Africa to go gorilla trekking, and also supports a number of other mammal, bird and plant species. The park protects the Rwanda sector of the Virunga Mountains, a range of six extinct and three active volcanoes which straddle the border with Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
ITINERARY
Seeing some of the last remaining 900 mountain gorillas in the world is a fantastic experience. This safari takes you to Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda. It offers an opportunity to track gorillas two times (one trek is included in the price of the tour). Volcanoes National Park has nine habituated gorilla families. Tracking most groups in the afro-montane forest usually takes only a few hours. There are many other nature experiences and sightseeing options in the area and each day, guests will discuss activity options with the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund staff person so arrangements can be made. Some descriptions are noted below.
• Day 1 – Met on arrival at Kigali airport by Clare Richardson and guide, enjoy a tour of the city including a visit to the market, a pottery project, handicraft shops and the genocide memorial. After lunch, depart for Volcanoes National Park. Overnight at Volcanoes Virunga Lodge – (lunch and dinner).
• Day 2 – Go gorilla trekking in Volcanoes National Park. Trekking the gorillas through the mountain forest on the slopes of the Virungas is a magical experience. If you are lucky you can get to the gorillas, spend an hour with them, and be back at the base in time for a late lunch! However, some gorilla families are more elusive, and trekking can take a full day, especially when it is wet and muddy. In the afternoon, either visit the local school supported by the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund, or other community projects or visit Iby’Iwacu Cultural Village.
Overnight in Volcanoes Virunga Lodge (all meals included).
• Day 3 – An opportunity to have a second gorilla trek or visit Ros Carr’s orphanage and/or Lake Kivu.
Overnight in Volcanoes Virunga Lodge (all meals included).
• Day 4 –Enjoy extra activities such as a golden monkey walk, or a visit to Dian’s grave, or a visit to the Bisate Village projects sponsored by the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund. In the afternoon enjoy an exclusive visit to the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund’s Karisoke Research Center where you will enjoy a true immersion experience – meeting the staff, touring the building including the labs, research center and the gorilla bone room, and participating in a formal staff-led presentation about the gorillas and conservation efforts. Light refreshments will be served.
Overnight in Volcanoes Virunga Lodge (all meals included).
• Day 5 – After breakfast, start the three-hour drive back to Kigali. Transfer to your hotel for a farewell dinner with some of the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund staff.
Overnight in Kigali Serena (dinner & breakfast included).
• Day 6 – Say goodbye to Clare Richardson. You will then be transferred to the airport in time for your flight home or optional extension to Tanzania or Kenya.
INCLUDED:
- Transport and driver/guide for the itinerary described
- All meals, beverages and laundry at Volcanoes Virunga Lodge
- Park fees and one gorilla permit per person
- Services of professional trackers/guides while tracking
- Bottled drinking water in the vehicle
- Donation to the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund International
- Airport transfers in Kigali as per above itinerary
- Visit to ex-poachers' village and Karisoke Research Center
- Clare Richardson tour lead
- All credit card payment surcharges
EXCLUDED:
- Passport and entry visa fees
- Optional extra gorilla permit
- Optional extras while in Kigali
- Beverages throughout the trip except where listed as included
- Personal extras such as telephone calls, mini bar, porterage and travel insurance
- Medical / Trip cancellation
- Medications and inoculations required
- All items of a personal nature
- Optional extension to Kenya or Tanzania (inquire for tour details)
COSTS: 2013 Trips
- US $5,237 per person (including one gorilla permit at $750)
- US $750 for second gorilla permit
- Single room supplement: available on request
Please note: This tour price is based on 12 passengers traveling, and should there be fewer than 12 passengers traveling the tour price will change accordingly. Please inquire for additional details.
Tour-specific questions (pricing, availability, accommodations, timing, etc.) should be addressed to travel@gorillafund.org or 1-800-851-0203 option 2.