9 Days Rwanda Primate tracking Safari

Rwanda has a number of unique delights to offer; from the renowned mountain gorillas to which Dian Fossey dedicated her life, chimpanzees in Nyungwe Forest, one of the largest montane forests in Central Africa, Rwanda has much to offer to wildlife enthusiasts. Visit Rwanda and Experience all the highlights in just one trip! From the Genocide Memorial sites in Kigali to the wilderness in Akagera, the African jungle in Nyungwe Forest and the Virunga Volcanoes in Volcanoes National Park.

Day 1: Arrival at Kigali Airport–To Lodge

On arrival at the Kigali International Airport, you will be warmly welcomed by our guide from Cheetah Safaris and then transfer to your accommodation for an overnight.

Accommodation:
Luxury; Serena Hotel Kigali/ Hotel des Milles
Mid range Novetel Hotel/ Chez Lando/ Okapi Hotel

Day 2: City Tour-Transfer To Akagera National Park

After breakfast, you will go for a guided city tour where you will also visit the Gisozi Genocide Memorial Center and the craft market. Thereafter, you will enjoy lunch at a restaurant and then continue to your lodge in Akagera National Park for an overnight.

Day 3: In Akagera National Park

With your packed breakfast, we will head north of the national park where we will do a game drive with possibilities of sighting zebras, giraffes, elephants, herds of antelopes, buffalos, etc. You will also marvel at lots of bird species.
Thereafter, we will return to the lodge in time for lunch and in the afternoon go for a boat ride along Lake Ihemba, with possibilities of seeing lots of aquatic birds, large schools of hippopotamuses, large Nile crocodiles, reptiles, plus antelopes, buffaloes and elephants quenching their thirst at the banks of the lake

Day 4: Transfer To Nyungwe Forest National Park

Early breakfast and transfer to Nyungwe Forest National Park. On route, we will have a stopover in Huye Town (or Butare) where you will have a chance of visiting the museum, enjoy the Itore Cultural Group perform and if possible visit a university. You will enjoy lunch at a restaurant.

Accommodation:
Luxury; Mountain Gorilla View Lodge/ Sabinyo Silver Back: Gorilla Nest (Anna Cottage) FB
Mid- Range; Gorilla volcanoes hotel / La’ Palma FB
Budget: Kinigi Guest House

Day 5: Primates Tracking In Nyungwe Forest National Park

After early breakfast, we will transfer to the Park headquarters for a briefing before setting off to track chimpanzees and other primates like the vervet monkeys, the white and black colobus monkeys, mangabeys, etc. You will also sight a variety of bird species and lots of butterflies.
Return to the lodge and in the afternoon, you can do an optional activity.

Accommodation:
Luxury; Mountain Gorilla View Lodge/ Sabinyo Silver Back: Gorilla Nest (Anna Cottage) FB
Mid- Range; Gorilla volcanoes hotel / La’ Palma FB
Budget: Kinigi Guest House

Optional activities:
– Go for a 2 hours guided canopy walk. At a height of about 45 meter above the ground, you will have a beautiful view of the park and some of the primates in the canopies.
– Go for a guided forest walk or waterfall trails
– Go for a guided walk into the tea plantations.

Day 6: Transfer To Lake Kivu Rubavu

After breakfast, we will transfer to Lake Kivu where you will do a half day kayaking experience. It’s an approximately 4 hours’ activity that starts from Kingfisher and goes through some communities that reside along the banks of the lake and some of the main tourist points.

Accommodation;
Luxury; Lake Kivu Serena Hotel FB/ Hotel Malahide Paradise FB
Mid range: Hotel Ubumwe / Lake View Apartments and Hotel
Budget: Palm Garden Resort/ Belvedere Hotel/ Stipp Hotel

Day 7: Transfer To Volcanoes National Park/ Musanze Province

Enjoy your breakfast and then transfer to Kinigi in Musanze Province, where you will do an optional activity.

Optional activity:
– You can do a guided community walk where you will visit the local communities, the Twa pygmies and also visit the Iby’iwacu Cultural Center for traditional demonstrations. (Cost per pax: US$35)
– Go for guided trek to the twin lake (Cost per pax: US$25)
– You can visit the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund International situated in Ruhengeri. (F.O.C)

Day 8: In Volcanoes National Park

After breakfast, we will take a short drive to the Park headquarters for a briefing before setting off for mountain gorilla trekking. You will have a general briefing on the behaviours of the mountain gorillas as well as the strict rules that you are supposed to obey. Thereafter, you will be allocated to one of the habituated groups (& a guide) in the sector, which only welcomes 8 visitors a day to minimize behavioural disturbance and the risk of exposure to human-borne diseases. You will hike into the forest and once you have located them, you only have one hour to take photos, film, selfies, etc. Thereafter, you will walk back to the starting point.
Basing on the information received from the trackers by your guides, the hike can take from 3hr to 8hr in altitudes exceeding 7.600 feet.

Day 9: Return To Kigali International Airport and Departure

After breakfast, we will transfer to Kigali International Airport for your departure flight. We recommend flights after 13:00 hours to avoid inconveniences.