6 day Rwanda Gorilla Trekking Kigali OperatorNyungwe National Park is the only destination in the world where you can see up to 13 species of primates in a single location, including rare species such as Chimpanzees, the Blue Monkeys, L'Hoest's Monkeys and the Angolan black and white Colobus Monkeys. Nyungwe presents a unique phenomenon in primate tourism due to its huge concentrations of habituated primates whose troops can include 400 to 500 individuals! As one of the most important ornithological hubs in Rwanda, Nyungwe is also home to almost 300 species of birds, making it a bird watcher's paradise!
Nyungwe Forest National Park is the only destination in the world where you can see up to 13 species of primates in a single location, including rare species such as Chimpanzees, the Blue Monkeys, L'Hoest's Monkeys and the Angolan black and white Colobus Monkeys. Nyungwe presents a unique phenomenon in primate tourism due to its huge concentrations of habituated primates whose troops can include 400 to 500 individuals! As one of the most important ornithological hubs in Rwanda, Nyungwe is also home to almost 300 species of birds, making it a bird watcher's paradise!
Our professional, local guide will greet you at your hotel in the morning and brief you on your trip. We will then begin our journey to the city of Butare, the original capital of Kigali and intellectual centre of Rwanda. Passing through magnificent hills and cultivated countryside, we will stop along the way and visit the famous King's Palace in Nyanza, which offers visitors a window into pre-colonial Rwandan history. For those who are interested, we can also visit the art museum at Rwesero Nyanza. Upon arrival in Butare, we will have lunch and then go to the National Museum, which will provide you with a deeper insight into Rwandan history and culture.
Transfer to Forest National Park. Check-in at your hotel, have a relaxing lunch and then spend the afternoon trekking to the Colobus Monkeys, hiking through lush forests, endless, green tea fields and taking in the stunning views of your surroundings.
Early morning trek to the chimpanzees. Afternoon is free to relax, hike or go to visitor's interpretive centre.
Participate in tea harvesting in the neighboring local communities. Visit a tea factory and learn about the production processes of one the highest quality teas produced in East Africa.
Visit local artisan groups to learn and participate in this and other local community income-generating projects. This is also an opportunity to purchase locally-made crafts and products. Listen to a presentation on the ecology of Nyungwe Forest National Park and the ongoing conservation efforts, including the managing of the dynamics and coexistence of park/wildlife and local communities.
Lake Kivu is one of the great lakes in Africa and the largest of the fresh water lakes that gleam in the Albertine (Western) rift of the Great Rift Valley. Lake Kivu stands at 1461m (4,790ft) above sea level establishing it as Africa’s highest lake. The northern shore of the lake is often subject to eruptions from nearby Mt Nyiragongo.
Kibuye is Rwanda’s most attractive of lake ports, nestled in a series of interwoven and undulating hills and offering visitors spectacular views of the lake, its islands and the stunning surrounding countryside. It is considered one of Rwanda’s hidden treasures, with its lush green hills and peaceful breeze.
On the way, we will visit the L’Esperance Orphanage located in Kigarama on the way to Kibuye and witness first-hand how generous organizations and donations from individuals have helped this Children’s Village to thrive and have funded various innovative projects in and around the Village.
Morning transfer to Kigali. Upon arrival, you will be given a tour of Rwanda's capital city which was named in 1907 by Dr. Richard Kandt, the first colonial resident governor of Rwanda. It is the main administrative and economic centre of Rwanda. Surrounded by lush hills of green, it is the cleanest and safest city in the region. Kigali’s face is her fortune: a dramatic beauty from which its name is derived. There are, however, other contributing factors - it is a city that delights the mind as well as the eye of any visitor and is a city where the past lives comfortably with the present.
A total of five nights will be spent in resorts, lodges and hotels in Stone-town, Nungwi and Paje!
Option Two
This 6 day Rwanda primate safari will give you a chance to participate in two premium wildlife activities in Rwanda; Gorilla trekking and chimpanzee trekking which are considered to be some of the best to engage in while on a safari in Africa. Both hikes can be challenging depending on where the chimpanzee or gorillas nested the previous night. The Chimp trekking differs from gorilla trekking because the sightings are a bit more sporadic and rushed, but worthwhile nonetheless as opposed to gorillas that stay for a while in one location.
Today you arrive for your 6 day Rwanda primates safari. Our driver guide will be at the airport to pick you up and transfer you to your hotel after which you take on a Kigali city tour depending on your arrival time. Some of the sites to visit include Kigali genocide memorial, Kandt Museum and the craft market. If your arrival is in the morning or early afternoon you will start on city tour before transfer to your hotel and if arrival is late afternoon then you will be directly transferred to your hotel.
Meal plan – Dinner
The journey from Kigali to forest Nyungwe national park will keep you a wake as you enjoy the various scenery. Nyungwe forest is located in southern Rwanda en route to Burundi and some parts of the Congo. The tour to Nyungwe forest will start early morning after your breakfast with our first short stopover in Nyanza before proceeding to Huye to tour the ethnographic museum. In Nyanza district there is an opportunity to visit the Kings palace museum which is an alternative to the ethnographic museum. You can discuss with your driver guide on which of the museums to stop at depending on your interests. They both share Rwanda’s cultural history but the ethnographic museum has more items and wide coverage. Arrive in Nyungwe forest later in that evening and proceed to our lodge for overnight.
Meal plan – Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Chimpanzee trekking is an intimate experience with the forest and its inhabitants. Your driver guide will transfer you from your lodge to the briefing area in the forest where you are expected as early as 5.00 am. Depending on how big the group is for tracking on the particular day, the ranger guide will divide the group so that one starts the Uwinka trail head and the other at Cyamudongo trail head. The ranger guide will share chimpanzee trekking tips for you while in the forest. In case you need to drive to starting point depending on the trail head you were located, your driver guide will be waiting to transfer you. The forest is rich with botanical diversity and home to 13 species of primates including Ruwenzori colobus, L’Hoest’s monkeys, Red-tailed monkeys, silver monkey, grey cheeked mangabey etc.,about 300 bird species with a number of Albertine rift endemics and several butterfly species.
In the afternoon – take a canopy walk or stay at the lodge to recuperate from the chimp trekking depending on your preference.
Meal plan – Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Meal plan – Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Gorilla trekking in volcanoes national park will most certainly be your highlight on this 6 days Rwanda primates safari. The experience coming face to face with the gentle giants in their natural habitats will remain with you forever. After an early morning breakfast, you will carry your day pack and the driver guide will transfer you to the briefing point. Your ranger guide in communication to earlier trackers will lead you to where the gorillas are. The trek can last from an hour to several hours depending on where the gorillas nested the previous night – you need to be relatively fit to enjoy this experience.
Depending on the time the gorilla tracking lasts, you have opportunities for a cultural group performance at Gorilla Guardian village or we can take this on tomorrow before leaving for Kigali.
Meal plan – Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Wake up with memories of the previous day in the jungle with mountain gorillas. After a lazy morning or visit to the Iby’iwacu cultural village, have lunch and start your journey to Kigali for your return flight home to your hotel.
Breakfast; Lunch
You will be staying at camping-sites and lodges!
Option Three
This 6 days Rwanda wildlife and gorilla safari will give you the two ultimate safari experiences i.e. game drives in Akagera national park and gorilla trekking in volcanoes national park. The Akagera national park is the only Savannah park in Rwanda hosting a number of big mammals with the most sought after being Lions, Buffaloes, Giraffes, Zebras and Hippos which will provide for great photographic moments. After this experience proceed to the volcanoes national park for an unforgettable encounter with the mountain gorillas.
Today you start the amazing experience touring Rwanda on this wildlife and gorilla safari. Kagera Safaris driver guide will pick you up from your hotel or at the Kigali international airport on your arrival.
Meal plan – Dinner
After a breakfast, we take the Kigali city tour visiting key areas like Genocide Memorial, craft centers, Kandt National Museum etc. You can choose which sites to visit because in the afternoon we journey to Akagera national park after having lunch in the city.
Akagera National Park is located in eastern Rwanda, our journey will be about 2 hours arriving late afternoon continuing to the lodge for check-in. You can have short stopovers en route to Akagera park for photo moments of the beautiful landscape and people.
Meal plan – Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
We arise early and leave right after breakfast to explore Akagera national park in search of the big mammals like Elephants, Giraffes, Buffaloes, several Antelope species and recently the re-introduced Lions. Most of the game drives happen in the northern part of the park where we will spend the better part of the day and return to the lodge later that afternoon. Akagera national park is is the biggest in Rwanda with beautiful scenery and landscape. It has varied habitats for wildlife and a birders haven with over 500 species in the park. There are also opportunities to explore the park on foot together with a ranger by taking a nature walk, this can be incorporated on request especially in the afternoon.
You have opportunities of a boat safari on Lake Ihema to watch Hippos and crocodiles in the water or by the shores.
Meal plan – Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
After breakfast, we relieve the great wildlife safari experience in Akagera national park before transferring to the volcanoes national park where the massive gentles giants inhabit. It is a natural habitat for the mountain gorillas providing the perfect environment and food for the gorillas. Volcanoes national park is located in northern Rwanda about 2 hours from Kigali in Kinigi, Musanze. The drive from Akagera national park to Musanze will be through Kigali city, enjoy several villages with great landscape views. You can ask the driver to stop for picture moments at different view points as you see the endless hills and understand why indeed Rwanda is referred to as ‘the land of a thousand hills’. We will arrive to the lodge later that evening ready for the gorilla hike the next day.
Meal plan – Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
After a good restful night, your whole agenda today is tied to meeting the mountain gorillas in the lush and dense jungles of the Virunga ranges – precisely the volcanoes national park. Your driver guide will transfer you to the briefing place right after your early breakfast to listen from the ranger guide on how to behave while in the park and divide you into the different gorilla groups. In the meantime as you wait for the briefing enjoy the Rwandan cultural dances and the freshly brewed Rwandan coffee. After a briefing from at the visitors Center – you embark on the trek that will eventually bring you to the gorillas in their natural habitat. The trek can last from an hour to several hours depending on where the gorillas nested the previous night – you need to be relatively fit to enjoy this experience.
Depending on the time the gorilla tracking lasts, you have an opportunity to visit the Gorilla Guardians village for a taste of the Rwandan culture.
Meal plan – Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
We hope that you have had a fantastic time exploring the wildlife and culture of Rwanda and will look back at these memories with smile. This is the last day of your safari, after a lazy morning we start journey to Kigali for your return flight or hotel. If your flight in later in the night you can add an optional activity like golden monkey trekking, hike one of the virungas, visit Dian Fossey’s tomb and learn more about her conservation work.
You will be staying at camping-sites and lodges!
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