Tourists are advised against making erroneous, incomplete, or false applications. Such cases may include, among others, applying for the wrong product, uploading a false ID or visa, and uploading an expired ID or visa. Please be advised that verification of tourist documents is done at park entry gates. Tourists who made erroneous, incomplete, or false applications WILL be denied entry to the park regardless of whether they paid and acquired a system-generated permit.

In case of any doubt regarding your application and supporting documents, please send your inquiry to Devine African Safaris. We are experts in Rwanda and Uganda and can be reached at info@gorillasafariscompany.com. Click here to view mountain gorilla trekking safaris.

Rwanda Development Board accepts no liability for erroneous, incomplete, or fraudulent applications. Click here to see our recommended mountain gorilla trekking tour.

Minimum age: 15 years

Guidelines for hiking on chain volcanoes 

Requirements

Reporting times at Visitor Information and Registration Centers at Park Entry are 7:00 in the morning.

Foreign residents in Rwanda and East African countries need to have a minimum of four consecutive months' residency status or work permit in their passport or diplomatic card to qualify for the Rwandan or East African foreign resident status.

A diplomat who has a residence visa can be allowed to use the applicable resident rates for his spouse and legally accepted children even if the spouse and legally accepted children do not have resident visas (residence outside of Rwanda).

Reporting East African residents need to provide EAC ID cards or passports.

A tourist with one Rwandan parent and a tourist with a Rwandan spouse will be considered Rwandans as long as the Immigration and Emigration Director General confirms it.

Restrictions

The minimum age for hiking the chain of volcanoes, Gahinga, Muhabura, Bisoke, and Karisimbi, is 15 years.

A maximum of twelve (12) is permitted in one group.

Processing Time

A tourist permit will be automatically issued by this system upon completion of the application process.

The application process is as simple as picking an available slot in the product of your choice, filling out mandatory forms, uploading requisite support documents, and paying the applicable fees.

Applications are made with full details of the client (names, passport email, and phone number) at the time of payment.

Bookings and reservations are done on a first-come, first-served basis.

Rwandan nationals are expected to pay the full amount at the time of booking.

About hiking on the chained volcanoes 

Rwanda takes the biggest share of the Virunga mountain volcanoes, which are 4 out of the main 8 that span the three neighboring countries of Uganda, Rwanda, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The volcanoes are Muhabura, Gahinga, Bisoke, and Karisimbi, all of which lie in the Volcanoes National Park, Rwanda’s prime tourist destination and the home of the endangered Mountain Gorillas.

Hiking adventures are available on each of these volcanoes, apart from Mt. Sabinyo, which has so many craters and thus has been declared dangerous to climb for now.