This 5 days Rwanda primates safari is an amazing safari taking you to Nyungwe forest national park where you will take part in chimpanzee trekking and have an hour with chimpanzees in their natural habitat. While in Nyungwe you will also take a park in the canopy walk which happens to be the best in east Africa giving you great views of the forest canopy, tree species, primates, birds among others. The safari will also take you to volcanoes national park where you will meet eye to eye with endangered mountain gorillas and golden monkeys in their natural habitats

5 days Rwanda primates safari highlights

Day 1: Pick up and transfer to Nyungwe forest national park

Day 2: Chimpanzee trekking and canopy walk

Day 3: Transfer to volcanoes national park

Day 4: Gorilla trekking in volcanoes national park Rwanda

Day 5: Golden monkey trekking and departure

Detailed itinerary 

Day 1: Pick up and transfer to Nyungwe forest national park

Upon arrival at Kigali international airport or your location in the city, our English-speaking driver-guide will be ready to pick you up and brief you about the safari and then start on your journey to Nyungwe forest national park in northwestern Rwanda. On your way to Nyungwe forest national park, you will have a stopover at the king’s palace and museum in Nyanza which used to act as the residence of king Mutura Rudahigwa the third. You will also visit the museum in Nyanza where you will find a collection of Africa’s traditional materials. After this tour, you will have some lunch and continue with your journey to Nyungwe forest national park and on reaching the park you will check into your booked, relax, have dinner, and an overnight stay.

Meal plan: Lunch and Dinner

Accommodation: Nyungwe forest lodge – luxury, Nyungwe hilltop view – midrange, Gisakura guest house – budget

Day 2: Chimpanzee trekking and canopy walk

On this ay day, you will have an early morning breakfast and meet up with your driver-guide to drive you to the park headquarters for a briefing about the dos and don’ts of chimpanzee trekking in the park. After the briefing, you will be given a ranger guide, grouped into 8 people, and given a chimpanzee habituated family to trek. Chimpanzee trekking in Nyungwe forest begins at 8:00 am and takes you 30 minutes to 4 hours finding them depending on the movement of chimpanzees because they like moving from one place to another looking for food. Once you meet the chimpanzees you will be allowed to spend a maximum of one hour with them in their natural environment allowing you to know more about their lifestyle, behavior, habits, watch them do their daily activities as you take photos, and record moments. After spending an hour with chimpanzees, you will trek back to the starting point and meet your driver-guide and drive back to the lodge for lunch.

After lunch, you will go for a canopy walk which begins at Uwinka Reception Centre. It’s an amazing 90 meters long bridge raised 50 meters above the forest and Nyungwe forest national park is the only place in East Africa offering this exciting activity. The canopy walk was started in 2010 and it goes through huge trees in the thick forest. The canopy walk takes you about 2 hours and gives you a spectacular view of different bird species, butterflies, primates, tree species and so much more. After the canopy walk, you will trek back to the starting point where you will find your driver ready to transport you back to the lodge for relaxation, dinner, and an overnight stay.

Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Accommodation: Nyungwe forest lodge – luxury, Nyungwe hilltop view – midrange, Gisakura guest house – budget

Day 3: Transfer to volcanoes national park

After morning breakfast on your third day of the safari, you will check out of the lodge meet your driver-guide to transfer you to volcanoes national park in the northwestern part of Rwanda. On your way to the park, you will have a stopover at Lake Kivu where you will have great views of the landscape, sunrise, enjoy the cool breeze on the shores of the lake among others. From lake Kivu, you will continue with your journey to volcanoes national park Rwanda with an en-route lunch and the journey will take you about 4 to 5 hours drive. On reaching the park you will proceed to the lodge check-in have dinner and an overnight stay.

Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Accommodation: Five Volcanoes boutique hotel – luxury, Le bamboo gorilla lodge – mid-range, Villa gorilla – budget

Day 4: Gorilla trekking in volcanoes national park Rwanda

Gorilla trekking in volcanoes national park Rwanda starts at 8:00 am meaning you need to wake up in the morning for your breakfast, get packed lunch, and meet your driver to transfer you to the park headquarters to catch up with the briefing. During the briefing, you will be told about the rules and regulations to follow when trekking mountain gorillas in their natural habitat. After the briefing, you will be given a ranger guide to lead you into the forest in groups of 8 and allocated a gorilla family to trek. The grouping of people is done according to age, physical appearance, and preference therefore if you are not physically fit you should inform your driver guide so that they allocate you an easy gorilla family to trek.

Gorilla trekking in volcanoes national park takes you 3o mins to 7 hours to meet the gorillas depending on the location of the gorillas and once you find them you will have an opportunity of learning about their behaviors, way of life, watch them do their day to day activities, take photos, record videos and much more. After trekking mountain gorillas, you will get back to the starting point, get your gorilla trekking certificate and meet your driver for a transfer back to the lodge.

Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Accommodation: Five Volcanoes boutique hotel – luxury, Le bamboo gorilla lodge – mid-range, Villa gorilla – budget

Day 5: Golden monkey trekking and departure

On the last day of your 5 days, Rwanda primates safari you will wake up early for a morning breakfast, meet your driver for a transfer to the Kinigi park headquarters for a briefing about the rules and regulations as well as expectations of golden monkey trekking. After the briefing, you will meet tour group mates and a guide to lead you into the jungle which takes you about 30 minutes to 4 hours to meet them in their natural habitat. Once you meet the golden monkeys you will be given an hour to spend with them in their natural habitat allowing you to with them do their daily activities, learn their habits and behaviors while taking photos and recording videos. After enjoying some time with golden monkeys, you will trek back to the starting point and meet your driver-guide for a transfer back to the lodge for lunch.

After lunch, you will check out of the lodge, meet up with your safari driver for a transfer to Kigali for a drop-off at either your hotel or Kigali international airport to end your 5 days Rwanda primates safari

Meal plan

Breakfast

Lunch

Tour includes

Chimpanzee trekking permit

Canopy walk

Golden monkey trekking permit

Gorilla trekking permit

Park entrance fee

Service of an English-speaking guide

Accommodation

Meals

Transport

Drinking water

Tour excludes

Insurance

Air flight tickets

Tips

Personal expenses

Optional activities