All Inclusive Rwanda Rare Primates Wildlife Safari - 14 days

All-Inclusive Rwanda Rare Primates and Wildlife Safari - 14 days

Day 1: Arrival at Kigali Airport, transfer to a hotel for overnight.

On your arrival at Kigali International Airport, your safari guide for the Rwanda Rare Primates and Wildlife Safari shall be meeting you at the terminal building exit. Meet and greet and then drive shortly to your hotel for the night in Kigali City. 

Accommodation options available (no meals included today)

Upmarket: Serena Kigali Hotel

Mid-range: Hotel Chez Lando, Kigali

Lower Budget: Five to Five Hotel Kigali

Meals included: No meals included today. 

Day 2: Kigali City Tour, transfer to Akagera National Park

Our first destination for the Rare Primates and Wildlife Safari is Akagera National Park. But before that, we have a mini-city tour of Kigali.

After breakfast, your guide will take you for a city tour which includes among others the Gisozi genocide memorial site where you learn and comprehend the history of genocide in Rwanda and other countries of the world.

After that, we proceed with our drive to Akagera National Park. We traverse some of the most beautiful landscapes you can find in Africa. When we arrive in Akagera National Park, we shall proceed to your pre-booked lodge for lunch. Afterward, your guide will pick up a local park guide for a game drive in the park, searching the thickets and bushes for the common resident BIG 5 wildlife -  elephants, giraffes, buffaloes, zebras, hippos, crocodiles, and many more like Antelopes. 

Accommodation options available in Akagera National Park

Upmarket: Ruzizi Tented Lodge

Mid-range: Akagera Rhino Lodge

Lower Budget: Akagera Rhino Lodge

Meals included: All meals are included today.

Day 3: Akagera National Park - Game Drives

On the game drive in Akagera National Park today you should expect to encounter more Big 5 wildlife because we shall be accompanied by a local ranger/ guide of the park. Our main focus area is the southern tracks alongside the Lake Ihema circuit where plenty of animals can be seen, including elephants, Masai giraffes, buffaloes, zebras, hippos, Nile crocodiles, and also many other mammal species. This game drive will also enable you to view the gentle hills blending beautifully with lowland swamps and water bodies.

In the evening, you can relax at the lodge poolside, or take evening walks around the hotel where you can see various bird species or participate in the day-to-day local pastoral lifestyle.

Accommodation options:

Upmarket: Ruzizi Tented Lodge

Mid-range: Akagera Game Lodge

Lower Budget: Akagera Rhino Lodge

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner.

Day 4: Game Drive in Akagera National Park, Lake Ihema Boat Trip

Early in the morning, we shall have another game drive along the Northern circuit letting you enjoy more diverse habitats and the wildlife you could missed out on the previous days.

Later, you shall be taken on a boat trip along the showers of Lake Ihema. The lake is famous for the thousands of hippos, crocodiles, and other wildlife that come to quench their thirst during the hotter hours of the day. There are also many water bird species and with luck, you could encounter the legendary shoebill storks that are resident in the mashy swamps of Akagera National Park. Many tourists have encountered the shoebill stork at Lake Ihema in Akagera National Park with less or no struggle at all.

Accommodation options:

Upmarket: Ruzizi Tented Lodge

Mid-range: Akagera Game Lodge

Lower Budget: Akagera Rhino Lodge

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner.

Day 5: Transfer from Akagera National Park to Nyungwe National Park

This morning, we shall embark on our drive to Nyungwe National Park, one of those Afromontane forests rich in some of the most rare primates in Africa.  Along the way, make stops at places of interest including local markets, and the traditional palace of Rwanda’s former King in Nyanza.

Along the way, you'll make stops at local markets, visit the traditional palace in Nyanza, and explore the Botanical Gardens and cultural museum in Butare. As you pass through the rolling hills and lush green fields of tea, you'll catch glimpses of the unique wooden houses that surround Nyungwe Forest. 

Drive past green fields of tea scattered across the hillsides and the small wooden houses unique to the areas surrounding Nyungwe Forest.

Nestled in East Africa’s Albertine Rift biodiversity-rich area, Nyungwe National Park protects some 1,000 plant types, nearly 300 bird species, more than 75 different mammals, the charismatic chimpanzee, and a dozen other primates species. It is Africa’s largest protected mountain rainforest.

Trails cut through the park’s closed-canopy forests, bamboo thickets, and orchid-filled swamps. Be warned that the weather can be wet—it is a rainforest, after all. The park receives more than 2,000 mm (79 inches) of precipitation annually and provides water to approximately 70% of the county. In 2006, an exploring team claimed to find the furthest source of the Nile River in Nyungwe.

Accommodation options available (all on a full board basis)

Upmarket: Nyungwe Top View Hill Lodge 

Mid-range: Chimpanzee Lodge Nyungwe

Lower Budget: Chimpanzee Lodge Nyungwe

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner.

Day 6: Nyungwe Forest National Park | Chimpanzee Trekking and other rare primates searching

Start your day with an early breakfast before heading to the park headquarters for the chimpanzee tracking activity briefing. Accompanied by a park ranger and guide, you'll set out on a thrilling adventure through the rainforest trails. In no time, you'll come across your designated chimpanzee troop, which you'll follow closely for the next hour.

As you shadow the chimpanzee group, you'll witness their playful antics, noisy chatter, and grooming sessions. They'll stop for snacks or naps, and your challenge will be to keep up with them, guided by your park guide.

Chimpanzee trekking adventurers hike through its stellar jungles to spend one precious hour with a human-habituated chimpanzee troop. Nyungwe protects over 500 chimpanzees and over 350 black-and-white colobus monkeys endemic to the Albertine Rift, whose clever antics and aerial acrobatics keep visitors gazing into the canopies.

Nyungwe Forest is one of the destinations in the world where you can see up to 13 primate species; these include chimpanzees, the blue monkeys, L'Hoest's monkeys, endangered golden monkeys, and the Angolan black and white colobus monkeys among others. Nyungwe forest has huge concentrations of habituated primates whose troops can include 400 to 500 individuals! This is a unique tourism phenomenon.

Nyungwe forest is a nature lover’s paradise.  The only remaining mountain rainforest in East and Central Africa, Nyungwe boasts 260 species of trees and shrubs, over 200 species of orchids and giant lobelias, 275 Species of birds of which 25 are endemic, colorful butterflies, and 13 recorded species of primates (25% of Africa’s total) including the chimpanzees.

The forest is ideal for walks with beautiful waterfalls cascading in this serene environment.

Accommodation options available (all on a full board basis)

Upmarket: Nyungwe Top View Hill Lodge 

Mid-range: Chimpanzee Lodge Nyungwe

Lower Budget: Chimpanzee Lodge Nyungwe

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner.

Day 7: Canopy Walk in Nyungwe National Park 

This morning, we shall return to Nyungwe National Park to experience the primates in unique way, the canopy walk, a walk on the 160-meter (525 ft) high. Let yourself go, shout at the top of your voice, spread your arms wide, and experience a sense of freedom that leaves you reinvigorated. Expect to encounter rare primates that primarily spend most of their time there. Its length is about 160 meters commencing from the Uwink Park offices. Typically, you should encounter various colobus monkey species, Vervet monkeys, baboons, L'Hoersts Monkeys, and grey-cheeked monkeys, and many forest canopy bird species.

Accommodation options available (all on a full board basis)

Upmarket: Nyungwe Top View Hill Lodge 

Mid-range: Chimpanzee Lodge Nyungwe

Lower Budget: Chimpanzee Lodge Nyungwe

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner.

Day 8: Waterfall Trail of Nyungwe 

Several exciting trails have been cut inside Nyungwe National Park to allow visitors have more intimate experiences with primates. This morning, we shall be guided by the park ranger along the Waterfall trail of Nyungwe. The walk should reward you with sights of more primates other than the commonly known 13 species including chimpanzees, mona monkeys, Angolan colobus, and owl-faced monkeys.

Accommodation options available (all on a full board basis)

Upmarket: Nyungwe Top View Hill Lodge 

Mid-range: Chimpanzee Lodge Nyungwe

Lower Budget: Chimpanzee Lodge Nyungwe

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner.

Day 9: Bugarama Hot Springs, Transfer from Nyungwe Lake Kivu 

Bugarama Hot Springs are located approximately 45 kilometers from Nyungwe National Park. Visitors can have a dip / swim in the heated waters. Afterwards, we drive to Lake Kivu. En route you will pass through the green fields of tea plantations before exploring the shorelines of Lake Kivu. Kibuye town is the most beautiful resort of the three towns on Lake Kivu. 

Accommodation options available (all on full board basis)

Upmarket: Serena Lake Kivu Hotel

Moderate: Paradise Malahide.

Low Budget: Paradise Malahide.

Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner.

Day 10: Lake Kivu  -  Boat Trip, Transfer to Volcanoes National Park

During the midmorning, you shall enjoy getting out on the water on this boat trip here in Lake Kivu.

Later on, we shall proceed to Ruhengeri. This area has the most famous National Park in Rwanda, Volcanoes National Park. It is home to over a third of the world's remaining mountain gorillas. 

Accommodation options available (all on full board basis)

Up-market: Mountain Gorilla View Lodge 

Moderate: Gorilla Solution Lodge

Low Budget:  Hotel Muhabura

Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner.

Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner.

Day 11: Volcanoes National Park - Gorilla Trekking

Have breakfast and go to ORTPN offices for briefing after that set off in the forest for gorilla trekking in Volcanoes National Park.

A thrilling trek through the refined foothills of the Virungas provides inspiring views in all directions. Then, suddenly, the trail enters the national park, engrossing trekkers in the strange closeness of the rainforest, alive with the calls of colorful birds and chattering of the rare golden monkey and besieged with fresh spoor of the mountains' elusive populations of buffalo and elephant.

Through gaps in the forest canopy, the marvelous peaks are sighted, easily easy to get to, and among the uppermost in Africa, indicating an ascent. Gorilla trekking is quite strenuous but worthwhile in the encounter of these gentle giants. The enthusiasm of your coming across these apes will wipe away your intricacy of the strenuous trek.

Spend time watching gorillas, watch the adults feeding their young ones, brushing and resting as the youngsters play from vines in a pleasurably playful display.

Accommodation options available (all on a full board basis)

Up-market: Mountain Gorilla View Lodge | Five Volcanoes Lodge

Moderate: Gorilla Solution Lodge

Low Budget:  Hotel Muhabura

Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner.

Day 12: Volcanoes National Park -  Golden Monkey Trekking 

This day is set out for Golden Monkey tracking in the Volcanoes National Park. Entering dense stands of bamboo interspersed with open glades; you will make your way deep into golden monkey territory. Guides lead visitors to the habitat of groups of „habituated‟ golden monkeys – monkeys that have become accustomed to human presence. Though viewing is kept to a maximum of one hour, travelers can get an up-close look at the golden monkey in its natural habitat.

Adult monkeys frolic in plain view, feeding on bamboo leaves and leaping from perch to perch. Females carry their young, completely comfortable among onlookers. 

Day 13: Hiking Bisoke or Cultural Village Tour or Musanze Cave Walk

Hiking mountain Visoke/Bisoke takes 1-2 hours up and 1 hour down depending on your fitness. The guided day hike up Mount Bisoke passes through high-altitude forest and moorland before arriving at a beautiful crater lake at the 3,711m summit.

Visit, Iby'Iwacu Cultural Village

Iby’Iwacu village is located around Parc National des Volcans in Nyabigoma, Kinigi, Musanze district, Northern Province- have a visit to Iby’Iwacu to share with local people home and heritage treasures including lifestyles, activities, artifacts, and ways of living of local people. Iby’Iwacu Cultural Village is committed to showcasing the ways of living, traditional lifestyles, and dances to tourists

Musanze Caves

Musanze caves are cold and quiet inside with water streams slowly flowing out of the rock ceiling to the rock walls and to holes underneath the cave floor.  Exploring caves usually takes one hour to two hours. Caves are made up of complex and numerous tunnels which are homes to bats. The bats are spotted hanging on the cave walls darkened with smoke trapped by numerous cobwebs for thousands of years. Touring the caves involves walking through a 2km dark tunnel that is made of hard rocks. Inside the caves, there is total silence that is interrupted by whispers and echoes from human voices as well as bats. To go through these caves, one would need a torch, helmet, gloves, head cap, and boots to pass through various tunnels during the one or two-hour trail.

Day 14: Transfer back to Kigali, Departure.

After your breakfast, you will proceed to checkout of your lodge before the transfer to Kigali (about 2 hours of driving). Your Rwanda Rare Primates and Wildlife Safari shall end at this moment -  sadly!

Included in the tour price for the Rwanda Rare Primates and Wildlife Safari Package

• All ground transfers using a customized 4x4 safari Land-cruiser
• Services of a good English-speaking safari guide and local guide services for the treks
• All accommodations while on tour
• Meal as indicated in the itinerary
• Park Entrance fees
• Gorilla permits
• Chimp permits
• All other rare primate walks as per program
• Local Guide fees
• Activities mentioned in the itinerary

Excluded

• International flight (can be arranged if required)
• Visa and personal insurance.
• Gratuity for your professional driver guide
• Personal expenses such as travel insurance
• Excess baggage fee
• Communication charges that include, laundry, emails, faxes, and phone calls
• Beverages including luxury champagne, luxury spirits, beer, and wines during meals
• Meals not indicated in the itinerary
• Tips
• Any item or activity not mentioned in the tour package