Hi!
I went to Rwanda in 2018, so things may have changed since then.
- Virunga Park: Yes, you can visit Volcanoes National Park without seeing the gorillas, but it’s still a national park, so there’s a fee for all hikes with a mandatory ranger and guide. The two other hiking options besides gorillas are visiting Diane Fossey’s tomb or climbing Mount Bisoke. (That’s what I did—$75 for the permit.) Good physical condition is a must because it’s really tough (the girl with me gave up halfway, and I was sore for 3 days . In any case, you’ll need to rent a 4x4 with a driver to get to the starting point—$60 at the time. If you find someone doing the same hike, you can split the cost.
- Nyungwe Forest Park: Same as Virunga—mandatory ranger for visits. You can do different hikes at varying prices. I think you can check the options here:
https://www.nyungweforestnationalpark.org/nyungwe-forest-national-park-will-be-managed-by-african-parks-for-20-years/
I stayed in the village of Gisakura. According to my travel journal, you needed to rent a 4x4 to see the chimpanzees.
- Akagera: I visited the park with the girl I met in Virunga. She had already arranged a guide and driver in Kigali, and we split the costs. From what I remember, you can drive yourself in the park, but we had a huge storm overnight, and the next day, lots of cars were stuck in the mud. We slept in the park. You can rent a large tent already set up in a secure area with electric fences, or I think there are lodges.
- Congo Nile Trail: No entrance fee. It’s a hike along Lake Kivu that you can do in either direction. I did it starting from Gisenyi over 3 days with Mansuet, a really nice French-speaking guide who handled booking accommodations. He charged $50 per day. If you’re interested, I can give you his email.
That’s all—feel free to ask if you have questions. Rwanda is a beautiful country with incredible resilience!
