12 Days Rwanda Primates Safari

12 Days Rwanda Primates Safari : Rwanda is incredibly interesting to visit in its incredible scenic hilly landscapes, making her famous as the “Land of a Thousand Hills,” rich in biodiversity. This 12-Day Rwanda Safari is the lengthiest safari package available in Kigali, taking you to Rwanda’s most popular primates destinations, Volcanoes National Park and Nyungwe National Park, while also providing some leisure time for relaxation. Volcanoes National Park, along with two other parks in Uganda and one in the Congo, is the most popular park for gorilla trekking. Volcanoes National Park has about 10 habituated gorilla families for tourism. In addition to gorilla trekking, Volcanoes National Park is home to endangered golden monkeys, a variety of forest animals, and approximately 200 different bird species. Nyungwe Forest National Park, on the other hand, is home to the endangered chimpanzees and 12 other species of primates. Trekking with chimpanzees in Nyungwe Forest is one of the most scenic experiences under the montane rainforest, and walking on a canopy above the forest adds to the beauty of the experience. Akagera National Park, situated in the eastern part of Rwanda in the savannah areas, offers an excellent wildlife experience, particularly the opportunity to see the big five game. Enjoy other excursions, including visiting Lake Kivu bordering the Congo and a city tour in Kigali city.

Highlights

Day 1: Arrival in Kigali—Rwandan/Kigali city tour
Day 2: Transfer to Volcanoes National Park—Community Tour
Day 3: Gorilla trekking experience
Day 4: Golden monkey tracking and transfer to Gisenyi
Day 5: Full-day excursion to Lake Kivu
Day 6: Transfer to Nyungwe Forest National Park
Day 7: Chimpanzee trekking and canopy walk
Day 8: Waterfalls hike
Day 9: Transfer to Kigali city
Day 10: Transfer to Akagere National Park
Day 11: Game drive and boat trip on Lake Ihema
Day 12: Return to Kigali—Departure

Detailed itinerary

Day 1: Arrival in Kigali, Rwanda

Your safari driver will meet you at Kigali international airport with your confirmed flight, act as your guide throughout the trip, pack your luggage in the safari vehicle, and drive you to your booked accommodation in Kigali city. Depending on your time of arrival, doing a city tour on this day will be the best. Visit some of the interesting places in Kigali, including the Kigali genocide memorial, and drive to one of the hills in Kigali for a city view and a market tour. Return in the evening to your hotel for dinner and an overnight stay.

Luxury option: Kigali Serena Hotel
Mid-range option: Des Mille Collins Hotel
Budget option: Step Town Motel

Day 2: Transfer to Volcanoes National Park—Community Tour

After breakfast, check out of the hotel and embark on your journey to transfer to Volcanoes National Park. It’s a 2-3 hour’s drive from Kigali to Musanze, where we find the home of the endangered mountain gorillas.

Arrive in Musanze at a good time for lunch after checking in your booked accommodation. Later afternoon, visit Iby’wacu Cultural Village, a non-profit umbrella organization that aims to improve the lives of reformed poachers and communities around Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park through the provision of conservation incentives and supporting community enterprise development and livelihood-based projects. Experience the Kinyarwanda traditions, such as the Intore dance, traditional ceremonies, and a guided community walk, at this rewarding place. Connect to your booked accommodation for dinner and overnight stay at

Luxury option: 5 Volcanoes Gorilla Lodge/Virunga Lodge
Mid-range option: Le Bambou Gorilla Lodge/Da Vinci Gorilla Lodge
Budget option: Hotel Muhabura/Kinigi Guesthouse

Day 3: Gorilla trekking experience

You will transfer to the Kinigi Park headquarters with your trekking gear after an early morning breakfast for a briefing about the endangered mountain gorillas. We have assigned you a family of gorillas to trek with, so connect to the starting point and begin your journey under the guidance of armed ranger guides. Depending on the gorillas’ movements, this activity could take anywhere from 2 to 8 hours. However, meeting them is highly rewarding, and you will spend a maximum of 1 hour with them, during which you can spend time studying them and taking pictures and videos. After spending time with the fascinating mountain gorillas, return to the base, meet your driver, and then proceed to your lodge for lunch and refreshment. Spend the rest of your day at leisure. Dinner and overnight stay at booked lodge as above

Day 4: Golden Monkey Trekking—Transfer to Gisenyi

After early morning breakfast, drive back to the park headquarters for a briefing about the endangered golden monkeys and be allocated a group. Connect to the tracking starting point and enter the forest to search for the rare golden monkey. This activity can span from 1 to 5 hours, allowing you to observe other primates in the park, such as the red-tailed and vervet monkeys, up close. After viewing the rare golden monkeys for an hour while taking pictures and studying their behaviors, return to the base and drive back to the lodge.

After lunch, check-out of the lodge and drive to Gisenyi. It’s a 2-hour’ drive from Musanze. Upon arriving in Gisenyi, connect to your booked accommodation located close to Lake Kivu shores for great views. Relax at the lodge, dinner, and overnight stay at

Luxury option: Lake Kivu Serena Hotel
Mid-range option: Palm Garden Hotel
Budget option: Paradise Malahide Hotel

Day 5: Full-day excursion at Lake Kivu

After breakfast, transfer to explore Lake Kivu and connect to Rubavu town at the lake’s shores. Spend the rest of the day enjoying the shores, taking boat trips to the lake’s island, participating in a town tour with lunch en-route, and relaxing on the shores while enjoying the breeze. Dinner and overnight stay at lodge as above

Day 6: Transfer to Nyungwe Forest National Park

After enjoying your delicious breakfast at leisure, embark on your journey to Nyungwe Forest National Park, which is a 6-7 hour’ drive from Gisenyi. Drive through the rolling hills and great views of the Virunga Mountains. Upon arrival in Nyumgwe Forest, connect to your booked lodge for dinner and an overnight stay at your booked lodge.

Luxury option: One and Only Nyungwe House
Mid-range option: Nyungwe Top View Hill Hotel
Budget option: Gisakura Visitors Centre

Day 7: Chimpanzee trekking and canopy walk

Enjoy breakfast and go for a briefing about the endangered chimpanzees before entering the forest in search of the active and playful fellows in Nyungwe Forest. The chimpanzees are much easier to spot as they jump from one tree to another, chattering and laughing. Chimpanzee tracking usually takes about 3 hours. On finding them, spend an hour while taking pictures and videos before you drive back to your lodge for lunch.

12 Days Rwanda Primates Safari — Canopy walk in Nyungwe Forest National Park,

Connect for a canopy walk. You will go on a walking trail that will take you to the Canopy Walk-a swing bridge 50 meters in length that is suspended from large trees; you will be able to see the amazing rainforest with a bird’s eye view, spotting wildlife moving below you. Dinner and overnight stay at provided lodge as above

Day 8: Water fall nature walk

After having breakfast, connect to enter the forest on a forest walk to the waterfalls, you will encounter different birds and other primates, reaching the waterfalls is relaxing and refreshing with great views of the forested mountain. Return from the hike and drive back toy lodge for lunch. Later afternoon, enjoy a coffee tour where you will learn more about coffee in Rwanda, you will also taste Rwanda coffee and even buy some for packing home. Return to your lodge for dinner and overnight stay hotel as above

Day 9: Transfer to Kigali – Rwanda

After breakfast, check out of the hotel and transfer to Kigali, stopping along the way to visit the Rwandan National Museum in Butare and the Nyanza King’s Palace in Huye, along with a lunch break. It’s a 6-7 hour’ drive to Kigali. Upon arrival in Kigali, locate your hotel to rest. Spend your evening relaxing at the hotel. Dinner and overnight stay at

Luxury option: Kigali Serena Hotel
Mid-range option: Des Mille Collins Hotel
Budget option: Step Town Motel

Day 10: Arrival and transfer to Akagera National Park—evening game drive

After breakfast, set off to Akagera National Park, located in the eastern part of Rwanda. This area is different from the other hilly areas of Rwanda, given this savannah vegetation cover and relatively flat area. It’s a 2-3 hours’ drive to Akagera national park from Kigali. Arrive at the park late morning, proceed to check-in your lodge, have lunch, and enjoy an evening game drive. Before nightfall, return to your lodge for dinner and an overnight stay.

Luxury option: Ruzizi tented camp
Mid-range option: Akagera game lodge
Budget option: Dereva hotel

Day 11: Game drive and Lake Ihema boat cruise.

After a morning breakfast, you will embark on your morning game drive around the park for rewarding wildlife views. Expect to encounter the Big Five, including the Lions, Elephants, Buffaloes, Leopards, Cape Buffaloes, and the recently introduced Rhinos, along with other animals including giraffes, warthogs, waterbucks, zebras, hyenas, and different antelope species. Expect to also see over 500 species of birds. The game drive may last for about 3-4 hours. Return to the lodge for lunch and relax as you wait for the next activity.

In the afternoon, the driver will pick up for a boat cruise on Lake Ihema—the second largest lake in Rwanda after Lake Kivu. The boat trip exposes you to plenty of wildlife on the lakeshores, which come to cool off and drink water, including hippos, buffaloes, huge crocodiles, and birds such as malachite kingfisher and fish eagle.

After the amazing boat trip, return to your lodge for dinner and an overnight stay.

Day 12: Return to Kigali—Departure

After breakfast, check-out of the lodge and transfer back to Kigali. Upon arrival in Kigali, have lunch and proceed to Kigali airport for your onwards flight back home.

End of 12 Days Rwanda Primates Safari

12 Days Rwanda Primates Safari Includes;