7 days Rwanda primates tour

On this 7 days Rwanda primates tour you shall conquer the jungles of Rwanda in search for the renowned primates – the gorillas and chimpanzees, in addition to other rare monkeys. You shall do the treks in the two jungle parks – Volcanoes National Park and Nyungwe Forest National Park – where most of Rwanda’s primates are found, and in between you shall take time to relax at Lake Kivu – the biggest lake in Rwanda and one of the most beautiful in the central African region.

Tour itinerary:

Day 1 – pick up and transfer to Nyungwe, canopy walk

You will be picked from your hotel in Kigali at 7am and head to Nyungwe National Park in the southwest of Rwanda. After a 6 hours journey you will get to Uwinka in Nyungwe and set out to do the canopy walk adventure. The canopy walk is now an iconic tour in Nyungwe National Park that no one wants to miss. The canopy walkway is suspended 50 meters from the ground giving you incredible views over the mountain forest and a chance to see birds and monkeys at eye level.

You will continue to your lodge for dinner and overnight.

Accommodation to choose from:

Budget – EAR Guesthouse

Midrange – Nyungwe Top View Hill Hotel / Emeraude Kivu Lodge (this is situated in Cyangugu town on Lake Kivu, 30 minutes drive from Nyungwe National Park)

Luxury – One&Only Nyungwe House

Day 2 chimpanzee tracking in Nyungwe

Today you shall do the chimpanzee tracking adventure in Nyungwe National Park for a chance to see chimpanzee – man’s closest relatives sharing 98.7% DNA. Wake up early for breakfast and report to the ranger station by 5am to meet the park guides and transfer to a location of the start of the trek into the forest.

Spend the rest of the afternoon at leisure

Optional activity:

Tea plantation tour: visit a tea plantation near Nyungwe forest and see how tea is grown, harvested and processed

Day 3 – Colobus monkey trekking in Nyungwe and transfer to Lake Kivu for relaxation

Today you shall set out to see the Colobus monkeys. The Colobus monkeys tracking is a very short adventure as the group that you shall track is found near the edge of the forest at Gisakura near to the accommodation. You shall go for the 8am schedule.

After the Colobus monkeys experience you shall transfer to Kibuye town on Lake Kivu and relax away the rest of the afternoon. The drive from Nyungwe to Kibuye is 2 hours

Optional activity:

Waterfalls trail hike: Instead of the shorter and lighter Colobus monkeys trek, you can do the intense 4 hour trek on the Waterfalls trail and immerse yourself in the beautiful nature of Nyungwe forest. You will encounter see several monkeys, rare plant life, birds, lovely views and reach sparkling waterfalls.

Accommodation to choose from:

Budget – Home Saint Jean

Midrange – Moriah Hill Resort

Upmarket – Kivu Lodge

Day 4 – boat trip on Lake Kivu and transfer to Musanze.

Today you shall have a morning boat ride on Lake Kivu and explore the scenic shores and enjoy the breathtaking views across the lake. You shall visit some islands and learn about their intriguing history and traditional folklore. The boat ride also offers some excellent birding opportunities with lots water birds to be spotted.

In the afternoon you shall transfer to Volcanoes National Park in the north of Rwanda. This is a 3 hours journey.

Accommodation to choose from:

Budget – La Locanda

Midrange – Le Bambou Gorilla Lodge

Upmarket – Five Volcanoes Boutique Hotel / The Bishop’s House

Luxury – Sabyinyo Silverback Lodge / Virunga Lodge

Day 5 – golden monkeys trekking in Volcanoes & Mukungwa river canoe trip in Musanze

Today you shall go to see the special golden monkeys in Volcanoes National Park. The incredibly beautiful monkeys are unique to the Virungas and live in the bamboo forests at the base of the mountains. You shall transfer to the park office at 7am to meet the park guides for briefing before continuing to the park for the golden monkey trekking adventure. The trekking is light and short and after about 1 hour you shall find the troop of 100 golden monkeys. You are allowed only 1 hour to watch them.

You will return to the lodge for some relaxation and lunch

After lunch you shall go for the canoe trip on River Mukungwa. This is an amazing adventure lasting 3 – 4 hours. The canoe trip offers great views of the rolling landscape and lush country side, plus a look into the lives of the local people.

Day 6 – gorilla tracking in Volcanoes National Park

And finally, it is time for the amazing Rwanda gorilla tracking adventure – arguably the biggest highlight of this Rwanda trip! Have breakfast by 6.30am and transfer to the Kinigi visitors’ center to meet the park guides for gorilla family allocation and get briefing about the trek and park rules. Drive to the start of the trek just outside the park and off you go up into the jungles of the Virunga mountains to find the mountains gorillas.