8 Days Rwanda Gorillas & Nature Adventure

Day 1: Arrival at Kigali Airport and transfer to your hotel

This is the day you arrive in to this beautiful country, you are welcomed in by the hotel staff at the airport and then you are driven to the hotel for Covid 19 testing & to rest as you wait for the fascinating awaiting adventures of this epic wonderful beautiful country (Rwanda is nicknamed as land of thousand hills) in the following days. You will have a relaxed overnights at your hotel in Kigali which is a few minutes’ drive from the airport. You will have dinner and overnight at Kigali Mariott Hotel

Day 2: Transfer from Kigali to Nyungwe National Park-Evening nature Walk

After having breakfast, you will set off towards the famous Nyungwe National Park which is an untouched Rainforest, one of the largest forests in East and Central Africa. The forest is abundant with flora and fauna including 13 primate species from Colobus monkeys, Mangabeys, blue monkeys and, of course, our cousins the chimpanzees. Nyungwe Forest is semi heaven for birders. With a little over 300 recorded bird species, 26 of which are endemic, making it one of the most important – and still little known – bird-watching destinations in Africa. Lunch en route or at the lodge depending on time. You will have a visit to the Nyungwe communities around the park plus a visit to the huge tea plantation and is perhaps one of the best things that will happen to you a long time to come. You walk into this tea estate to adventure close the variety of parallel ridges of tea plus the attractive mountains that provide a beautiful back drop for the plantation You will have a relaxed evening plus dinner and overnight at Nyungwe Top View Hill Hotel

Day 3: Chimpanzee trekking in Nyungwe and canopy walk

An early morning breakfast, and later proceed to Nyungwe Forest at 6:00am to search for chimpanzee. You will also track the colobus monkeys in the forest and have a chance to view the other habitants of the forest like birds, reptiles and butterflies. Chimpanzee tracking will enable you to meet man’s closet cousins in the wild. You will be amazed to see these primates as they play, swing on tree branches, fight for food etc. This exciting up-close encounter with human’s closest relative will forever live with you. After the chimp tracking you will have an afternoon Canopy walk which takes place above a deep gorge cutting across the massive forest. Lasting about 1½ hours, the walk takes you through some beautiful foliage and animal habitats and you’ll have the chance to spot blue monkeys and unique birds that dwell in the upper levels of the forest canopy. You will have a relaxed evening plus dinner and overnight at Nyungwe Top View Hill Hotel

Day 4: Transfer to Volcanoes National Park for Iby’iwachu Cultural experience

Breakfast and then enjoy the beautiful services and scenery at your lodge, you shall drive northeast to the town of Musanze close to the Virunga Volcano range. You will have lunch en route or at the lodge depending on time. In the evening, you will embark on the Iby’iwachu Cultural Village which gives you a rare chance to meet local people, in their environment, with a taste of the culture and traditions. Be genuinely welcomed by the community as a special visitor while they proudly present to you aspects of their traditions and beliefs. Expect to have a guided community walk to visit different sites and experience the everyday lives of the local people. You will have a relaxed evening, dinner and overnight at Da Vinci Gorilla Lodge

Day 5: Mountain Gorilla trekking in Volcanoes National Park and relax at the hotel

Have yourself an early tasty breakfast, after which your driver guide will take you to the headquarters in the park by 8 am for beefing. Later embark on the amazing adventure which is gorilla tracking, in most cases this activity requires some physical fitness by the hikers. On several occasions it takes between 1 to 6hours to trek and trekkers are permitted to be with the gorillas for 1 hour. It is really a nice experience seeing them play, guard each other, feed among others. While trekking hikers will be in line to also see other animals like the golden monkeys, elephants, buffaloes as well as birds. After trekking, you will be escorted back and head to the lodge for relaxation/refreshment and later transfer to Kigali. Dinner and overnight will be at Da Vinci Gorilla Lodge

Day 6: Golden Monkey Tracking in Volcanoes National Park and transfer to Kigali

Wake up for early breakfast and transfer to the park head offices in Kinigi by 7.00am. Join up with the other Golden Monkey trekkers, meet the ranger guide for a few minutes talk about the activity and the park, and by 8.00am you get into the cars and transfer to the trailhead just outside the park. Enjoy great views of the mountain scenery as you trek into the park to find the primates. The monkeys live near the edge of the park in the bamboo forests where the ground is relatively flat and easy to trek. Find the monkeys and follow them as they feed, notice how they skillfully pick the shoot from the tip of the bamboo tree! After an amazing one hour, you will have a drive back to Kigali arriving in the evening at Kigali Mariott Hotel

Day 7: Transfer to Akagera national park for a game drive and sunset boat cruise on Lake Ihema

Today morning we leave for Akagera national park and immense yourself in Nature. The journey to Akagera national park takes about 2.5 hours depending on the stopovers along the way. With the beautiful landscape en route to the park, feel free to ask the guide for stopovers to capture some photos. On arrival at the park, you will have a game drive for wildlife views and later we shall proceed to our accommodation after a short game drive and check in for lunch.

In the afternoon, proceed for a boat trip after lunch on Lake Ihema, for a close encounter with the Crocodiles and Hippos along the river banks, coupled with large concentration of over 525 bird species both migratory and savanna related. Unique species such as Shoe billed stocks and papyrus Gonolek can be encountered. Endemics include the jacanas, ibis, sand pipers and herons. You will have a relaxed evening, dinner and overnight at Akagera Game Lodge

Day 8: Early Morning Game Drive in Akagera – and transfer to Kigali

After breakfast, you will go for the early morning game drive which will reward you with views of wildlife such as Elephants, Impala, black-tailed mongoose, Hippos, Oribi, Bushbuck, antelope, Zebra, Cape eland, Giraffe, Buffalo, and also primates like the Olive Baboon, vervet monkey, bush baby. Return to the lodge for lunch and in the late afternoon, drive back to Kigali International airport to readily board your flight back home as you say fare well to the African Wilderness!

The price includes:

• Transport a 4×4 safari vehicle
• Accommodation
• Full board meal plan
• Canopy walk
• Guide fees Park fees
• Chimpanzee permit
• Golden monkey permit
• Gorilla permit
• Drinking water on board.

The price does not include:

• Tourist insurance
• Covid 19 tests
• Air ticket
• Accommodation at Kigali Marriot Hotel on Day 1 & Day 6
• Visas
• Tips
• Beverages