5 Days Rwanda Primates Tour
Tour Overview
The 5 Days Rwanda primates tour with chimpanzee tracking, Rwanda gorillas, golden monkeys is a perfect adventure package that gets you exposed to the world’s unique primate species; the endangered mountain gorillas, eastern chimpanzees, and golden monkeys. Embarking on the special 5 days Rwanda primates tour involves exploring top primate destinations; Volcanoes National Park and Nyungwe Forest National Park. During your primate encounters, you will have a close observation of how different primates behave in the wild and taking pictures.
Tour Details
Brief Itinerary
Day 1: Pick up & drive to Nyungwe Forest National Park via Butare
Day 2: Chimpanzee tracking & canopy walk with a guide
Day 3: Drive to Volcanoes National Park from Nyungwe
Day 4: Enjoy the Rwanda gorilla trek & community walk
Day 5: Enjoy a golden monkey trek and depart
Detailed Itinerary
Day 1: Pick up & drive to Nyungwe Forest National Park via Butare
Today will involve pick up and briefing at the hotel in Kigali. After, you will be transferred by car to Nyungwe National Park which is found in the Southern Province of Rwanda. You will spend about 6-7 hours to reach to Nyungwe and en route, you will make a stopover at Butare/Huye to visit the ethnographic museum, the King’s Palace and later, have lunch at leisure.
Depart from Butare for Nyungwe Forest National Park to check in your accommodation where you will relax, dine, and retire for the night.
Accommodation options
- Luxury: One&Only Nyungwe House
- Midrange: Nyungwe Top view Hotel
- Budget: Gisakura Guesthouse
Meal plan: Lunch plus Dinner
Travel time from Kigali: 6-7 hours
Day 2: Chimpanzee tracking & canopy walk with a guide
A delicious breakfast be enjoyed in the morning and after, you will assemble at Uwinka for briefing about chimpanzee tracking guidelines. The morning briefing session will also cover allocation of the park ranger guides who will take you on the chimpanzee trek. The 2-5 hour chimpanzee trek will be spent on a search for chimpanzees. On finding a chimp community, you will be exploring more about the unique behaviors of chimpanzees and you have a chance to take pictures.
Return from the chimp trek and expect to spend great time in your respective lodges. In the afternoon, you will have a special canopy walk experience starting from Uwinka. The canopy walk will involve exploring the suspended walkway set about 50 meters from the forest floor and extends for about 200 meters. As you walk, you will be viewing some of primates, the lush Nyungwe Forest canopy and also sight diversity of birds.
Accommodation options
- Luxury: One&Only Nyungwe House
- Midrange: Nyungwe Top view Hotel
- Budget: Gisakura Guesthouse
Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch, & Dinner
Day 3: Drive to Volcanoes National Park from Nyungwe
You will have breakfast and after, check out. Today’s morning, you will be picked up and transferred to Volcanoes National Park in the northwestern Rwanda. Arrive early for you to check in your respective lodges. Have a relaxed moment in the lodge and prepare your items for the next day’s gorilla trekking excursion.
Accommodation options
- Luxury: Kwitonda Lodge/Wilderness Bisate Lodge
- Midrange: Mountain Gorilla View Lodge/Da Vinci/Five Volcanoes Boutique Hotel
- Budget: Kinigi Guesthouse/Muhabura Hotel
Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch, & Dinner
Day 4: Enjoy the Rwanda gorilla trek & community walk
Have a hefty breakfast at the lodge and after, you will be transferred to Kinigi to get briefed about guidelines for gorilla trekking. It will be around this period when you will be allocated a group of gorillas to track and park ranger guides to lead you. The gorilla trek will take 2-6 hours and includes an hour for up close and personal encounter with mountain gorillas in the wild.
You will get back to the lodge to relax and in the afternoon, expect to visit Iby’Iwacu Cultural Village. At Iby’Iwacu, you will be interacting with the residents in the area, learn their unique traditions, cultures, practices, and also the projects they have to boost their livelihoods.
Accommodation options
- Luxury: Kwitonda Lodge/Wilderness Bisate Lodge
- Midrange: Mountain Gorilla View Lodge/Da Vinci/Five Volcanoes Boutique Hotel
- Budget: Kinigi Guesthouse/Muhabura Hotel
Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch, & Dinner
Day 5: Enjoy a golden monkey trek and depart
Enjoy a cup of tea/coffee early morning and after, you will gather at Kinigi for briefing about golden monkey tracking rules and regulations. Expect to begin your golden monkey trek at around 8:00 am from Kinigi with a guide. The trek will run for 2-4 hours inclusive of one hour for up close and personal encounter with a troop of golden monkeys in the wild.
Return from the golden monkey trek and settle for early lunch at the lodge. Later, check out and you will be transferred back to Kigali, about 2-3 hours’ drive. On arrival in Kigali, you will be transferred to the airport or hotel for relaxation.
End of tour
Tour inclusions
- Valid golden monkey permit
- Gorilla permit
- Guided canopy walk
- Cultural visit
- All trip activities except when it is optional
- All transportation on the ground in a 4×4 vehicle
- All cost for accommodation for 4 nights and meals as per the trip plan
- Bottled water
- Photography
- A professional driver or park ranger guide fees
Tour exclusions
- Tips
- Telephone bills
- Laundry services
- Passport
- Visas
- Additional fee on accommodation after the trip
- All fees for optional activities
- Alcoholic drinks
- Shopping bills
About Volcanoes National Park Ruhengeri
Volcanoes National Park is located in the Northwestern Rwanda and is where your gorilla trek will be conducted. The park was officially established in 1925 and covers 160 sq. km inhabiting a range of wildlife beyond mountain gorillas. Volcanoes National Park shelters golden monkeys, buffaloes, over 200 bird species including Kivu ground thrush, etc.
About Nyungwe National Park
Lying in the Southern Province, Nyungwe is home to 13 primate species, 310 bird species, and many other species. The 970 sq. km Nyungwe National Park is home to over 500 chimpanzees, 400 colobus monkeys, grey-cheeked mangabey monkeys, Dent’s Mona monkeys, l’hoest monkeys, crowned monkeys, olive baboons, vervet monkeys, red-tailed monkeys, and others.
