7 Days Gorilla trekking Rwanda Safari
This 7 days gorilla trekking Rwanda safari is an ultimate Rwanda gorilla safari taking you a memorable visit to Volcanoes national park – home to the Gentle Giants – Mountain Gorillas, Nyungwe Forest National Park – home to chimpanzees and the beautiful Lake Kivu.
On this safari, you will do gorilla trekking and golden monkey trekking in volcanoes national park forests, chimpanzee trekking in Nyungwe Forest National Park and explore Lake Kivu on a boat cruise.
HIGHLIGHTS OF 7 DAYS GORILLA TREKKING RWANDA SAFARI
Day 1: arrive in Kigali
Day 2: Transfer to Nyungwe Forest National Park
Day 3: Chimpanzee tracking
Day 4: Transfer to Lake Kivu
Dy 5: Boat Cruise and transfer to Volcanoes National Park
Day 6: Gorilla Trekking
Day 7: Golden monkey trekking and return to Kigali
DETAILED ITINERARY OF 7 DAYS GORILLA TREKKING RWANDA SAFARI
Day 1: arrive in Kigali
On arrival at Kigali International Airport, you will be welcomed by our representative, he will give you a short briefing about the 7 days Gorilla Trekking Rwanda Tour and transfer you to your hotel in Kigali City. Depending on your time of arrival, you will do a city tour visiting Kigali Genocide Memorial Center, Kimironko Market among other Kigali City attraction. Check into your lodge for dinner and overnight stay.
Accommodation options
Luxury: Ubumwe Grande Hotel
Midrange: Hotel des Mille Collines
Budget: Urban by CityBlue, Kigali
Meal Plan: Dinner
Main Destination: Kigali City
Day 2: Transfer to Nyungwe Forest National Park
After breakfast, you will embark on a journey to Nyungwe National Park taking a southerly direction. Along the way you will make a stopover at the traditional King’s Palace at Nyanza and another visit at the National Museum at Butare for lunch. Arrive in the park in the afternoon, check in at your hotel for dinner and overnight stay.
Accommodation options
Luxury: One & Only Nyungwe House
Midrange: Nyungwe Forest Lodge
Budget: Nyungwe Eco Village
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Main Destination: Nyungwe National Park
Day 3: Chimpanzee tracking
After enjoying breakfast, you will head to Nyungwe National Park for chimpanzee trekking experience. You will join other visitors at the park’s headquarters for briefing about chimpanzee trekking and the dos and don’ts while in the presence of the chimpanzees.
After formalizing all the formalities, you will head into the forests of Nyungwe for an exciting chimpanzee tracking tour which takes about 4 hours, once you get sight of the chimpanzees you will spend one hour with them, watch them interact with each other, play on tree branches, take a lot of pictures and videos.
Return to the lodge for lunch and in the afternoon, you will go for a canopy walk on a metallic canopy suspended high above the forests of Nyungwe, from the canopy you will enjoy scenic views of the surrounding, take amazing pictures and spot primates such as black and white colobus monkeys and the scenic surrounding. Return to the lodge for dinner and overnight stay.
Accommodation options
Luxury: One & Only Nyungwe House
Midrange: Nyungwe Forest Lodge
Budget: Nyungwe Eco Village
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Main Destination: Nyungwe National Park
Day 4: Transfer to Lake Kivu
After breakfast, you will you will drive to Lake Kivu in Gisenyi. Along the way you will enjoy the scenic views of Rwanda’s a thousand hills, arrive in time for lunch at your hotel/lodge after check in. later have an evening guided walk by the shores of the lake and experience the life of the Rwandan fishing people. In the evening you will return to the lodge for dinner and overnight stay.
Accommodation options
Luxury: Kivu Serena Hotel
Midrange: Kivu Lodge
Budget: IZU Lodge
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Main Destination: Lake Kivu
Dy 5: Boat Cruise and transfer to Volcanoes National Park
Enjoy breakfast and head to Lake Kivu for boat cruise as you enjoy the sounds of the waves washing the lake shores, you will also meet the fishermen casting their nets as other return from overnight fishing with big fish catch.
You will return to the hotel for lunch and later drive to Volcanoes National Park. You will have a visit to the nearby Iby’Iwacu Cultural Village for an interaction with the local Rwandese living close to the gorillas, you will enjoy numerous cultural experiences including entertainment by local dances and drama, demonstration of crowning of the king, get a taste of local dishes among others. Head to the lodge for dinner and overnight stay.
Accommodation options
Luxury: Kigali Serena Hotel
Midrange: Le mbambo Lodge
Budget: Hotel Muhabura
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Main Destination: Volcanoes National Park
Day 6: Gorilla Trekking
After breakfast, you will head to the park’s headquarters in Kinigi for briefing about gorilla trekking, a ranger will take you through the dos and don’ts while in the forest and presence of mountain gorillas.
With a ranger guide, you will head into the forests of volcanoes national park looking for mountain gorillas. The trek takes about 30 minutes to 5 hours or more depending on the movement of mountain gorillas and where they spent a previous night.
When you encounter the gorillas, you will spend one hour in their presence witnessing their behavior and how they go on with their daily life in the forests of volcanoes national parks. You are allowed to take pictures as long as your flashlight is off as it scares off and irritates the gorillas, then head to the park’s head quarters to pick your gorilla certificates. Return to your lodge and rest to the rest of the day or head to the Twins of Bulera and Ruhondo for a boat ride. Have dinner and stay overnight.
Day 7: Golden monkey trekking and return to Kigali
After breakfast at your lodge, you will head to the park for briefing about golden monkey trekking, with rangers you will head into the jungle looking for golden monkeys found in the Bamboo forests. You will watch these playful creatures jumping from one bamboo branch to another, watch them pick fruits and take amazing pictures,
Return to the lodge for lunch, later drive back to Kigali City, you will be dropped off either at the hotel or at the airport for your departure flight back home.
End of 7 days Gorilla Trekking Rwanda Safari