Visit two of Rwanda’s only three national parks (Volcanoes National Park and Nyungwe Forest National Park) with this 5-day Rwanda Primates Tour.
This Rwanda tour will reward you with encounters with two of Rwanda’s main primates—gorillas and chimpanzees—along with several other primate species at unbeatable prices.
Other activities included in this primates package are a Kigali City excursion, a canopy walk in Nyungwe Forest, a visit to the twin lakes of Ruhondo and Burera, a cultural trail at Ibyi’wacu Cultural Village, and golden monkey tracking in Volcanoes National Park.
This tour in Rwanda highlights three of the most iconic primates in Rwanda: mountain gorillas, chimpanzees, and golden monkeys. Please read the detailed itinerary below.
5-Day Rwanda Primates Tour Highlights
- Day 1: Arrival and Transfer to Nyungwe Forest National Park
- Day 2: Chimpanzee Tracking and Canopy Walk
- Day 3: Transfer to Volcanoes National Park and Visit Twin Lakes
- Day 4: Rwanda Gorilla Trekking and Iby’Iwacu Cultural Village Visit
- Day 5: Golden Monkey Tracking and Transfer to Kigali
Detailed 5-Day Rwanda Primates Tour Itinerary
Day 1: Arrival and Transfer to Nyungwe Forest National Park
After an early morning breakfast, you will be picked up by our tour guide and transferred to Nyungwe Forest National Park in the southern province of Rwanda.
Nyungwe is the most remote national park in Rwanda, approximately 130 kilometers from Kigali, requiring about 6 hours of driving.
Along the journey, we will visit several tourist sites, including the National Museum of Rwanda in Butare, where we will learn about Rwanda’s history and culture.
After exploring the museum, we will have lunch and continue our journey to Nyungwe, arriving in the late afternoon.
Upon arrival, we will relax, have dinner, and stay overnight as we prepare for the chimpanzee trekking experience the next day.
Day 2: Chimpanzee Tracking and Canopy Walk
Day 2 requires an early start! We will wake up at 5:00 AM for breakfast, allowing enough time to transfer to the meeting point, where we will join park rangers and set off into the forest to track chimpanzees.
If we locate the chimpanzees before they wake up, we will have more time with them, as they can be harder to follow once they start moving due to the forest’s rough terrain and the speed at which they travel.
Upon locating the chimps, we will spend a full hour with them before returning to the lodge for a lunch break.
In the afternoon, we will embark on an exciting canopy walk through Nyungwe Forest, offering incredible views of the forest’s flora and fauna from above.
The canopy walk, which starts at the Uwinka Visitor Center, stretches about 200 meters and lasts approximately 2 hours.
After this adventure, we will return to the lodge for dinner and an overnight stay.
Day 3: Transfer to Volcanoes National Park and Visit Twin Lakes
After an early morning breakfast, we will leave for Volcanoes National Park in Musanze, located in the northern province of Rwanda.
Upon arrival in Musanze, we will visit the twin lakes of Ruhondo and Burera, located on the outskirts of Volcanoes National Park.
We will transfer to a point offering the best views of the lakes, green islands, and surrounding communities.
Afterward, we will transfer to our accommodation for dinner and overnight as we prepare for the mountain gorilla trekking experience the following day.
Day 4: Rwanda Gorilla Trekking and Iby’Iwacu Cultural Village Visit
On this day, breakfast will be served as early as 6:00 AM to allow ample time to prepare and meet with other trekkers at the park headquarters in Kinigi.
Be sure to pack lunch and beverages, as there are no shops in the jungle. The briefing session will begin at 7:30 AM, lasting about 30 minutes, during which you can ask any questions you may have.
Afterward, we will be allocated to specific mountain gorilla groups and begin our trek into Volcanoes National Park.
The trek may last between 2 to 8 hours, depending on the gorillas’ movements, with a full hour of close contact, observing them from as close as 7 meters.
After this unforgettable experience, we will return to the lodge for a short rest before visiting Iby’Iwacu Cultural Village in the afternoon.
At Iby’Iwacu Cultural Village, you will experience the true culture and traditions of the local Rwandan people.
Enjoy traditional dances from the Intore dancers, storytelling moments, encounters with the Batwa people, and many other activities.
We will return to the lodge in the evening for dinner and overnight.
Day 5: Golden Monkey Tracking and Transfer to Kigali
After an early breakfast, we will transfer to the park headquarters for a short briefing at 7:00 AM before beginning our search for a habituated group of golden monkeys in the bamboo vegetation at the base of Mount Sabyinyo.
You will have up to an hour of close contact with these beautiful primates before returning to the lodge for lunch.
Afterward, we will transfer back to Kigali for your departure.
End of 5-Day Rwanda Primates Tour.
