The 6 days’ safari takes you into the two lush forest parks of Rwanda for trekking mountain gorillas in Volcanoes National Park twice and chimpanzee tracking in the south at Nyungwe Forest. The double gorilla tracking experience takes you to two distinct habituated families each having unique story.
It is not all about primates but you will also enjoy and explore what the city- Kigali has to offer, visit the Genocide Memorial, markets and craft shops.
Detailed Plan.
Day 1- Transfer to Volcanoes National Park.
Upon your arrival at Kigali International Airport, you will meet our driver guide who will then drive you northwestwards to Volcanoes National Park-a prominent home to a section of rare mountain gorillas that are found in Uganda, Rwanda and D.R Congo. Or if you arrived the previous day, our guide can pick you up from your hotel. Drive for about 2 hours to the park, check in at your and relax.
Day 2- First mountain gorilla tracking.
Have breakfast at your safari lodge and after, you will gather at Kinigi park headquarters to be briefed by park official on the set gorilla trekking rules and regulations. The briefing usually starts from 7:00am and this means you need to be at Kinigi park headquarters at around 6:30am.
You will be allocated to only one habituated gorilla family to trek in a group of 8 visitors and one professional park ranger guide will take you through your adventure. There are 10 habituated groups set for tourism in Volcanoes National Park.
Begin the trek at 8:00am and it will last you about 2-6 hours depending on your speed of hiking, nature of gorilla habitat and where these creatures are found in the course of the day. Once you have found a group assigned to you, only one hour is given to you to strike your imaginations, explore in depth their behaviors, body gestures and take their photos.
Later, get back to lodge to have some rest and in the evening, you can embark on a nature walk to Twin Lakes-Lake Burera and Lake Ruhondo or simply remain at the lodge to have enough rest for tomorrow’s adventure.
Day 3- Second day of gorilla tracking.
Have breakfast at the lodge in Volcanoes National Park and later, drive to Kinigi park headquarters where briefing is done to know what rules and regulations to observe while on gorilla trek. Today, you will be assigned to a different gorilla family unlike the one you tracked the previous day.
You will again be put in groups of 8 visitors and your group will be led by experienced park ranger guide. On finding a group of mountain gorilla you will be allowed to take as many photos as possible, be told about their behaviors, communication, stories about the family and body gestures. After the one hour of magical encounter, get back to your lodge to have rest.
In the evening, you will pay a visit to Iby’iwachu Cultural Village for cultural experience-learn about the traditions, cultures of Rwandese.
Day 4- Transfer to Nyungwe Forest.
After your morning breakfast, you will transfer to Nyungwe Forest National Park. Along the way you will visit the new Visitor’s Interpretive Centre to give you more information about the park such as number of primate species found in the park, types of bird species and other tourist activities carried out with in the Park.
Check at your lodge for Lunch. In the afternoon, you can go for primate trekking (Optional). You will have to hike through lush forests and endless green tea fields while taking the stunning views of the surroundings. Or decide to rest at your lodge.
Day 5- Chimpanzee tracking and canopy walk.
Have an early breakfast, drive to the park headquarters in Nyungwe forest for briefing before going for chimpanzee tracking. It is advisable to carry packed lunch and plenty of water prior to this tracking since it can sometimes last about 6 hours.
In the forest, you will not only see chimpanzees to but also variety of animals and birds like the Rwenzori Turaco, Black and white casqued horn bill, colobus monkeys,
Return late in the afternoon have lunch and after do a canopy walk that will give you a chance to have an aerial view of the park.
Day 6- Transfer back to Kigali and departure.
Wake up early in the morning have breakfast and transfer to Kigali. Upon arrival do a short Kigali city tours which includes Kigali genocide site, Kandt museum and craft markets. After have lunch at a local restaurant and after transfer to the airport for your exit flight.
