5 Days Rwanda Gorillas & Chimpanzee Safari

The 5 Days Rwanda gorillas and chimpanzee safari offers a combination of the unforgettable gorilla trekking and chimpanzee tracking. This is a short Rwanda safari itinerary and introduces you deep into the African jungle to witness the world’s unique apes, particularly mountain gorillas and chimpanzees. Trekking through the rainforest and later coming across the massive mountain gorillas and chimpanzees in the wild can be mind-blowing. Booking a captivating 5 days Rwanda gorillas and chimpanzee safari should be a must-do for you to be part of such unparalleled primate trekking experiences.

You will leave Kigali for Nyungwe Forest National Park to enjoy a chimpanzee tracking experience combined with a guided canopy walk. Nyungwe National Park is a scenic 970 sq. km Park, home to about 500 chimpanzees, and these can be tracked from any of the 3 sectors: Cyamudongo, Uwinka, and Gisakura.

From Nyungwe, you will continue to Volcanoes National Park to experience the best of the Rwanda mountain gorilla trekking adventure. Volcanoes National Park lies in Ruhengeri/Musanze, the Northwestern part of Rwanda. At Volcanoes National Park, expect to commence your mountain gorilla search from Kinigi. About 13 habituated gorilla groups are present in Volcanoes National Park alone, and each will be visited by a maximum of 8 pax. This unique primate itinerary covers a guided cultural visit to Iby’Iwacu village.

Brief Itinerary

Day 1: Early morning pick up from Kigali & depart for Nyungwe

Day 2: Experience Nyungwe chimpanzee tracking & Canopy Walks

Day 3: Pick up from Nyungwe & transfer by car to Volcanoes National Park

Day 4: Enjoy the thrilling Volcanoes gorilla trekking & Iby’Iwacu Village visit

Day 5: Leave Volcanoes for Kigali, departure

Detailed Itinerary

Day 1: Early morning pick up from Kigali & depart for Nyungwe

Have an early morning breakfast and later, get a warm welcome from your safari driver in Rwanda. You will short briefing on your itinerary, and after, expect to continue with a city tour. While in Kigali, you will be taken to key attractions including the Kigali genocide site, Kimironko market, craft shops, and the closest historical sites. After a great moment in the vibrant Kigali, you will officially depart for Nyungwe, which is set in the Southern Province.

Departing from Kigali to Nyungwe takes between 6 and 7 hours. Before you get to the Park, expect to have an en route visit to Butare. At Butare, you will be focusing on exploring the ethnographic museum of Rwanda (national museum) and the King’s palace in Nyanza. Have a lunch break at leisure in Butare and later, proceed on a scenic drive to Nyungwe Forest National Park to check in your respective accommodation options.

Overnight stay options

Budget: Gisakura Guesthouse or Uwinka Campsite
Midrange: Nyungwe Top View Hill Lodge
Luxury: One&Only Nyungwe Lodge

Meal plan: Half-board

Day 2: Nyungwe chimpanzee tracking & Canopy Walks

After breakfast, transfer to the respective trail/sector in Nyungwe, where you will meet the park official to take you through the guidelines for chimpanzee tracking. Today, your chimpanzee trek is expected to begin early, with an experienced guide present to take you. It will be 2-4 hour search for Nyungwe with higher expectations to find chimpanzees and once located, you will have an hour just for a face-to-face encounter.

A chimp trek in Nyungwe offers more than chimpanzee encounters, but also other abundant primates that survive here. As you continue searching for chimpanzees, expect to also find primates such as l’hoest monkeys, red-tailed monkeys, baboons, black and white colobus monkeys. Not to leave out some of the interesting birds and in the background, you can get inspirational melodies of most of them.

Begin returning to the briefing center and meet the driver guide. Continue to the lodge for you to enjoy lunch, and later, return to enjoy a guided canopy walk for 2 hours starting from the Uwinka Reception Center. The canopy walk in Nyungwe is 200m long and is set 60-70m from the ground. What awaits you on canopy walk includes incredible sightings of primates and birds.

Overnight stay

Budget: Gisakura Guesthouse/Uwinka Campsite
Midrange/Standard: Nyungwe Top View Hill Lodge
Luxury/Up-market: One & Only Nyungwe Lodge

Meal plan: Half–board

Day 3: Depart Nyungwe & transfer to Volcanoes National Park

Enjoy breakfast at leisure, and today, you will be expected to check out of the lodge in Nyungwe National Park. Meet an experienced guide from Alba Wonders Africa for pick up and continue to Volcanoes National Park. The Nyungwe-Volcanoes route takes you about 4 hours, and once you have reached the lodge, you will check in the lodge. Have a long evening for relaxation, enjoy a leisurely dinner, and overnight.

Overnight at;

Budget: Hotel Muhabura or Kinigi Guesthouse/Village Gorilla
Midrange: Da Vinci Gorilla Lodge or Five Volcanoes Boutique Hotel
Luxury: Sabyinyo Silverback Lodge, Bisate Lodge or Virunga Lodge

Meal plan: Full–board option (Breakfast, Lunch, & Dinner)

Day 4: Gorilla trekking & Iby’Iwacu Village visit

Start the day with a heavy breakfast and ensure you pack extra packing of snacks and adequate drinking water. Leave your lodge early so you to assemble at Kinigi, where you will get briefed on gorilla trekking regulations. This is a must-attend session by all trekkers on Rwanda gorilla trekking.

After the 30-minute briefing, you will be accompanied through the forest to search for a gorilla group. The search for the Rwanda gorillas will take you between 2 and 6 hours, but it includes an hour for photography and for you to observe how these large apes behave. Expect to walk back to the lodge to freshen up and have some relaxation. You will end the day at Iby’Iwacu Village and expect to explore the unique Rwandan cultures and traditions.

Overnight at;

Budget: Hotel Muhabura or Kinigi Guesthouse/Village Gorilla
Midrange: Da Vinci Gorilla Lodge or Five Volcanoes Boutique Hotel
Luxury: Sabyinyo Silverback Lodge, Bisate Lodge or Virunga Lodge

Meal plan: Full–board option (Breakfast, Lunch, & Dinner)

Day 5: Leave Volcanoes for Kigali, departure

At leisure, get yourself a hot cup of tea/coffee, and after, leave Musanze/Ruhengeri for Kigali. Arrive early at Kigali and engage in a short shopping, then you will be transferred to the airport to depart back home.

End of safari