Main Info
This Rwanda safari will take you to Nyungwe Forest National Park for chimps trekking experience as well as Volcanoes National Park for gorilla trekking. You will also do golden monkey tracking in the Volcanoes National Park. Start with a drive direct to Nyungwe Forest National Park (5 – 6hrs), en-route visit to Nyanza King’s palace, en-route lunch in Butare town; visit Rwanda National Museum in Huye as well as Murambi genocide memorial museum.
This long stretch of montane rain-forest is the largest in Africa at the moment and a great conservation sight attracting researchers and scientists who are interested in primate research. The forest is part of the wider Nyungwe National Park which now includes the Cyamudongo forest. Nyungwe forest is a key water catchment area in the country producing rains that feed rivers like the Nile in Uganda and others in Congo.
Nyungwe Forest is a great bird sanctuary with over 310 species. Birders will be able to spot paradise flycatchers, Chapin’s flycatcher, purple-breasted sunbirds, Rockefellers’ sunbird, red-collared mountain babblers and Ruwenzori turacos among many others.
You will stay at One & Only Nyungwe House for the luxury travelers or Nyungwe Hill Top Hotel and Marina Bay Lake Kivu Hotel for midrange option.
Brief Itinerary
Day 1: Travel to Nyungwe Forest National Park
Our driver/ guide will meet you in Kigali. Get briefed about the tour. The guide will then drive you to Nyungwe National Park. The journey takes you through beautiful areas characterized with green plantations and amazing scenery. We will have stopover at places of interest such as museum and Butare Town. You will arrive in the late afternoon. Relax at the lodge as you wait for dinner. Overnight at Gisakura Guest House (Budget) / Emeraude Kivu Resort (Deluxe) / Nyungwe Hill Top View Hotel (Luxury)
Day 2: Chimpanzee Tracking in Nyungwe Forest
You will enter Nyungwe forest to search for wild chimpanzees (Habituated). On this Rwanda tour, expect an encounter with other primates such as black and white colobus monkeys, red-tailed monkeys, golden monkeys, and many forest bird species. Retire for lunch and either go for colobus monkey tracking or take the adventurous canopy walk.
Chimpanzee trekking in Nyungwe forest can take between 2 to 6 hours or longer. After following/chasing the chimps for a while, they may settle down and allow you to observe them more closely or take photos. While with the chimps you will notice that they behave just like we humans. You will watch them groom each other, mate, breastfeed, play and start fights. Some members of the group are quiet while others are more vocal. Like humans, they have their group dynamics and internal politics.
Day 3: Transfer to Volcanoes National Park
On a fresh new day, transfer to the home to mountain gorillas in Ruhengeri. We can use our 4×4 safari vehicle or use a boat on Lake Kivu (Extra payment). If you travel by boat, our vehicle can meet you at Gisenyi, and then we continue with our journey to Volcanoes National Park. Overnight stay at Singita Kwitonda Lodge, One & Only Gorilla’s Nest Lodge, Bisate Lodge, Five Volcanoes Boutique Lodge, Lebambou Gorilla Lodge and Mountain Gorilla View Lodge.
Day 4: Gorilla Tracking in the Volcanoes National Park
An early breakfast followed by transfer to the park headquarters for a briefing about the gorilla tracking. The trek takes 2-7 hours depending on the movement of gorillas. Sight and stay with these gentle giants are 1hour for observation and photographing. Relax at your lodge/hotel in the evening. Or we can take a community walk or cultural entertainment in nearby communities.
Day 5: Golden Monkey Tracking and Transfer to Kigali
After the amazing gorilla trek, go for the Golden Monkeys; stunning primates with their bright orange fur contrasting the green rain forests of the Virunga Mountains and Gishwati Forest providing a stunning experience to wildlife lovers. Spot these unique Golden Monkeys with your guides that are a treat for the eyes.
