This 5 Days Best of Rwanda Primate Safari will bring you to the awe-inspiring primate destinations in this land of a thousand hills. It will take you to Volcanoes National Park in the Virunga ranges where you will encounter both the magnificent, huge, gentle, and endangered mountain gorillas and the beautiful golden monkeys that are endemic to the Virunga ranges. You will then be transferred Nyungwe Forest National Park where you will see the chimpanzees. You will also enjoy the longest canopy walkway in East Africa. This will give you a chance and to spot other primates such as the l’hoest monkeys, red-tailed monkeys, Velvet monkeys, olive monkeys among others.
Itinerary overview- Best of Rwanda Primate
Day 1: Pick up from Kigali and transfer to Volcanoes National Park
Day 2: Gorilla trekking
third day: Golden monkey trekking then transfers to Nyungwe Forest National Park
Day 4: Chimpanzee trekking
Day 5: Transfer to Kigali
Detailed Itinerary-Best of Rwanda Primate
Day 1: Pick up from Kigali and transfer to Volcanoes National Park
Upon arrival, a knowledgeable destination driver guide will pick you up from Kigali International Airport. You then embark on a scenic drive to Kinigi in Volcanoes National Park. At the lodge, you will be served a delicious hot lunch after which you will enjoy a restful afternoon.
Later in the afternoon, you will experience the culture of the local people through a visit to the gorilla guardian village also known as Ibyi’wacu. Later in the evening, you will return to the lodge for dinner. Then an overnight rest in preparation for the next day’s activity.
Meal plan: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner
Accommodation: DaVinci Gorilla Lodge
Day 2: Gorilla Trekking-Best of Rwanda Primate
Arise before dawn for a nutritious morning breakfast after which your driver guide will pick you up. Then take you to the park headquarters at 6:45 pm for a briefing. The lodge will provide you will a packed lunch for this activity.
At the park headquarters, you will enjoy a hot cup of locally manufactured Rwandan coffee then a briefing will begin on the code of conduct for gorilla trekking. After the briefing, your driver guide will take you to the starting point from where you will join a group of 8 individuals, ranger guides, and potters and proceed in the forest in search of the gorilla family assigned to you. This will take about 2-6 hours then after locating them you will be allowed 1 hour in their presence.
You will then return to the lodge for relaxation in the afternoon. You can also opt to visit the Hellen DeGeneres Museum of Dian Fossey for a dive into the history of gorilla conservation to properly conclude your gorilla adventure. Dinner will be served at the lodge in the evening and then you can retire for the day.
Day 3: Golden monkey trekking
Breakfast will be served in the morning and after having it your driver guide will pick you up and take you to the park headquarters where you will be briefed about the dos and don’ts of golden monkey trekking.
After the briefing, your driver guide will drop you off at the starting point where you will join your group of 8 individuals. With a ranger guide and trackers, you will start the trek and proceed into the forest in search of the golden monkeys. Some will be seen in the gardens around the park digging, cleaning, and feeding on the potatoes of the local community.
The golden monkeys are tracked by spotting fresh leftovers of bamboo and it takes about 1 to 4 hours to locate them. Upon locating them, you will be allowed 1 hour in the presence of these beautiful and rare species of monkeys. Observing them swinging from one tree branch to another and some on the ground.
After this, you will return to the lodge for lunch then after you will check out of the lodge and continue on your adventure to Nyungwe Forest National Park where you will have dinner and a night’s rest.
Meal plan: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner
Accommodation: Nyungwe Top View Hill Hotel
Day 4: Chimpanzee Trekking-Best of Rwanda Primate
Breakfast will be served in the morning and with a packed lunch your driver guide will take you to the park headquarters where you will be briefed about the code of conduct and what to expect when chimpanzee trekking. In a group of about 8, you will penetrate the forest in search of the chimpanzees.
This will take about 2-6 hours and after locating them, you will be allowed 1 hour of observing them. After this, you will return to the starting point where you can enjoy your packed lunch after which you will proceed on a canopy walk. During this, you will enjoy a wide view of the national park as well as sight some primates such as red-tailed monkeys and velvet monkeys. You will return to the lodge in the evening for dinner and overnight rest.
Meal plan: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner
Accommodation: Nyungwe Top View Hill Hotel
Day 5: Transfer to Kigali
A delicious breakfast will be provided in the morning after which you will check out of the lodge and with your driver guide embark on yet another scenic drive back to Kigali where you will either check in at your hotel or catch your flight to your next destination. The lodge will provide you with a packed lunch for this long drive.
Inclusions
Ground Transportation
Driver guide
Gorilla permit
Golden monkey permit
Chimpanzee permit
Canopy walks
Accommodation
Meals
Water
Exclusions
Tips
Porters
Donations
Visas and international flights
Laundry
