This 9 Days Rwanda gorilla safari focuses on primates with a deeper dive into gorilla trekking and golden monkey tracking in Volcanoes national park and Nyungwe primate exploration.
In addition to primate encounters, the tour also includes experiences such as a canopy walk, birdwatching & nature walk, cultural tours, Dian Fossey hike and Kigali city tour. This is a proposed itinerary which can be customised according to the interests of the visitor, their budget and available travel time.
Safari Highlights
- Gorilla trekking in Volcanoes national park
- Chimpanzee tracking in Nyungwe national park
- Golden monkey tracking in Volcanoes national park
- Colobus monkey tracking in Nyungwe national park
- Waterfall hike in Nyungwe national park
- Birdwatching in Nyungwe national park
- Nature walk in Nyungwe national park
- Dian Fossey Hike
- Kigali City Tour
- Iby’Iwacu Cultural Experience
Trip Summary
Day 1: Arrive in Kigali & city tour
Day 2: Transfer to Nyungwe national park
Day 3: Chimpanzee tracking & canopy walk
Day 4: Colobus monkey trekking & waterfall hike
Day 5: Birdwatching & nature walk in Nyungwe
Day 6: Transfer to Volcanoes national park
Day 7: Gorilla trekking
Day 8: Golden monkey tracking & Dian Fossey Hike (optional)
Day 9: Cultural experience & departure
Detailed itinerary – 9 Days Rwanda gorilla safari
Day 1: Arrival in Kigali and city tour
Upon arrival at Kigali International Airport, you will be met by your safari driver guide and after briefing, you will transferred to your booked accommodation in Kigali. After lunch, embark on Kigali city tour and visit several key sites around the city. These include the poignant Kigali Genocide Memorial where you can pay tribute to the victims of the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi as well as learning about the history of Rwanda. Other sites to visit include the Kimironko local market, Inema Arts Centre and Camp Kigali Belgian Peacekeepers Memorial. Return to your accommodation for dinner and overnight.
Day 2: Transfer to Nyungwe national park
After breakfast, embark on a scenic drive southwest to Nyungwe national park, one of Africa’s oldest national parks (4-5 hours drive) Enjoy stunning views of terraced hills, plantations and local communities along the way. Check into your lodge in Nyungwe for dinner and overnight as you prepare to begin your primate encounter in the morning.
Day 3: Chimpanzee tracking and canopy walk
After early breakfast, head to the headquarters of Nyungwe national park for a briefing on chimpanzee tracking guidelines. Enter the forest led by experienced guides and rangers looking for a community of habituated chimpanzees. You will spend one hour in the presence of these intelligent primates observing how they feed, play, and mate in their natural habitat.
Return to your lodge for lunch and relaxation at the end of the experience. In the afternoon, go for the breathtaking Nyungwe canopy walk, a suspended bridge offering stunning aerial views of the forest canopy, wildlife and the surrounding areas. The bridge also offers excellent birdwatching opportunities where you can some rare bird species including Rift Valley endemics. Dinner and overnight at your lodge in Nyungwe.
Day 4: Colobus monkey trekking and Waterfall hike
After breakfast, head back to the park for another primate encounter, colobus monkey tracking. You will be led by experienced guides to meet these beautiful and playful primates. Enjoy watching them jump from tree to tree and go about their routine in their natural habitat. You may also be lucky enough to encounter other primate species such as the L’Hoest’s monkey and the blue monkey.
In the afternoon, go for the adventurous waterfall hike to one of the waterfalls in Nyungwe national park including Isumo and Ndambarare waterfalls. This hike offers excellent photography opportunities of the waterfalls and the stunning surrounding views. Dinner and overnight at your lodge in Nyungwe.
Day 5: Birdwatching and nature walk in Nyungwe
After breakfast, begin your birdwatching and nature walk experience in Nyungwe by following one of the trails in the park. Nyungwe has got over 270 bird species including Albertine Rift endemics. Some of the rare species you are likely to encounter include the Rwenzori Turaco, Grauer’s Warbler, Rush Warbler, Red-throated Alethe, Black-and-white casqued Hornbill, Rwenzori Batis, among others. Hiking trails offers excellent opportunities to see the beauty of Nyungwe attractions including birds, primates, and vegetation. Dinner and overnight at your accommodation in Nyungwe.
Day 6: Transfer to Volcanoes national park
Enjoy a relaxed breakfast and embark on another scenic drive to Volcanoes national park, Rwanda’s home to the endangered mountain gorillas (3-4 hours). Enjoy beautiful views of Rwanda’s countryside full of rolling hills, plantations and local communities along the way. Check into your lodge near Volcanoes national park and get ready for your gorilla trekking adventure in the morning.
Day 7: Gorilla trekking
After early breakfast, head to Kinigi, the headquarters of Volcanoes national park and join other visitors for a briefing on gorilla trekking guidelines. You will also be divided into small groups and assigned a gorilla group to track (maximum of 8 visitors per gorilla group).
Head into the jungles of Volcanoes national park led by by experienced guides and rangers in search for the gorillas. The duration for this trek varies between 1-6 hours depending on the location and movement of gorillas.
Once you meet them, spend the magical hour in their presence observing how they feed, play and rest in their natural habitat. This is a truly remarkable and unforgettable experience and don’t forget to use your camera to capture some moments with these giant and gentle primates. At the end of the experience, return to your lodge for lunch and relaxation.
Day 8: Golden monkey tracking and Dian Fossey hike (optional)
After breakfast, return to park headquarters for a briefing on golden monkey tracking. This example is usually shorter and less strenuous than gorilla trekking. Meet these playful and colourful primates in the bamboo forests of the park where they usually live. Spend one hour observing how they interact in their natural habitat in a breathtaking experience you capture them on your camera.
Return to your lodge for lunch and relaxation. In the afternoon, depending on how you feel and your interest, you may choose to go for the Dian Fossey hike or just at your lodge and relax or simply take a relaxed move around. Visisting Dian Foseey tomb offers an insight into the history of gorilla conservation and research as well as appreciating the sacrifice and contribution of Dian Fossey to the existence of gorillas today. Dinner and overnight at your accommodation.
Day 9: Cultural experience and departure
Enjoy breakfast on a relaxed morning and head to the Gorilla Guardian Village (formerly Iby’Iwacu Cultural Village) for a thrilling cultural experience. Be entertained with Rwanda’s traditional dance and songs as well as listening to storytelling and taking park in a few local activities such as craft making.
This cultural tour enables to learn more about the history, culture and traditions of Rwanda. After lunch, transfer back to Kigali International Airport for your departure flight. Depending on your flight schedule, you may have some to time for last-minute souvenir shopping in Kigali.
Important considerations for the 9 Days Rwanda gorilla safari
Gorilla permits and chimpanzee permits should be booked and secured at least 6 months in advance through a credible tour operator. Rwanda’s gorilla permit cost $1,500 per person while a chimpanzee permit cost $250 per person. A golden monkey permit is sold at $100
The best season for gorilla tracking and other wildlife safaris in Rwanda is the dry period between June to September and December to February. This is because the trails are drier and easier to trek while gorillas also tend to move freely in the forest hence easy to find. However, gorilla trekking tours and other wildlife safaris in Rwanda take place throughout the year.
Your tour operator will also cater for your transport, accommodation and guiding services. Ensure to communicate to your operator in case you have any health concerns that may require special attention.
Some of the most important gear to pack for a gorilla trekking tour in Rwanda include sturdy hiking boots, long trousers, long-sleeved shirts, gardening gloves, and a camera with extra batteries. Gorilla trekking can be physically demanding and therefore you need a reasonable level of fitness to hike through dense montane rainforests. The minimum age allowed for gorilla tracking in Rwanda is 15 years.