The Ultimate 8-Day Best of Rwanda Primates and Wildlife Tour
Day 1: Arrival at Kigali International Airport
Welcome to Rwanda. When you arrive at Kigali International Airport, you proceed to the immigration desk to acquire a Rwanda visa. After getting the visa, you will proceed to the arrivals where you will meet your driver guide. He will warmly welcome you and then drive you to the hotel for relaxation and dinner.
Accommodation: Retreat by heaven (Luxury)/ Hotel Des Mille Collin (Midrange)
Meal plan: Dinner
Day 2: Kigali City tour and transfer to Akagera National Park for evening game drive
Have breakfast at the hotel and transfer to Kigali city center for a brief city tour. The city tour will take you to the Gisozi genocide museum, Belgium museum, craft markets and the local markets. Afterwards, you will have lunch and then embark on the 2 hours and 30 minutes journey to Akagera National Park. In the evening, you will set out for an exciting game drive in the Akagera savannah plains.
Accommodation: Magashi camp (Luxury)/ Ruzizi tented camp (Midrange)
Meal plan: Breakfast, lunch & dinner
Day 3: Morning game drive and afternoon boat cruise
After breakfast, you will head to the savannah plains of Akagera for the morning game drive. This tinny park is a place of residence to numerous big mammals which cannot be sighted anywhere else in Rwanda. Prepare your cameras and binoculars with eyes widely open as you look for the big five such as Have your cameras ready and eyes open as you search for the big five and other animals such as zebras, antelopes’ waterbucks, giraffes, elephants, lions, buffaloes among others. The game drives are usually conducted in the northern part of the park and these can last between 3 to 5 hours depending on the animal sightings that day. After the game drive, you will return to the lodge for lunch. After lunch, you will be taken for an afternoon boat cruise along lake Ihema. During the boat cruise, you will search for animals such as Nile crocodiles, buffaloes, hippos, elephants and numerous bird species.
Accommodation: Magashi camp (Luxury)/ Ruzizi tented camp (Midrange)
Meal plan: Breakfast, lunch & dinner
Day 4: Transfer to Nyungwe Forest National Park
Following breakfast, you will embark on the 5 hours journey to Nyungwe forest national park. Nyungwe forest national park is situated in the southern part of Rwanda. You will have an enroute lunch stopover at Huye which was known formerly as Butare. The ethnographic museum of Rwanda which was known formerly as the national museum of Rwanda is situated in this mighty city. You will have an opportunity of acquiring more knowledge about Rwanda’s culture, the Uganda’s history together with way of life of Rwanda people. Afterwards, you will proceed to the lodge arriving in the evening.
Accommodation: One & only Nyungwe house (Luxury)/ Nyungwe top view hotel (Midrange)
Meal plan: Breakfast, lunch & dinner
Day 5: Chimpanzee trekking and Canopy Walk
On this day after breakfast, you will be transferred the park headquarters for briefing about the dos and don’ts of chimpanzee trekking. This activity takes you very deep in the jungle forest in search for man’s closest relatives among the primates. With an armed arranger guide, you will proceed to either the Uwinka trail or the Cyamudongo sector to begin the chimpanzee trekking encounter. Nyungwe forest national park is well equipped with ecological abundanceand is a place of residence to over a dozen of Primates inclusive of the chimpanzees, LHoests monkeys, red tailed monkeys, vervet monkeys among others. After lunch, you will go back to the park for the canopy walk. During the canopy walk, you will explore Nyungwe forest national park at 40 meters high.
Accommodation: One & only Nyungwe house (Luxury)/ Nyungwe top view hotel (Midrange)
Meal plan: Breakfast, lunch & dinner
Day 6: Transfer to Volcanoes national park
After breakfast at your convenient time, you will checkout of the lodge and embark on the 5 hours journey to Volcanoes national park. You will have a stopover for enroute hot lunch and bathroom break. Upon arrival at the park, you will be driven to the Ellen DeGeneres by Dian Fossey Museum for virtual gorilla trekking. Afterwards, you will be transferred back to the lodge for relaxation, dinner and overnight stay.
Accommodation: Amarembo by touchdown (Luxury)/ Five volcanoes boutique hotel (Midrange)
Meal plan: Full board
Day 7: Gorilla trekking and Ibwiwachu cultural tour
After breakfast, you will get into the safari vehicle for the transfer to the Kinigi park headquarters for briefing about gorilla trekking. We highly advise our clients to park lunch, carry enough fluids and hire porters to assist them since the time spend during gorilla trekking cannot be predicted. Following briefing, you will be allocated gorilla families and thereafter get into the jungle to search for gentle giants. Gorilla trekking takes between 2 to 6 hours depending on where the gorillas slept the previous night. When you spot the mountain gorillas, you will only be allowed to enjoy their company for 1 hour. In the evening, you will go for the Ibwiwachu cultural tour.
Accommodation: Amarembo by touchdown (Luxury)/ Five volcanoes boutique hotel (Midrange)
Meal plan: Full board
Day 8: Golden monkey trekking and transfer back to Kigali
After breakfast, you will head to the Volcanoes national park headquarters for briefing. Golden monkeys are endangered species situated within Rwanda’s Volcanoes national park. Golden monkeys are easily located and locating them does not take so long. After the trek, you will return to the lodge for lunch. Later, you will be transferred to Kigali international airport for the flight to your next destination.
End of tour
Inclusions
Private transportation
English speaking guide
Gorilla permits
Golden monkey permits
Chimpanzee permits
Colobus monkey permit
Accommodation
Meals as mentioned above
Ibwiwachu cultural tour
Canopy walk
Boat ride along the twin lakes
Park entrance fees
Game drives
Boat cruise
Al transfers
Exclusions
Visa fees
Tips & gratuities
Visa fees
Air tickets
Personal expenses