Mount Gahinga Lodge, Mgahinga, Uganda. Photo: Esme Stewart, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Is Volcanoes Safaris a good company to book a safari with? The facts for 2026
By Richard Jasinski·Updated 20 October 2026
Volcanoes Safaris is a gorilla and chimpanzee safari company that has worked in Uganda and Rwanda since 1997 and has five lodges of its own, all built by the company beside the primate parks: Virunga in Rwanda, with Bwindi, Mount Gahinga, Kyambura Gorge and Kibale in Uganda. Its Kampala office listing on Google holds 4.5 out of 5 from 18 reviews (read 20 October 2026). No Trustpilot profile was found (19 October 2026) and SafariBookings lists Volcanoes Safaris with no reviews yet (read 20 October 2026).
Is Volcanoes Safaris a good company to book a safari with?
Volcanoes Safaris has run gorilla and chimpanzee trips in Uganda and Rwanda since 1997, has five lodges of its own built beside the parks and holds 4.5 out of 5 from 18 Google reviews (read 20 October 2026), but its full cancellation terms could not be read.
The about page says founder Praveen Moman pitched a tent in Mgahinga National Park in 1997, the start of Mount Gahinga Lodge. It describes the company as "Pioneers of gorilla and chimpanzee ecotourism in Uganda and Rwanda since 1997". The booking terms (updated July 2025) name the contracting company as Volcanoes UK Limited, 402 Linen Hall, 162-168 Regent Street, London. Sales offices are in Kigali and Kampala. No parent group or investors are named. The team page says over three hundred staff work in Rwanda and Uganda.
It is both a camp owner and a package organiser. It sells lodge-only stays at its five lodges plus fixed safaris of 4, 7, 9 and 10 nights. The 7-night Great Ape Conservation Safari adds a night at Hotel No. 5 in Entebbe and domestic flights; Murchison Falls game drives are on the company's experiences list.
Its about page lists the Travel + Leisure It List 2025, AFAR 2025 and the Condé Nast Traveller Hot List 2025 for Kibale Lodge, plus a TTG Luxury Travel Awards 2025 Sustainability Hero award for Praveen Moman. No tourism licence numbers or association memberships appear in the pages read on 19 October 2026. The terms page could not be read past clause 11, so any registration wording, its cancellation scale and any protection of guest payments were not seen. It suits travellers planning gorilla and chimpanzee trekking who want to stay at lodges run by one company across both countries.
Volcanoes SafarisUganda and Rwanda · founded 1997
- Best for
- Gorilla and chimpanzee trekking, Uganda and Rwanda
- Why choose them
- Five lodges built by the company beside the gorilla and chimpanzee parks, with 2026 and 2027 rates published per lodge. Google: 4.5 from 18 reviews, read 20 October 2026.
- Ask for
- The full Terms and Conditions with the cancellation scale in writing, since the terms page could not be read past clause 11; an itemised quote showing permits, the US$50 community fee and domestic flights.
- Not the fit if
- You want a savannah safari outside Uganda and Rwanda, have children under 12 for Virunga Lodge or under 15 for gorilla trekking. Lodge access details were not on the pages read.
- Published price
- Lodge-only rates per person sharing in 2026: US$765 (Mount Gahinga standard banda, low season) up to US$2,640 (Virunga deluxe banda, high season), full board with drinks, laundry and lodge activities; US$50 community fee and permits extra. Read 19 October 2026.
How much does a safari with Volcanoes Safaris cost?
Lodge-only rates in 2026 run US$765 to US$2,640 per person sharing, with Mount Gahinga Lodge in low season at the low end and Virunga Lodge deluxe banda in high season at the top (read 19 October 2026).
Volcanoes Safaris publishes 2026 and 2027 rates in US dollars on its lodges and rates pages. The lodge table labels them per person sharing; its offers (5 nights for 4, half price on the third night) treat them as nightly rates. High season is 1 June to 30 September and 15 December to 28 February. Low season is 1 October to 14 December and 1 March to 31 May. 2026 rates, standard banda then deluxe banda, read 19 October 2026:
- Virunga Lodge (Rwanda): US$2,205 / US$2,640 high season; US$1,220 / US$1,455 low season
- Kibale Lodge (Uganda): US$1,650 / US$2,000 high season; US$990 / US$1,200 low season
- Kyambura Gorge Lodge (Uganda): US$1,570 / US$1,895 high season; US$950 / US$1,140 low season
- Bwindi Lodge (Uganda): US$1,370 / US$1,780 high season; US$820 / US$1,075 low season
- Mount Gahinga Lodge (Uganda): US$1,275 / US$1,655 high season; US$765 / US$1,000 low season
The rate covers accommodation, meals, soft drinks, standard and premium alcoholic drinks, cellar wines (French champagne excepted), laundry, activities at the lodges, massages and government taxes. A US$50 community fee per person is listed separately. At Kyambura Gorge the US$25 Uganda Wildlife Authority chimpanzee trekking fee is included. Gorilla and chimpanzee permits go on the safari invoice; the company's offers value a gorilla permit at US$800 and a Kibale chimpanzee permit at US$250. Who operates the domestic flights and whether they are priced in is not stated. The highest 2027 rate is US$2,905 (Virunga deluxe banda, high season). All figures read 19 October 2026.
Where are Volcanoes Safaris' camps?
Volcanoes Safaris has five fixed lodges, one in Rwanda beside the Virunga volcanoes and four in Uganda at Bwindi, Mgahinga, Queen Elizabeth National Park and Kibale.
- Virunga Lodge, Rwanda: in the Virunga volcanoes near the gorilla park; gorilla and golden monkey trekking. Children under 12 are not permitted.
- Bwindi Lodge, Uganda: at Bwindi, for gorilla trekking.
- Mount Gahinga Lodge, Uganda: at the foot of the Virunga volcanoes on the edge of Mgahinga National Park; gorilla and golden monkey trekking.
- Kyambura Gorge Lodge, Uganda: Kyambura Gorge, Queen Elizabeth National Park; chimpanzee trekking and game drives in the park.
- Kibale Lodge, Uganda: opened 1 July 2024 on a 150-acre site that includes Lake Lugembe, used for birding trails; chimpanzee trekking in Kibale.
Room counts per lodge were not on the pages read on 19 October 2026; the rates list standard and deluxe bandas. The lodges sit beside national parks run by the wildlife authorities and no private concession or private traversing is claimed. No mobile or seasonal camps appear in the pages read; all five are fixed lodges.
Who is Volcanoes Safaris best for?
Volcanoes Safaris fits travellers who want gorilla and chimpanzee trekking from lodges beside the parks in Uganda and Rwanda, including families with children at four of its five lodges.
- Gorilla and chimpanzee trekking in one trip: gorilla trekking from Virunga, Mount Gahinga and Bwindi; chimpanzee trekking from Kyambura Gorge and Kibale. Groups are eight people, treks last 3 to 8 hours and guests spend one hour with the gorillas at 10 m.
- Families with children: children of all ages are welcome at Mount Gahinga, Bwindi, Kibale and Kyambura Gorge. Children aged 12 and under sharing with parents pay US$100 per night and under 5s stay free (read 19 October 2026). Under 15s cannot track gorillas.
- Solo travellers at Mount Gahinga in low season: in 2026 low season a single traveller at Mount Gahinga standard banda pays US$765, the same as the sharing rate (read 19 October 2026).
- Private groups: a private gorilla trek for eight guests costs US$6,400 per trek per day in Uganda and US$15,000 in Rwanda (read 19 October 2026); exclusive use lodge rates are on request.
- Wildlife photographers: a Big Cat Photography Safari with Dr Alexander Braczkowski costs US$12,000 per person sharing in 2026 low season (read 19 October 2026).
- Travellers who want to see where conservation money goes: the company says US$50 per guest per night at each lodge goes to the Volcanoes Safaris Partnership Trust, set up in 2009; the lodge table also lists a US$50 community fee per person as extra (read 19 October 2026).
Not the fit if you want a savannah safari in Kenya, Tanzania or southern Africa (all five lodges are in Uganda and Rwanda), you are travelling with children under 12 to Virunga Lodge or need lodge access details in advance: its terms say "We are not a specialist disabled holiday company".
What are the best alternatives to Volcanoes Safaris for a luxury safari?
Asilia Africa, Sanctuary Retreats, Singita and Wilderness are the alternatives because each has a lodge beside the same gorilla parks: Asilia and Sanctuary at Bwindi in Uganda, Singita and Wilderness at Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda. We chose them from the camp owners in the safari camp owners table with camps in the same area; the table lists others. They are listed alphabetically, each with the fact that sets it apart.
- Asilia Africa: Its Erebero Hills lodge sits by Bwindi Impenetrable Forest in Uganda, alongside its camps in Kenya and Tanzania. Its booking terms say gorilla and primate permits are paid in full on confirmation and are non-refundable.
- Sanctuary Retreats: Gorilla Forest Lodge is in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, Uganda; the company says it opened its first camp in 1999 and its parent is Abercrombie & Kent. Its rates could not be read on 19 October 2026.
- Singita: Kwitonda Lodge and Kataza House, a private-use villa, are on the edge of Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda. Whether gorilla permits are included is not stated.
- Wilderness: Bisate Lodge, Bisate Reserve and the community-owned Sabyinyo are in Volcanoes National Park, Rwanda, with starting rates of US$2,723, US$3,549 and US$1,521 per person per night (read 19 October 2026).
How do you book Volcanoes Safaris?
Book direct (through the contact page, by email at [email protected] or on the Kampala and Kigali sales lines) or through a travel agent.
Volcanoes Safaris sells direct to guests and to the travel trade, with a US trade sales manager, a Mexico representative and a Trade Relations Manager named on its site. Agent terms and whether booking direct costs the same as booking through a planner were not on the pages read on 19 October 2026. Rates for East African residents, DRC residents and conservation organisations are given on request by email; none were on the pages read on 19 October 2026. Safaris need the full value of gorilla and chimpanzee permits plus 20% of the rest of the invoice as a non-refundable deposit, with the balance due 45 days before arrival. Lodge-only stays need 20%, with the balance due 30 days before arrival. The terms page could not be read past clause 11, so the cancellation charges and any protection of guest payments were not seen. No 24-hour line was labelled on the pages read. Before you pay, ask them to itemise:
- each gorilla and chimpanzee permit and its price for your dates
- the US$50 per person community fee (listed on 19 October 2026)
- who operates the domestic flights and whether they are in the price
- the full cancellation scale in writing
- who holds your deposit and whether it is protected
- the single traveller supplement for your lodge and season
Volcanoes Safaris: the facts on record, read 19 and 20 October 2026
59 facts about Volcanoes Safaris were read from its own website and the review platforms on 19 and 20 October 2026; every one below says who stated it and when; where there is a page to link, it links the page it was read from. “Not stated on their website” means the pages read did not give it; “Could not access” means the page would not open or could not be read; “No profile found” means the platform has no listing under this name. None of the three means the company does not have it. The same 59-fact form is kept for every safari camp owner on this site, in the same order, so each line can be set beside another camp owner’s.
Who they are
Trading name and legal entity
Trading name 'Volcanoes Safaris'. The booking terms (updated July 2025) say the contract is with 'Volcanoes UK Limited', registered office 402 Linen Hall, 162-168 Regent Street, London, W1B 5TE. No company registration number is given in the pages read. The Rwanda and Uganda sales offices are listed separately without a legal entity name.
Source: Company · terms and conditions, contact · crawl · 19 Oct 2026
Where it is based
No single head office is labelled. Sales offices: Kigali, Rwanda (Hotel des Mille Collines, PO Box 1322); Kampala, Uganda (1 Kololo Hill Drive, PO Box 22818); and a London office (402 Linen Hall, 162-168 Regent Street). The about page says an office in Kigali opened in 2000.
Year founded
1997. The about page says founder Praveen Moman 'pitched a tent in Mgahinga National Park' in 1997, the beginning of Mount Gahinga Lodge and Volcanoes Safaris. It states 'Pioneers of gorilla and chimpanzee ecotourism in Uganda and Rwanda since 1997'.
Source: Company · about · crawl · 19 Oct 2026
Owner or parent
Founded by Praveen Moman, who is named as Founder and still hosts events (a 2023 London panel, a 2024 Virunga Lodge panel) and received a 2025 TTG award. No parent group or investors are named. Other named people include Simon Cooper (Director, United Kingdom), Valence Rurangwa (Director, Rwanda), Jean-Pierre Lequeux (Director, Uganda) and David Benello (Chair, Volcanoes Advisory Board). The non-profit Volcanoes Safaris Partnership Trust (VSPT) was set up in 2009.
Source: Company · about, meet the team · crawl · 19 Oct 2026
What it is (camp owner / planner / both)
Both. It sells lodge-only stays at its own five lodges and also sells full multi-stop 'Safaris' (for example the 7-night Great Ape Conservation Safari) as a package organiser. The itinerary includes a night at Hotel No. 5 in Entebbe, domestic flights and a guide. The experiences list includes Murchison Falls game drives and a River Nile cruise, where no Volcanoes lodge is listed. The booking terms separate 'Package Organiser' safaris from lodge-only bookings.
Source: Company · terms and conditions, 7 night great ape conservation safari in uganda, experiences, lodges · crawl · 19 Oct 2026
Team
'Over three hundred staff in Rwanda and Uganda', mostly at the lodges, with offices in Kampala, Kigali and London. The team page names the Founder (Praveen Moman), a General Manager (Shannon Karanja), a part-time CFO (Kevin James), country managers (Damascene Nsengiyumva, Rwanda; Simon Kaweesi, Uganda), sales and marketing managers, five lodge managers, head guides (Francis Kiwanuka, Uganda; Denis Mugabo, Rwanda) and directors. The about page says over 50% of management are women.
Source: Company · meet the team, about · crawl · 19 Oct 2026
Where it sells
Direct to guests (Book Your Safari, Live Sales Chat, [email protected], Kampala and Kigali sales lines) and through the travel trade: the contact page lists Travel Trade Enquiries (Betty Nassuna, Sales Manager, US; Deluxe Connection, Mexico) and the team page lists a Trade Relations Manager. A trade portal is not mentioned. East African residents, DRC residents and conservation organisations can ask for special rates by email.
Source: Company · contact, meet the team, east african residents rates, home page · crawl · 19 Oct 2026
In its own words
'Expertly curated great ape and wildlife safaris incorporating sustainable conservation and community projects.' Claims include 'pioneers of gorilla and chimpanzee ecotourism in the region for over 25 years', 'the only company in the world to focus exclusively on the gorilla and chimpanzee parks of Uganda and Rwanda' and 'the only African safari company to have built its own exclusive luxury safari lodges' near those parks.
Response time and named contact
Not stated on their website: no promised reply time. Named contact: Betty Nassuna, Sales Manager (trade, US, +1 866 599 2737). The contact page lists sales lines and [email protected] for Rwanda (+250 788 302 069), Uganda (+256 772 741 720) and London (+44 7753 933593); the team page names sales consultants, but none is given as the reservations contact.
Source: Company · contact, meet the team · crawl · 19 Oct 2026
Reviews, by platform
4.5 out of 5 from 18 reviews on the Google listing 'Volcanoes Safaris' (travel agents), Office Block B, 2nd Floor, 1 Kololo Hill Drive, Uganda. Camps with listings of their own are not added in.
Source: Independent source · Google Maps · crawl · 20 Oct 2026
Trustpilot
No profile found: no Trustpilot listing for the company was found on 19 October 2026.
Source: Independent source · checked at trustpilot.com/review/volcanoessafaris.com · crawl · 19 Oct 2026
Tripadvisor
Could not access: Tripadvisor could not be read automatically on 19 October 2026.
Source: Independent source · crawl · 19 Oct 2026
Feefo
Could not access: Feefo could not be read automatically on 19 October 2026.
Source: Independent source · crawl · 19 Oct 2026
SafariBookings
SafariBookings lists the profile 'Volcanoes Safaris' (Kampala) with no reviews yet.
Source: Independent source · SafariBookings · by hand · 20 Oct 2026
Travelstride
Could not access: Travelstride could not be read automatically on 19 October 2026.
Source: Independent source · crawl · 19 Oct 2026
Trustindex
Could not access: Trustindex could not be read automatically on 19 October 2026.
Source: Independent source · crawl · 19 Oct 2026
Any other independent platform
Not stated on their website: no Booking.com, Google, Expedia or Tripadvisor review pages are linked or quoted in the pages read.
Source: Company · home page, about, contact · crawl · 19 Oct 2026
Where it asks guests to leave reviews
Not stated on their website: the pages read do not ask guests to leave a review on any platform.
Awards and recognition, as the company lists them
Every award, 2024 to 2026
The about page lists: Travel + Leisure It List 2025 (Kibale Lodge, 100 best hotels); AFAR magazine 2025 (Kibale Lodge, best new hotels in the world); Travel + Leisure 500 List 2025 (Bwindi Lodge); Condé Nast Traveller Hot List 2025 (Kibale Lodge, best new hotels); TTG Luxury Travel Awards 2025 (Praveen Moman, Sustainability Hero); Travel + Leisure World's Best Awards 2024 (Mount Gahinga 4th and Kyambura Gorge 6th Favorite Safari Lodge in Africa); and Travel + Leisure World's Best Awards 2026 (Bwindi and Virunga in the top 10 Best Africa Safari Lodges). All are read from the company's own pages; no publisher list is among the pages read.
Source: Company · about, mount gahinga lodge and kyambura gorge lodge featured in travel leisure readers 20 favorite safari lodges of 2024 · crawl · 19 Oct 2026
Camps on named lists
Camps named on lists, per the company's about page: Kibale Lodge (Travel + Leisure It List 2025, AFAR best new hotels 2025, Condé Nast Traveller Hot List 2025); Bwindi Lodge (Travel + Leisure 500 List 2025; T+L World's Best 2026 top 10 Africa safari lodges; Eco-nnect top 10 eco-lodges in the world, press release 15 December 2021); Virunga Lodge (T+L World's Best 2026; Condé Nast Traveler Readers' Choice 2022, Best Resorts in the Rest of Africa); Mount Gahinga and Kyambura Gorge (T+L 2024). Tripadvisor and Tatler lists are not mentioned.
Source: Company · about, bwindi lodge is listed amongst the top 10 eco lodges in the world, mount gahinga lodge and kyambura gorge lodge featured in travel leisure readers 20 favorite safari lodges of 2024 · crawl · 19 Oct 2026
Certifications
Not stated on their website: no B Corp, Fair Trade Tourism, Travelife or Long Run certification is named. The nearest content is the 2005 signing of the UN Kinshasa Declaration on Saving the Great Apes and the Eco-nnect top 10 eco-lodges listing for Bwindi Lodge (December 2021), which is a listing, not a certification.
Source: Company · about, bwindi lodge is listed amongst the top 10 eco lodges in the world · crawl · 19 Oct 2026
Money and booking terms
Prices published
Yes. Prices are published on the Safari Rates page and the Lodges page for 2026 and 2027, in US dollars (USD), per person sharing with single traveller supplements. Rates are 'effective on all new 2026 bookings made from 15 May 2026' for safaris and from 20 March 2025 for lodge-only rates.
Rates per person per night by season
Lodge-only rates in USD, per person sharing, 2026 (standard banda / deluxe banda), high season (1 Jun-30 Sep, 15 Dec-28 Feb) then low season (1 Oct-14 Dec, 1 Mar-31 May): Bwindi $1,370 / $1,780 then $820 / $1,075; Kibale $1,650 / $2,000 then $990 / $1,200; Kyambura Gorge $1,570 / $1,895 then $950 / $1,140; Mount Gahinga $1,275 / $1,655 then $765 / $1,000; Virunga $2,205 / $2,640 then $1,220 / $1,455. 2027 rates are also published and a $50 community fee per person is listed.
Source: Company · lodges · crawl · 19 Oct 2026
Price per person per day
Lowest published lodge rate: Mount Gahinga Standard Banda, low season 2026, $765 per person sharing (USD). Highest: Virunga Lodge Deluxe Banda, high season 2027, $2,905 per person sharing (USD); for 2026 the highest is Virunga Deluxe at $2,640. The page labels these 'Per Person Sharing'; the offers (5 for 4 nights, 50% off the 3rd night) imply they are nightly rates.
Source: Company · lodges · crawl · 19 Oct 2026
Minimum stay
Not stated on their website: no minimum number of nights for lodge-only stays. The safaris are sold as fixed 4, 7, 9 and 10 night itineraries and rates 'are based on a minimum of 2 people'.
What the rate includes
Rates include accommodation and meals, soft drinks, standard and premium alcoholic drinks, signature cocktails, cellar collection wines (except French champagne), single malt whiskeys, laundry, any activities at the lodges and all massages (subject to booking and availability), plus government taxes and levies. The lodge table lists a $50 community fee per person separately. At Kyambura Gorge Lodge a $25 per person UWA fee for chimpanzee trekking is included. Optional extras include a $200 donation activity at Virunga.
Deposit
Safaris (up to 3 rooms): the full value of gorilla and chimpanzee permits plus 20% of the rest of the invoice on receipt of invoice. Groups of 4 or more rooms: permits plus 35%. Lodge-only bookings: 20% of the invoice (35% for 4 or more rooms). The deposit is non-refundable and non-transferable.
Balance due
Safaris: final balance due 45 days before arrival; bookings within 45 days need full payment on receipt of invoice. Lodge-only bookings: balance due 30 days before arrival; within 30 days, full payment on receipt. If lodge payments are not received by the due date the booking is automatically released.
Cancellation charges
Could not access: the cancellation charges are not in the text read. The rates and lodges pages say 'Please read our full Terms and Conditions including our cancellation policy on our website' and the Terms and Conditions page among the pages read is cut off at clause 11 (delays and missed transport) before any cancellation scale. Only the non-refundable deposit rule is visible.
Source: Company · terms and conditions, rates, lodges · crawl · 19 Oct 2026
How guest payments are protected
Could not access: the booking terms page is cut off at clause 11, so any financial protection, bonding or trust account wording is not visible. The visible part only requires guests to hold their own travel insurance.
Source: Company · terms and conditions · crawl · 19 Oct 2026
Currencies and card fees
All rates are in US dollars (USD). Card surcharges and other accepted currencies are not stated in the text read; the Terms and Conditions page is cut off before any payment-method clause.
Source: Company · rates, lodges, terms and conditions · crawl · 19 Oct 2026
24-hour contact while travelling
Not stated on their website: no 24-hour or emergency line is labelled. The complaints clause says to tell the supplier at once and, if unresolved, contact [email protected] or +250 (0)788302069 (in Rwanda) or +256 (0)772741720 (in Uganda).
Source: Company · terms and conditions · crawl · 19 Oct 2026
How it is paid
Not stated on their website: no statement on agent commission or trade rates. The contact page lists Travel Trade Enquiries contacts and the team page lists a Trade Relations Manager, but terms are not given.
Source: Company · contact, meet the team · crawl · 19 Oct 2026
Price against booking through a planner
Not stated on their website: no statement on direct price parity or a direct-booking benefit.
Source: Company · rates, lodges, home page · crawl · 19 Oct 2026
Licences and registrations
Not stated on their website: no tourism licence numbers or association memberships (ATTA, USTA, AUTO, RDB and similar) appear in the text read. The Terms and Conditions page is cut off at clause 11, so any registration wording there is not visible. The about page notes signing the UN Kinshasa Declaration on Saving the Great Apes in 2005.
Source: Company · terms and conditions, about · crawl · 19 Oct 2026
The camps: where they are and how they work
Countries with camps
Uganda and Rwanda: Virunga Lodge in Rwanda; Bwindi, Mount Gahinga, Kyambura Gorge and Kibale lodges in Uganda.
Source: Company · home page, lodges, about · crawl · 19 Oct 2026
Number of camps and lodges
Five lodges, all built by the company: Virunga, Bwindi, Mount Gahinga, Kyambura Gorge and Kibale. The lodges page says Volcanoes is the only African safari company to have built its own luxury safari lodges near the gorilla and chimpanzee parks. Owned versus managed is not split out.
Camps and where they are
Virunga Lodge (Rwanda, Virunga volcanoes near the gorilla park); Bwindi Lodge (Bwindi, Uganda); Mount Gahinga Lodge (at the foot of the Virunga Volcanoes on the edge of Mgahinga National Park, Uganda); Kyambura Gorge Lodge (Kyambura Gorge, Queen Elizabeth National Park, Uganda); Kibale Lodge (Kibale, Uganda; opened 1 July 2024; a 150-acre site including Lake Lugembe).
Source: Company · home page, 7 night great ape conservation safari in uganda, about, birding at kibale lodge · crawl · 19 Oct 2026
Camp sizes
Not stated on their website: no room counts per lodge. Lodge rates list only Standard Banda and Deluxe Banda types and the lodges page says Virunga Lodge has a minimum age of 12.
Land and traversing
Lodges sit beside national parks run by the wildlife authorities (for example Mount Gahinga on the edge of Mgahinga National Park; Kyambura Gorge Lodge with game drives in Queen Elizabeth National Park); Kibale Lodge has its own 150-acre site used for birding trails. No private concession or sole traversing is claimed.
Source: Company · 7 night great ape conservation safari in uganda, birding at kibale lodge, about · crawl · 19 Oct 2026
Mobile and seasonal camps
Not stated on their website: no mobile or seasonal camps. All five properties are fixed lodges.
Gorilla and primate trekking
Gorilla trekking from Virunga (Rwanda), Mount Gahinga and Bwindi (Uganda); chimpanzee trekking from Kyambura Gorge and Kibale; golden monkey treks from Gahinga and Virunga. Groups of eight, 10 m distance, treks of 3-8 hours, one hour with the gorillas; under 15s may not track gorillas. Permits are part of the safari invoice; offers value a gorilla permit at $800, a Kibale chimp permit at $250 and a Kyambura chimp permit at $100. 'Exclusive Gorilla Tracking' for 8 guests costs USD 6,400 per trek per day in Uganda and USD 15,000 in Rwanda.
Source: Company · 7 night great ape conservation safari in uganda, complimentary gorilla permit at gahinga and night at kibale lodge, bwindi lodge 25th anniversary special offer free gorilla permit, free chimpanzee permit at kibale and a complimentary night at kyambura gorge lodge, complimentary chimpanzee permit at kyambura and night at bwindi lodge, gorilla tracking for groups, terms and conditions, rates · crawl · 19 Oct 2026
Beach and city add-ons
Not stated on their website: no beach or city properties of its own. The Great Ape Conservation itinerary uses Hotel No. 5 in Entebbe for the first night; all five Volcanoes properties are lodges near the parks.
Source: Company · 7 night great ape conservation safari in uganda, lodges · crawl · 19 Oct 2026
Own air and transfers
No own aircraft is named. Itineraries include assisted domestic flights (Entebbe to Kasese, Kisoro to Entebbe), road transfers with a Volcanoes guide (about 1 to 2 hours) and airport assistance, but the operator of the flights and whether they are priced into the rates are not stated.
Source: Company · 7 night great ape conservation safari in uganda · crawl · 19 Oct 2026
Resident and regional rates
Special rates for East African residents and the DRC, as well as bona fide conservation organisations, are available on request from [email protected]. No resident rates are on the pages read.
Source: Company · east african residents rates · crawl · 19 Oct 2026
Who it suits and how it travels
Family and child policy
Children of all ages are welcome at Mount Gahinga, Bwindi, Kibale and Kyambura Gorge lodges. Children under 12 are not permitted at Virunga Lodge. Children aged 12 and under sharing a room with parents pay US $100 per child per night; under 5s stay free; children aged 12 and under in their own room pay adult rates. Under 15s cannot track gorillas. No childcare is provided.
Source: Company · terms and conditions, rates, lodges · crawl · 19 Oct 2026
Teenagers and multigenerational
Not stated on their website: no teenager or multigenerational page, family camps or private-vehicle rules for children. The only related lines are the gorilla trekking minimum age of 15 and the child rates.
Source: Company · terms and conditions, rates · crawl · 19 Oct 2026
Honeymoon
Not stated on their website: no honeymoon offers or camps named for couples in the pages read; the special offers list has no honeymoon item.
Source: Company · special offers, lodges · crawl · 19 Oct 2026
Solo travellers
A Single Traveller Supplement is published for each safari and lodge (for example, in 2026 low season a single traveller at Mount Gahinga Standard Banda pays $765, the same as sharing; in 2026 high season a single traveller at Virunga Deluxe pays $3,170 against $2,640 sharing). A 'Solo Traveller' special offer is listed, but its terms are not in the text read.
Source: Company · lodges, rates, special offers · crawl · 19 Oct 2026
Older travellers and limited mobility
The terms say 'We are not a specialist disabled holiday company, but we will take reasonable steps to cater for any special requirements' and guests must disclose medical conditions before booking. Gorilla treks last 3-8 hours and 'require some fitness, but all levels are accommodated'. Steps, walkways and access details are not given.
Source: Company · terms and conditions, 7 night great ape conservation safari in uganda · crawl · 19 Oct 2026
Private guide and vehicle
Not stated on their website: no private guide or private vehicle surcharge. The nearest content is 'Exclusive Gorilla Tracking' (a private group of 8 for USD 6,400 per trek per day in Uganda and USD 15,000 in Rwanda).
Source: Company · gorilla tracking for groups, experiences · crawl · 19 Oct 2026
Exclusive-use camps and villas
'Villa Rates. Exclusive use lodge rates and offers are available on request.' An 'Exclusive Use Offer' is on the special offers list, though its terms are not among the pages read. The Virunga Lodge Dian Fossey Map Room can be hired for conferences and private events (price on enquiry).
Source: Company · lodges, special offers · crawl · 19 Oct 2026
Guides
Employed guides are named on the team page (head guides Francis Kiwanuka (Uganda) and Denis Mugabo (Rwanda); guides, birders, botanists and VSPT guides at lodges). The about page says staff get 'extensive training programs'. No FGASA, KPSGA or other qualification is named.
Source: Company · meet the team, about · crawl · 19 Oct 2026
Activities
Gorilla, golden monkey and chimpanzee trekking, chimpanzee habituation, volcano climbs, birding (including 100+ species at Kibale Lodge), game drives (Queen Elizabeth, Murchison Falls), Kazinga Channel boat cruise, River Nile cruise, Nile perch fishing, lion monitoring, walks (Kyambura Fig Tree, wetland, waterfall, caldera), photography tutorials, cooking classes and cultural visits (Batwa, Intore dancers). These are mostly listed as experiences, not per lodge.
Source: Company · experiences, 7 night great ape conservation safari in uganda, birding at kibale lodge · crawl · 19 Oct 2026
Self-drive access
Not stated on their website: no statement on self-drive. Itineraries use guides and Volcanoes road transfers.
Source: Company · 7 night great ape conservation safari in uganda, experiences · crawl · 19 Oct 2026
Photography
A 'Big Cat Photography Safari with Dr Alexander Braczkowski' (USD 12,000 per person sharing, low season 2026), 'Guided Photography and game drives with Dr Alexander Braczkowski' and 'Specialised Photography Tutorials' are listed. No photographic hides or special vehicles are described.
Source: Company · rates, experiences · crawl · 19 Oct 2026
Conservation model
The Volcanoes Safaris Partnership Trust (set up in 2009) is funded by Volcanoes contributing $50 per night per guest at each lodge, plus grants and donations. Projects include the Gahinga Batwa Village (opened 2018), Kyambura Gorge Ecotourism Project (2019, with the Jane Goodall Institute), Kyambura Lion Monitoring (2023), Bwindi Bar, Virunga carpentry and tailoring centre and a USD 100,000 five-year pledge to the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund. The 7-night Great Ape Conservation Safari includes a $3,000 per person tax-deductible donation.
Source: Company · community and conservation, about, lodges, 7 night great ape conservation safari in uganda · crawl · 19 Oct 2026
Sustainability
Lodges use solar power when possible, harvest rainwater, recycle water and waste water, avoid unnecessary single-use plastics and are built with local materials. Bwindi Lodge was listed by Eco-nnect among the top 10 eco-lodges in the world (December 2021). No formal certification is named.
Source: Company · about, lodges, bwindi lodge is listed amongst the top 10 eco lodges in the world · crawl · 19 Oct 2026
Trade and planner partnerships
The contact page lists Travel Trade Enquiries (Betty Nassuna, Sales Manager, US; Mariel Gleason, Deluxe Connection, Mexico) and the team page names a Trade Relations Manager (Boniface Ng'ang'a). No agent portal or preferred-partner statement is in the text read.
Source: Company · contact, meet the team · crawl · 19 Oct 2026
Facts are from the company’s own pages unless marked Independent source or Official register. A company can correct any line through the contact page; a correction changes the line and its source, never anything else on the page.
Volcanoes Safaris: questions people ask
Is Volcanoes Safaris a good company to book a safari with?
It has run gorilla and chimpanzee safaris in Uganda and Rwanda since 1997 and has five lodges of its own, all built by the company beside the parks. Its Kampala office listing on Google holds 4.5 out of 5 from 18 reviews, read 20 October 2026. No Trustpilot profile was found and its full cancellation terms could not be read on 19 October 2026.
What are the best alternatives to Volcanoes Safaris for a luxury safari?
Asilia Africa (Erebero Hills, Bwindi), Sanctuary Retreats (Gorilla Forest Lodge, Bwindi), Singita (Kwitonda Lodge, Volcanoes National Park) and Wilderness (Bisate and Sabyinyo, Volcanoes National Park). Each has a lodge beside the same gorilla parks in Uganda or Rwanda. They were chosen from the camp owners in the safari camp owners table with camps in the same area; the table lists others.
How much does a safari with Volcanoes Safaris cost?
Lodge-only rates in 2026 run US$765 to US$2,640 per person sharing, read 19 October 2026. The low end is Mount Gahinga standard banda in low season; the top is Virunga Lodge deluxe banda in high season. Rates include meals, drinks, laundry and lodge activities. A US$50 community fee and gorilla permits (valued by the company at US$800 each) are extra.
What deposit does Volcanoes Safaris take?
For safaris it takes the full value of gorilla and chimpanzee permits plus 20% of the rest of the invoice (35% for four or more rooms), with the balance due 45 days before arrival. Lodge-only stays need 20%, with the balance 30 days before arrival. The deposit is non-refundable and non-transferable, as read on 19 October 2026.
What are Volcanoes Safaris' cancellation charges?
They could not be read. The rates and lodges pages point to the full Terms and Conditions, but that page could not be read past clause 11 on 19 October 2026. Ask for the cancellation scale in writing before paying the deposit.
What is the minimum age for gorilla trekking with Volcanoes Safaris?
15. Children under 15 cannot track gorillas. Children of all ages may stay at Mount Gahinga, Bwindi, Kibale and Kyambura Gorge lodges, while Virunga Lodge does not take children under 12.
Who owns Volcanoes Safaris and where is it based?
It was founded in 1997 by Praveen Moman, who is still named as founder; no parent group or investors are named. The booking contract is with Volcanoes UK Limited in London. Sales offices are in Kigali and Kampala.
Does Volcanoes Safaris charge a single supplement?
Yes, it publishes a single traveller supplement per lodge and season. In 2026 high season a single traveller at Virunga Lodge deluxe banda pays US$3,170 against US$2,640 sharing; in 2026 low season a single at Mount Gahinga standard banda pays US$765, the same as sharing. Both read 19 October 2026.
Can you book a private gorilla trek or a whole lodge with Volcanoes Safaris?
Yes. A private gorilla trek for eight guests costs US$6,400 per trek per day in Uganda and US$15,000 in Rwanda, read 19 October 2026. Exclusive use lodge rates are given on request.
Does Volcanoes Safaris have a honeymoon offer?
No honeymoon offer was on the pages read on 19 October 2026. Its special offers list includes a solo traveller offer and an exclusive use offer, but none for honeymooners.
Is Volcanoes Safaris suitable for travellers with limited mobility?
Its terms say it is not a specialist disabled holiday company but will take reasonable steps to cater for special requirements. Gorilla treks last 3 to 8 hours. Steps and access details for the lodges were not on the pages read.
Read next
- Gorilla trekking 2026: Rwanda or Uganda, permits and lodges
- What a Rwanda gorilla safari costs in 2026
- Safari deposits and payment terms explained
- How to verify a safari operator before you pay
This page contains no paid placement. Volcanoes Safaris is not a partner of Uncompromised Travel, paid nothing to appear and had no input into this page. Its alternatives were chosen by us from the camp owners in the table with camps in the same area (the table lists others) and are listed alphabetically. Facts read 19 and 20 October 2026 from Volcanoes Safaris' own website, Google Maps and SafariBookings, with Trustpilot searched for a profile, kept in the safari camp owners table with the source and date of every line. How this site earns · How we work.