6 Days Nyungwe Chimpanzee Trek and Volcanoes Park Safari
This 6 Days Nyungwe Chimpanzee Trek and Volcanoes Park Safari takes you on an exclusive adventure where you get to trek chimpanzees in Nyungwe Forest National Park. You will also encounter mountain gorillas and golden monkeys in Volcanoes National Park, and visit the Dian Fossey Museum and Ibyi’wacu villages.
Highlights for 6 Days Nyungwe Chimpanzee Trek and Volcanoes Park Safari
Day 1: Transfer to Nyungwe Forest National Park
Day 2: Chimpanzee tracking – Canopy walkway experience
Day 3: Transfer to Gisenyi – Lake Kivu boat trip
Day 4: Transfer to Volcanoes national park – Visit the Dian Fossey museum and Ibyi’wacu Cultural Village
Day 5: Gorilla Trekking experience
Day 6: Golden Monkey Trek and Transfer back to Kigali
Detailed Itinerary for 6 Days Nyungwe Chimpanzee Trek and Volcanoes Park Safari
Day 1: Transfer to Nyungwe Forest National Park
Depending on your location in Kigali, you will be met by our safari guide and embark on your journey to Nyungwe Forest National Park which is a 6-7 hours drive from Kigali. Upon arrival in Nyungwe, proceed to check in your booked lodge for relaxation, dinner, and overnight stay.
Day 2: Chimpanzee tracking – Canopy walkway experience
Enjoy breakfast and go for a briefing about the endangered chimpanzees before entering the forest in search of the active and playful fellows in Nyungwe forest. The Chimpanzees are much easier to spot as they jump from one tree to another, chattering and laughing. Chimpanzee tracking usually takes about 3 hours. To find them, spend an hour while taking pictures and videos. You will then return to your accommodation for lunch.
After lunch, you will go on a walking trail that will take you to the Canopy Walk swing bridge 50 meters in length that is suspended from large trees. You will be able to see the amazing rainforest with a bird’s eye view, spotting wildlife moving about below you. Return to the lodge for dinner and overnight stay at the lodge as above
Day 3: Transfer to Gisenyi – Lake Kivu boat trip
After breakfast, check out of the lodge and transfer to Gisenyi. It takes about 5 hours to drive there with en-route sightseeing of coffee plantations, lake Kivu, and the countryside of the rolling hills. Upon arrival, have your lunch and later afternoon, explore Lake Kivu on a boat trip. Visit some of the islands. Dinner and overnight stay at your selected lodge/resort.
Day 4: Transfer to Volcanoes national park – Visit the Dian Fossey museum and Ibyi’wacu Cultural Village
After your breakfast, check out of the lodge and transfer to Volcanoes National Park, which is about a 1-2 hour drive. Upon arrival in Musanze, drive to visit the Dian Fossey Museum and Ellen DeGeneres Gorilla Campus. Enjoy your lunch and later afternoon, visit the visit Ibyi’wacu Cultural Village-a Non-Profit umbrella organization that aims at improving the lives of reformed poachers and communities around Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park through the provision of conservation incentives, supporting community enterprise development and livelihood-based projects. It’s a rewarding place where you will be guided around the place as you enjoy the Kinyarwanda traditions including the Intore dance, traditional ceremonies, and a guided community walk.
Dinner and overnight stay at your selected lodge.
Day 5: Gorilla Trekking experience
You will enjoy an early morning breakfast and transfer to the park headquarters with your packed lunch and bottled drinking water for a briefing by the park ranger guides at 7:00 am. After the briefing, you will start your gorilla trekking journey accompanied by the ranger guides in search of the mountain gorillas; this takes 2 to 5 hours depending on the movement of the gorillas. You will spend 1 hour with these gentle giants and later return to your lodge to refresh and relax. Dinner and overnight stay at lodge as above
Day 6: Golden Monkey Trekking and Transfer back to Kigali
After early morning breakfast, you will drive to the park’s briefing point as early as 7 am. You will be briefed and then placed into groups comprised of eight members and accompanied by park rangers and guides. You will then begin your trek into the forest in search of golden monkey families and once you have located a group, you will be given an hour to spend in the midst of these playful primates.
Have lunch and transfer to Kigali which is about a 2-3 hour drive. Upon arrival, do an optional Kigali city tour before you are dropped off at your hotel in Kigali or catch your night flight back home.
End of the 6 Days Nyungwe Chimpanzee Trek and Volcanoes Park Safari.
