6 Days Rwanda Primate Safari | Premium Africa Safaris
Safari Overview
The 6 Days Rwanda Primate Safari is one of our most exceptional and best selling tailor-made tour packages suitable to all primate lovers.
This special primate tour can be customized to suit your travel needs. On this itinerary, expect to explore the iconic primate destinations in Rwanda, the Land of a Thousand Hills. Your target primate parks to explore include Nyungwe Forest National Park in the Southern Province and Volcanoes National Park in the Ruhengeri region.
Visiting Nyungwe Forest National Park is a lifetime opportunity for you to undertake a guided chimpanzee tracking and canopy walk. On actual chimp trek and canopy, you will be led by an experienced Nyungwe Park guide. The chimp trek involves setting foot into the rainforest in search for already habituated chimpanzee community in the wild.
The chimpanzee treks usually begin from Cyamudongo or Uwinka area. Interestingly, Nyungwe Forest is endowed with over 13 primate species including 500 chimpanzees. Beyond chimpanzees, the park also protects a total of 400 colobus monkeys, red-tailed monkeys, baboons, and l’hoest monkeys.
Volcanoes National Park is one of Africa’s premier mountain gorilla trekking destinations and it is Rwanda’s oldest park, created in 1925. On actual gorilla trekking, you will be assigned to any of the park’s 12 habituated gorilla groups and this will be trekked in your group of 8 guests.
Gorilla trekking in Volcanoes National Park will be enjoyed with the lead of the park expert. It also guarantees you a maximum of an hour for photography and a moment to closely observe how the rare mountain gorillas behave in the natural environment.
As per this itinerary, your first visit will be in Nyungwe Forest National Park and you end it with Volcanoes National Park. In addition to primate encounters, this itinerary also covers thrilling cultural tours, especially at the Gorilla Guardian Village.
Primate Safari Highlights
- Kigali city expedition- visit the Kigali genocide center
- Ground travel to your destinations -enjoy the beautiful scenery of the countryside
- Chimpanzee tracking
- Gorilla trekking
- Cultural tour in the Gorilla Guardian Village
- Comfortable stay in safari lodge -midrange or luxury option
Brief Itinerary – 6 Days Rwanda Primate Safari
- Day 1: Arrival in Rwanda for your primate tour
- Day 2: Drive to Nyungwe Forest Park for chimps & canopy walk
- Day 3: Enjoy chimpanzee trekking & canopy walk- Nyungwe
- Day 4: Transfer to Volcanoes National Park for gorillas
- Day 5: Mountain gorilla trekking & Guardian village tour
- Day 6: Return to Kigali
6 Days Rwanda Primate Safari Details
Day 1: Arrival in Rwanda for your primate tour
Arrival at Kigali International Airport (KGL) and pick up by our company representative. Meet and greet your tour leader and get briefed about and you will leave the airport for Kigali capital. A short city tour will be done depending on your arrival time and sites to expect to visit include Kigali genocide memorial, Kimironko market, craft shops, and other historical centers.
Accommodation
- Hotel des Mille Collins -enjoy dinner
Day 2: Drive to Nyungwe Forest National Park for chimps & canopy walk
After breakfast, leave the bustling Kigali city for Nyungwe Forest National Park located in the Southern province of Rwanda. You will spend about 6-7 hours through Butare rote and a stopover will be made at King’s palace in Nyanza or the ethnographic museum and then settle for lunch. After lunch, continue to Nyungwe Forest National Park for relaxation, dinner, and overnight stay at a comfortable lodge.
Accommodation
- Luxury: One & Only Nyungwe House
- Midrange: Nyungwe Forest Top View Hotel
Travel time: 6-7 hours
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner & bottled drinking water
Day 3: Enjoy chimpanzee trekking & canopy walk- Nyungwe Forest
Wake up early for breakfast and after, you will transfer to Uwinka reception to get instructions about chimpanzee trekking in Nyungwe Forest National Park. The park guides will be assigned to guests and at 8:00 am, you will start your trek through Nyungwe Forest to look for chimpanzee troops/community.
Chimpanzees won’t be stationed in one area and therefore, you will keep walking in search of them. This may take a 2-4 hour walk and you will be hearing the chimps make noise, find some grooming each other and one hour will be dedicated to photography, observing how they behave.
Other primates to find in Nyungwe Forest NP: l’hoest monkeys, vervet monkeys, Rwenzori colobus monkeys, red-tailed monkeys, pottos, olive baboons, Dent’s Mona monkeys, bush babies, etc.
Return to the lodge for lunch and relaxation. You will leave your lodge once again and this time round, head off for a canopy walk for 2 hours. This takes you through a suspended canopy walk about 50m from the ground and plenty of primates plus birds will be spotted.
Accommodation
- Luxury: One & Only Nyungwe House
- Midrange: Nyungwe Forest Top View Hotel
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, & Dinner
Day 4: Transfer to Volcanoes National Park for gorillas
Have an early breakfast, after which, drive to Volcanoes National Park. You will have a spectacular view of Lake Kivu and the scenic rolling hills of the countryside. Arrive early and proceed to the Ellen DeGeneres campus for a short tour before you go to check in at the lodge.
Accommodation
- Luxury: Mountain Gorilla View Lodge/Bisate Lodge
- Midrange: La Palme Hotel/Five Volcanoes Boutique Hotel/Le Bambou
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, & Dinner
Day 5: Mountain gorilla trekking & Guardian village tour
Mountain gorillas are unique animal species and an encounter with them in their natural environment is an experience of a lifetime. Trekking gorillas in volcanoes National Park starts in Kinigi with a briefing about guidelines. Gorilla families are assigned to each group of 8 guests to visit and the trek lasts for 2-6 hours which includes one hour of a close encounter.
Gorilla families to visit while in Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda include Sabyinyo, Agashya/Group 13, Susa A, Umubano, Amahoro, Susa B/Karisimbi group, titus, Bwenge, and others. It will be a long day search and this means, you should be fit enough. Have some packed snacks and bottled drinking water plus a walking stick.
Return to your accommodation after a magical encounter with gorillas and photography. Relax at the lodge and you will visit the Gorilla guardian village for a cultural experience.
Accommodation
- Luxury: Mountain Gorilla View Lodge/Bisate Lodge
- Midrange: La Palme Hotel/Five Volcanoes Boutique Hotel/Le Bambou
Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch, & Dinner
Day 6: Return to Kigali
Sum up your stay in Volcanoes National Park with breakfast. Proceed for golden monkey tracking or check out and meet the driver guide, pack your items in the car and start a return journey to Kigali. Drop off at a comfortable hotel or airport and this marks the end of the 6 days Rwanda primate safari.
End of safari
Safari Inclusions
- Gorilla permits
- Chimpanzee permits
- Golden monkey permits
- Cultural visit in the guardian village
- Bottled water
- Park entry fees
- Guide services
Safari Exclusions
- Airfares
- Insurance
- Beverages
- Tips
- Laundry
- Cigarettes
- Shopping