Country: Rwanda
Destinations: Kigali, Volcanoes National Park, Lake Kivu & Nyungwe National Park
Itinerary at Glance
Day 1: Arrival in Kigali
Day 2: Kigali city tour and transfer to Volcanoes National Park.
Day 3: Gorilla Trek at Volcanoes National Park
Day 4: Golden Monkey Trek and transfer to Gisenyi
Day 5: Boat ride on Lake Kivu and transfer to Nyungwe
Day 6: Chimpanzee trek and canopy walk in Nyungwe
Day 7: Departure
Overview.
Classic African savannah settings coupled with iconic forest trekking for the ultimate reward; time spent with mountain gorillas. An exceptional journey to Rwanda’s Nyungwe & Volcanoes national park.
Join us on our 7 days, 6 – nights Rwanda classic primate adventure safari, which rewards you with a great opportunity to trek Rwanda’s prominent primates, thus gorillas, chimpanzees and golden monkeys. You will be able to visit all the 2 Rwandan national parks, thus Volcanoes National Park, and Nyungwe National Park, known for their unique retreats, primates and adventures, in addition to Kigali city tour to spice up your stay. You will as well be able to interact with the local community as you go by your day activities. You will be able to do gorilla trekking, golden monkey trek, chimpanzee trekking and Canopy walk in Nyungwe which is a life time thrilling adventure, not forgetting waterfall hike in Nyungwe. There is nothing that beats, and makes your mind feel relaxed, than traveling in style, where all part of the tour is well taken care of, with top notch service!
This itinerary is an excellent introduction to the primates of Rwanda thus mountain gorillas, golden monkeys and chimpanzee, in addition to other activities per the itinerary. Let’s explore the wonderful country of Rwanda together!
Trip High lights
- Gorilla trekking
- Golden monkey trekking
- Chimpanzee trekking
- Canopy walk
- Boat ride on Lake Kivu
- Kigali city tour
Day 1: Welcome to Kigali – Rwanda
Day Itinerary
Upon arrival at Kigali Airport, our company’s safari driver will be waiting to welcome you and provide a short briefing before transferring you to your accommodation in Kigali (approximately 20-30 minutes depending on traffic conditions). You will have the opportunity to rest and prepare for your safari adventure the following day. Our driver will ensure that you are comfortable and ready for an exciting and unforgettable experience exploring the beautiful landscapes and wildlife of Rwanda.
Rwanda’s capital and biggest city stretches across undulating lush hills surrounded by towering mountains, the largest of which is Mount Kigali, rising 1850 meters above sea level. Kigali is the country’s financial, commercial and cultural hub, served by an international airport and featuring a wide range of accommodation options, restaurants and points of interest, including the Kigali Genocide Centre, an atmospheric market and numerous craft shops. With its interesting architecture, busy streets, meandering boulevards, and green hillsides, Kigali is said to be one of the most attractive cities in Africa and is definitely worth a visit. The city is well organized and known for its neatness and hospital people.
Overnight stay at: Hotel des Mille Collins
Meals: Diner
Day 2: Kigali city tour and transfer to Volcanoes National Park. Travel time +2 hours
Day Itinerary
After breakfast we will depart the hotel and drive to visit the Kigali Genocide Memorial Center which honors the memory of more than one million Rwandans killed in 1994 through educational and peace-building. You will be able to watch and listen to some video clips from some of the survivors of the incident. Lunch in Kigali and after Lunch we will proceed to Volcanoes National Park through the magnificent route to Musanze which will take us approximately 2hrs of good road drive, with a great en route stop overs. The road is smooth and well maintained, something that Rwanda is well known for.
Volcanoes National park
Bordering the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda in Rwanda, the Volcanoes National Park is best known as a sanctuary for the region’s rare mountain gorillas. Visitors flock here to experience a face to face encounter with these intriguing creatures, making it the most famous park in Rwanda. The park is set high on the jungle-covered slopes of the volcanic Virunga Mountains. Highly regulated treks through the reserve allow visitors to spend an hour at a time with these incredible primates in their natural habitat. While the gorillas are without a doubt the main drawcard, visitors can also look forward to exploring a network of scenic hiking trails, visiting the tomb of the world-famous Dian Fossey and the Karisoke Research Centre, and enjoying a beautiful day hike to the Crater Lake on Mount Bisoke. You can as well as opt for trekking the shy golden monkeys or head for a canoe ride on the twin lakes. The beautiful Buhanga Eco Park, still remains virgin and open to visitors, where you get more cultural insight in regards to leadership and kingship of Rwanda.
Overnight stay at: Five Volcanoes Boutique Hotel.
Meal Plan: Breakfast, lunch and dinner
Day 3: Gorilla trekking adventure at Volcanoes National Park
Day Itinerary
After an early morning breakfast, you will be transferred to the park headquarters. You will meet with your ranger who will brief you about the code of conduct while with the gorillas. You will then enter the forest in search of the gorillas. The gorilla trekking may take 2 – 6 hours depending on the movement of the gorillas in the jungle and your group speed as well. Meet and stay with the gorillas for a maximum of one hour. After a great experience you will walk back to the starting point, meet your guide waiting for you and be transferred to your lodge for lunch, and after lunch, you can decide to relax at your lodge at your leisure or head for a cultural encounter with a walking tour to different site to get an insight of Rwandan culture. Dinner and overnight at the hotel.
Gorilla Trekking at Volcanoes National Park
Gorilla Trekking in the Volcanoes National Park offers visitors the unique opportunity of discovering the 10 families of gorillas that live within the national park. Visitors can enjoy a cup of coffee before the trek starts and will be separated into groups of 8 depending on their physical abilities. Each group is guided by a guide and two scouts who are well trained in emergency situations. The amount of time set aside per trek is different depending on where the gorilla family is situated. Some trips may take as little as half an hour and some take the better part of the day
Overnight stay at: Five Volcanoes Boutique Hotel.
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Diner
Day 4: Golden Monkey trekking and transfer to Gisenyi
Day Itinerary
After breakfast, you’ll head out on a trekking experience to find golden monkeys in Volcanoes National Park. You will meet your guide at the park headquarters before heading into the forest. The walk there meanders through local villages and tea plantations, and the scenery is beautiful. Once you find the monkeys, you’ll have an hour to observe them running around, eating, and swinging from the trees. Just like the gorilla trekking experience, the same trekking procedures and guidelines apply to golden monkey trekking though not so hectic like gorilla trekking. You’ll head back to your hotel for lunch before, transfer to Gisenyi, where you will spend the afternoon at leisure. Dinner and overnight stay at the lodge.
Overnight stay at: Lake Kivu Serena Hotel
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Diner
Day 5: Boat ride in Kivu and transfer to Nyungwe. Travel time +5hours
Day Itinerary
After having your early morning breakfast, you will meet your safari guide, jump into your jeep, and find your way to Nyungwe National Park through the beautiful scenic Kivu belt, and along the way, undertake, a boat ride on Lake Kivu, for a great boat experience, touring this beautiful lake, with great islands and bird species. Later return and enjoy lunch, on one of the local restaurants, and proceed with your drive to your booked hotel, reaching in the afternoon, for leisure.
Nyungwe National Park
The best adventure safaris in Rwanda take you to the heart of the action, to Nyungwe forest. Trips to well-known forests and parks can be disappointing if you don’t get some good sightings of the animals. The secluded trails through the thick foliage and undergrowth are also more exciting as they let you experience the forest as it is- untamed, unpredictable and far removed from all human contact. The most enjoyable way to explore a forest is taking a canopy walk, or following the waterfall trails. Nyungwe National Park in Rwanda is also fed by several river streams, of which is said to be the source of River Nile that serve as watering holes for the animals of the park. It has an estimated 13 primates besides a wide variety of other animals and 310 different species of birds, these include all the 25 species of the Albertine Rift Mountains Endemic Bird Area that occur in Rwanda. Chimpanzee trekking and colobus monkey trekking plus canopy walk, not forgetting the numerous nature walk trails, are one of the leading adventure activities that the park offers. For those who love hiking, Nyungwe forest is your next stopover destination.
Overnight stay at: Kivu Marina Bay Hotel
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Diner
Day 6: Chimpanzee tracking and canopy walk at Nyungwe National Park
Day Itinerary
Today, after your early morning cup of African coffee on a buffer kind of setting, you will leave your hotel to experience the natural forest of Nyungwe, well known for having 13 species of primates, and transferred to the park for briefing and chimpanzee trekking. You will be entitled to one hour on finding the chimpanzees. After doing the chimpanzee trek, head for lunch and some short refreshment before heading for a canopy walk in the afternoon. This 70 meters suspended metallic bridge will give you a great overview of Nyungwe forest and on a luck day spot one or two more primates in the forest as you take a roughly 1 and half hours walk on this bridge, that gives you, a cool tree top view and later return in the afternoon for, dinner and overnight stay.
Overnight stay at: Kivu Marina Bay Hotel
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Diner
Day 7: Transfer to Kigali. Travel time + 5 hours.
Day Itinerary
Today, your Rwanda primate adventure journey comes to an end. Have an early morning breakfast at the lodge, pack your bags and meet your guide waiting for you, get in and hit the road to Kigali, with an en route visit to Royal King’s Palace museum as you drive to Kigali, reach in the afternoon, and proceed with your transfer to the airport for your departure flight in the evening. End of tour!
Meal Plan: Breakfast & lunch.
This safari package includes.
- Transportation in a 4×4 safari vehicle
- Accommodation and meals as per itinerary
- 1 gorilla trekking permit, per adult
- 1 Chimpanzee permit, per person
- Golden monkey permit
- Canopy walk
- Boat ride on Lake Kivu
- King’s Palace Museum
- En-route lunches
- Kigali genocide Museum visit
- Services of English speaking driver/guide
- 1 liter bottle of mineral water per day per person during safari
The package excludes expenses of personal nature like:
- Visa Fees & flights
- Optional activities
- Tips & gratuities
- laundry
- Alcoholic drinks
- International vaccinations
- Health test requirements
- Porter fees while trekking
- Personal travel Insurance
- Personal shopping bills
- Phone call bills
- Extras while at the hotel
- Items of personal nature
Please contact us for a free detailed quote on the option of your choice. We can tailor a request that suits your interests, and budget, as well as we can change or upgrade the lodge options. Write to us with more details about your safari.