6 days gorilla and chimpanzee trekking Rwanda

Explore gorillas in Volcanoes national park and chimpanzees in Nyungwe forest national park

6 Days Rwanda Primates Safari

This 6 days Rwanda primates safari begins and ends in Kigali city. This safari takes you to two major primate destinations in Rwanda and these are Nyungwe forest national park in the southwest and the Volcanoes national park in the northwest. The major highlights of this safari are endangered mountain gorillas in Volcanoes national park and chimpanzees in Nyungwe forest national park.

6 Days Rwanda Primates Safari highlights

Day 1: Arrival for Rwanda primate safari and Kigali city tour

Day 2: Transfer to Nyungwe forest national park

Day 3: Chimpanzee trekking in Nyungwe forest national park

Day 4: Transfer from Nyungwe forest national park to Volcanoes national park

Day 5: Gorilla trekking in Volcanoes national park

Day 6: Iby’Iwacu cultural village and transfer back to Kigali

Detailed itinerary 

Day 1: Arrival for Rwanda primate safari and Kigali city tour

Upon arrival at Kigali international airport, you will be welcomed by our English-speaking driver guide and he will transfer you to your hotel after which you will go for a Kigali city tour if you arrive in the afternoon. But if you arrive in the morning, you will go for the city tour in the morning before transfer to your hotel. Kigali has a variety of things to visit such as mount Kigali, Rwanda museums, Kimironko market, and art galleries. During the Kigali city tour, you will visit places like Kigali genocide memorial, camp Kigali Nyamirambo women’s center, Kimironko market, and Caplaki craft village where you can buy yourself some souvenirs to take back home.

Meal plan: Lunch and Dinner

Accommodation: Kigali Marriott Hotel – luxury, Heaven Boutique – mid-range, Yami Hotel – budget

Day 2: Transfer to Nyungwe forest national park

The journey from Kigali to Nyungwe forest national park is really exciting as it takes you through rolling hills. Nyungwe forest national park is located in the southwestern part of Rwanda near DR Congo. The journey to Nyungwe forest national park will start in the morning after your heavy breakfast. We shall have our first stopover at Nyanza before continuing to Huye to visit the Ethnographic museum or King’s palace museum. After visiting one of the two you will then go for lunch and later continue to Nyungwe national park. Upon arriving at Nyungwe national park, you will proceed to your book lodge for dinner and overnight stay as you prepare for chimpanzee trekking the next day.

Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Accommodation: One and Only Nyungwe Lodge- luxury, Nyungwe Top View Hotel – mid-range, Comoran Lodge – budget

Day 3: Chimpanzee trekking in Nyungwe forest national park

After enjoying early morning breakfast, the driver guide will take you to the park headquarters – Uwinka for briefing about endangered chimpanzees before heading into the forest with a ranger guide to search them. Chimpanzees are very active and playful primates. Chimpanzee trekking in Nyungwe forest national park takes you 3 – 6 hours depending on their location. After finding them, you will be given an hour to spend with these chimpanzees while observing them, taking photos, and recording videos for memories. While trekking chimpanzees, you will have opportunities of seeing other animals that stay in the park such as Ruwenzori colobus, red-tailed monkeys, silver monkeys, grey-cheeked monkeys as well as different forests birds. You will return to your lodge for lunch and relaxation.

In the afternoon you will go for a canopy walk in Nyungwe forest. Nyungwe canopy walk is the most exciting activity after chimpanzee trekking in Nyungwe forest national park. The canopy walk involves walking along a canopy walkway that is 160 meters long and 50 meters above the ground level. This activity enables visitors to explore the park from above, see different tree species, animals and birds. After the canopy walks, you will head back to your lodge for dinner and an overnight stay.

Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Accommodation: One and Only Nyungwe Lodge- luxury, Nyungwe Top View Hotel – mid-range, Comoran Lodge – budget

Day 4: Transfer from Nyungwe forest national park to Volcanoes national park

You will start the day with a morning breakfast and later meet up with your driver guide to transfer you to Volcanoes national park located in the northeastern part of the country in Ruhengeri district. This national park is the only place you can find gorillas in Rwanda. The park is a home of 10 habituated gorilla families implying that there are 80 gorilla permits available for sale on a single day in Rwanda. The gorilla permits are issued out by the Rwanda Development Board. Volcanoes national park was gazetted in 1925 making it one of the oldest national parks in Rwanda. The park is not only a home of gorillas but over 525 bird species among which include 13 species that are endemic to the Virunga conservation area, golden monkeys, buffaloes, elephants, bushbucks, and other primates. Lunch will be got at any of the towns to the park. When you reach Volcanoes national park you will be driven to check-in at your hotel for dinner and an overnight stay as you get ready for the gorilla trekking experience the next day.

Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Accommodation: Sabyinyo Silverback Lodge – luxury, Da Vinci Gorilla Lodge – mid-range, Villa gorilla – budget

Day 5: Gorilla trekking in Volcanoes national park

Gorilla trekking in Volcanoes national park Rwanda will be your highlight on this 6 days Rwanda primate safari. Gorilla trekking experiences gets you to meet face to face with mountain gorillas in their natural habitats. After delicious morning breakfast, you will be picked by the driver to the Kinigi the park headquarters of volcanoes national park for briefing. During the briefing, the park rangers will teach you about the dos and don’ts of gorilla trekking after which pair you into groups of 8 people. At 8 am gorilla trekking begins in Volcanoes national park Rwanda; you will be given a ranger guide who will lead you into the thick forest in search of these mountain gorillas. In case of heavy luggage, you can hire porters. Trekking mountain gorillas at Volcanoes national park will take you 1 to several hours depending on the location of the gorillas as well as the speed at which you are moving. When you find a gorilla family, you will be given an hour to observe them, watch them play, mothers breastfeed, make nests and young ones play while taking photos and recording videos. After gorilla trekking, you will get back to park headquarters to pick your gorilla trekking certificate and if you didn’t move with packed lunch, you will get back to your lodge to have some lunch and rest. You will later have dinner and an overnight stay.

Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Accommodation: Sabyinyo Silverback Lodge – luxury, Da Vinci Gorilla Lodge – mid-range, Villa gorilla – budget

Day 6: Iby’Iwacu cultural village and transfer back to Kigali

After early morning breakfast, you will drive to Iby’Iwacu cultural village where you will get to meet and interact with Rwanda local people among which include former porters. You will get to see the day-to-day life of people as well as entertainment from cultural dancers. Later you will return to your lodge for relaxation and lunch before checking out to start your journey back to Kigali to your hotel or airport for your return flight.

6 Days Rwanda Primates Safari Tour includes 

Entrance fee

Canopy walk

Chimpanzee trekking

Gorilla trekking permit

Drinking water

Accommodation and meals

Service of the English-speaking guide

Transport

Visit Iby’Iwachu cultural village

Kigali city tour

All the mentioned activities except for optional ones

6 Days Rwanda Primates Safari Tour excludes

Extra accommodation

Personal expenses

Tips

Insurance

International flights

Visa

What to pack for gorilla trekking and chimpanzee tracking?

Hiking boots

Long-sleeved shirts

Insect repellents

Energy giving snacks

Camera and extra batteries

Binoculars

Sweater

Light hiking shoes

Hat and sunglasses

Energy giving snack

Drinking water

Rain jacket

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