8 Days Primates Safari in Rwanda

8 Days Primates Safari in Rwanda

8 Days Primates safari in Rwanda is an extraordinary adventure that will start and end in Kigali. The safari will take you to Volcanoes national park in northwestern Rwanda where you will engage in amazing activities like gorilla trekking, golden monkey trekking, Ibyiwacu cultural tour and twin lakes tour of Lake Burera and Lake Ruhondo. From Volcanoes national park you will connect to Lake Kivu the largest fresh water lake in Rwanda and then Nyungwe national park where you will participate in chimpanzee trekking and canopy walk.

Highlights of the 8 days primates safari in Rwanda 

• Day 1: Arrival and transfer to Kigali
• Day 2: Transfer to Nyungwe national park
• Day 3: Chimpanzee trekking and canopy walk
• Day 4: Transfer to Lake Kivu
• Day 5: Transfer to Volcanoes national park
• Day 6: Gorilla trekking
• Day 7: Golden monkey trekking and Cultural tour
• Day 8: Twin lakes tour and departure to Kigali 

Detailed itinerary

Day 1 of the 8 days Primates safari in Rwanda

• Arrival and transfer to Kigali, upon arrival at Kigali international airport on the first day of the 8 days Primates safari in Rwanda, you will be welcomed by our driver guide who will brief you about the safari and then transfer to Kigali for a city tour. During the city tour, you will visit interesting places like the Kigali genocide memorial center, Kings Palace, Art centers, and then go for lunch in one of the restaurants where you will be able to taste different dishes in Rwanda. After Rwanda you will visit the Kimironko market and then transfer to a hotel for dinner and overnight. 

Day 2: Transfer to Nyungwe national park

• Transfer to Nyungwe: After breakfast on the second day of the 8 days Primates safari in Rwanda, your driver guide will pick you up from the hotel to start the journeys to Nyungwe national park in the southwestern part of Rwanda. On the way you will have a stopover at the King’s Palace and Museum in Nyanza which formerly acted as the residence of King Mutara Rudahigwa, the palace is a beautifully crafted thatched dwelling shaped like a beehive and offers great views of long horned Inyambo cattle at the back which descended from the King’s heard. You will also visit the Museum in Nyanza where you will view collections of Africa’s tradition materials. After the King’s Palace tour you will have lunch and proceed with the journey to Nyungwe national park, upon arrival you will check into the lodge, have dinner and overnight.

Day 3: Chimpanzee trekking and canopy walk

• Chimpanzee trekking, after an early breakfast on the third day of the 8 days Primates safari in Rwanda you will meet up with your driver-guide to transfer to the park headquarters for the briefing about the rules and regulations of chimpanzee trekking. After the briefing, you will be allocated a chimpanzee family to trek and a park guide who is well conversant with trails in the forest. Chimpanzee trekking in Nyungwe national park takes about 30 minutes to 4 hours depending on where the chimpanzees are located because they like to move from one place to another in search of food. During trekking, you will have great views of primate species like red tailed monkeys, vervet monkeys, grey-cheeked mangabey, bird species like African paradise flycatcher, long-crested eagle, crowned hornbill, kivu ground thrush, Rwenzori nightjar, plant and tree species among others. Once the chimpanzees are found you will be allowed to spend one hour with them in their natural habitat where you will be able to learn more about their lifestyle, behaviors, watch them feed, play, hunt, rest, take photos and record videos which gives you lifetime experiences on your safari. After the one hour encounter with the chimpanzees, you will trek back to the park headquarters meet up with your driver guide and drive back to the lodge for lunch.
• Canopy walk, after lunch you will go for an exciting canopy walk which starts at Uwinka reception centre which is also the park headquarters. The canopy walkway is 200meters in length, 90m long and 60m above the forest. The canopy walk was opened in 2010 and Nyungwe national park is the only destination in East Africa offering this breathtaking activity. The walk goes through huge trees across steep and deep valley filled with thick forest and takes about 2 hours. During the canopy walk you will have spectacular views of the bird species, butterflies, primates like blue monkeys, l’hoest monkeys, black and white colobus monkeys, tree species such as purple orchids among others. After the canopy walk you will trek back to the starting point where you will meet up with your driver guide to transfer back to the lodge for dinner and overnight.

Day 4: Transfer to Lake Kivu

• Transfer to Lake Kivu: After a relaxed breakfast on the fourth day of the 8 days Primates safari in Rwanda, you will check out of the lodge and meet up with your driver guide to transfer to Gisenyi, Lake Kivu which is the largest fresh water lake in Rwanda. upon arrival you will engage in an interesting boat cruise where you will have spectacular views of the steep terraced hills, beautiful scenery, view the sunset, different bird species like malachite kingfishers, majestic crowned cranes, see fishermen who will be fishing in dugout canoes, take beautiful pictures among others. After the boat cruise you will have lunch and then relax on the lake shores where after you will return to the lodge, have dinner and overnight. 

Day 5: Transfer to Volcanoes national park

• Transfer to Volcanoes national park: On the fifth day of the 8 days Primates safari in Rwanda, you will have breakfast and your driver-guide will pick you up to start the journey to Volcanoes national park in the northwestern part of Rwanda. On the way you will have great views of the beautiful scenery, hills, terraced farmlands, traditional homesteads, smiling people among others, and upon arrival you will check into the lodge, have an evening relaxation, dinner, and overnight.

Day 6: Gorilla trekking in Volcanoes national park

• Gorilla trekking, after an early breakfast on the sixth day of the 8 days Primates safari in Rwanda you will carry packed lunch and your driver guide will pick you up to transfer to Kinigi park headquarters for a briefing about the rules and regulations of gorilla trekking. Gorilla trekking in Volcanoes national park is done in groups of 8 individuals where each group is allocated a gorilla family to trek daily and a park guide who will be sharing information about the mountain gorillas and also conversant with trails in the jungle.  Trekking of gorillas in the park starts at around 8:00 am and takes about 30 minutes to 6 hours depending on where the gorillas are located because they like to move from one area to another in search of food. During trekking you will have spectacular views of colorful bird species, primates like l’hoest monkeys, red tailed monkeys, plant species among others and once the gorillas are found you will be allowed to spend one hour with them in their natural habitat which gives you an opportunity to take photos, record videos, learn about their habits, behaviors, watch them carry out their daily activities among others. After spending one hour with the gentle giants, you will trek back to the park headquarters where you will be awarded a certificate for participating in gorilla trekking, meet with your driver guide and return back to the lodge for an evening relaxation, dinner and overnight.

Day 7: Golden monkey trekking and cultural tour

• Golden monkey trekking, on the seventh day of the 8 days Primates safari in Rwanda you will have an early breakfast and meet up with your driver guide to transfer to the park headquarters for a briefing about the rules, regulations and expectations of golden monkey trekking. After the briefing you will be allocated a golden monkey family to trek and a park guide who will be sharing information about golden monkeys as well as conversant with golden monkey trails in the forest. During golden monkey trekking you will have great views of various bird species, small mammals, other primate species among others as you follow different trails of left over leaves and bamboo shoots. Once the golden monkeys are found you will be allowed to spend one hour with them in their natural environment which helps you to learn more about their lifestyle, take photos, record videos, ask questions, watch them jump up in tree branches among others. After the one hour with the golden monkeys you will trek back to the starting point, meet up with your driver guide to drive to the lodge for lunch.

• Cultural tour, after lunch you will go for an interesting cultural tour to Ibyi’wacu cultural village which is located in the neighboring community around the park. During the Ibyi’wacu cultural tour you will be able to interact with the local people which gives you an opportunity to learn about their lifestyle, ways of living, culture, traditions, taste their different local dishes, listen to interesting stories from local traditional healers who use traditional medicine to heal different diseases, learn how beer is locally made out of bananas, enjoy entertainment from the women who perform traditional dances, songs, drama among others. After the cultural tour you will meet your driver guide and transfer back to the lodge for dinner and overnight.

Day 8: Twin lakes tour and departure to Kigali 

• Twin lakes tour, after breakfast on the last day of the 8 days primates safari in Rwanda, you will meet up with your driver guide to transfer to the twin lakes of lake Burera and Ruhondo which are located on the foothills of Mount Sabyinyo, Muhabura, Bisoke, and Gahinga. Upon arrival on the twin lakes you will have spectacular views of the mountains, hills, terraced farmlands, beautiful landscapes, relax your mind, breathe fresh air among others. From the twin lakes you will drive back to the lodge for early lunch. After lunch you will check out of the lodge and your driver guide will pick you up to start the journey to Kigali international airport for your departure flight. 

End of 8 days Primates safari in Rwanda 

Inclusions of the 8 days Primates safari in Rwanda  

• Gorilla trekking permit
• Chimpanzee trekking permit
• Canopy walk
• Kigali city tour
• Golden monkey trekking permit
• Twin lakes tour
• Cultural tour to Ibyi’wacu cultural village
• Services of an English speaking driver guide
• Full board accommodation
• Pick up and drop off
• Vehicle and fuel
• Bottled water

Exclusions of the 8 days primates safari in Rwanda

• Air flight tickets
• Visas
• Optional activities not included on the itinerary
• Personal expenses like buying souvenirs, crafts, drinks, laundry services, tips among others.