Mount Bisoke Hiking Volcanoes National Park Rwanda 1 Day Tour

Our 1-day Bisoke hike from Kigali typically departs around 0430 Hours, taking 2–3 hours to reach Volcanoes National Park for a 0700 Hours briefing. The 7-8-hour round-trip hike includes permits, guides, and security, and features a crater lake at 3,711 meters.

The hike itself takes 5–7 hours (3-4 hours up, 2-3 hours down), with a return to Kigali by 1900 Hours. Hiking is classified as moderate and requires good physical fitness.

The trip includes 4×4 round-trip transportation, the Volcanoes National Park hiking permit, an expert park guide/ranger, bottled water, and often a packed lunch or post-hike meal.

Detailed 1-Day Bisoke Hike Itinerary

0430 Hours – Departure from Kigali: Early pickup from your hotel in Kigali for a 2-3 hour drive to Kinigi, the headquarters of Volcanoes National Park.
 0700 Hours – Arrival & Briefing: Arrive at the RDB office (Kinigi) for registration, briefing, and to meet your park ranger guide.
0800 Hours – Drive to Trailhead: Drive to the Bisoke volcano hiking starting point. The trail is often accessed via a rough, rocky road.
08:30 Hours – Hike Initiation: Begin the trek (porters are available for hire to assist with bags and hiking).
 08:30 Hours – 1230 Hours – Ascent: Climb through lush, dense bamboo forests and steep terrain, with a potential to see mountain gorillas, golden monkeys, or diverse bird species along the way.
1230 Hours – Summit & Crater Lake: Reach the peak (~3,711 meters) to view the breathtaking crater lake at the summit, offering panoramas of neighboring volcanoes and the Virunga region
1300 Hours – Lunch & Descent: Enjoy a packed lunch at the top before beginning the 2-3 hour descent back to the base
1400 Hours – 1700 Hours – Return to Kigali: Meet your driver at the base and drive back to Kigali, arriving in the evening

Essential Things to Bring for Bisoke Hike

✓ Personal Items: Passport (required for check-in), sunscreen, camera, insect repellent
✓ Optional but Recommended: Hiring a porter ($15-$20) at the trailhead to assist with your bag
✓ Supplies: 2+ liters of water, packed lunch (provided by hotels or packed earlier), energy-boosting snacks
✓ Clothing: Long-sleeved hiking shirts, long pants (no jeans/shorts), fleece/warm mid-layer (summit is cold), waterproof jacket, and pants (rain is common)
✓Gear: Waterproof hiking boots (essential), gaiters (highly recommended for mud), sturdy backpack (20-30L), walking stick (provided, but bringing your own is fine), gardening/thick gloves (for stinging nettles/sharp branches)

The Mount Bisoke Hiking Volcanoes National Park Rwanda 1 Day Tour is one of the best hikes in Rwanda, thanks to the beautiful scenery and great views of the lush Virungas and Rwanda’s hilly landscape. Mount Bisoke is one of the eight volcanoes in the Virunga Mountains range of the Albertine Rift, the western part of the East African Rift.

During the trek, you are likely to encounter unique mountain wildlife, including Mountain Gorillas, Golden Monkeys, Forest Elephants, Buffaloes, and many bird species. Mount Bisoke, also known as Visoke, stands at 3711 meters/ 12175 Feet above sea level. The top of this Volcano has a spectacular crater lake.

Mount Bisoke is a dormant volcano located between two neighboring national parks across Rwanda & the Democratic Republic of Congo: the Volcanoes National Park on the Rwandan side and the Virunga National Park in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Mount Busoke is located approximately 35 km northeast of Goma and adjacent to Lake Kivu.  The drive from Kigali City to Volcanoes National Park takes about 2 hours and 15 minutes.

“Bisoke” is a Kiswahili word that means “soaked with water”, coined by the locals in reference to the two beautiful crater lakes that ‘soak’ the volcano.  Hiking Mount Bisoke does not require any hiking experience; you only need to be physically fit due to the high elevation and length of the climb.

The entire round-trip hike takes about 6 hours, 4 hours to climb to the top, and 2 hours to descend. Experienced hikers can reach the top in 3 hours or less, and return in roughly 1 & ½ hours or less.

Mount Bisoke Hiking Volcanoes National Park Rwanda 1 Day Tour begins and ends from Kigali city. Below is the itinerary

0430 Hours: The tour begins with a pick-up from your hotel in Kigali, followed by a transfer to Volcanoes National park, Musanze province.

0700 Hours: Once at the park headquarters of Kinigi we meet with the other hikers and our park ranger guide. The rangers brief the hikers about the park, and the 5 Virunga volcanoes shared on the Rwanda side, and also offer insight on what to expect during the hike.

All the rangers who work for the park authorities are seasoned guides and boast a wealth of knowledge. Many of the rangers are natives who hail from the Kinigi area and have been working with the park from when they were young.

0800 Hours: After the briefing, we transfer to Bisoke Volcano hiking start point/ Bisoke head trail – a 40-minute drive from the headquarters. The first 15 minutes are on a paved road while the rest is a bumpy ride on volcanic rocks.

0900 Hours: Once at Bisoke head trail which stands at 2700 meters/ 8850 above sea level, we hire a porter and begin to climb.  Your bag may seem light initially however, as you ascend the mountain it gets heavy.

The porters will help in providing a push or pull through the challenging spots, such as muddy, steep & slippery. The first 10 or so minutes of our hike go through villages and farmlands along the edge of the park then we go past a stone wall into Volcanoes National Park.

The stone wall fence of the park keeps buffalos and forest elephants inside the park and also controls intruders from trespassing into the park. Mountain Bisoke is home to some habituated Gorilla families and you stand a good chance of encountering these at the start of your ascent up the mountain.

If by chance you encounter some gorillas, the guides allow you to watch them for a few minutes while on the hiking trail. Photography is prohibited as this excursion does not include permits for Gorilla trekking. You may also get to see the Golden Monkey troop on your trek up Mountain Bisoke.

The mountain is also home to Forest elephants and buffaloes however chances of sighting them are minimal. The hike up Mt Busoke takes about 4 hours and another 2 hours descending down to the starting point but this depends on your speed and the frequency of stops. Near the summit is Crater Lake, which features drier vegetation than other parts of the park, with giant heather growing all over the slopes of the volcano.

1300 Hours: Once at the summit, you get to enjoy fantastic views of the other five volcanoes and the beautiful Twin Lakes. The amount of time you spend on the summit depends on the weather and temperature. Enjoy a picnic lunch at the summit, as you take pictures.

1400 Hours: With your guides and porters start descending to the starting point.

1600 Hours: Meet up with your guide for drop off at either a hotel/or Kigali International Airport.

Mount Bisoke Hiking Volcanoes National Park Rwanda 1-Day Tour Prices include:

✓ Lunch
✓ Drinking water
✓ Park Ranger Fees
✓ Bisoke hiking permits
✓ Relevant Government Taxes
✓ English-speaking driver/ guide & Ground Transportation by a 4×4 safari vehicle

Notes:

* Hike is not too tough, but you need to have a good level of fitness
* Porters can be hired at the start of the trial if you wish to have one
* It is very cold at the summit, so make sure you have enough warm layers

Mount Bisoke Hiking Volcanoes National Park Rwanda 1-Day Tour Prices Exclude:

* Air tickets
* International Flights
* Visa and visa fees
*  Items of a personal nature
* Tips/ Gratuity for your porters, driver, and guides
* Optional activities not mentioned in the itinerary

* Fleece
* Sun Hat
* Sunscreen
* Woolen cap
* Pole (Important)
* Camel backpack
* Hiking t-shirts/ pants
* Water resistant Hiking boots
* Packed lunch (it’s a full day hike)
* Down jacket (optional for the summit)
* Waterproof pants & Waterproof jacket
* 1 small backpack (30 lts) which you will carry during the hike

Mobile: +254-721-242-711
WhatsApp: +254-721-242-711
Reservations: +254 718-179-967
Email: [email protected]
Website: https://africanspicesafaris.com