Our 4-day primate safari will make you visit the 2 most attractive tourist activities of Volcanoes National Park which are mountain gorillas and golden monkeys. This trip is suitable for solo travelers, group tours, honeymooners, and family tours. This one will take tourists to the main and the most attractive national park in Rwanda.
Rwanda is home to outrageous scenery, smiling and welcoming people, and incredible primate experiences. This whistle-stop tour focuses on the history and wildlife of this extraordinary country and gives you an insight into its beauty and will leave you wanting for more.
Detailed itinerary
Day 1: Karibu! A Land of A thousand Hills.
Upon arrival at Kigali International Airport, you will be welcomed by one of our Nyumbu Beyond Journeys experienced safari guides who will transfer you to your Hotel for the rest of the day and overnight. At check in, you will be briefed about your safari and what to expect, the safari do’s and don’ts. Overnight at your Hotel.
Day 2: Kigali City tour and transfer to Volcanoes National Park
After breakfast, you will be picked up from your hotel for a half-day Kigali city tour. This tour includes a visit to the Kigali Genocide Memorial Site and Museum, where you can learn about the 1994 genocide. You will also explore local markets and other points of interest. Following the tour, enjoy lunch before departing for Volcanoes National Park. The journey to the park will take you through the stunning mountainous and green countryside, aptly earning Rwanda the name “The Land of a Thousand Hills.”
Day 3: Mountain Gorilla trekking and Community Walk
This morning, after breakfast, you will be transferred from your lodge to the park headquarters for a briefing on the day’s gorilla trekking activity. It is advisable to pack your lunch and drinking water and consider hiring porters, as the time spent in the jungle can be unpredictable. After the briefing from the park rangers, you will be assigned a gorilla family and then venture into the forest to search for these gentle giants.
Gorilla tracking may take anywhere from a few hours to a full day, depending on where the gorillas were last seen the previous night. Physical fitness is highly recommended, but those who are not as fit have the option to hire “human helicopters” (sedan chairs). Once you find the gorillas, you will have the opportunity to spend a maximum of one hour with them, during which you can take videos and photographs. Afterward, you will return to your lodge for lunch.
In the afternoon, enjoy a community walk to Red Rock, a local initiative focused on improving community livelihoods through environmental conservation, arts and culture, education, and community health and security.
Day 4: Golden Monkey Tracking and Airport drop off
After breakfast, you will return to the park offices for a briefing on the day’s activity: Golden Monkey tracking. These endangered monkeys, found within Volcanoes National Park, are easier to locate and the trek is shorter compared to gorilla trekking. Afterward, you will return to the lodge for an early lunch before your afternoon transfer to Kigali airport.