8 Best Volcanoes Tours for 2026/2027

Unexpectedly, witnessing the mountain gorillas of Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park gently going about their day connects you to your own humanity.

In the green mountain forests, mist drifts through the valleys and up the steep slopes. Every step brings you closer to one of Africa’s most profound wildlife encounters: the majestic and endangered mountain gorillas.

You may know Volcanoes National Park from the film Gorillas in the Mist made here in 1988 about conservationist Dian Fossey, who spent 20 years of her life studying gorillas. It’s largely thanks to her work that these creatures were saved from rampant poaching. There are now more than 1,000 mountain gorillas in the wild.

She founded the Karisoke Research Centre, which still operates today, and you’re able to hike to her gravesite.

The misty Virunga Volcanoes stretch across Uganda, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Rwanda, thickly forested and with six dormant and two active volcanoes (Nyiragongo and Nyamuragira, both in the DRC). Volcanoes National Park is the Rwandan portion of the Virunga Volcanoes range and contains five of the dormant volcanoes.

Volcanoes safari tours take you to one of only four parks in the world where you can see some of the world’s remaining mountain gorillas. It safeguards about 300 of the giants.

Rwanda is often described as the easiest gorilla trekking because the forest is just a three-hour drive from the airport. The hike itself can, however, be physically demanding.

Your day starts early. The air is cool, the ground still damp from the night. With expert guides leading the way, you’ll hike through dense foliage, sometimes from the lower montane or neoboutonia forest at the lowest altitude up to the bamboo forest. This is where you’ll find the home of the gorillas and golden monkeys.

Subtle signs of bent branches and distant calls draw you on through a forest packed with other creatures, including several types of monkeys and nearly 200 bird species. And then, it happens. A gorilla family emerges from the greenery.

There is a one-hour limit for visitors, strictly to minimise human-wildlife disease transmission. For this hour, you’re simply there, quietly observing as they feed, groom, and move through their world. It’s a humbling and unforgettable experience. This is the heart of our Volcanoes gorilla tours: creating moments that stay with you long after you’ve left the forest.

You are here for the gorillas, but depending on your pace and interests, your itinerary might also include:

• Golden monkey tracking on the park’s lower slopes
• Guided nature walks or challenging hikes to experience one of Central Africa’s most bio-diverse destinations
• Guided visits to local communities and conservation projects
• Time in Kigali, including at the Genocide Memorial

In the evenings, you’ll return to your luxury lodge, with views of the Virunga volcanoes. Some travellers combine Rwanda Volcanoes National Park with East Africa’s savannahs. Others keep it focused on just Rwanda, the forest, and the gorillas.

Volcanoes National Park safari tours are accessible year-round, though the drier months, from June to September and December to February, tend to offer easier hiking conditions. That said, this is a rainforest; expect mud, mist, and moments of unpredictability.

A safari in Rwanda Volcanoes National Park is about more than ticking off gorillas. It’s about understanding our place in the world.

Inspired by possibility? Let one of our safari experts help you start writing your Rwanda chapter.