Our 5 days Volcanoes and Nyungwe Safari ticks magical Rwanda’s top safari destinations, starting off with a tour of Kigali’s top tourist sites like Kamironko food market, the Kigali Genocide Memorial Center, one of the popular Art Center, and many others. Your first destination will be Nyungwe Forest National Park in the Southern Province of Rwanda for the chance to track and spend time with the reclusive chimpanzees in the wild. Continue with the safari towards the Northern Province where you will visit Volcanoes National Park to track the mountain gorillas in their natural habitat.
Highlights of our 5 days Volcanoes and Nyungwe Safari
- Search for the mountain gorillas through varying landscapes of Volcanoes National Park.
- Trek the endangered chimpanzees in their natural habitat- Nyungwe Forest National Park.
- Visit the Kigali Genocide Memorial Center for an insight into the painful 1994 genocide that shaped the country’s unity.
- Visit the Gorilla Guardian village for a face-to-face perspective into the lifestyle of traditional Rwandan culture.
Brief Itinerary
Thrilling Kigali City Tour and road trip to Nyungwe Forest National Park.
Tracking the endangered Chimpanzees in their natural habitat and guided tea plantation tours.
Connect to Volcanoes National Park, in the Northern Province of Rwanda.
Mountain Gorilla Tracking in Volcanoes National Park and the visit to Gorilla Guardian Village.
Depart the remarkable Volcanoes National Park.
Detailed Itinerary
Day 1: Thrilling Kigali City Tour and road trip to Nyungwe Forest National Park
The beautiful City of Kigali is one of the most picturesque, clean, and peaceful Cities you will ever visit, and is surrounded by stunning rolling hills and lush Valleys. This is the starting point of your safari and given its irresistible attractions, you will have a few hours to explore some of the historical and cultural sites. Visit the Nyamata Genocide memorial Center, the renowned Gahaya Gifted hands to see how beautiful jewelry and crafts are made by survivors of the genocide, and the Art Center at Inema to shop for African crafts, souvenirs, jewelry, and others.
Only time will limit you because there is a lot to explore in this City and after this productive and rewarding tour, start the journey to Nyungwe Forest National Park, home to 70 mammal species that include 12 species of primates and about 320 bird species. On getting to the Lodge, immediately check-in, in and have late lunch while taking in the jaw-dropping jungle views.
Overnight at:
- Luxury: One & Only Nyungwe House
- Midrange: Nyungwe Top Hill View Hotel.
Meals: Lunch and Dinner.
Day 2: Tracking the endangered Chimpanzees in their natural habitat and guided tea plantation tours
On this day you will explore Nyungwe Forest National Park for its remarkable chimpanzee communities. This Park has about 12 primate species and many of these encountered during the chimpanzee trekking adventure. Leave the Lodge as early as 5:00 am and converge at the Visitor Center for briefing before beginning to hike deep into the jungle with an armed Ranger and guide to search for the chimpanzee community. Having walked for 2-4 hours, the chimpanzees found and allowed only one hour to watch these Great Apes before retiring to the Lodge.
After your lunch, take a guided tour of the Gisakura Tea estate to learn about tea picking, drying, grading, processing, and packaging. You will later enjoy a tea party at the end of the tour.
Overnight at:
- Luxury: One & Only Nyungwe House
- Midrange: Nyungwe Top Hill View Hotel.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner.
Day 3: Connect to Volcanoes National Park, in the Northern Province of Rwanda
After your breakfast, leave for Volcanoes National Park and this journey will take about 6-7 hours. Drive through the countryside filled with out-of-this-World views and arrive at the Lodge on time for lunch.
Overnight at:
- Singita Kwitonda Lodge or One & Only Gorilla’s Nest (luxury).
- Mountain Gorilla View Lodge or Five Volcanoes Boutique Hotel (Moderate).
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner.
Day 4: Mountain Gorilla Tracking in Volcanoes National Park and the visit to Gorilla Guardian Village
An early rise, followed by breakfast and briefing at the Park Headquarters. At 8:30 am start the search for mountain gorillas through the slopes of Virunga Volcanoes marked by dense and lush Bamboo forest. The trek for mountain gorillas take 1-5 hours, hence make sure that you have enough drinking water to keep you hydrated throughout the trek and comfortable walking shoes because the terrains are rugged and sometimes slippery. After finding them, take the pleasure to spend one hour observing and taking photos. Return to the Lodge with fresh memories and a camera full of mountain gorilla photos, to have lunch and rest.
The afternoon spent with the local community at Gorilla Guardian Village to learn about the traditional dances, local dishes and how they are prepared, herbal medicines and how they are mixed and so much about typical Rwandan village life. It is obviously an eventful day that needs to be ended with a nice meal and overnight relaxation.
Overnight at:
- Singita Kwitonda Lodge or One & Only Gorilla’s Nest (luxury).
- Mountain Gorilla View Lodge or Five Volcanoes Boutique Hotel (Moderate).
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner.
Day 5: Depart the remarkable Volcanoes National Park
After breakfast, leave for Kigali International Airport for your departing flight back home or onward safari.
Inclusions of the 5-day Volcanoes and Nyungwe Safari
- Kigali City tour.
- 4 nights’ accommodation.
- Relevant Government taxes and levies.
- Bottled water.
- Road transfers by a customized safari vehicle.
- Services of an experienced driver for the 5-day duration.
- Gorilla permit (@1500 per person).
- Chimp permit.
- The visit to Gorilla Guardian Village.
- Airport transfers on the first and last day of the safari.
The package excludes;
- Premium drinks at Lodges.
- Souvenir shopping.
- Laundry fees.
- Gratuities to Rangers, driver, porters and waiters.
- Porter fees.
- Telephone calls.
- Cigarettes,
- Visa fees