These 5 days Rwanda gorillas and Nyungwe chimpanzee tracking safari offer is an astonishing primate trekking expedition that exposes you to your closest relatives the chimpanzees, co-existing with over 13 primate species including the colobus monkeys in Nyungwe forest national park, and the endangered Mountain gorillas in Volcanoes national park, both believed to be having 98% of human DNA.
Encountering these primates in their natural habitats is dreams come true to everyone, and it involves tracking them wherever they are feeding or resting. The tracking exercise requires patience, endurance and a positive spirit. Besides the tracking exercise, you will have a memorable time in your trip as you tour the city, track the primates and enjoy a canopy walk.
Details
Day 1: Pickup, Lake Kivu and Volcanoes National park
Our knowledgeable company representative will be glad to meet and brief you about the entire safari at the agreed starting point, optionally, your hotel or Kigali international airport. Kick start the trip with a briefing session that involves sipping a glass of juice as you listen to the itinerary being carefully broken down by the expert guide who will explain to every activity.
Thereafter, you will have a brief drive to the local market to purchase some of the items you might be lacking as well as exchange the money to local currency before heading to Volcanoes National park for refreshment, dinner and overnight at your lodge
Day 2: Morning gorilla trekking and cultural experience
On this day, have it in your mind that Gorilla trekking commences as early as 8:00 am local time, and wakeup very early for breakfast before driving to the park’s headquarters for a pre-trek briefing.
You will meet other colleagues in the briefing by the park rangers who will be telling you the dos and don’ts before allocating you a gorilla family to track and escorting you to the Jungle in a quest for these gentle apes. The exercise can last for approximately 1-5 hours, plus one hour of taking photos, and watching the creatures play, feed, and interact.
Thereafter, return to the lodge for lunch before having a fun-packed cultural experience at Ibyiwachu cultural village, where true Rwandan culture is exhibited through interesting cultural performances, traditional dances, and exciting stories. Follow the events with dinner and overnight at the lodge.
Day 3: Hike to the Dian Fossey graveyard and Transfer to Nyungwe National Park
Welcome the day with a cup of coffee before heading out for a two to three-hour hike to the graveyard of Dian Fossey in remembrance of her endless contribution to the conservation of mountain gorillas that were being killed by some of the merciless poachers who went ahead to kill her as well. She is famous for her book, “Gorillas in the mist”, and was buried together with her friends the mountain gorillas.
Late breakfast will be served to you upon returning from the hike, after which you will embark on a 3-4 hours of scenic drive to Nyungwe National park for chimpanzee trekking. The smooth drive will have a lunch stop plus eye-catching views of the rolling hills, green vegetation, and scattered homesteads.
Day 4: Chimp tracking and canopy walk
Start your day with a cup of coffee before heading to the park headquarters for pre trek briefing by the park rangers who will explain to you some of the acceptable behaviors while at the park.
Thereafter, they will accompany you to the jungle covered by the sweet melodies of over 13 primate species such as the Colobus monkeys, Vervet monkeys among others, which you will spot as the tracking progresses to the point of meeting your cousins – the chimpanzees, while playing, feeding and resting. This adventure can last for approximately 5 hours with 90% of seeing your dream come true.
After the tracking session, have a picnic lunch before going for a forest canopy walk, the only one in East Africa, that gives you a chancing of watching the primates right on top of the trees, glance at the scattered hills in and outside that pack among others. Dinner and overnight will follow this 2 hours’ experience.
Day 5: Departure with a cultural visit in Butare city.
On this day, you will wake at the time convenient to you and have a hefty breakfast, after which you will check out of the lodge with all your belongings and embark on a 3-4 hours of smooth drive to Kigali international airport for your flight home.
However, you will have a stopover at the country’s main national museum in Butare. You will spend approximately one hour here before going for lunch in Kigali city and departure flight through Kigali international airport.
