Countries: Rwanda & Uganda
Destinations: Kigali, Nyungwe National Park, Volcanoes National Park, Lake Kivu and Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
Itinerary at Glance
Day 1: Airport Transfer to Hotel
Day 2: Transfer to Nyungwe National Park.
Day 3: Chimpanzee Trek and Canopy walk at Nyungwe National Park.
Day 4: Transfer to Volcanoes National Park.
Day 5: Golden Monkey Trek at Volcanoes and transfer to Bwindi
Day 6: Gorilla trekking in Uganda
Day 7: Kigali City tour and departure
Overview
This 7 days Rwanda Uganda primate world adventure safari will wrap up the best of primate trekking in Rwanda and Uganda, blending you, all way through from the city suburbs, to all the major Rwandans’ parks, discovering and exploring the hidden secrets within these parks, venturing in the jungles of Nyungwe forest National Park, one of the largest dense tropical rainforest, hiking up the canopy, not leaving behind a trek to see the chimpanzee, as you seek a cool sea breeze at Lake Kivu for water sport, trek the golden monkeys, in Volcanoes National Park, before crossing to Uganda, visit Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, where you have a chance to meet the gorillas in their natural habitat. This round trip starts and ends in Kigali
Trip Highlights
- Gorilla trekking in Uganda
- Golden monkey trekking at Volcanoes National Park
- Chimpanzee trekking at Nyungwe National Park
- Canopy walk
- Boat ride on Lake Kivu
- Cultural experience
- Kigali city tour
Day 1: Airport Transfer to Hotel, afternoon city tour
Day Itinerary
Upon arrival at Kigali International Airport, you will go through custom and immigration, and you will be met by our hotel representative who will warmly welcome you to the Land of a thousand hills that Rwanda is known for, and later drive to your booked hotel accommodation.
Overnight stay at: Hotel des Mille Collins
Meals: Diner
Day 2: Transfer to Nyungwe National Park. Travel time +5 hours
Day Itinerary
Early morning enjoy your buffer breakfast and checkout of the hotel and drive heading to the western province, on your way visit the Royal Palace Museum and Ethnographic Museum in Southern Province, this will give you a great history of traditional ways of living among Rwandans and their past way of leadership of Kingship with an en route lunch. You will reach in the afternoon at Nyungwe national park and spend the afternoon at your leisure.
Overnight stay at: Nyungwe Top View Hotel
Meal Plan: Breakfast, lunch and dinner
Day 3: Chimpanzee tracking and canopy walk at Nyungwe National Park
Day Itinerary
Today, after your early morning cup of African coffee, 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 before heading for a canopy walk. This 70 meters suspended metallic bridge will give you a great overview of Nyungwe forest and on a lucky day spot one or two more primates in the forest as you take a walk on this bridge and later return in the afternoon for dinner and overnight stay.
Overnight stay at: Nyungwe Top View Hotel
Meal Plan: Breakfast, lunch and dinner
Day 4: Transfer to Musanze with an en route boat ride. Travel time +5hrs
Day Itinerary
Today after taking your early morning breakfast, and transferring to Lake Kivu, for a boat trip. You will head for a sunrise boat trip on Lake Kivu, which is roughly a two hours boat trip to explore this beautiful Lake and its numerous islands, you will as well be able to spot a number of birds as well as visit one of the Islands. You will later return to the lodge, and proceed with your drive to Musanze with en route lunch in Gisenyi and proceed with your drive to Musanze.
Volcanoes National park
Bordering the Democratic Republic of Congo, Uganda and 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: Ingagi Park View Lodge.
Meal Plan: Breakfast, lunch and dinner
Day 5: Golden Monkey trekking and transfer to Bwindi. Travel time +5hrs
Day Itinerary
This morning, head for a Golden monkeys trekking experience that takes place in Volcanoes national park at 7:00 am. The golden monkey trekking, takes the same procedure as the gorilla trekking, however less, strenuous compared to gorilla trekking. These rare species are also listed as endangered – and Volcanoes national park currently has two habituated golden monkeys’ troops that are available for visiting by tourists in the park, both of which make about 50 members.
Golden monkeys in Rwanda live in the bamboo vegetation towards the base of the volcanoes and habituation has helped them to overcome their initial shyness to accept their daily visit by researchers and tourists.
Trekking golden monkeys and gorillas is a similar experience – in a small group of no more than eight people, and you can spend one hour with the monkeys once you find them. The endangered species are very active creatures, and jump from tree to tree which is really interesting and a little difficult to photograph!
Afterwards, we will enjoy lunch at a local restaurant before driving to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, via Cyanika border post, which is roughly a 3 hour’s drive to your booked accommodation, for dinner and overnight stay.
Overnight at: Nkuringo Bwindi Gorilla Lodge
Meal Plan: Breakfast, lunch & dinner
Day 6: Gorilla trekking Experience at Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
Day Itinerary
Early morning cup of coffee, then prepare for the briefing from the Uganda’s officials and thereafter drive to the trekking starting point, have a short briefing before entering into the jungle to search for the shy mountain gorilla, for your gorilla trekking experience. After meeting the gorillas, you can sit around these great apes for a whole hour gazing into their big round eyes. On a gorilla safari, a reasonable degree of fitness is required as well as walking shoes, packed food and mineral water, insect repellent, sunscreen and hut. The gorilla tracking experience takes half or whole day depending on the movement of these primates. After this gorilla tracking experience in Uganda, you will have an informative memorable experience in life. Have a relaxed afternoon at your lodge, going through the beautiful photos of the great gorilla encounter, as you wait for dinner and overnight.
Overnight at: Nkuringo Bwindi Gorilla Lodge
Meal Plan: Breakfast, lunch & dinner
Day 7: Transfer back to Kigali
Day Itinerary
Today after your early morning breakfast, you will meet your guide and you hit the road back to Kigali. Afterwards, reach and we will enjoy lunch at a local restaurant, before heading for Kigali city tour.
Founded in 1907 as a German settlement, Kigali did not become the capital until Rwanda’s independence in 1962 when it replaced the colonial seat of power in Butare. Since then, the city has seen major economic development resulting in what it is today; a vibrant African city of more than one million residents with wide boulevards, world-class hotels and restaurants, crafts & curio shops as well as a lively, cosmopolitan atmosphere.
Take a Kigali City Tour which includes visits to old Kigali and craft markets, the Kigali Genocide Memorial at Gisozi to learn about Rwanda’s history, the Genocide against the Tutsi as well as other mass atrocities around the world. Exploring further, it is inspiring to see how far the country has come in 28 years. The recovery has been referred to as a true testament to humankind’s resilience. We stop at a craft center where you can haggle for unique Rwandan crafts and curios, and if time permits, we visit the Kandt House Natural History Museum, which covers both natural ecosystems in Rwanda and the intertwined Rwandan and German colonial history. We may also have time to tour Old Kigali where the colonial buildings now form the heart of Rwanda’s small businesses.
Later, you will be transferred to the airport to catch up with your evening flight back home. End of service!
Meal Plan: Breakfast and lunch.
This safari package includes.
- Transportation in a 4×4 safari vehicle with a pop up roof
- Accommodation and meals as per itinerary
- 1 Gorilla permit ($ 700), per person
- 1 golden monkey per person
- En-route lunches
- Canopy walk
- Chimpanzee trekking
- Museum visits
- Kigali genocide memorial visit
- Boat ride on Lake Kivu
- Park fees
- Kigali city tour
- Services of English speaking driver/guide
- Bottles of mineral water during safari
- Fun and other excursions as mentioned in the itinerary.
The package excludes expenses of personal nature like:
- Visa Fees & flights
- Optional activities
- Tips for guides
- laundry
- Alcoholic drinks
- International vaccinations & tests
- Health test requirements
- 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.