8 days Rwanda Primates tour
8 Days Rwanda Primates tour
Trip summary
8 days Rwanda Primates tour : Take on an 8 days Rwanda primate’s tour and get to visit the major primates of the country. Rwanda is one of the countries that is a home of 13 and more different primates species and among these are the endangered mountain gorilla species that are found in the volcanoes national park.
Besides the mountain gorilla trekking in Volcanoes national park, get to trek the golden monkeys of the Volcanoes national park. Visit the Nyungwe forest national park to trek the chimpanzees and the colobus monkeys. Take a few breaks on this Rwanda safari to enjoy the Lake Kivu and also have some museum visits.
Trip highlights
- Day 1: Kigali city tour
- Day 2: Drive to Musanze- Volcanoes national park
- Day 3: Mountain gorilla trekking in Volcanoes national park
- Day 4: Golden monkey trekking and transfer to Lake Kivu
- Day 5: Transfer to Nyungwe forest national park for afternoon canopy walk
- Day 6: Chimpanzee trekking and afternoon tea plantation visit
- Day 7: Colobus monkey trekking in Nyungwe forest national park
- Day 8: Drive to Kigali
Trip description
Day 1: Kigali city tour
On the first day of your 8 days Rwanda Primates tour, the driver guide from our office will meet you up at your agreed pick up location in Kigali and share with you a few heads up and brief you on the next day’s activities and expectations. Right after your briefing, you will head out for your first stopover at the Kigali Genocide Memorial grounds for a brief history on the events that occurred in Rwanda in 1994 where there was a tribal conflict.
After your visit to the Kigali Genocide Memorial grounds, you may connect to an authentic restaurant in Kigali to try out a Rwandan dish. After lunch, you will drive to your next stop over at the Inema arts Center in Kigali. The Inema Arts center has contemporary African art painted by the Rwandan artists and you may take some for souvenir. Drive back to your hotel for dinner and spend the night in Kigali.
Hotels in Kigali
- Kigali Serena hotel for luxury option
- Des Mille Collines hotel for midrange option
- Step Town Motel for budget option
Day 2: Drive to Musanze- Volcanoes national park
Breakfast will be served and you will later arrange yourselves for your next destination- Volcanoes national park. You and your driver guide will set out north of Rwanda to the Ruhengeri district. You will have a stopover at the Dian Fossey Fund memorial where you will learn about the conservation efforts of Dian Fossey and also have a 3D photographic representation of the Virunga Mountains and later connect to check in at your hotel.
Lunch will be served and you will spend the rest of the day at leisure as you wait for dinner to get ready. On this night, you will spend it in the Volcanoes national park.
Day 3: Mountain gorilla trekking in Volcanoes national park
On the 3rd day of your 8 days Rwanda Primates tour, wake up for a big day and start with a breakfast at your hotel. Get ready to leave the hotel for the park reception where you will attend the morning brief ahead of your activity. The rangers will thereafter lead the way into the forest to look out for these gentle giants. You will hike for about 1 to 2 hours depending on how far into the forest the mountain gorilla family is.
Spend a magical one hour in their presence and after make your way out of the forest for a late lunch. After lunch, your driver guide will take you for the Iby’iwachu cultural center experience for a treat on the Rwandan culture. Return to the hotel for dinner before it gets dark and spend another night in the Volcanoes national park.
Day 4: Golden monkey trekking and transfer to Gisenyi- Lake Kivu
On the 4th day of your 8 days Rwanda Primates tour, wake up ready to return to the park for a chance to trek another primate species in the Volcanoes national park. Breakfast will be served and you will head back to the park reception for the golden monkey trekking briefing and after follow the park rangers into the forest following the trail famous for golden monkey experience.
You will spot these brightly colored primates and enjoy some quality time in their natural habitat and watch them swing from one tree branch to another. After the experience, you will exit the park and head for lunch in Musanze town. You will drive to the Gisenyi and have an sunset boat trip and connect to your hotel where you will spend the night.
Hotels in Gisenyi- Lake Kivu
- Kivu Serena lodge for luxury option
- The Palm beach hotel for midrange option
- Paradise Malahide for budget option
Day 5: Transfer to Nyungwe forest national park for afternoon canopy walk
On the 5th day of your 8 days Rwanda Primates tour, you will wake up in the beautiful Gisenyi and have breakfast at your hotel and head out for an optional morning boat ride on the Lake Kivu. Head out to the Nyungwe forest after in time for your day’s activity. You will arrive in time for lunch at your hotel in Nyungwe.
Connect to the starting point for the Nyungwe forest canopy walk bridge which gives you a view of the forest from the top. You will spot a number of birdlife and butterflies while on this 9 meter long canopy bridge. You may spot the other primate species on a great day. As it gets dark, you will drive back to your hotel to freshen up and dinner will be served. Spend the first night in Nyungwe forest.
Hotel options in Nyungwe forest national park.
- Gisakura Visitor center for budget option
- Nyungwe Top hill view hotel for midrange option
- One and Only Nyungwe house for luxury option
Day 6: Chimpanzee trekking and afternoon tea plantation visit
On the 6th day of your 8 days Rwanda Primates tour, wake up in the cold and misty Nyungwe forest as early as 5am and connect with your driver guide who will be waiting to transfer you to the starting point for the briefing before you enter the forest. You will hear these chimpanzees communicate all the way from the starting point and you will spot a number of them swing from one tree branch to another.
After the chimpanzee trekking experience in the Nyungwe forest, you will drive back to the hotel for a late breakfast and refresh as you wait for lunch to be served. After lunch is when you will connect to one of the tea plantations in the region for the experience of tea processing. Get back to your hotel in time for dinner and another night in Nyungwe forest.
Day 7: Colobus monkey trekking in Nyungwe forest national park
Colobus monkeys are another primate species that you can visit in the Nyungwe forest. Wake up excited for these black and white monkeys and head out to the briefing point in the Nyungwe forest and follow the ranger guides on one of the trails in Nyungwe forest national park. Spot these jumpy creatures and after you have seen a number, exit the forest.
You will connect back to your hotel for lunch and later in the evening; you may take on an optional nature walk on of the trails of Nyungwe forest and spot a number of birds and butterflies with breathtaking scenery. Drive back to your hotel in Nyungwe for dinner and night stay.
Day 8: Drive to Kigali
This will be the last day in Nyungwe forest and also your last day on your Rwanda primates’ safari. You will have a tasty breakfast served at your hotel and you will gather your property ready to check out of your hotel in Nyungwe and head out back to Kigali for drop off.
You will have enroute visits to the Butare Ethnographic museum and also connect to the Nyanza King’s Palace for a visit and also to enjoy some folktales and dances at this cultural site. You will also have an enroute lunch and drive further to the Kigali city and be dropped off as you will advise.
