This Rwanda gorilla trekking safari includes a Mountain Gorilla Trek, a chimp trek, Kigali, Nyungwe Forest, Lake Kivu, and Volcanoes National Park. Discover the magic of this pristine mountain country, meet mountain gorillas face to face on their home turf, follow chimps through the forest canopy. Explore traditions as you embark on this encompassing Rwanda vacation. 8 days Kigali to Kigali.
Gorilla Trekking Safari – RR8
Itinerary
Day 1 Kigali
Your guide will be waiting to greet you at the airport and transfer you to your hotel in Kigali for dinner and overnight.
Meals included: Dinner
Accommodations: Hotel
Day 2 – Nyungwe Forest
Embark on your gorilla trekking tour beginning with remarkable views on route to Butare and Nyungwe Forest. A uniquely rich centre of floral diversity, the forest has more than 200 different types of tree, and a myriad of flowering plants including the other-worldly giant lobelia and a host of colourful orchids. The most important ornithological site in Rwanda, Nyungwe harbours almost 300 bird species. Two dozen of these are restricted to only a few montane forests on the Albertine Rift. The avian highlight of Nyungwe is the great blue turaco – an outlandish blue, red and green bird which streams from tree to tree like a procession of streamlined psychedelic turkeys.
Meals included: Breakfast, lunch and dinner
Accommodations: Hotel or Lodge
Day 3 – Nyungwe Forest
Catch a glimpse of mankind’s closest living relative the chimpanzee, on a morning trek through the forest. Nyungwe is most alluring for its primates. 13 species reside there, including L’Hoest’s monkey and hundred-strong troops of the delightfully acrobatic Angola colobus.
Meals included: Breakfast, lunch and dinner
Accommodations: Hotel or Lodge
Day 4 – Lake Kivu
On route to Kibuye and the shores of Lake Kivu, take in the views. Discover the reason Rwanda is called “The Land of a Thousand Hills”. Upon arrival at Lake Kivu, it is time to relax and enjoy the peacefulness beside Africa’s highest lake.
Meals included: Breakfast, lunch and dinner
Accommodations: Hotel or Lodge
Day 5 – Volcanoes National Park
Venture through a plantation and browse through a market this morning. Finally, we wind our way through the ‘Land of a Thousand Hills’. Prepare for your gorilla trekking experience.
Meals included: Breakfast, lunch and dinner
Accommodations: Hotel or Lodge
Day 6 – Mountain Gorillas, Volcanoes National Park
We arise with the sun, have breakfast, and meet with a ranger guide before setting off into the gorilla sanctuary with a packed lunch. The rain forest landscape is steep and densely forested, but criss-crossed with animal trails allowing access to humans. The trek to spy on the earth’s greatest primate can take several hours of challenging walking in the wet and muddy conditions. However, the thrill of discovering this gentle giant in its own habitat is rated as one of Africa’s best wildlife watching opportunities. For their safely, the maximum time allowed with the gorillas will be one hour. Trek back to your accommodations with memories forever planted in your mind. Dinner and overnight will be near the Volcanoes National Park.
Meals included: Breakfast, lunch and dinner
Accommodations: Hotel or Lodge
Day 7 – Volcanoes National Park
Relax today in the memories of your gorilla trekking safari. Optional activities include setting off on a 3 hour (approximate) hike to visit the grave of the great gorilla conservationist, Dian Fossey. Or you may wish to track the endangered Golden Monkeys, a species of The Old World Monkey. Similar to the Blue Monkey, the Golden Monkey has a golden-orange patch on the upper flanks and back. It lives in social groups of up to 30 individuals and feeds mostly on leaves and fruit. Other animal species may be spotted as well o this day; so if you are lucky you may be greeted by a buffalo or elephant.
Meals included: Breakfast, lunch and dinner
Accommodations: Hotel or Lodge
Day 8 Depart
Filled with lifelong memories of your Rwanda safari, marvel at the views of lakes Bulera and Ruhondo while on your return to Kigali. Finally, this is the end of your adventure.
Meals included: Breakfast and lunch
Mountain Gorilla Tracking Notes
