5 days Rwanda primate tour is a unique primate safari package set for you to explore and experience different species of primates in Rwanda. This tour involves trekking mountain gorillas and golden monkeys in Volcanoes National Park, chimpanzee tracking and canopy walk in Nyungwe Forest National Park, Iby’Iwacu Cultural Village visit. Your journey will commence and end in Kigali.
What you should expect on the 5 days Rwanda primate tour
• Mountain gorilla trekking
• Golden monkey tracking
• Chimpanzee tracking
• Stopover at Rwanda’s national museum
• Transportation in 4×4 drive safari vehicle
• Service of an English-speaking driver-guide
• 4 nights and meals
Brief itinerary of your 5 days Rwanda primate tour
Day 1: Travel to Nyungwe Forest National Park
Day 2: Chimpanzee tracking and Canopy walk in Nyungwe Forest National Park
Day 3: Drive to Volcanoes National Park
Day 4: Gorilla trekking and Iby’Iwacu Cultural Village
Day 5: Golden monkey tracking and drive back to Kigali
Detailed itinerary of your 5 days Rwanda primate tour
Day 1: Travel to Nyungwe Forest National Park
Upon your early arrival at Kigali International Airport, you will be warmly welcomed by a driver guide from Maranatha Tours and Travel. He will give you insight into what your primate package includes and later, drive you to enjoy lunch at the hotel prior to heading to Nyungwe Forest National Park which is found in Southwestern Rwanda, about 6 hours. Along the way, you will make a stopover at the National Museum in Butare and after, connect to Nyungwe Forest National Park to spend the rest of your evening relaxing and for night stay.
Travel time: 6 hours
Meals: Lunch and Dinner
Accommodation options at Nyungwe Forest National Park
Luxury: Nyungwe Forest Lodge
Mid-range: Nyungwe Top Hill Lodge
Budget: Gisakura Guesthouse
Day 2: Chimpanzee tracking and Canopy walk in Nyungwe Forest National Park
Expect to rise early enough to have breakfast and then proceed to Uwinka to catch up with the 7:00 am a briefing on the set dos and don’ts to be observed while on a trek to view the chimpanzees. After the park ranger guide will escort you to start your search for chimpanzees and this experience may cover about 2-4 hours and this covers an hour of magical encounter with chimpanzees, photography, exploring in-depth their behaviors.
Amazingly, a chimpanzee trek also comes with astonishing sights at other different species of primates-including the L’Hoest monkeys, olive baboons, vervet monkeys, red-tailed monkeys, black and white colobus monkeys, birds, flora and many more. After, retreat from your thrilling primate adventure experience to have lunch at the lodge.
At 2:00 pm, you have the afternoon canopy walk on top of Nyungwe Forest. It is a rewarding experience that lets you see a variety of primates, avifauna species, flora and scenic canopy of Nyungwe Forest. After your 2-hour canopy walk experience, get back to the lodge to relax, dine and for a night stay.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner
Accommodation options at Nyungwe Forest National Park
Luxury: Nyungwe Forest Lodge
Mid-range: Nyungwe Top Hill Lodge
Budget: Gisakura Guesthouse
Day 3: Drive to Volcanoes National Park
Today, your day will commence with a delicious cup of tea or coffee and later, begin your journey to Volcanoes National Park in the Northern Province of Rwanda. This will be a long road trip and may take you 6 to 7 hours depending on the speed of the driver-guide. On the way, you will be served with lunch and on arrival at Volcanoes National Park, you will have a quick visit to the scenic Twin Lakes-Lake Ruhondo and Burera. Later, connect to the lodge to relax as you wait for your gorilla trek the following day.
Travel time: 6-7 hours
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner
Accommodation choices at Volcanoes National Park
Luxury: Mountain Gorilla View Lodge, Bisate Lodge
Mid-range: Da Vinci Gorilla Lodge, Le Bambou Gorilla Lodge
Budget: Kinigi Guesthouse, Hotel Muhabura
Day 4: Gorilla trekking and Iby’Iwacu Cultural Village
You will be served with a hot cup of tea or coffee and later, connect to Kinigi park headquarters where you will be briefed on gorilla trekking rules and regulations. Because this adventure demands some level of physical fitness, you require some drinking water and energy-giving snacks. It is today that you will be allocated to a habituated gorilla group to track in a group of 8 trekkers and the groups in Volcanoes National Park, they include Susa A, Ugenda, Karisimbi, Hirwa, Kwitonda, Sabyinyo, Umubano, Amahoro, Bwenge, and Agashya.
A trek to view mountain gorillas in Volcanoes National Park may take you about 2 to 6 hours but this may vary depending on your speed of hiking, where the gorillas are found and general condition of the habitat. On finding these apes, you have an hour to explore their behaviors, take pictures. After, you will return to the lodge to chill and enjoy your lunch.
You may choose to embark on a community walk to Iby’Iwacu Cultural Village for a cultural experience or spend your evening relaxing while enjoying the breathtaking views over the surrounding areas of the park.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner
Accommodation choices at Volcanoes National Park
Luxury: Mountain Gorilla View Lodge, Bisate Lodge
Mid-range: Da Vinci Gorilla Lodge, Le Bambou Gorilla Lodge
Budget: Kinigi Guesthouse, Hotel Muhabura
Day 5: Golden monkey tracking and drive back to Kigali
Wake up early in the morning to enjoy your cup of tea or coffee and after, connect at Kinigi park headquarters for a briefing on golden monkey tracking rules and regulations. Golden monkey trek lets you get close to golden monkeys in the wild. This adventure will take you about 2-4 hours and after one hour of magical encounter, return to check out of the lodge and make a return journey to Kigali, about 2-3 hours.
End of your 5 days Rwanda primate tour
5 days Rwanda primate tour includes
• Golden monkey tracking permits
• Gorilla trekking permits at $1500
• Chimpanzee permits
• Canopy walk
• Bottled water
• Airport transfer
• Accommodation and meals
• Relevant government taxes
• Travel in 4×4 drive safari vehicle
• Service of an English-speaking driver-guide
5 days Rwanda primate tour excludes
• Tips
• Rwanda visa fees
• Laundry services
• Personal insurance
• International flight fares
• Hotel fees in Kigali
Things to pack on your 5 days Rwanda primate tour
• Camera without flashlight
• Insect repellents
• Long-sleeved shirts or t-shirt
• Trousers plus socks
• Sun hat
• First aid kit
• Gardening gloves
• Waterproof hiking boots or walking shoes
Gorilla and chimpanzee trekking etiquette
• Don’t liter the gorilla or chimpanzee habitat
• A distance of 7 meters should be kept away from mountain gorillas or chimpanzees.
• When taking pictures of gorillas or chimpanzees, flashlight cameras are not accepted.
• One hour is given to trekkers to strike their imaginations with chimpanzees, mountain gorillas, and golden monkeys.
• Please cover your mouth when coughing and nose when sneezing
• Persons above 15 years are considered eligible to trek mountain gorillas, chimpanzees.
• 8 visitors are allowed to track one habituated gorilla group
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15 days Uganda Rwanda tour