Overview
This is 6 days thrilling Rwanda avails you with the opportunity to visit the most highlighted by many international travel magazine, you are preparing yourself for an all-around educational and enriching experience of this beautiful country! Although trekking with the Gorilla chimpanzees and golden monkey may undoubtedly be the highlight of your trip, Rwanda is also home to many other rare, beautiful, unique and endangered species of animals that cannot be found anywhere else in this world!! Combined with the stunning views of volcanoes, hills, plains and rain forests; the warm and friendly smiles from the local people and the opportunity to participate in day-to-day local traditions, culture, activities and community development, Rwanda promises to be a destination you will NOT soon forget!!!
DAY 0: ARRIVAL DAY AND QUARANTINE
On arrival of your flight at Kigali International Airport you will be tested, you will be warmly welcomed by Go Primate Safaris Representative who will shortly brief you about your tour in Rwanda and immediate transfer to your hotel in Kigali.
A Dinner and Over Night will be served in your rooms at Ubumwe Grande Hotel.
DAY 1: KIGALI CITY TOUR AND TRANSFER TO NYUNGWE NATIONAL PARK
After Kigali city tour and lunch you will be picked up and depart for Nyungwe National Park which is about 6½ hrs drive via Butare. En route visit the famous National Museum at Butare and the ancient King's Palace at Nyanza. Ethnographic objects are grouped together according to the theme giving premium information on the daily life. Traditional ceramics and basketry are still manufactured and are some of the finest handicrafts of the region. The National Museum remained surprisingly untouched during the civil war in 1994. Have lunch in Butare and thereafter continue to Nyungwe National Park arriving for dinner and overnight at your hotel.
Activities: Butare museums visit
Overnight: Nyungwe Top View Hotel
Meal Plan: Full Board
2: CHIMPANZEE TREK, NYUNGWE NATIONAL PARK + CANOPY WALK
Take an early morning breakfast then drive to the park for the starting point of your chimpanzee trek, with a packed lunch. Nyungwe National Park is the largest block of Montana forest in East and Central Africa and it is an incredibly rich area of biodiversity. Later depart for your nature walk visiting Kamiranzovu waterfall. The forest comprises amongst many things at least 200 tree species over 280 bird species and more than 100 different types of colorful butterfly which make it a true feast of the senses for the nature lover. Head for the afternoon canopy walk. Another exciting way to see the Nyungwe forest in the eyes of the birds . Later return for dinner and overnight at your hotel.
Activities: Chimpanzee trek + canopy walk
Overnight: Nyungwe Top View Hotel
Meal Plan: Full Board
DAY 3: DEPART FROM NYUNGWE TO VOLCANOES NATIONAL PARK
After breakfast drive alongside Lake Kivu to the northern resort town of Rubavu. The road offers panoramic views of the lake and hilly Rwanda countryside till to Musanze to your hotel for relaxing and get ready for gorilla trekking next day
DAY 4: MOUNTAIN GORILLA TRACKING, +LOCAL COMMUNITY VISIT
After an early breakfast, you will proceed to the National Park headquarters at Kinigi to meet your guides for the day. After completing park formalities, you embark on a once in a lifetime experience of tracking mountain gorillas. Once you spot them you are allowed to spend an hour watching your closest long lost cousin, an hour you will never forget. Return to your hotel for lunch, later in the afternoon visit the local community around for understanding Rwandan culture
DAY 5: MOUNT BISOKE HIKE
After an early breakfast, set off with your packed lunches depart for the starting point of your hike. Standing at 3,700m Mount Bisoke has the typical conic shape of a 'perfect' volcano and in its crater lies a deep crater lake. The volcano does not present an exceptionally demanding climb but it is nevertheless still a tough hike. The high elevation demands extra strength of climbers and the whole excursion can take between 5 hours and the whole day depending on the speed of the walk and the frequency of stops. The trek starts at 07:00am from the parks headquarters in Kinigi. The ascent typically takes around 3 hours. During the climb, you will cross a series of different vegetation habitats starting with bamboo forests, then moving into Hagenia Hypericum forest and finally moving through Senecio Lobelia bush near the summit. Porters can also be hired from the park headquarters but a professional guide from the park will accompany you for the hike. Return to your hotel to freshen up and later stay for dinner and overnight. (It is important to bring with you sufficient drinking water as the rainforest gets hot and humid during the day).
DAY 6: GOLDEN MONKEY TREK, VOLCANOES NATIONAL PARK
After breakfast drive to RDB park headquarters, then enter the forest to trek the golden monkey, an associated species of the blue monkey only found within the Virunga area. The trek will take you until midday, have lunch and in the afternoon drive back to Kigali airport to catch your outbound flight.
Activities: Golden Monkey trek + depart for Kigali