5 Days Great Apes of Rwanda Safari

Discover Rwanda beautiful landscapes, diverse wildlife, and meet friendly people on this unforgettable 5 days great Apes of Rwanda safari. Arrive in Kigali capital city and transfer to Volcanoes national park for gorilla trekking. From there, head southwest to Lake Kivu a relaxing day at Mantis Lake Kivu Marina Bay Hotel and to Nyungwe forest national park for chimpanzee trek.

Highlights

Gorilla trekking in Volcanoes national park
Chimpanzee tracking in Nyungwe forest national park
Canopy walk for breathtaking views of Nyungwe forest

Detailed Itinerary

Day 1: Arrival and Transfer to Volcanoes National Park

On arrival, our guide will greet you and drive you to Volcanoes National Park. It is 105 km (2-hour drive) north of Kigali. Rwanda doesn’t allow single-use plastic material, so don’t bring any in your baggage. That’s how cleanliness is maintained in Kigali city and the country as a whole. Enjoy the Virunga Mountain scenery, capturing photos along the way. Arrive and check in at the lodge for diner and overnight. Ensure to arrange your hiking gears and charge your devices.

Accommodation options:

Budget: Le Bambou Gorilla Lodge

Midrange: Tiloreza Volcanoes Eco-lodge

Luxury: Sabinyo Silverback Lodge

Meal plan: full board (breakfast, lunch and dinner).

Day 2: Gorilla Trekking

Fuel up with a hearty breakfast at the lodge. You will get to the park headquarters at Kinigi by 7:30 am in the morning. Meet your expert rangers and listen to the gorilla rules and regulations. Make sure to hire a porter if you need one for help. Take the rain jacket in case the forecast becomes unfavorable. You will be accompanied by park rangers into the forest for a thrilling search for gorillas until located which can take 1 to 5 hours. Spend a magical hour observing them in their natural habitat.

You will use a shorter to get to Kinigi ad your guide will take you to the lodge for lunch and leisure time. A late afternoon walk into rural community outside the park is recommended. This tour will introduce you to Rwandan culture and traditions at the Gorilla Guardian’s Village. You will meet ex-poachers who put down their weapons to conserve gorillas. Your day ends as they celebrate their rich cultural heritage which offers the opportunity to enjoy Rwandan traditional music performed by ex-poachers. Return to your lodge for dinner and overnight.

Day 3: Transfer to Nyungwe Forest National Park through Lake Kivu

After early morning breakfast, travel along the eastern shores of Lake Kivu crossing the Congo-Nile divide ridge. Stop in Karongi for photo shoots and lunch along the way to Nyungwe forest national park in the south of Rwanda. Arrive at the lodge on the western edge of the forest near Gisakura tea plantation and entrance gate. Check into your accommodation and enjoy diner and overnight.

Accommodation options:

Budget: Nyungwe Top View Hill Hotel

Midrange: Nyungwe Forest Lodge

Luxury: One & Only Nyungwe Tree house

Meal plan: Fullboard (breakfast, lunch and dinner).

Day 4: Chimpanzee Tracking and Canopy Walk

Your chimp tracking begins with a wakeup call at 5:30 am. To give you ample time at the lodge for breakfast and packing all necessary gears like packed lunch and rain jacket. You will be taken to the park visitor center by 7:00am. Meet the informative rangers for a briefing on what to expect from the day’s trek. It is recommended that you hire a porter given that hiking can challenging due to the nature terrain. From the park center, you may be driven further to the trailhead depending on the location of chimps. This is always communicated by the trackers that go to locate the primates ahead of time. Chimpanzees are more active in the jungle than the gorillas and can climb and forage into the treetops. So you might find yourself trekking deeper through the dense rainforest off the trail. Once they’re found, you will be allocated 1 hour to spend with the habituated wild chimps. Return to the park headquarters and get to the lodge in time for lunch and relaxation.

Afternoon canopy walk starts at Uwinka park visitor center with a relaxing stroll along the Igishigishi trail. The Nyungwe forest canopy walkway stretches for over 160 meters and rises 75 meters above the ground. It makes for a must visit gem for a kin photographer. There are three canopy bridges of varying height to choose for those with fear of heights. The stroll takes you through undisturbed dense evergreen tree fern vegetation. Rwandan naturalists here provide intriguing information about the plant species such as Cyathea manniana. Return to your lodge for dinner and overnight.

Day 5: Departure

After a rewarding day in Nyungwe Forest, depart for Kigali, concluding your 5-day Great Apes of Rwanda itinerary. Depending on your departure schedule, you may have time for a farewell souvenir shopping in Kigali.

Meal plan: breakfast.

End of tour.