This 5 days Rwanda primates safari lets you meet the most common primates in Rwanda. You will meet Golden Monkeys and Mountain Gorillas in Volcanoes National Park, Chimpanzees in Nyungwe Forest National Park. The package is designed to offer you the best experience with primates. If your primary reason for visiting Rwanda is primate tracking, this package is for you.
5 Day Safari Detailed Itinerary
Day 1: Arrival and transfer to Nyungwe Forest National Park
Shortly after you set foot on Rwanda’s soil on this first day of your safari holiday, you will be welcomed by our tour company representative and guide and later on transferred to Kigali for lunch then en route to Nyungwe Forest National Park in the southern province of Rwanda. Nyungwe Forest is about 6 hours away from Kigali City (apparently the most isolated national park) hence, requires an early transfer. We shall drive through the lush countryside of Rwanda with a brief stopover at the National Museum of Rwanda in Butare. We should arrive at Nyungwe late in the evening for dinner and overnight.
Overnight at Nyungwe Forest Lodge (Luxury), Nyungwe Top Hill Lodge (Moderate) and Gisakura Guest House (Low Budget)
Meal Plan: Lunch and Dinner
Day 2: Chimpanzee Tracking and Canopy Walk
This day demands a very early morning rise. We have to wake up by 5:00 am, have a heavy breakfast meal and transfer to the meeting point at the park to catch up with the rangers then head into the thick forest of Nyungwe to locate the chimpanzees before they wake up. One advantage of finding Chimps before they wake up is, we usually have more time with them since it is hard to locate them when they start moving basin on the rough terrain of the forest and the speed at which these primates move.
We shall have a full hour of a close encounter with them then return to our lodge for lunch, a brief relaxation and head for a Canopy walk experience on top of Nyungwe Forest. After this adventurous and exciting experience, we shall return to our lodge for dinner and overnight.
Overnight at Nyungwe Forest Lodge (Luxury), Nyungwe Top Hill Lodge (Moderate) and Gisakura Guest House (Low Budget)
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner
Day 3: Transfer to Volcanoes National Park, Twin Lakes visit
This day involves a long drive from the southern province of Rwanda to the northern province, a journey that could take us about 6 – 7 hours depending on how we drive. We have to rise up early enough to commence with our journey, have lunch en route so that we reach Volcanoes National Park in time for a short visit to the twin lakes of Burera and Ruhondo. After this visit, we shall retire at our lodge for dinner and overnight as we get set for a thrilling Rwanda gorilla tracking experience the next day.
Overnight at Mountain Gorilla View Lodge (Luxury), Le Bambou Gorilla Lodge (Moderate) and Kinigi Guest House (Low Budget).
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner
Day 4: Gorilla Tracking & Iby’Iwacu Cultural Visit
This is the day we rub shoulders with our long-time cousins from the jungles of Volcanoes National Park. After a heavy breakfast meal, we shall head to the park headquarters in Kinigi for briefing and then make strides into the jungles in search for Mountain Gorillas. You shall have a full 1-hour experience with these primates upon locating them then return to park headquarters for your gorilla trekking certificate and straight to the lodge for a lunch break.
In the afternoon, we shall head for a cultural trail at Iby’Iwacu cultural village where we shall watch people dancing, enjoy storytelling moments along with other cultural activities. After this exciting trail, we shall return to our lodge for dinner and overnight.
Overnight at Mountain Gorilla View Lodge (Luxury), Le Bambou Gorilla Lodge (Moderate) and Kinigi Guest House (Low Budget).
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner
Day 5: Golden Monkey Tracking and transfer to Kigali
On the last day, we shall engage in yet another exciting primates activity, Golden Monkey tracking. This activity should last for two – five hours depending on how long we take to locate these habituated monkeys inclusive of a full hour of a close encounter with them. After tracking Golden Monkeys, we shall return to our lodge for lunch and later on transfer back to Kigali for your onward flight back home.
Meal Plan: Breakfast and Lunch
