Gishwati-Mukura National Park
Gishwati-Mukura National Park is located in the western part of Rwanda, spread … Continue reading "Gishwati-Mukura National Park"
Western Rwanda
Gishwati-Mukura National Park is located in the western part of Rwanda, spread across the districts of Rubavu, Rutsiro, Nyabihu, and Ngororero, near the edge of the Congo Nile Divide.
It is Rwanda’s newest national park, officially established in 2015 by combining two previously degraded forest reserves Gishwati Forest and Mukura Forest. The park was created as part of a major conservation and reforestation effort aimed at restoring biodiversity, preventing soil erosion, and improving climate regulation in the region.
Despite being relatively small compared to other parks, Gishwati-Mukura is ecologically important. It is home to several primate species, including chimpanzees, golden monkeys, L’Hoest’s monkeys, and blue monkeys, as well as a growing number of bird species, some of which are endemic to the Albertine Rift region.
The park also plays an important role in community-based conservation, where local people are involved in eco-tourism activities such as guided forest walks, bird watching, and cultural experiences. This helps support livelihoods while protecting the fragile ecosystem.
Wildlife highlights
Last updated: June 13, 2026
Bwindi’s gorillas in Uganda live in a high altitude rain forest, while the gorillas in Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda live in a bamboo forest. These habitats result in some behavioral differences and definitely result in different hiking and viewing differences. Budget issues often impact whether our guests visit both parks and only one. If time and budget permit, we recommend that our guests view in both parks.
The Rwanda Government charges USD $1,500.00 for each person each day; Uganda charges USD $700.00 per person per day, Congo charges $450 per person per day. Gorilla Permits are non-refundable - we can try to resell your Permits if you need to cancel, but there is no guarantee that we will be able to find a person who will purchase a ticket for the date of permit.
Yes, You need an official Gorilla permit handled by each of the national parks to see the gorillas. You have to obtain the Gorilla permits several months in advance. We obtain the necessary Gorilla Tracking Permits for you as part of our service
The minimum age for a gorilla tour is 15 Years old. Please get in touch if your kids want to track gorillas and are between 10 - 15 Years. You will need to write a letter of taking full responsibility for them during the activity.
The Gorilla tracking safaris can be done in Uganda (the Mgahinga Gorilla National Park and Bwindi Impenetrable National Park), Rwanda (Parc National des Volcans or Volcanoes National Park) and Democratic Republic of Congo-DRC (Virunga Mountains park called the Parc National des Virunga).
We do not add a surcharge to the cost of the Permit - the cost to you is what we pay the respective Government for your Permits.
NO, Gorilla Permits are not refundable. In an emergency we can try to resell the Permits for you, but there is no guarantee that we will be able to do so.
Gorilla trekking is an on-foot wildlife experience (with a maximum of 8 people per group), through east Africa’s rainforests to get up close with endangered mountain gorillas.
The plight of Africa’s mountain gorillas really came about in the 1960s predominantly through the work of Dian Fossey. A lot of the work she did, through extensive studies and research, launched Africa’s mountain gorillas to fame. Reasons for trekking mountain gorillas varies from person to person and there may be a few people who can’t even give you a valid reason why they are so interested in it. However, whether you have a reason or not, gorilla trekking remains one of the most stirring and rewarding wildlife experiences there is.
When you finally catch a glimpse of a mountain gorilla, you will be amazed (perhaps intimidated) at their size and physique, so the issue of safety will definitely come to mind. Compared to other wildlife encounters, gorilla trekking is one of the safest there is. That being said, there are rules (outlined later), that should be followed without exception.
Trekking can be done during the dry (June to September and December to February) or rainy seasons (March to May and October to November). The rainy season does make trekking more challenging, so it’s often recommended to trek during the dry season. One of the benefits when trekking during the rainy season is that accommodation at lodges and hotels are at discounted rates.
Although mountain gorillas are big, muscular creatures, they are described to be intelligent, affectionate and gentle. They are calm vegetarians who are dedicated to their group members. The gorillas spend most of their time interacting, feeding, playing and aggressive in case there is an intruder in the family. They welcome humans only if they are peaceful but if danger is sensed, they may be harmful.
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