8 Days Rwanda Gorilla, Chimpanzee and Golden Monkey Safari

Day 1: Arrival in Kigali and Kigali City Experience

Upon arrival at Kigali International Airport, you will be warmly welcomed by your Verdant Safaris representative and transferred to your hotel in Kigali. After checking in and taking some time to refresh, you will begin your introduction to Rwanda with a guided city experience, depending on your arrival time. You may visit the Kigali Genocide Memorial, an important place for learning about Rwanda’s recent history and its journey of remembrance and reconciliation. You can also explore some of Kigali’s vibrant neighbourhoods, local craft markets and art centres, giving you an early introduction to contemporary Rwandan culture. Your guide will share information about the city’s history, development and everyday life while you enjoy the atmosphere of Rwanda’s clean and scenic capital. In the evening, you will return to your hotel for dinner and relaxation before beginning your primate adventure.

Accommodation Options: Kigali Serena Hotel, Radisson Blu Hotel & Convention Centre, The Retreat by Heaven
Meals: (Lunch, Dinner)

Day 2: Kigali to Volcanoes National Park

After breakfast, you will depart Kigali and travel northwards towards Musanze and Volcanoes National Park. The journey takes you through Rwanda’s famous rolling countryside, with cultivated hills, villages and scenic valleys providing beautiful views along the route. As you approach Musanze, the impressive Virunga volcanoes gradually dominate the horizon, creating a spectacular setting for the beginning of your gorilla and golden monkey experience. Volcanoes National Park is home to endangered mountain gorillas and golden monkeys and protects a mixture of evergreen forest, bamboo, grassland, swamp and heath. After arriving in the area, you will check into your accommodation and enjoy lunch. The afternoon will be devoted to relaxation and preparation for your gorilla trek, including checking your walking equipment and receiving information about the following day’s experience. You will enjoy dinner and an early night’s rest at your lodge.

Accommodation Options: Five Volcanoes Boutique Hotel, Virunga Lodge, Sabyinyo Silverback Lodge
Meals: (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)

Day 3: Mountain Gorilla Trekking in Volcanoes National Park

Today is the main highlight of your Rwanda primate safari as you embark on a mountain gorilla trekking experience in Volcanoes National Park. After an early breakfast, you will travel to the park headquarters at Kinigi for registration, briefing and allocation to a gorilla family. You will then begin your trek through the forested slopes of the Virunga Mountains, accompanied by experienced park guides and trackers. The duration and difficulty of the trek can vary according to the location and movements of the gorilla family allocated to you, so you should be prepared for a potentially demanding hike through mountainous terrain. Once you locate the gorillas, you will spend the permitted viewing period observing their behaviour, family interactions and movements in their natural habitat. After completing the trek, you will return to your lodge for lunch, rest and an evening at leisure.

Accommodation Options: Five Volcanoes Boutique Hotel, Virunga Lodge, Sabyinyo Silverback Lodge
Meals: (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)

Day 4: Golden Monkey Tracking and Cultural Experience

After breakfast, you will return to Volcanoes National Park for another fascinating primate encounter, golden monkey tracking. You will report to the park headquarters for a briefing before entering the forest with experienced guides and trackers in search of a habituated golden monkey troop. The golden monkeys are found in the high-altitude forests of the Virunga region and are known for their distinctive appearance and active behaviour. As you explore the forest, you will have opportunities to observe the monkeys feeding, climbing and moving through the vegetation while also appreciating the surrounding volcanic scenery. After completing the trek, you will return to the lodge for lunch and some time to relax. In the afternoon, you may enjoy a cultural or community experience around Musanze, providing an opportunity to learn about local traditions and the relationship between communities and conservation. You will return to your accommodation for dinner and another overnight stay in the Volcanoes region.

Accommodation Options: Five Volcanoes Boutique Hotel, Virunga Lodge, Sabyinyo Silverback Lodge
Meals: (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)

Day 5: Volcanoes National Park to Nyungwe National Park and Canopy Walk

After breakfast, you will check out and begin the scenic journey towards Nyungwe National Park in southwestern Rwanda. This is a longer driving day, taking you through Rwanda’s remarkable countryside as the landscape changes from the volcanic highlands to cultivated hills, tea-growing areas and dense rainforest. You will have opportunities to stop along the route for photographs and refreshments while enjoying the changing scenery. After arriving in the Nyungwe region, you will check into your accommodation and enjoy lunch before beginning your afternoon forest experience. You will take part in the Nyungwe Canopy Walkway, an elevated experience that provides spectacular views over the forest canopy and surrounding mountainous landscape. Nyungwe offers a range of adventure activities, including its famous canopy walkway, hiking trails and chimpanzee tracking. After the activity, you will return to your lodge for dinner and prepare for the following morning’s chimpanzee tracking experience.

Accommodation Options: One&Only Nyungwe House, Nyungwe Top View Hill Hotel, Gisakura Guest House
Meals: (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)

Day 6: Chimpanzee Tracking in Nyungwe National Park

You will wake early for another major highlight of your safari, chimpanzee tracking in Nyungwe National Park. After breakfast, you will travel to the designated meeting point for a briefing before entering the rainforest with experienced guides and trackers. Nyungwe is one of Africa’s oldest rainforests and supports chimpanzees alongside 13 recorded primate species, making it an important destination for primate enthusiasts. As you walk through the forest, you will listen for chimpanzee calls and watch the trees and vegetation for movement while also looking for other monkeys and forest wildlife. Your experience may include sightings of other primates such as colobus monkeys, blue monkeys, L’Hoest’s monkeys and red-tailed monkeys. Once the chimpanzees are located, you will have an opportunity to observe their behaviour and social interactions while following the instructions of your guide. After completing the trek, you will return to your lodge for lunch and an afternoon of relaxation before dinner.

Accommodation Options: One&Only Nyungwe House, Nyungwe Top View Hill Hotel, Gisakura Guest House
Meals: (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)

Day 7: Nyungwe National Park to Kigali via Scenic Countryside

After breakfast, you will leave the Nyungwe region and begin your journey back towards Kigali. The drive provides another opportunity to appreciate Rwanda’s distinctive scenery, including forest-covered mountains, cultivated hills, tea plantations and rural communities. You will make suitable stops along the route for photographs and refreshments while your guide shares information about the areas through which you are travelling. Depending on your interests and timing, you may make an optional stop at a cultural or heritage attraction along the way. Upon arrival in Kigali, you will enjoy lunch and check into your hotel. The afternoon can be spent relaxing or exploring a local craft market where you can find handmade baskets, textiles, artwork and other Rwandan products. In the evening, you will enjoy a farewell dinner and reflect on your experiences with mountain gorillas, golden monkeys and chimpanzees.

Accommodation Options: Kigali Serena Hotel, Radisson Blu Hotel & Convention Centre, The Retreat by Heaven
Meals: (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)

Day 8: Departure

After breakfast, you will have your final morning in Kigali before departing Rwanda. Depending on your international flight schedule, you may have some free time to relax at your hotel or make any final purchases from local craft shops and markets. Your Verdant Safaris representative will arrange your transfer to Kigali International Airport and ensure that you arrive in good time for your departure formalities. As you leave Rwanda, you will carry memories of the misty Virunga mountains, your mountain gorilla encounter, the energetic golden monkeys and the ancient rainforest of Nyungwe. Your chimpanzee tracking experience and time among Rwanda’s remarkable forest landscapes will provide a memorable conclusion to your primate adventure. This marks the official end of your 8 Days Rwanda Gorilla, Chimpanzee and Golden Monkey Safari with Verdant Safaris.

Meals: (Breakfast)