Rwanda Gorilla Trek: Ultimate 1-Day Wild Encounter

The communication via email and whatsapp with the manager Jackie is very good and pleasant. A driver picked me up at 4.30am from Kigali for a 2.5h drive to the meeting point. Water was provided and he checked if I was comfortable during the drive. At the meeting point you meet other people who also booked to see the gorillas. The rest was taking care of by rangers. They guide you to see the gorillas, which is a once in a lifetime experience! After the hike I met the driver again to go for lunch and then back to Kigali. The driver could be a little better in communication. Overall a fantastic experience!

This was the trip of a lifetime! We got to hike through the jungle and see so many animals in their natural habitat. Roland was an incredible guide. Very patient and tailored the activities to meet the wants of our group. He went above and beyond to make sure we had the most comfortable and fun trip! Can’t wait to go on another trip with him next year!

From our first contact with this company, they were very helpful in organising the trip for us. The communication by WhatsApp was excellent whilst booking this experience as we had lots of questions. We were able to book the trek at short notice and were picked up early in the morning at our hotel in Kigali by Zikereta Heidy who was just the most amazing guide we could ask for. He was very knowledgeable and was happy to answer all our questions and even give us a quick situational awareness on our surroundings during the long drive from Kigali to Volcanoes National Park. Once there we were checked in and met up with the group we would trek with. We started the trek accompanied by aides and trackers. The Guide ‘love’ on the trek was very good, ensured the group stayed together and made the climb up to the Gorillas fun! He informed us on the protocols once we got to the gorillas. After climbing for a couple of hours we got to see the Gorilla family we were assigned to and spent an hour with them. Everyone in our group was just mesmerized. It was a surreal experience to see them up close in their natural habitat. Amazing!!! On returning from the trek, we stopped at a local restaurant for lunch with Heidy. It was the perfect end to a perfect day, and as we settled back into our transportation, Heidy kept showing us landmarks on our journey back to Kigali. We would highly recommend Katona Tours and Travel and especially Zikereta Heidy as your guide for this activity. Thank You for an amazing trip!

I booked a Gorilla Trekking tour on short notice, and immediately after confirming the reservation, Jackie reached out to assist me in obtaining the gorilla trekking permit. She coordinated with the guide, Chris (affectionately known as Gorilla Boy), and confirmed that he would pick me up around 4:30 am. On the day of the trekking event, Chris arrived at 4:30 am and gave me a call to inform me that he was waiting in the hotel parking lot. During the journey to the park, Chris provided me with informative details about the park, including information about the four volcanoes in the area and other safari trips available to me. Upon reaching the main area, we enjoyed cakes and coffee at the orientation center, where I was introduced to my trekking group, trackers/rangers, and fellow gorilla trekkers. The hike was somewhat technical but not overly challenging. Fortunately, it did not rain that day, and despite being in the jungle, I didn't get bitten by any bugs. The guides, including Chris, were patient with all trekkers, irrespective of their fitness levels, and we took frequent breaks to refuel, hydrate, and catch our breath. Before reaching the gorillas, the rangers educated us on how to behave in the presence of the gorillas to ensure our safety and respect for the animals. We spent approximately 1 hour with the Gorillas and took many photos of the silverback, babies and the rest of the troop. On the way back to the hotel, we had lunch at a fantastic restaurant in Musanze, concluding the trip on a high note.

Very well organized, the agency guide was on time and very kind. I made the tour on the Karisimbi mount and visited the biggest family group of gorilla. Amazing views, very touchy and took a lot of photos. Absolutely recommended! Necessary to have good hiking shoes or even plastic boots for the mud!

I used Katona tours for both a one day gorilla trekking experience and a one day Akagera experience and without question would use them again. Communication is quick and clear, planning and documentation is very easy, and they help you plan and pack appropriately. I requested Kenneth as a guide after reading other reviews and he exceeded expectations! He was on time each morning, is extremely friendly and welcoming, and best of all has so much knowledge about the parks and animals from his previous experience as a ranger in the park. The volcanoes national park was amazing and i was able to see a family of 22 gorillas up close and personal. I was cared for and felt safe during the entire experience. In Akagera we were able to see two leopards, elephants, rhinos, water buffalo, hippos, giraffes, zebras, and lots more animals. Kenneth was great at spotting animals all around the park and getting in perfect position for us to take pictures and see them well. If i ever go back to Rwanda i will absolutely be using Katona tours and Kenneth for another amazing experience.

Katana Tours was extremely helpful & communicative every step of the way. On short notice they were able to secure my gorilla permit, provide me with round trip transfer from Kigali, and even provided lunch on the return trip. The driver was professional, safe, and friendly. Katana Tours makes the entire process seamless and easy so you don’t need to worry about a thing. I had several questions along the way, and always received a timeless helpful response. They check in to make sure all your documents are in order, that your pickup location & time are confirmed, and followed up to ensure you enjoyed your trip and all went smoothly. I would recommend this for anyone looking for an easy way to see the gorillas (or any other tour Katana offers). Helpful note: as of January 2023, Volcanos National Park requires a negative PCR test within 72 hours of your visit. While this is not required anywhere else in Rwanda, it is for visiting the national parks and the gorillas. Policies continue to change, but keep this in mind when planning your visit. Katana can update you if this policy changes. There was only one place in Kigali that does these tests. The entire process was very fast, it cost $50 USD or 50,000 RWF. You can access your results usually within 12 to 24 hours on their website. Print a copy of the results and a copy of your passport to give to your driver who will submit it to the park the day of the tour. Pickup from Kigali is early (4:30a) to ensure you get to the park on time. At the park the rangers will split everyone into groups of 7 to be paired with guides and trackers to find your assigned gorilla family. Your driver will bring you to the hike starting point, and will pick you up from the hike end point. The vehicle was very comfortable and clean. I did the 1 day trek, and I was back at my hotel by 4:30pm, a total of 12 hours. Timing can vary depending how long it takes to locate the gorilla family (and if you experience traffic, but there are very few vehicles on the road between the 2 points). There are many operators offering this service, but Katana came with a lot of positive reviews and offered the one day trek. They provided exactly what I needed and I recommend them to anyone.

I was travelling to Kigali for work, but I also wanted to experience the country. Upon doing my research, I stumbled across Katona tours and travel. When doing the booking, I would recommend every at least European person to just trust the process. Pretty much everything was handled on WhatsApp, which made the contact really easy. The journey itself was wonderful and I had such an amazing experience, which I will always remember. My drivers, Adam and Daniel were extremely kind, happy and cool. I would recommend this journey to everyone looking for an authentic, but super impressive experience. Thank you for giving me this exclusive memory!!! *Please just wear hiking equipment, other than sneakers and jeans. Quite an easy fix actually...

I had an awesome experience with Katona Tours for a one day gorilla trek in Rwanda at Volcanoes National Park and one day safari in Akagera National Park. Jackie was so quick to respond and helpful with all my questions and Kenneth my guide was really great and knowledgeable. Kenneth previously worked as a park ranger with gorillas in Uganda so you likely won’t find a better guide for gorilla trekking anywhere. He provided me with a ton of knowledge about gorillas, Rwanda, and East Africa both before and after my trek. I tracked the Kwitonda gorilla group at Kenneth’s recommendation and they were a unique and rewarding group to track that offered just the right amount of challenge to get to. I had an amazing time viewing the gorillas as the pictures show. Then the next day we went to the other end of Rwanda to see Akagera National Park where I saw lots of elephants, giraffes, zebra, and much more. It was a truly unforgettable experience throughout both of my tours with Katona.

I could never imagined a more perfect experience! Celebrating my 60th Birthday trekking for Gorillas was monumental. Our time trekking Volacanoes National Park to spend time with an amazing family of Gorillas was SURREAL and EM0TIONAL: majestic, powerful and gorgeous specimens. Katona Tours (Jacqueline) made this experince happen thru great communication and molding the tour to our needs. Every step of the way from providing pickup service from Kigali to our road journey and lodge stay. The assistance and direction of Kenneth one of our guides was priceless. Kenneth was forthcoming with great historical, cultural and geographical information that gave our group of 3 a much clearer respect for our surroundings. The kindness and service at our Lodge created an environment that allowed us to not focus on anything but our intended experiences. Our trekking guide Dr G created a very safe and actully fun trek up the mountain. We were instructed on the respect/protocals for existing in the Gorillas habitat and felt very much a part of their daily experice. Thank You Katona Tour and Travel!