Wake up early and have breakfast before driving to the Nyungwe forest offices for a briefing on chimp tracking. The briefing discusses the forest’s history, where to find species, what to expect, and how to prepare. Chimpanzee hiking in Rwanda takes between two and six hours.

You will be accompanied by trackers and rangers. Although you’ll be looking for chimps, Nyungwe forest also has 12 other primate species. Golden monkeys are quite hard to find here, but expect to see the other 11 species. The park guides will explain everything about the forest and the many varieties of animals.

After monitoring the chimps, you will be transported back to your lodge for lunch and relaxation. Late in the afternoon, you will embark on a forest canopy hike. From the viewing platform, you may see butterflies, birds, primates, and many tree species. Return to the lodge for dinner and an overnight stay.

Meal plan: Breakfast, lunch and dinner

Wake up on your own time, eat breakfast, and check out and drive to Volcanoes National Park. You’ll pass past the stunning Lake Kivu and other breathtaking sights. Take as many shots of the lake as possible. Once you arrive in the park, you will check in and recover before heading out to see the twin lakes of Burera and Ruhondo. If you have time, take a boat to tour the islands or view birds before heading to the lodge for dinner and an overnight stay.

Accommodation options: La Palme hotel (Budget), Le bamboo hotel (Mid-range), five volcanoes Boutique hotel (Luxury).

Meal plan: Breakfast, lunch and dinner

Wake up early, eat breakfast, and then travel to Musanze’s park headquarters with your packed lunch and Drinking Water. During the briefing, you will learn about gorilla trekking guidelines, what to anticipate, and the animals in the park. There are ten habituated gorilla families in Rwanda. You will be allocated one depending on your general fitness and age, among other criteria.

The time spent tracking mountain gorillas is uncertain, but we anticipate between 2 and 6 hours at most.

After spending an hour with the gorillas, you will return to the starting location, where our corporate guide will be waiting for you. Take a lunch break at the lodge and relax. Later in the evening, you will visit the Iby’iwacu cultural village, which is located near to the park.

The Centre is currently known as the Gorilla Guardians Village. It began as a venue where repentant poachers could sell their handmade wares to visitors but has now evolved into a cultural performance hub. Enjoy traditional dance performances and explore the facilities to learn about the culture of Rwanda’s many tribes. Return to the lodge for dinner and an overnight stay.

Meal plan: Breakfast, lunch and dinner

Enjoy your breakfast, and then head to Kingi’s Park offices. You will meet other visitors who have come together to attend the Golden Monkey trekking briefing. Following the briefing, the park guides will lead you on a search of monkeys in the bamboo woods.

Unlike gorilla trekking, golden monkey tracking in Rwanda takes less time. Expect the exercise to take no more than four hours. Golden monkeys are adorable yet endangered creatures. They are exclusively found in Rwanda, Uganda, and the Congo. In contrast to gorillas, golden monkeys are lively and comfortable with flash photographers.

After spending time with the primates, you will return to the starting point, where our driver will wait to take you back to the lodge for checkout before departing for Kigali. The travel back to Kigali takes around 2 to 3 hours. The driver will transport you to the airport for your departure or to your hotel if you are still present.

End of Tour