Gorilla Trekking Safari in Rwanda
This moderately paced 7-day Gorilla Rwanda Safari is available on request and takes you to Nyungwe National Park and Volcanoes National Park. Both Parks are known for their unique primate trekking opportunities. You can also pay a visit to Lake Kivu for a boat ride to the islands on a local craft to see the aquatic bird and animal life there.
In Volcanoes NP you can do both Mountain Gorilla and Golden Monkey trekking, while in Nyungwe National Park you will encounter Chimpanzees. In this location you can also enjoy a canopy walkway that takes you high in the trees to get a bird's eye view of the forest. It brings you close to the avian life amongst the branches with great opportunities to see them in their natural habitat and take spectacular pictures.
During your seven days on this gorilla Rwanda safari you will also be able to interact with the local community and learn about their lifestyle and culture. So aside from your wildlife adventures you will go on a city tour of Kigali and look round two of Rwanda's most interesting museums. A visit to the famous Dian Fossey Karisoke Gorilla Research Center can be arranged if you choose it as an optional extra.
In addition, as part of the cultural and historical experience you will enjoy on this tour, you will visit the moving memorial to the Kigali genocide. This is a lasting reminder of events in 1994 when many thousands of Tutsi tribal people were massacred. This memorial ground stands as their monument and a symbol of the hope that lasting peace can be safeguarded.
To top off the experience of a lifetime on your Gorilla Rwanda Safari you will be travelling in style, sleeping in comfortable accommodation and enjoying great food and cultural experiences.
Gorilla Rwanda Safari highlights include:
- Mountain Gorilla trekking at Volcanoes National park
- Chimpanzee trekking and canopy walk at Nyungwe National Park
- A visit to the Royal Palace Museum and the Ethnographic Museum
- Boat ride on Lake Kivu
- Kigali city tour
- A visit to the Kigali Genocide Memorial
- Optional visit to the Dian Fossey Karisoke Gorilla Research Center
If you’d like to spend longer in this fascinating country, why not try our Ultimate Rwanda Safari Tour?
Alternative Tour Name: Rwanda Primate Adventure Safari
Upon arrival at Kigali international airport and passing through the immigration process for visa arrangement and collecting your luggage, you will be welcomed by our safari driver who will, brief you shortly and transfers you to the booked accommodation. The drive is roughly 15 minutes from the airport to Kigali city where the hotel (Hotel des Mille Collines) is located in the heart of the city.
The hotel is a 4-star hotel, which is one of the oldest hotels in the town, with a great history of the Rwandan genocide of 1994, formerly known as “Hotel Rwanda”. The hotel is still outstanding on service standards as a 4-star hotel, with a great view of the city. Your guide will brief you shortly and later leave you to relax at the hotel at your leisure. Dinner and overnight stay at the hotel.
Accommodation: Hotel des Mille Collines
Meal plan: dinner
Early morning enjoy your buffer breakfast and checkout of the hotel and drive heading to the western province, on your way visit the Royal Palace Museum and Ethnographic Museum in Southern Province, this will give you a great history of traditional ways of living among Rwandans and their past way of leadership of Kingship with an enroute lunch. You will reach in the afternoon at Nyungwe national park and spend the afternoon at your leisure. Dinner and overnight at Emeraude Kivu Resort, located with a great bird eye view of Lake Kivu. The hotel is located close to the park, which is easy to be transferred for the park activities.
Accommodation: Emeraude Kivu Resort
Meal plan: Breakfast, lunch & dinner
Today, after your early morning cap of African coffee on a buffer kind of setting, you will leave your hotel to experience the natural forest of Nyungwe well known for having 13 species of primates, and transferred to the park for briefing and later chimpanzee trekking. You will be entitled to one hour on finding the chimpanzees.
After doing the chimpanzee trek, head for lunch and some short refreshments before heading for a canopy walk in the afternoon. This 70 meters suspended metallic bridge will give you a great overview of Nyungwe forest and on a lucky day spot one or two more primates in the forest as you take a roughly 1 and half hours to walk on this bridge, that gives you, a cool tree top view and later return in the afternoon for dinner and overnight stay at the lodge.
Accommodation: Emeraude Kivu Resort
Meal plan: Breakfast, lunch & dinner
You will make up ready to catch up with the beautiful sun rise over the Lake Kivu after just getting done with your morning breakfast. You will take a boat ride on Lake Kivu to explore the beautiful attractions within this great lake. You have a nature walk at one of the islands within this lake which is known for harboring thousands of the bats. This lake is also known as a birding paradise as it host a number of bird species like the comrand, pied king fishers, weaver birds, heron to mention but a few. You will later return for and drive off to Musanze which is roughly a 3 hours’ drive. Musanze is a tourism area near Volcanoes National Park, and check in at your lodge.
Today you will be spending your night at Le Bambou Gorilla Lodge, amid –range safari lodge, with eco-friendly architecture, big beds, and great rooms with balcony for your relaxation. The lodge has a wonderful restaurant and bar for drinks. If time permits, you will visit Diane fossey Research center, and learn about the great work is this amazing lady towards conservation before heading to your lodge in Musanze.
Accommodation: Le Bambou Gorilla Lodge
Meal plan: Breakfast, lunch & dinner
Early morning cup of coffee, then prepare for the gorilla trekking briefing from the park headquarters and thereafter, you will enter the jungle with your packed lunch to search the shy mountain gorillas and enjoy their lifestyle in their real home. After meeting the gorillas, you can sit around these great apes for a whole hour watching their social life as you take pictures. On a gorilla safari, a reasonable degree of fitness is required as well as walking shoes, packed food and mineral water, insect repellent, sunscreen and hut.
The gorilla tracking experience takes half or a whole day depending on the movements of these primates. After this gorilla tracking experience, you will return to your lodge for lunch. In the afternoon, just relax and enjoy your villa, or you may opt for a community experience. Dinner and overnight at the lodge.
Accommodation: Le Bambou Gorilla Lodge
Meal plan: Breakfast, lunch & dinner
After your buffet breakfast, you will head off for a golden monkey trekking. Just like the gorilla trekking, the golden monkey trek, as well follow the same procedures, however less strenuous like the gorilla trekking. An hour of interaction with the golden monkey will be allocated as well before you later return to the lodge for lunch.
In the afternoon, you will jump into your safari jeeps, and drive to Kigali, with a great en route view of the rolling hills and valleys. If time permits, you will enjoy a brief Kigali city tour, with a visit to the local Markets and art craft shops, to have some shopping before being transferred to your booked accommodation.
Accommodation: Hotel des Mille collines
Meal plan: Breakfast, lunch & dinner
After your morning breakfast, depending on your flight time, you will be transferred to the airport to catchup with your flight back home, patched with great memories of your ample time with us, in Rwanda. We look forward for your next visit, or recommendation to family and friends. We wish you, a safe flight, and great stay.
End of service! Meal plan: Breakfast
Wildlife species expected to see:
Mountain Gorilla, Chimpanzee, Great Blue Turaco, Golden Monkey, The Masai Giraffe, African Bush Elephant, Grey Crested Crane, African Fish Eagle and many more.
What is included?
- Transportation in a 4x4 safari vehicle
- Accommodation and meals as per itinerary
- 1 Gorilla permit ($1500), per person to be paid in advance
- 1 Chimpanzee permit, per person
- 1 Golden Monkey permit, per person
- En-route lunches
- Boat ride on Lake Kivu
- Visit King Palace museum
- Visit Ethnographic museum
- Canopy walk permit
- Services of English speaking driver/guide
- 1 litre bottle of mineral water per day per person during safari
What is not included?
- Domestic/ international flights
- Personal travel insurance
- Personal shopping bills
- Covid test fees
- Tips for the guides
- Porters if need be
- Laundry & drinks
- Telephone expenses
- Anything that is not mentioned in the itinerary and "what is included"
We offer many unique safari ideas and firsthand destination knowledge to help create the perfect African safari tours just for you. In fact, our expertise is unique as we grew up in the safari industry in Africa and know our home like the back of our hands. Not to mention we are always here to ensure that even your smallest needs are met and no detail is overlooked.
We curate itineraries and lodges choices based upon the occasion and our client’s interest and budget. We mix ranges of accommodations from hotels, tented camps to luxury lodgings. You will really love your stay with us! Our safari land cruiser jeeps are driven by efficient safari guides and our well maintained and customized 4x4 safari vehicles, we are committed to exceeding the client’s expectations.
Land travel is the most form of travel arrangement in the tour, in case you would wish to use flights, we have a number of suggestions for you a friendly extra cost.
The tour is flexible, and in case you would wish to book a private separate tour for your family, you’re welcome. The maximum of people per vehicle is 6, however, our safari car can accommodate up to 7 people, with private window seats.
Yes, our safari guides, will welcome you from the airport, just upon arrival, and transfer you to your booked accommodation, with is a rough 15 minutes’ drive away.
The internal and domestic flights are not included on the tour, however, on request, we can include the flights at an additional cost.
No, we do not change the tour, however, we are flexible for a tailor safari request, and we can still customize the tour, to your interest and budget.
Yes, there is a single supplement on request. We can accommodate any kind of request to make sure we meet your individual needs.
Yes, all meals are included. The tour is based on a full board basis.
Yes, you will need to have some level of fitness, as there is hiking and clipping of steeply valleys and hills. We shall share with your tour guide towards your trip, to help you prepare well for the trip.
Tours
Wildlife
Guides
Conservation
Location
Value
Tours
Wildlife
Guides
Conservation
Location
Value