REMARKABLE GORILLA TREK

You’ll have a hotel transfer and will stay overnight at the Kigali Serena Hotel.

You will be served breakfast early morning and then we will drive you to the Nyungwe forest. On the way, you will visit the Palace of the King of Nyanza and the Butare National Museum. Lunch will be provided on the way as well. In the evening, you will arrive at the Nyungwe Forest Lodge, where you will stay overnight.

On the third morning of this Rwanda primate safari, we will enter the rainforest in search of chimpanzees. The rainforest is a lush place. You will be able to see around three hundred species of birds, twenty four of which are endemic; over a hundred varieties of butterflies and orchids can also be found in this forest. In the afternoon, you will get to rest at the lodge or go bird watching in the vicinity.

After breakfast, you will be taken to the Nyungwe forest to track the Colobus Monkeys which are black and white in color.  En route, you will see thirteen primate species that include chimpanzees, Ruwenzori and Colobus monkeys. You will also come across l’Hoest monkeys. The Colobus breed in larger groups, including a group that contains almost four hundred semi-habituated monkeys, considered to be the largest horde of African arboreal primates. You will have the opportunity to rest at the lodge or go bird watching in the afternoon.

On the fifth morning, we will take you on an incredible forest walk that will last almost an hour. You will get a chance to go above the tree tops on suspended bridges. This will provide a great view of one of the largest African rainforests. It will also give you a view of birds and primates at your eye level.

We will drive you in the afternoon to Kibuye by the shores of the beautiful Lake Kivu and you can spend some time playing in the lake. In the evening, you will get to unwind and rest at the lodge. You can also rent equipment for water sports at the lodge.

On the sixth morning, you will be taken to Gisenyi from Kibuye. You will get to see the beautiful Lake Kivu and the surrounding islands. Lunch will we served in Gisenyi before going to the Volcanoes National Park. This park is full of bamboo forests, heaths and open grasslands. However, it is most recognized for its mountain gorillas. You will also find other mammals in the park like the golden monkeys, buffaloes, bush bucks and spotted hyenas. There are about one hundred and eighty recorded bird species with at least thirteen species and sixteen subspecies which are widespread in the Ruwenzori Mountains.

This is the day dedicated to tracking gorillas. On the seventh morning, we will take you to Park Headquarters after breakfast. You will meet local guides who will brief you on the gorilla trekking etiquette. We will then hike into the forest to where the gorillas were spotted on the previous night and start tracking from that point.  The trekking will take anywhere from one to six hours and you will get to climb up to almost seven thousand feet.  The terrain you will come across may be rough.  The hike is physically challenging but the beautiful forest and the scenery surrounding it will make the trekking memorable.

Once you spot the gorillas, you will forget all about your fatigue as it is an unforgettable experience. Picnic lunches will be provided. It is advisable to carry adequate supply of water with you. Cameras are recommended for the trek. Rain can arrive anytime without warning as the cloud cover develops suddenly; hence, waterproof clothing is essential along with a waterproof bag for cameras and film. You have to remember that it is illegal to carry plastic bags in Rwanda.

This is the second day dedicated to gorilla tracking. You will be staying overnight at the Mountain Gorilla View Lodge.

On the ninth morning, you will get to explore the Volcanoes National Park and look for the golden monkeys which are extremely rare. You’ll find an exclusively habituated group of these primates in this park. You are driven to Kigali in the afternoon.

On the tenth morning, we will take you on a city tour. You can see the Genocide Memorial Centre and some other cultural sites. You will be provided airport transfer in the afternoon for your departure flight.