Classic Rwanda Primates & Wildlife Adventure

Upon arrival at Kigali airport you will be met by your driver guide and transferred to the 4-star Lemigo Hotel for your overnight stay. Located in the heart of the city centre, this hotel is a great base from which to explore the city. You can choose to discover the city at leisure this evening or simply relax by the pool or in your stylish bedroom in preparation for the adventures that lie ahead.

Overnight accommodation at Lemigo Hotel with breakfast included.

After breakfast this morning you can enjoy a city tour of Kigali which includes the interesting Gisozi Genocide Memorial Centre. The centre exists as a permanent memorial to those who fell victim to the genocide of 1994 and you will have chance to visit the three poignant permanent exhibitions, the largest of which documents the genocide, and pay tribute to the victims.

After your city tour we will have lunch at the Africa Bite Restaurant before being collected by your driver to begin your journey to Akagera National Park. After checking in to the Akagera Game Lodge a delicious dinner will be served before we settle down for a peaceful night’s sleep in one of the lodge’s welcoming en-suite guestrooms.

One night’s accommodation at the Akagera Game Lodge on a full board basis.

The Akagera National Park is the largest protected wetland in central Africa, and this morning you can partake in a thoroughly enjoyable game drive designed to show you all that this remarkable area has to offer. Home to a variety of game, this exceptionally scenic reserve provides an interesting contrast to the more mountainous central and western parts of Rwanda. On your game drive you can expect to see lions, zebras, giraffes, a healthy population of Elephant and Buffalo, plus 11 species of antelope including Impala, Common Duiker, Defassa Waterbuck, Bushbuck, Oribi, Tsessebe, Cape Eland and the rare Sable Antelope. Birding here is also quite exceptional, with over 500 documented species of birds found throughout the park, including one of the continent’s largest concentrations of big water birds.

In the afternoon we will enjoy a packed lunch before starting our journey to the enchanting Volcanoes National Park and the Mountain Gorilla View Lodge. The lodge is located on the foothills of Mount Karisimbi, one of the volcanic mountains that make up the Virunga Massif, and is a 10 minute drive from the main entrance to the park. Upon arrival at the lodge you can enjoy some time relaxing after your busy morning, and preparing for tomorrow’s exciting adventures.

2 nights’ accommodation at Mountain Gorilla View Lodge on a full board basis.

This morning it’s an early wake-up call as the wildlife experience of a lifetime awaits! After an early breakfast you will transfer to the park to begin your gorilla trekking excursion at 7am. Upon arrival the park’s expert gorilla trekking staff will introduce you to the plan for the morning and brief you on what to expect. This will include safety instructions as well as rules for behaviour around these fascinating primates. Depending on your fitness levels and how far you want to trek, you will be assigned a group of 8 people and a gorilla family that you will be trekking to see. A maximum of 80 visitors are allowed to participate in this activity per day, with a maximum of 8 people visiting any one group of gorillas. These rules are stringently adhered to and that’s why your gorilla permit is so important. Your gorilla permit is included in the price of your package and the vast majority of the cost of this permit is delivered directly to the park for conservation efforts and ensuring the safety and ongoing survival of these beautiful animals.

Having been assigned a group, you will return to your safari vehicle for the short drive to the trekking start point where your group leader will go over the plan and rules again before you start your trek through the mountains in search of your allocated gorilla family. This trek does require a relative level of fitness and sometimes it can take longer than expected to find your gorilla family, but the anticipation of seeing these gentle giants in the wild, along with the spectacular views and likely bird sightings on offer, is likely to be more than enough distraction from that. And we can almost guarantee that when you come face to face with these majestic animals the trek will soon become a distant memory!

Porters may be hired for the trek to carry your backpack and gear. The cost is US$10 per person/per day.

Upon sighting the gorillas your group will be allowed one hour with them to watch them as they go about their daily lives; feeding, moving, playing, wrestling and feeding their young – this will be a totally unique and unforgettable experience!

After your exciting gorilla adventure you will head back to the lodge for lunch, and in the late afternoon we will visit the Gatsura community located in the volcanoes around 5 minutes drive from the lodge. Here you can engage with the community and learn all about their lifestyle and traditions including weaving and beer making, before returning to the lodge for dinner.

Today we can spend some time further exploring the magnificent Volcanoes National Park. Featuring a rich mosaic of montane ecosystems, which embrace evergreen and bamboo forest, open grassland, swamp and heath, as well as five extinct volcanoes, this spectacularly scenic park is home to 178 recorded bird species, as well as other wildlife such as golden monkeys, bush duiker, buffalo and spotted hyenas.

There are 2 activity options available today which are included in the cost of your package. The first option is golden monkey trekking, another up-close primates experience that is sure to impress. The Golden Monkey (Cercopithecus Mitis Kandti) is a local subspecies of the widespread Sykes Monkey, also known as the “Blue Monkey” and is endemic to the high altitude forests. The monkeys are playful and inquisitive and often spend their time leaping from bamboo branches or frolicking on the forest floor. There are two habituated groups of Golden Monkey, one group comprises around 80 - 100 members and has its home at the foot of Mt Sabyinyo. This exceptionally enjoyable experience usually lasts for around 4 hours.

Alternatively, you can enjoy a guided hike to Dian Fossey’s grave, a beautiful yet challenging hike to 3,000 meters up the slopes of Mount Bisoke. Dian Fossey was the founder of the Karisoke Research Center and was world-renowned for her tireless efforts in the studying of and conservation of the mountain gorillas. Her name was made famous by the film “Gorillas in the Mist” which was adapted from her book of the same name. This poignant trek will remind us of the plight of these remarkable animals and we will learn more about how Dian and others have helped to turn things around remarkably for generations to come.

In the afternoon you will return to the lodge for lunch before departing for Gisenyi to check into the Kivu Serena Hotel to enjoy dinner and an evening at your leisure. Lake Kivu boasts an extraordinarily beautiful inland beach enclosed by steep, green terraced hills and the most serene environment within the central African Region.

1 night's accommodation at the Kivu Serena Hotel on a full board basis.

After breakfast this morning you can enjoy an included kayaking excursion on Lake Kivu in Gisenyi before returning to the hotel for lunch and to meet your driver to begin your journey to the iconic Nyungwe National Park. Upon arrival you will check in to the luxury, newly-opened Nyungwe House which is located within the lush green expanse of a working tea plantation on the edge of the park. You will be invited to spend some time visiting the farm and to even get involved in a spot harvesting before returning to the lodge for a delicious dinner and a well-deserved rest in preparation for tomorrow’s chimp trekking activity.

2 nights' accommodation at Nyungwe House on a full board basis.

Today begins with a 5am wake-up call for your trek into the forest to get up-close to the chimpanzees that reside in Nyungwe National Park. Located in the South West corner of Rwanda, Nyungwe National Park is an untouched natural rainforest that is filled with exciting biodiversity. Covering over 1000 square kilometres, Nyungwe is one of the world’s most beautiful and pristine mountain rainforests. Home to habituated chimpanzees and 12 other primates species (including a 400-strong troop of habituated Ruwenzori Black & White Colobus), it’s also a birder’s paradise with over 300 species, including 16 endemics, and is home to 75 different species of mammal.

Although we will be on a constant lookout for the other wildlife that fills the park, the main attraction here is the huge numbers of habituated chimpanzees that reside here. Your trekking experience will allow you to observe these fascinating primates up-close as they go about their everyday lives climbing through the trees, grooming, growling, feeding, and taking care of their young. An unforgettable experience that will no doubt leave a lasting impression.

After your trek you will return to the lodge for lunch before making your way back into the lush forest for your exciting canopy walk. This enjoyable activity will reward you with splendid views over the forest and highlights its magnificent diversity. Hard wood trees dominate the upper canopy while the lower part is beautified with a large selection of orchids, flora and fauna that flourish better in the higher altitudes.

In the evening you will return to the lodge for dinner and some time to relax and reminisce about the incredible experiences you will have had on your comprehensive Rwanda safari tour.

This morning sadly signals the end of your adventure-filled Rwanda holiday and after breakfast you will check out and transfer back to Kigali Airport for your onward or homeward flights. Along the way we will stop for lunch at the Heaven boutique restaurant in Kigali and there will be time for some last-minute souvenir shopping before being dropped off at the airport.