7 Days Primates of Rwanda Safari
Three primate encounters in one week: chimpanzees in Nyungwe Forest, golden monkeys on the Virunga slopes, and mountain gorillas in Volcanoes National Park — with a breather at Lake Kivu between treks.
Tour details
Duration: 7 days
Best for: Travellers who want the fullest possible primate itinerary: chimps, golden monkeys and gorillas, with a rest day at a lake
Group size: Private tour, your group and your guide
Travel style: Gorilla trekking, Chimpanzee tracking, Golden monkeys, Birding, Lake Kivu
Introduction
Rwanda packs three primate encounters into one week: chimpanzees in Nyungwe Forest, golden monkeys on the Virunga slopes, and mountain gorillas in Volcanoes National Park. You'll also stop at Lake Kivu, Rwanda's largest lake at 2,700 square kilometers, for a breather between treks.
This isn't a trip you rush. Gorilla tracking alone can take five hours of hiking at altitudes up to 4,000 meters. Here's what each day actually involves.
On this journey, you will explore the following highlights:
Chimpanzee Tracking
Nyungwe Forest National Park
Volcanoes National Park
Gorilla Tracking - The Ultimate Wildlife Encounter
Lake Kivu
Kigali City - The Heart of Rwanda
Birds & Birding
Day to day programme
Day 1: Arrive in Kigali
A guide meets you at Kigali International Airport and transfers you to your hotel. You'll get a briefing on what to expect and the trekking rules before you head out. Bed and breakfast.
Day 2: Kigali city tour, transfer to Nyungwe
Morning tour includes the Kigali Genocide Memorial, Nyamata Church, and local markets. After lunch, you drive south to Nyungwe, stopping in Huye (formerly Butare) at the Ethnographic Museum of Rwanda. You arrive at your lodge by evening. Full board.
Day 3: Chimpanzee trekking and canopy walk
Briefing at 5:30am, trek starts at 6:00am from either the Uwinka trailhead or the Cyamudongo sector. Afternoon: the canopy walk. Full board.
Day 4: Transfer to Gisenyi, Lake Kivu
A relaxed drive to the lake. Afternoon boat trip and a visit to the hot springs. Full board.
Day 5: Transfer to Volcanoes National Park, golden monkey tracking
Morning transfer, afternoon golden monkey trek. Free time after. Full board.
Day 6: Gorilla trekking and community walk
Briefing at park headquarters, then the trek. In the evening, visit Ibwachu Cultural Village, run by former poachers who now work in conservation and tourism. Full board.
Day 7: Transfer to Kigali, departure
Morning drive back to Kigali. Breakfast and lunch, then your departure flight.
What does Nyungwe Forest offer?
Nyungwe covers 1,019 square kilometers and holds 13 primate species, including chimpanzees and L'Hoest's monkeys. The park also has 322 bird species and 75 mammal species.
Chimp trekking starts with a briefing at 5:30am. The hike itself runs from one hour to several hours, depending on where the troop moved overnight. Once you find them, you get one hour with them. The same afternoon, you can take the canopy walk, a suspended bridge 40 meters above the forest floor.
What happens at Lake Kivu?
You relax. After two primate treks in Nyungwe, Lake Kivu gives you a day to recover before Volcanoes National Park. An optional boat ride and a visit to the hot springs fill the afternoon.
How does golden monkey tracking work?
Volcanoes National Park has two habituated golden monkey groups: one on the slopes of Karisimbi, one on Mount Sabinyo. Briefing starts at 7:00am at Kinigi park headquarters. Golden monkeys move less than gorillas, so this trek is usually shorter and easier to predict.
What does gorilla trekking involve?
You'll be at Kinigi by 7:00am for briefing. After that, rangers assign you to a gorilla family and you start climbing. Hikes range from 30 minutes to 5 hours, at altitudes between 2,500m and 4,000m. You get one hour with the gorillas once you reach them.
Bring your lunch and water. Hire a porter if you can. It cuts your load and puts money directly into the local community.
Where you'll stay
Kigali: Scheba Hotel or ChezLando (budget); Heaven Boutique, Mille Collines, or Lemigo (midrange); Kigali Serena or The Retreat (upmarket).
Nyungwe: Gisakura Guest House (budget); Nyungwe Top View Hotel (midrange); One & Only Nyungwe House (upmarket).
Lake Kivu: Palm Beach Resort (budget); Paradise Kivu Resort (midrange); Kivu Serena Hotel (upmarket).
Volcanoes: Le Bambou Gorilla Lodge or Davinci Lodge (budget); Mountain Gorilla View Lodge, Five Volcanoes Lodge, or Ingagi Park View Lodge (midrange); Bisate Lodge, One & Only Gorilla Nest, Bishop's House, Virunga Lodge, or Sabinyo Lodge (upmarket).
Would you like to receive this itinerary for inspiration?
Send us an email and we will share it with you.
What's included
Includes
- Accommodation, full board
- One gorilla permit per person
- Park entrance fees
- Internal flights
- Private guide for all sightseeing
- All transfers listed in the itinerary
Excludes
- Drinks
- Gratuities
- International flights
- Travel insurance
- Visa fees
Accommodations
During the trip, you will stay at:
Kigali: Scheba Hotel or ChezLando (budget), Heaven Boutique, Mille Collines or Lemigo (midrange), Kigali Serena or The Retreat (upmarket), bed and breakfast.
Nyungwe: Gisakura Guest House (budget), Nyungwe Top View Hotel (midrange), One & Only Nyungwe House (upmarket), full board.
Lake Kivu: Palm Beach Resort (budget), Paradise Kivu Resort (midrange), Kivu Serena Hotel (upmarket), full board.
Volcanoes: Le Bambou Gorilla Lodge or Davinci Lodge (budget), Mountain Gorilla View Lodge, Five Volcanoes Lodge or Ingagi Park View Lodge (midrange), Bisate Lodge, One & Only Gorilla Nest, Bishop's House, Virunga Lodge or Sabinyo Lodge (upmarket), full board.
Dream Safari?
Let us create a personalized African adventure that exceeds your wildest dreams. Your perfect safari awaits.
+256 752 782 323
Ready to Plan Your Safari?
Tell us your dates, group and what you want to see
You’ll get a custom itinerary and quote back, not a template someone else already used. Handled by a local team before you land in Entebbe.