This 8 Days Rwanda Great Apes and Wildlife Safari starts and ends in Kigali, Rwanda. Get a chance to trek chimpanzees and the black & white colobus monkeys in Nyungwe Forest national as well as take a 2 hours hike to and from the famous canopy walkway bridge which will give you a panoramic view of the forest canopy. You then drive to Volcanoes national park where you will trek Mountain Gorillas and golden monkeys before finally driving to Akagera national park for a game drive and boat cruise on Lake Ihema.
Highlights for 8 Days Rwanda Great Apes & Wildlife Safari.
Day 1: Pickup and Transfer to Nyungwe Forest National Park.
Day 2: Chimpanzee Trek and Canopy Walk.
Day 3: Colobus Monkey Trekking and Transfer to Kibuye- Evening Boat Cruise on Lake Kivu
Day 4: Transfer to Volcanoes National Park and Ibyiwacu Village Tour.
Day 5: Gorilla Trekking and Optional Visit to Karisoke Center
Day 6: Golden Monkey Trek and Transfer back to Kigali.
Day 7: Transfer to Akagera National Park and Afternoon boat cruise
Day 8: Morning Game Drive and Transfer Back to Kigali.
Detailed Itinerary for 8 Days Rwanda Great Apes & Wildlife Safari.
Day 1: Pickup and Transfer to Nyungwe Forest National Park.
In the morning, you will be picked by the driver from your hotel in Kigali and drive southwards to Nyungwe forest National Park. You will have a stopover in Butare, where you will visit the national museum of Rwanda, the king’s palace in Nyanza with lunch enroute. Dinner and overnight at hotel.
Day 2: Chimpanzee Trek and Canopy Walk.
Enjoy breakfast and go for briefing before entering the forest, searching for the active and playful fellows in Nyungwe forest. The Chimpanzees are easy to spot, as they jump from one tree to another, chattering and laughing. Chimp tracking usually takes about 3 hours. You will then have your packed lunch and later return back to base where you will meet up with your driver guide.
After having your packed lunch, you will embark on a guided nature walk along the famous canopy walkway bridge- a swing bridge 50 meters in length that is suspended from large trees. You will be able to see the amazing rainforest with a bird’s eye view, spotting wildlife moving about below you there after connecting to your accommodation to spend the evening at leisure. This hike takes only 2 hours. Later transfer back to your lodge/hotel for dinner and overnight same as above.
Day 3: Colobus Monkey Trekking and Transfer to Kibuye- Evening Boat Cruise on Lake Kivu
Have breakfast early in the morning and meet up with your driver guide. You will then drive to the park headquarters where you will be briefed for your colobus monkey trek. Trekking begins at 8am in the morning and can last between 4-6 hours or more depending on their location. After your colobus monkey trek, you will drive back to your lodge for hot lunch and then checkout. After lunch you will transfer to Kibuye where you will enjoy an evening boat ride on Lake Kivu. Later check-in at your lodge for dinner and overnight stay at Lodge.
Day 4: Transfer to Volcanoes National Park and Ibyiwacu Village Tour.
After having breakfast in the morning, you will meet your guide and drive to Volcanoes national park with a stopover for lunch enroute to the park. Enjoy the beautiful views as you traverse the countryside arriving in Volcanoes NP in the late afternoon. You will embark on a cultural tour to Ibyiwacu village aka ‘The Gorilla Guardians Village’ where you will get to interact with the locals and watch dance and singing performances from the local dance troupe. Dinner and overnight stay at lodge.
Day 5: Gorilla Trekking and Optional Visit to Karisoke Center
The fifth day of this 8 Days Rwanda Safari highlights a gorilla trekking activity. Early in the morning after breakfast and a briefing from the RBD officials, set off for the gorilla tracking. This experience of gorilla tracking is a once in a lifetime adventure. The rangers will lead you deep into the forest in search for the Gorillas. You will move up and down the rugged terrain until you finally meet these harmonious creatures that will entertain you with performances for about 1 hour. The activity in Rwanda can take 3-5 hours since the gorillas move up and down.
This is an awesome and exciting moment. En route there are a lot of chimpanzees and other types of the primates such as the monkeys, birds and so more. Return for lunch at the Lodge and in the afternoon, you may embark on an optional visit to the Karisoke research center where you can visit the Dian Fossey Museum and also the graves of the Late Diane Fossey, an American primatologist who was murdered because she was protecting these endangered mountain Gorillas. Return for dinner and overnight stay at your lodge.
Day 6: Golden Monkey Trek and Transfer back to Kigali.
After breakfast on the sixth day of your 8 Days Rwanda Safari, you will go for golden monkey tracking. This activity also takes like 2-3 hours in the Virunga forest. Later return back to your lodge for early lunch and drive back to Kigali, arriving in the evening in time for dinner and overnight stay at your hotel.
Day 7: Transfer to Akagera National Park and Afternoon boat cruise
Have breakfast from your hotel in the morning. You will be met by your driver guide at your agreed location in Kigali to transfer to Akagera national park where you will arrive in time to embark on the late afternoon boat cruise on Lake Ihema where you will see game like hippopotamuses, Crocodiles and many bird species that live around the lake and the surrounding swamps. Dinner and overnight at lodge.
Day 8: Morning Game Drive and Transfer Back to Kigali.
After having breakfast at your lodge, check out of your lodge and meet up with your driver guide. You will then embark on a morning game drive where you will explore the northern sector of the national park. You may view a variety of wildlife animals including lions, leopards, elephants, rhinos, buffaloes, giraffes, zebras and antelopes among others. Later meet up with your guide and drive back to Kigali. Upon your arrival in Kigali city, you can choose to have your driver drop you off at any hotel of your choice of at Kigali international airport where you will board your flight back home. End of the trip
Quotation Includes;
- Canopy walk
- Guided Nature Walk
- Gorilla Permit
- Game Drive
- Boat Cruise
- Golden monkeys
- Colobus monkeys
- Park entrance fees
- Vehicle entrance fees
- All accommodation as per itinerary
- 4X4 safari vehicle & Fuel
- Full time English/ French speaking driver/ guide
- Bottled mineral water while on safari
Excludes;
- Tips
- Rwanda Visa fees
- PCR and Rapid Tests
- Air tickets
- All items of personal nature like laundry, porterage, phone calls, beer, e.t.c
- Optional/ any activity not included in the itinerary