Rwanda is the world’s famous gorilla safari destination. Therefore, for you to visit and see the great mountain gorillas, chimpanzees as well as the big five it is Rwanda to go come 2024/25. It is referred to as a country of a thousand hills making it enjoyable in terms of scenery viewing. Rwanda is a country rebranded as a new luxury tourist destination with the main parks being Volcanoes National Park, Nyungwe Forest National Park and Akagera Game National Park with out forgetting Gishwati where eco – activities are offered and later to the Lake Kivu as the relaxation site.
In Rwanda, if you are time limited easily take the 01 day gorilla trip, 02-day gorilla safari and also for those interested in gorilla trek but can’t affordable the luxury gorilla permit in Rwanda we can customize for you a very affordable 02 day gorilla trek in Uganda and the unique 03 day gorilla in Uganda – 02 treks and you can too relax at Lake Bunyonyi or Mutanda Lake Resort that is if you have more 01 or 02 days extra.
One day trip
This will always favour you if you have limited time. This trip will take you to see mountain gorillas in their natural habitats. You will be picked from Kigali early in the morning at 4:30am after taking your break fast in a 4×4 Land cruiser Prado heading direct volcanoes national park headquarters for briefing.
Present all the necessary documents including the gorilla permit of $1500. You will be grouped according to your level of fitness in groups of 8 people then head to the starting point and then go searching for the gorillas which will take from 30mins to almost 5hours depending on where the gorillas slept last night.
You will be led by armed game rangers who will be able to guard you even in times of danger. They will be able to communicate to the first trackers ahead of you and help in locating the gorillas. Once you locate them, you will spend one hour in contact with the gorillas. While with the apes, watch them play, feed, breast feed, making nests as you target to get the best photos.
Once you are done with the gorillas, descend to the headquarter to receive your trekking certificate then go for lunch and rest for some time then back to Kigali.
Two-day trip
The trip will take you for a city tour and gorilla trekking in volcanoes national park. It will start with a pick up early in the morning after break fast and go for a city tour. This will take you to the cultural, historical and markets in Kigali. This will be at the natural history museum, kandt house, presidential museum, Kigali genocide memorial site, campaign against genocide museum, artisan/craft centres, Kimironko market, mount Kigali, Kigali convention centre, lake Nyarutarama then have lunch at Hotel Des Mille Collins then drive to volcanoes national park specifically to your lodge for dinner and overnight.
Wake up early morning take breakfast then transfer to the volcanoes national park headquarters for briefing. This will help you know the dos and don’ts during gorilla trekking. Take up your group of 8 people depending on your level of fitness then head for the trek. After all is done, you will descend to the headquarters for your trekking certificate and then back to lodge for lunch then back to Kigali.
Three-day trip
On this safari, you will do gorilla trekking twice and a city tour. Start early in the morning after break fast with a city tour which will take you to the Kigali genocide memorial site, Kigali convention centre, presidential museum, artisan/craft centres and Kimironko market then take lunch in the Kigali restaurant then head to volcanoes national park. Go direct to your lodge for dinner and overnight.
Day two will take you for the first gorilla trekking experience in one of the gorilla families. As usual it starts early morning after breakfast with a briefing on the dos and the don’ts during the trekking. It takes between 30mins to 5hours to locate them and once located, you take one hour with them.
Go for lunch and then go for the IbyI’wacu community tour which will give you the opportunity to learn about the people of Rwanda. You will have the chance to participate in the community works of the people of Rwanda. Back to lodge for dinner and overnight.
Day three will take you for the second gorilla trekking experience which will take place in another gorilla family giving you the chance to witness the different behaviours which would be in another group. After all you will go for lunch and then back to Kigali.
Four-day trip
This safari will take you to Nyungwe national park for chimpanzee trekking, lake Kivu, volcanoes national park for gorilla trekking as well as a city tour.
Start your safari with the city tour taking you to see some historical and cultural places in Rwanda. You will be able to visit Kigali genocide memorial, kandt house, presidential museum, craft centres and many more. Take lunch and then proceed to Nyungwe national park taking you direct to the lodge
Day two will take you early morning after breakfast to Nyungwe national park headquarters for briefing.
One habituated chimpanzee community (Cyamudongo group) lives in Cyamudongo forest, a small patch of forest located to the east of Nyungwe forest. Cyamudongo forest is part of Nyungwe National Park though physically detached from the larger and main forest. Historically it was a continuous forest. This community has about 30 chimps. Cyamudongo offers the most successful sightings due to the small size of the forest that will be covered even when the chimps move farther.
The second habituated chimpanzee group (Uwinka group) is found in the main Nyungwe forest around Uwinka area (park headquarter) and is bigger with about 60 chimps. However, given the magnitude of the forest and terrain it sometimes offers lesser chances of seeing the chimps, compared to the chimp group in Cyamudongo forest that has a smaller number of about 30 chimps but offering the most successful sightings given the small size that can be covered to find the chimps in any part.
The third and newest habituated chimpanzee group (Gisovu group) is also found in the main Nyungwe forest but more remotely located in Gisovu, an area to the north of the park near Kibuye town. Being a newly habituated group, it is not yet so used to strangers even when there is a park guide so they may flee when approached or move faster. With time they will become more comfortable.
Its up to you to make a choice of where to trek from. After lunch, you will have time to visit the tea plantation and its factory to see how it is processed or go for a canopy walk giving you the chance to see as many birds as possible. Transfer to lake Kivu for relaxation.
Early morning on a third day, enjoy the morning breeze of the lake. Use this time to relax from the previous trekking fatigue and during mid day after lunch, proceed to volcanoes national park for gorilla trekking on the next day. After the gorillas, you will transfer back to Kigali.
Five-day trip
This gorilla safari will take you to all the national parks in Rwanda. You will take up all the activities in the four-day trip as well as Akagera national park. All the big five will be at your disposal in this park. You will head out into the park for a guided game drive. The park is home to different animals like Elephants, Giraffes, Buffaloes, different Antelope species, and recently the re-introduced Lions and Rhinos. The park is also a bird watchers haven with over 500 bird species.
