10 Days Rwanda Gorilla and Chimpanzee Tracking Tour

Day 1: Kigali city tour

Day 2: Travel to Akagera National Park-do an afternoon game drive

Day 3: Game drive in the morning and boat cruise in the afternoon

Day 4: Drive to Nyungwe Forest National Park

Day 5: Chimpanzee tracking in Nyungwe Forest National Park

Day 6: Canopy walk and community walk

Day 7: Depart for Volcanoes National Park

Day 8: Gorilla trekking

Day 9: Golden monkey tracking or Dian Fossey hike and drive to Gisenyi/Lake Kivu

Day 10: Boat ride and return to Kigali

Day 1: Kigali city tour

After an early morning breakfast, you will set off for city tour in Kigali. While on Kigali city tour, you will pay a visit to Gisozi genocide site for you to explore more about the 1994 Rwanda genocide. As well, you will also have opportunity to pay a visit to nearby local markets and craft shops.

Dine and spend a night at Kigali Serena Hotel (Luxury), Flame Tree Village or Garr Hotel.

Day 2: Travel to Akagera National Park-do an afternoon game drive

Get up early enough and have a hot cup of tea or Rwanda coffee at your hotel of choice and after, head off to eastern Rwanda to Akagera National Park. Arrive here early enough to have lunch and some rest. In the afternoon, set off for exciting boat cruise along the scenic Lake Ihema which gets you the best views over several hippos, crocodiles and diverse water birds.

Accommodation options: Dereva Hotel (Budget), Akagera Game Lodge (Midrange) or Ruzizi tented camp/Magashi luxury tented camp (Luxury).

Day 3: Game drive and launch cruise

After breakfast early in the morning, you will set off for morning game drive via Akagera National Park’s spectacular savanna grassland to the northern part where you will have the best of wildlife views. On a game drive, expect to see wildlife species like lions, buffaloes, leopards if you are lucky enough, giraffes, rhinos, antelopes, birds and many others. Later, return to the lodge to have lunch and some rest then embark on afternoon most exciting boat cruise along Lake Ihema one of Rwanda’s most spectacular water lakes which rewards you with amazing views over aquatic life especially hippos, crocodiles and many water birds.

Accommodation options: Dereva Hotel (Budget), Akagera Game Lodge (Midrange) or Ruzizi tented camp/Magashi luxury tented camp (Luxury).

Day 4: Drive to Nyungwe Forest National Park

Following early morning breakfast, check out from your respective safari lodge and embark on a journey to Nyungwe Forest National Park. En-route, make a stopover at Nyanza museum, Butare museum and other amazing sites. After lunch, proceed to Nyungwe Forest National Park

Accommodation options: Nyungwe Forest Lodge (Luxury), Top Hill View Lodge (Moderate) or Gisakura Guesthouse (budget)

Day 5: Chimpanzee tracking in Nyungwe Forest National Park

Get up early in the morning to have breakfast and after, join other visitors at Nyungwe Forest National Park’s headquarters for briefing on the set rules and regulations for chimpanzee tracking. After, hit the jungles to search for chimpanzees in the wild and also meet several primate dwellers within this forest park including black and white colobus monkeys, L’Hoest monkeys, blue monkeys, mangabeys, olive baboons as well as bird species. Later, return to the lodge to have lunch and rest.

Accommodation options: Nyungwe Forest Lodge (Luxury), Top Hill View Lodge (Moderate) or Gisakura Guesthouse (budget)

Day 6: Canopy walk and community walk in Nyungwe Forest National Park

Breakfast early in the morning and after, embark on forest canopy walk that takes you via a deep gorge cutting across the massive forest. This will last you about 1 and half hours and rewards you with amazing views over several primates, birds and beautiful forest canopy. Dine and spend a night at Nyungwe Forest Lodge (Luxury), Top Hill View Lodge (Moderate) or Gisakura Guesthouse (budget)

Day 7: Depart for Volcanoes National Park

Today, your day starts with breakfast and after, check out from your respective lodge ready to embark on a journey to Volcanoes National Park. You will have lunch along the way and then proceed to Volcanoes National Park to have a rest, dinner and overnight stay at Mountain Gorilla View Lodge/Gorilla Nest Lodge/Bisate Lodge (Luxury), La Palme Hotel (Midrange) or Kinigi Guesthouse (Budget).

Day 8: Gorilla tracking

Your day begins with a cup of tea or coffee and after, head off to Kinigi park headquarters for briefing on dos and don’ts for gorilla trekking. It is during this day that you will also be assigned to 1 habituated family to track in a group of 8 visitors. After, you hit the jungles to search for the rare mountain gorillas in the wild and this may last you about 4-8 hours depending on your hiking speed, nature of habitat and location of these creatures in the course of the day. Upon finding them, you have only an hour to strike your imaginations with these amazing creatures, take as many photos as possible and explore more about their behaviors and body gestures. After your magical encounters, return to the lodge for dinner and overnight stay at Mountain Gorilla View Lodge/Gorilla Nest Lodge/Bisate Lodge (Luxury), La Palme Hotel (Midrange) or Kinigi Guesthouse (Budget).

Day 9: Golden monkey tracking or Dian Fossey hike and drive to Gisenyi/Lake Kivu

Today, you will have breakfast early in the morning and after, head off for either golden monkey tracking or set off for Dian Fossey hike. After, return and set off to scenic Lake Kivu. Chill around the beach, dine and after, spend a night at Lake Kivu Serena Hotel, Stipp Hotel or Paradise Malahide.

Day 10: Boat ride and return to Kigali

Have breakfast in the morning and later, set off for a boat ride to the coffee island where you will have the best views over other surrounding islands. Return and check out from the hotel/lodge ready to make a return journey to Kigali and this will mark the end of your 10 days Rwanda wildlife safari.

End of safari

Safari inclusions

• Gorilla and chimpanzee permit
• Ground transportation in 4WD and full time English speaking driver guide
• Accommodation and meals
• All activities in the itinerary

Tour excludes

• Medical/travel insurance
• Visa fees
• Airfares
• Personal expenses like cigarettes, tips, souvenirs, accommodation and meals outside travel plan, extra activities and many more.