Gorilla trekking in Rwanda is one of the most enjoyable and interesting activity. It’s one of the experiences that create unforgettable memories and it only be carried out in Volcanoes National Park. There are a number of gorilla safari itineraries but some of the best ones include 03 days, 04 days, 05 days, 07 days and 14 days as the article below explains.
You can choose to go for a 03 days safari. This 03 Days Rwanda gorilla luxury safari gets you to Volcanoes National Park. It is a home to the endangered mountain gorillas. You will have a brief but rewarding experience with the gentle giants and optional you could visit the IbyI’wacu cultural villages a great place to get to learn about the rich and diverse culture of the Rwandese people. Check out this 03 Days Rwanda gorilla safari itinerary.
On the first day of your 03 Days Rwanda gorilla trekking safari, a representative from Nature Adventure Africa Safaris will pick from your hotel or airport upon your arrival and transfer you to Volcanoes National Park famous for the endangered mountain gorillas. The drive takes about some good hours as you gaze through the beautiful vegetation and the winding roads depending on the time you left Kigali lunch could also be an option on the way. Arrive and check in at 5 volcanoes lodge for dinner and an overnight stay.
Early in the morning on the second day of your 3 Days Rwanda gorilla safari, you will have breakfast and assemble at the park headquarters for briefing and be assigned the gorilla family to trek. Later head to the jungle in the company of the ranger guide who will be taking you to the exact spot where to see the gorillas from. Upon meeting the gorillas, you will be filled with the thrill, take as many photos as you interact with them. Spend a maximum of 1 hour with them and later descend and head back to your park headquarters, meet your guide and drive your lodge for lunch and relaxation.
After lunch, you will be picked up by your guide/driver and head to IbyI’wacu cultural village where you will be immersed and taught about the richness in the Rwanda culture. You have the opportunity to practically use some tools, carry out activities such as the preparation of local meals, cuisines and many more. Return to your lodge for dinner and an overnight stay.
Wake to a relaxed morning on the last day of your 3 Days Rwanda gorilla trekking tour, have breakfast, pack your bags and drive back to Kigali. If time allows, you will do a Kigali city tour experience the life of the city and visit the memorial sites and museums. You may also get the opportunity of visiting the local market where you have the opportunity of getting souvenirs to take back home. Later you are transferred to the airport to catch up with your flight back home. Enjoy our tours in Rwanda while cruising in the well customized safari jeeps that can accommodate from 02 – 06 travelers and each with window seat for easily viewing the beautiful landscapes.
04 days gorilla trekking safari. This 04 Days Rwanda gorilla trekking to Volcanoes National Park and Bisoke Hike takes you to Volcanoes Rwanda National Park for Gorilla trekking and later you will hike mountain Bisoke to the summit. Volcanoes National Park is not only the home to the mountain gorillas but also golden monkeys, spotted hyenas, buffaloes, elephants, black-fronted duikers, and bush backs. There are also about 178 bird species including 29 endemics from Rwenzori and Virunga.
On the first day of your 4 Days Rwanda Gorilla trekking safari, you will be met at Kigali International Airport by one of our experienced guides who will give you a brief tour of Kigali City before beginning your drive to the Volcanoes National Park. You will have lunch in Kigali. On arrival, you will check-in at your booked accommodation for relaxation, dinner and overnight stay. Luxury accommodation options include One & Only Gorilla’s Nest, Wilderness Bisate Lodge, Singita Kwitonda Lodge, Mountain Gorilla View Lodge and many other lodges.
2nd day, have a heavy breakfast due to the hectic and physically demanding activity you are about to participate in. Later converge at the Park Headquarters for a pre – trekking briefing on the dos and don’ts of gorilla trekking and then get into the jungles to search for the allocated gorilla family. Once sighted, you will be expected to spend only one hour with the gorilla family while observing them and taking photos of these creatures grooming, feeding and playing.
In the forest, you will be able to see the breathtaking views of the Virunga volcanoes as well as encounter other wildlife species such as buffaloes, elephants, monkeys, and bush bucks and a variety of bird species. Head back to lodge for lunch and in the evening have a simple community walk to learn about the ways of life of typical Rwandan villages and visit one of the local schools. Get back to lodge for dinner and overnight stay.
3rd day, this day will be for hiking Dian Fossey Tomb or grave yard. The day starts with a delicious and healthy breakfast before continuing to the park to visit the Dian Fossey Tomb where you will have an insight on the life of an American primatologist who spent over 18 years protecting the mountain gorillas before being murdered. The trek to this tomb takes about 3 – 4 hours and takes you through some of the most beautiful stretches of Hagenia – Hypericum forest in the Volcanoes National Park. This hike is an incredible experience physically, emotionally and intellectually. The tomb is in Karisoke Research Center.
Entrance fee is $ 75 per person. At the site you will find the house from where Dian Fossey was mysteriously murdered in 1985. Later return to the lodge for lunch and spend the remaining hours of the at relaxation.
4th day, have breakfast before checking out of the Lodge and transferring to Kigali City. You will have a tour of this city again. Kigali city is known to be one of the cleanest and most organized Cities in Africa. While here, you will get to visit some of the local markets for fresh organic fruits, craft shops for souvenirs, the Kigali memorial center and art galleries among others. You will later have lunch and be driven to the Airport for your return flight and that will mark the end of your 4 days safari.
5 days gorilla trekking safari. This 5-days Rwanda gorilla trekking and culture safari is meant to provide clients with a cultural and gorilla experience in Rwanda as a tourism destination. You will spend some time in the northern part of Rwanda for gorilla trekking and scenic viewing in the Virunga ranges and then return to Kigali for a city tour before visiting the King’s Palace and the National Museum to learn more about the Rwandan culture.
You will be met by our company representative on arrival who will then drive you to Volcanoes National Park located in the northern part of Rwanda. This journey takes you through the beautiful country side of terraced hills and meandering roads arriving at your lodge in time for dinner and overnight. Check-in at Singita Kwitonda Lodge for dinner and overnight as you prepare for the next day’s activity.
Singita – Kwitonda Gorilla Lodge
2nd day, have an early morning tasty breakfast at the lodge, you will start your exciting morning drive to the Volcanoes National Park headquarters to begin your trek into the indigenous forest in search for the Gorillas. This trek gives you the opportunity to immerse yourself into the strange but intimate part of the rain-forest where you will hear live calls of colorful birds, chattering of the rare golden monkey, as well as the forest filled with fresh spoor of the mountain elusive populations of buffalo and elephant. Once you come close to the mountain gorillas, you will be given about 1 hour to encounter with these giants. Trek back to the headquarters to receive your certificates. Return to the lodge for lunch and later relax at the lodge to chill from the tiresome and exciting activity of the day.
3rd day, the day will be for a transfer to Kigali city. Upon arrival in Kigali city, you will go for a city tour in Kigali that may involve visits to markets, driving around town and a visit to Kigali Memorial genocide center to learn more about the history of the genocides in Rwanda and the entire world.
Check-in at Kigali Serena Hotel for lunch, freshen up and spend the next hours at relaxation.
4th day, after an early morning breakfast, you will drive to Butare region of Rwanda for a visit to the Kings’ Palace. You will be taken through the rich culture of Rwanda, the history of kingship from the first king to the last one and after that you will visit the National Museum before returning back to Kigali for overnight at your booked lodge.
5th day, depending on your departure schedule, you will be transferred to Kigali Airport for your international flight back home.
07 days gorilla trekking safari. The 07 Days Rwanda safari offers you exceptional Kigali city tour and then to the mountain gorilla trekking experience in Volcanoes National Park and chimpanzee trekking in Nyungwe Forest National Park. The other activities to do on this 6 Days Rwanda gorilla safari include Dian Fossey grave hike, Kigali city tour and cultural visits among others. The two parks are the top primate destinations in the Land of a Thousand hills.
Volcanoes National Park located in north western Rwanda shelters over 350 mountain gorillas which make it the best place for gorilla trekking in the Virunga conservation Area. The park entails about 11 habituated gorilla families open for trekking.
Each gorilla permit in Rwanda costs $1500 allowing a traveler to spend an hour with the endangered gorillas. Volcanoes Park also shelters golden monkeys, colobus monkeys, African buffaloes, elephants and other wild animals. Nyungwe Forest National Park is located in south western Rwanda.
The park is famous for chimpanzee trekking, monkey trekking, canopy walk and waterfall hiking adventures. Nyungwe Forest National Park is also an Important Birding Area in Rwanda sheltering over 300 bird species some of which are not found anywhere else in the whole world. The 6 Days safari also include a city tour to genocide sites, local markets, art galleries and shopping malls among others.
Day 1, on arrival, you will be picked by the tour guide and set off for a scenic drive to around the Kigali city tour and thereafter exploring the historical , religious landmarks and the local markets you will retire at the 05 star Haven Retreat in Kigali with the scenic view of the Kigali landscapes.
Haven Retreat – Kigali
Day2: Have breakfast, and after transfer to Nyungwe Forest National Park. You will have en route visit to one of the cultural places such as Nyanza Kings palace, Butare national museum, Murambi genocide museum among others. Proceed and reach Nyungwe in the evening for dinner and overnight at One & Only Nyungwe House.
One & Only Nyungwe House
Day 2, in the morning, you will set off to the forest for chimpanzee trekking adventure. Embark to the hotel for lunch and in the afternoon, go for forest canopy walk. Dinner and overnight at One & Only Nyungwe House.
Day 3, early morning, you will set off a spectacular drive to Akagera national park reaching early in the afternoon. Have lunch and go for a boat cruise on L. Ihema where you will spot water animals such as crocodiles and hippos. Dinner and overnight at Ruzizi Tented lodge.
Day 4, in the morning, you will drive to the northern section of the park for game viewing anticipating to see a variety of wildlife species including members of the big five mammals such as Defassa Water buck, Topi, Bohor Reed bucks, Oribis, Semi-Aquatic Sitatunga, Eland, Giraffes, Buffaloes, Elephants, Lions among others. In the afternoon, you will exit the park and transfer to Volcanoes National Park. On arrival check-in at Mountain Gorilla View lodge for dinner and overnight stay.
Day 5, early morning with packed lunch, you will go to the park headquarters for briefing before embarking on the gorilla trekking adventure. An hour is granted to you to encounter with the gorillas. Upon completion of the experience, you will trek back to the park headquarters to meet to driver to transfer you back to the lodge for lunch and relaxing. In the evening, you will go for a cultural walk to IbyI’wacu for cultural visit where you will learn more about the Banyarwanda culture. They will teach you on how they make amachunda, esabwe and other dairy products. Return to lodge for dinner and overnight stay.
Day 6, early morning, you will go for a briefing at the park headquarters before setting off into the forest to start searching for golden monkeys. After locating these monkeys, you will enjoy them as they play in the forest. After the experience, you will have lunch and transfer to Kigali. Arriving in Kigali, you will visit the Gisozi genocide memorial, local markets among others in case if you have enough time. You will then transfer to the airport for your departure flight.
14 days gorilla trekking safari. This safari will take you through different national parks such as Volcanoes National Park, Nyungwe National Park, Akagera National to enjoy activities such as gorilla trekking, chimpanzee trekking, boat cruise, game drives among other activities. You will also have a city tour in Kigali.
Upon arrival at Kigali International Airport, you will be welcomed to the land of “a thousand hills” by our company representative who will transfer you to your booked luxury accommodation for lunch, relaxation, dinner and sleepover. Accommodation options include Four points by Sheraton Kigali, The Retreat, Kigali Marriott Hotel and many others.
Day 2, you will start the morning with a tour of the genocide reconciliation village outside of Kigali city and hear the stories of genocide survivors as they live alongside the perpetrators. You will visit the Bugesera church Nyamata where many people lost their lives in the genocide. After this experience, return to Kigali for lunch. After lunch, you may also pay a visit to the Kigali genocide memorial, Kandt museum and shop for art and crafts. Later return to the lodge for dinner and sleepover.
Day 3, on this day, you will have breakfast and your driver guide will pick you up from the hotel to transfer you to Akagera National Park. You will arrive in the park and drive to your hotel for check in. Accommodation options include Mantis Akagera Game Lodge, Ruzizi Tented Lodge, Akagera Game Lodge among others. Have lunch and after lunch join in on a boat safari on Lake Ihema. Have the boat today so that you spend the next day exploring the northern sector of Akagera on safari. On the boat cruise, you will get an opportunity of spotting crocodiles and hippos.
Day 4, the day will be for a game drive and boat cruise. Akagera National Park is a Savannah park with Elephants, Hippos, Buffaloes and Lions and these can be spotted on game drives. After an early breakfast, the game drive will take you to the northern part of the park where most of the animals prefer to inhabit. On the drive you can also spot animals such as the Zebras, Giraffes and Impalas which are usually scattered along the game tracks.
After the game drive, you will go back to the lodge for lunch and later go again for a boat cruise on Lake Ihema where you will spot crocodiles and hippos sun bathing.
Day 5, on this day you can choose to go for a community tour and you will spend the whole day interacting with the locals as they tell you on how they survive. You will visit a homestead of cattle keepers and engage in the different activities. Start early by joining in milking the cows with hands. The herdsman will guide you on how to soothe the cow and milk it. You also have lessons on how milk is converted traditionally into different products like ghee and yogurt, esabwe among other products.
You will engage in production of the local production that’s beers and the bees, arts and crafts as well as the celebration which is food and festivities. You may have your lunch together with the locals. In the evening you will return to your lodge for dinner and overnight stay.
Day 6, this day will be for transferring to Nyungwe Forest National Park the home of chimpanzees via Kigali city. You will have a stopover in Huye for lunch and a visit to the national museum to learn more about the history and traditions of the Rwanda people. You can alternatively take on the coffee experience at Huye Mountain coffee experience. After this experience, continue to your booked lodge for dinner and overnight. Luxury accommodation options include One and Only Nyungwe House, Mantis Kivu Marina Bay, Emeraude Kivu Resort among others.
Day 7, it will be a day for chimpanzee trekking and canopy walk. After an early breakfast, leave for Chimpanzee trekking in Nyungwe forest. The forest is rich in botanical diversity and home to 13 species of primates including Chimpanzees, L’Hoest monkeys and Columbus monkeys with 300 bird species.
The trekking will start with a briefing at the park headquarters and here you will be grouped into different groups of 6 members. The total length of the trek will depend on where the chimpanzees overnight the previous day. After locating the chimpanzees, you will spend about 1 hour in the natural habitat with the primates and later head back to the lodge for lunch. After lunch, you will go for canopy walk in the forest. The canopy walk allows you to see beautiful views of the forest from above as you admire nature.
The canopy walk gives an opportunity to our clients to interact face to face with different species of butterflies, birds and the monkeys. This walk is carried out on the bridge between the canopy of the forest. You will return to the lodge for dinner and overnight stay.
Day 8, this morning again you leave for the briefing at the Nyungwe forest park’s headquarters to know about the rules and guidelines followed. After briefing, the community guide will lead you for the Colobus monkey trekking. The habituated troops are normally many individuals when in the same group but often split into different groups. Enjoy watching the playful interactions of the monkeys as they groom, feed and play for each other. You are allowed 1 hour in their presence before you start the trek back. Return to the lodge for lunch and spend the remaining hours at relaxation.
Day 9, transfer to Volcanoes national park. Enjoy your breakfast and then embark on your journey to the park. You will pass by different sights and winding roads in the land of a thousand hills. You will have opportunities to have different stopovers for pictures and stretching depending on your needs.
You will have your lunch on the way depending on where the lunch hours will find you. Upon arrival you will check in at your booked Rwanda luxury lodge for relaxing as you prepare for the next day’s activity. Accommodation options include Sabyinyo Silver back Lodge, Bisate Lodge, Virunga Volcanoes Lodge, Five Volcanoes Hotels and many more.
Bisate Wilderness Lodge
Day 10, this day will be for gorilla trekking. Meet the mountain gorillas in the dense jungles of the Virunga ranges. The trek to the gorillas starts with a briefing at the park headquarters in Kinigi where you are assigned a ranger and gorilla family to trek. After briefing, your ranger guide leads you to the starting point of the trek.
You might need to drive to the starting point of the trek depending on location of gorilla group you are trekking. The trek through the habitat of these enormous animals is a fulfilling unforgettable experience that many people look to undertake. The trek can last from a few minutes to several hours depending on where the gorillas nested the previous night.
Upon locating the gorilla group, you will trek back to the headquarters to meet your driver to transfer you back to the lodge for late lunch. You can decide to spend the remaining hours at relaxation since you will be from a tiresome experience or go for a cultural tour in IbyI’wacu Cultural Village.
Day 11, this day will be for Golden Monkey Trekking and visiting the Gorilla Guardians Village. Just like the previous day, your driver guide will transfer you to the park headquarters for briefing before you can start your trek. Golden monkeys are generally more active than gorillas and will require you to move as you follow them foraging for food. Once you locate them, you are only allowed to stay with them for 1 hour after which you trek back.
On return from the park, visit the Gorilla guardian’s village where you will learn more about the Rwandan culture and the life style of gorillas. Become a King or Queen for a day, get involved in knitting, learn how to use a bow and arrow.
Day 12, have a relaxed breakfast and after get ready to meet your driver to embark on your journey to Lake Kivu for a down time unwinding from all the hectic travel and experiences. On arrival, you will check-in at Kivu Lodge for lunch and later go for an evening boat cruise at Lake Kivu where you will spot a lot of bird species such as White-breasted Cormorants, Pied Kingfishers and Osprey. Dinner and sleepover at Kivu Lodge.
Day 13, this will be more of a rest day for you to think through your entire journey exploring Rwanda on the shores to the beautiful lake Kivu. The activities you can engage in include a visit to the Gisenyi hot springs, take a boat trip to an island, kayaking on lake Kivu, visit DR Congo – Rwanda border, and relax at the lakeside in the evening sipping a way to your favorite.
Day 14, start your day with breakfast and transfer to Kigali international airport for your departure flight back home.
Book your favorable Rwanda tour itinerary from the above ones and be sure that Nature Adventure Africa Safaris is waiting to serve you to the fullest and we will make sure we make your dream come true at your desired destination.
