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Seoul to Rwanda: Kigali and Volcanoes National Park for mountain gorillas

Seoul → Kigali → Volcanoes National Park

Kigali
"High_Angle_View_Of_Kigali_City_Street_on_November_29,_2018._Emmanuel_Kwizera.jpg" by Emmanuelkwizera, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons· licence
High Angle View Of Kigali City Street on November 29, 2018. Emmanuel Kwizera (Kigali)
Photo : Emmanuelkwizera, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Mountain gorillas Best season (general guide): Jun–Sep, Dec–Feb

Rwanda's Volcanoes National Park protects part of the Virunga range, home to mountain gorillas. This short trip spends two nights in Kigali and three near the park. From Seoul you'll connect through the Gulf, Addis Ababa or Nairobi.

Kigali is clean, green and hilly. The Kigali Genocide Memorial explains the events of 1994 and is an important first visit. Markets and craft cooperatives around the city show a lighter side of daily life.

From Kigali, drive north-west to Musanze. Treks start with a briefing at the park headquarters in Kinigi early in the morning, where rangers assign groups to gorilla families. Walks can take from one to several hours through bamboo and forest, and the time with the gorillas is limited to about an hour. Permits are issued for a specific date and must be booked well in advance. A second day can be spent tracking golden monkeys or hiking to a crater lake.

The long dry season runs from June to September, and December to February is a shorter dry spell.

Safety note: Canada advises normal precautions in Rwanda but a high degree of caution in the section of Volcanoes National Park (Musanze district) along the DRC border, citing unclear border markings and rebel groups in the DRC; Ebola-related border restrictions apply to anyone who was in the DRC in the past 21 days (updated 9 Sep 2026). The US rates Rwanda Level 3 (reconsider travel) and says do not travel within 10 km of the DRC border, but states that Volcanoes National Park, Kinigi park HQ and Musanze town are not in that zone; use RDB-sanctioned treks with licensed guides (issued 4 Jun 2026).

Check both before booking.

Pacing: wear long sleeves, gloves and boots for the trek, as the vegetation can be thick and nettles are common.

Porters can carry your bag on the trek, and hiring one supports local families.

Suggested outline

  1. Seoul

    Start

  2. Kigali

    By air · 2 nights suggested

    The Genocide Memorial, markets and craft cooperatives.

  3. Volcanoes National Park

    Overland · 3 nights suggested

    Gorilla trekking from Kinigi with a dated permit, and golden monkeys or a crater hike.

Day by day

  1. Day 1 · Kigali — Arrive; Kigali Genocide Memorial· Seoul → Kigali (by air) — long-haul; may arrive the next calendar day
  2. Day 2 · Kigali — Markets and craft cooperatives
  3. Day 3 · Volcanoes National Park — Drive to Musanze· Kigali → Volcanoes National Park (overland)
  4. Day 4 · Volcanoes National Park — Gorilla trek
  5. Day 5 · Volcanoes National Park — Golden monkeys or a crater hike
  6. Day 6 · Volcanoes National Park — Travel home from Volcanoes National Park· Volcanoes National Park → Kigali (overland), then Kigali → Seoul (by air)

A suggested pace only; expedition days are set by the operator.

Flights, leg by leg

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Kigali

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Volcanoes National Park

Nearest airport: Kigali Search fares · Kigali ↗

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