7 Days Rwanda Primate Safari (Gorillas, Chimpanzees & Golden Monkeys)
7 Days Rwanda Primate Safari ( Gorillas, Chimpanzees & Golden Monkeys )
Meet the most iconic primates- gorillas, Chimpanzees & Golden monkeys plus colobus monkeys and explorers Rwanda’s fascinating culture and history in this private adventure. You drive through the volcanic hills to the placid waters of Lake Kivu as you explore Rwanda’s West side on this 7 Days Rwanda Primate Safari
Day 1- The start: Kigali to Volcanoes National Park
Your private guide will meet at the hotel or airport for the drive to the North West. You will start with a short tour of Kigali City, to have you introduced to the country’s history, people and culture. Visit the Genocide Memorial Center at Gisozi and the Kimironko Market before we head to Volcanoes National Park.
Meal Plan: Lunch and Dinner
Accommodation: DaVinci Gorilla Lodge
Day 2- Gorilla tracing and museum visit
Spend a morning trekking to find the mountain gorillas of Volcanoes National Park. Tracking gorillas is a magical experience; some say it bigger than any other wildlife encounters. Your guide will drive you to the park offices, here you will meet your guides and rangers for a briefing and other members that will track gorillas. When you meet a family, you are allowed an hour with the gorillas. When you return, visit the Ellen DeGeneres Campus og Dian Fossey. Dian Fossey was one of the pioneers of Gorilla Conservation and had her research centre at Karisoke in the Volcanoes N.Park. What was left of the research centre was collected and put in a museum and also information about gorilla conservation. The visit gives much highlight on Gorilla Conservation.
Meal Plan: Lunch and Dinner
Accommodation: DaVinci Gorilla Lodge
Day 3- Golden monkey tracking and to Lake Kivu
Golden monkeys receive little attention and live in the shadows of mountain gorillas. They are little known and are subspecies of the blue monkey. They are fast moving and you might not get close to them as you did with the mountain gorillas and photographing them isn’t much easy but the experience of finding them in the Bamboo zone is amazing. You will start early because the treks only happen in the morning and your guide will arrange the transfer still to the park office to meet the rangers and guides for the trek. When you return, drive to Lake Kivu-Karongi for a night and breaking the journey south to Nyungwe.
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Accommodation: Cormoran Lodge
Day 4- Kivu to Nyungwe: Canopy Walk
Have breakfast at the lodge and leave the lake behind and drive south to Nyungwe Forest. The drive is through the different zones and views of the lake, tea plantations, etc from the stylish lodge to Nyungwe Top View Hill Hotel. You will check in, have lunch and later in the afternoon go for a walk on the forest canopy.
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Accommodation: Nyungwe Top View Hill Hotel
Day 5- Chimpanzee tracking and community tour.
The walks to see Chimpanzee in Nyungwe is an exhilarating experience despite having to wake up very early and sighting them being challenging as they cavort in the tree tops. Their characteristics, the walks and nature of the forest, make the walk an exceptional and rewarding half day excursion.
After the chimpanzee tracking, we shall have lunch and prepare for the drive to Lake Kivu- Karongi to break the journey to Volcanoes National Park.
After the trek and lunch, we will relax and later visit the Nyungwe Cultural Village for an insight on the culture of Rwanda, crafts making, cuisines, and culture education.
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Accommodation: Nyungwe Top View Hill Hotel
Day 6- Colobus monkey tracking and Night at Emeraude Kivu
This is excursion is more of a gentle walk than the chimpanzee and gorilla tracking sessions. Go through the lush great tea plantations surrounding an Isolated patch of the rainforest for a chance to spot these striking black and white primates jumping around. After the morning excursion, we shall drive about an hour to Emeraude Kivu Resort, where we shall have our lunch and overnight to end our last day of the stay at Nyungwe with the views of the lake. You can opt for an evening boat cruise on the lake.
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Accommodation: Emeraude Kivu Resort
Day 7- Nyungwe to Kigali
Last of the 7. We drive from Emeraude after an early breakfast and by 7 we are on the road to Kigali. We shall have a stop at the King’s Palace in Nyanza which is about 2 hours from Kigali City for an insight on the cultural history and monarchy of Rwanda. Arrive at Kigali in the early evening. The guide will drop you at the airport for exit or hotel for a night.
End of the 7 days.
Included
Gorilla and Golden monkey tracking permits
Driver guide
Safari vehicle and gas
Accommodation
Meals as indicated
Drinking water on board
AirPort Transfers
Chimpanzee tracking
Activities mentioned
Excluded
Visas and international flights
Laundry
Personal expenses like cigarettes, shopping, souvenirs, etc
Alcoholic drinks and beverages
