8 Days Rwanda Gorilla Tour & Cultural Safari – Detailed Itinerary

Day 1: Arrival at Kigali International Airport.

Upon your arrival at the Kigali international airport, you will be picked up by our driver guide and be transferred to your pre-booked Kigali hotel/lodge for dinner and overnight.

Accommodations: Kigali Serena Hotel (Luxury/Upmarket), Hotel chez Lando (Mid-Range/Standard), Hotel Okapi (Budget)

Day 2: Transfer From Kigali to Nyungwe Forest Park And Evening Cultural Encounter.

After your early morning breakfast, you will meet and greet our driver guide in your lodge/hotel in Kigali.

Thereafter, embark on transfer journey of 225kms about 6 -7 hours’ drive from Kigali to Nyungwe national park.

This journey is very fascinating as you will traverse through amazing scenery all around the area.

The driver guide will slowly drive to allow you capture the best photographs.

You will have lunch en-route and a number of stopovers at Butare National Museum, Nyanza (Rukali) as well as Malaba coffee factory, plus other exciting areas. On arrival to the park, you will drive to the lodge to check-in and relax.

After relaxation, you will embark on an evening cultural encounter with the local people around Nyungwe Forest National Park.

The cultural encounter will give you a rare opportunity to interact with the local people in their natural environment, with a taste of their unique culture and traditions.

You will be entertained by the Cyamundongo Cultural troupe and after the activity; you will retire back to your lodge for dinner and overnight.

Accommodations: Nyungwe Forest Lodge (Luxury /Upmarket), Nyungwe Top View Hote (Moderate /standard), Gisakura Guest House (Budget Lodge).

Day 3: Early Morning Chimpanzee Trekking and Afternoon Canopy Walk

After your early morning breakfast, you will drive to the park headquarters for an early morning briefing about the dos and don’ts of Chimpanzee trekking in the loviest forest of Nyungwe national park.

Nyungwe National Forest is an ideal destination for lovers of primates, with 13 different species living. In the park you will be divided in groups of 8 trekkers who only authorized to trek one habituated Chimpanzee group.

At exactly 8:30am, you will be led by the ranger guide through the beautiful forest trail to trek the fascinating chimpanzee creatures.

Along the trails you may enjoy the nice melodies of different bird species housed in the forest and you may also have chance to enjoy the views of other primates like grey-cheeked mangabey, monkeys.

The activity takes between 2-6 hours but experienced guides will also make sure that they take you where you will have to see the primates as fast as possible.

Face to face encounter with the chimpanzees is very amazing because you will observe them play, feed and rest.

After this worthwhile experience, you will head back to the lodge for lunch. After lunch, embark on adventurous canopy walk to see the beautiful twin lakes as well as various bird species.

Participate in Nature walks in the ever green forests of Nyungwe. After these interesting activities, you will retire back to your lodge for dinner and overnight.

Accommodation: Nyungwe Forest Lodge, (Luxury) Nyungwe Top View Hotel (Mid-Range), Gisakura Guest House (Budget)

Day 4: Transfer from Nyungwe Forest Park to Gisenyi-Lake Kivu.

Transfer from Nyungwe Forest Park to Gisenyi in Lake Kivu after your early morning breakfast.

The drive journey of 189 kms is very fascinating as it will take you through impressive landscape scenery dotted with natural setting and local populations.

On arrival to Gisenyi town, you will drive direct to your booked lodge within Lake Kivu for lunch, relaxation.

After lunch, embark on an afternoon boat ride around the Virgin Islands like the Napoleon’s Hat Island. After enjoying the adventurous boat ride on the waters of Lake Kivu, retire back to the lodge for dinner and overnight.

Accommodations: Lake Kivu Serena Hotel (Luxury), Cormoran Lodge (Mid-Range)

Day 5: Do an Early Morning Boat Cruise to Virgin Islands And Afternoon Transfer to Volcanoes National Park

After an early morning breakfast, embark on boat cruise to explore the Virgin Islands like the Napoleon’s Hat Island.

While at Hat Island, you may ascend to the peak of the hat to view thousands of Angola bats in the blue skies. You can also enjoy swimming in the, Crocodile free, bilharzia free water of Lake Kivu  and after exploring the adventurous activities retire back to the lodge for lunch and relaxation.

After taking your lunch, embark on transfer drive from Lake Kivu to Volcanoes national park. The drive distance of 62 kilometers about 1and half hours’ drive will take you to natural home of Mountain gorillas in Volcanoes national Park.

On arrival to the park, you will drive to your lodge to relax and have dinner and overnight.

After lunch, you will embark on an evening cultural encounter with the local communities around volcanoes national park.

The cultural encounter will give you a rare opportunity to interact with the local people in their natural environment, with a taste of their unique culture and traditions.

On arrival to the village, you will be genuinely welcomed by the community as special Visitors. After cultural refreshment, entrainment, you will retire back to your lodge for dinner and overnight.

Accommodations: Sabyinyo Silverback Lodge (Upmarket/Luxury), Mountain Gorilla View Lodge (Standard/Mid-range), Muhabura Hotel (Budget).

Day 6: Do Gorilla Trekking and Cultural Encounters.

After an early morning hearty breakfast, you will be driven by your driver guide to the park headquarters for a briefing at 70:30am to 8:00am regarding gorilla trekking etiquette in Volcanoes Park.

While at the park headquarters, you will meet other trekkers and you will be divided in groups of eight individuals who are allowed to trek one habituated mountain gorilla group.

After briefing, you will be led by ranger guide to hike through the verdant jungle searching for mountain gorillas.

The activity which will take 2-8 hours needs someone to be physical fit since it involves hiking the hills and slopping the Valleys.

Gorilla trekking process is tedious but impressive when you finally set your small eyes direct to bit big round eyes of the mountain gorillas.

When you eventually meet the gorillas, you will  be allowed one hour with them, seeing them feed, play and look for their young ones.

While staying with the gorillas, you will be required to maintain a distance of 7 meters away, also turn off the flash of your camera as you take pictures.

Right after one hour, you will retire back to the starting point and transfer to your lodge for late lunch and relaxation.

After lunch, you will embark on an evening cultural encounter with the local communities around volcanoes national park.

The cultural encounter will give you a rare opportunity to interact with the local people in their natural environment, with a taste of their unique culture and traditions.

On arrival to the village, you will be genuinely welcomed by the community as special Visitors. After cultural refreshment, entertainment, you will retire back to your lodge for dinner and overnight.

Accommodations: Sabyinyo Silverback Lodge (Upmarket/Luxury), Mountain Gorilla View Lodge (Standard/Mid-range), Muhabura Hotel (Budget).

Day 7: Trek to Dian Fossey Tomb and Afternoon Musanze Cave tour

After an early morning breakfast, embark on trek to Dian Fossey Tomb. The trek will offer you golden opportunity to visit the Dian Fossey Tomb and visit the house where this prominent American researcher was killed from and also listen to the experienced guide explain to you the history of the fallen conservationist.

After the exploring the Karisoke Research Centre, you will retire back to your lodge for relaxation and lunch. After lunch, embark on Musanze Cave tour through the tourist walkways, trails and stairs that take you to the dark interior of the caves that illustrates a picture of a house with several rooms and corridors.

The tour will offer you an in-depth understanding of the geological, geographical as well as historical development of the globe. After exploring the cave, retreat back to the lodge for dinner and overnight.

Accommodations: Sabyinyo Silverback Lodge (Upmarket/Luxury), Mountain Gorilla View Lodge (Standard/Mid-range), Muhabura Hotel (Budget).

Day 8: Transfer to Kigali, City Tour and Departure.

Enjoy your breakfast and drive back to Kigali. On arrival to the city, the driver guide will take you around to Nyamata church, local markets, Gisozi genocide memorial center where you will have time to listen to the comprehensive history of Rwanda during the 1994 genocide and the events of the massacres, including personal accounts.

Thereafter, the driver guide will drive you to your Kigali lodge or Kanombe Airport for your scheduled flight back home.

End of The 8 Days Rwanda Gorilla Tour & Cultural Safari

Getting There

Safari Inclusions

• Gorilla Permit (for gorilla trekking safaris)
• Chimpanzee Permit (for chimpanzee trekking safaris)
• Full Board Accommodation on Safari
• Transportation in either 4X4 Safari Van or 4X4 Safari Land Cruiser all with Pop up roof & AC
• Fuel
• Professional English Speaking driver guide. Any other foreign language speaking guide can be arranged on request.
• Entrance fees to the tourist sites including Protected areas mentioned
• Activity fees of the tourist activities mentioned
• Bottled water while on safari
• Border crossing fees (for cross border safaris)

Safari Exclusions

• General tips for the driver guide, site guides and service staff at the lodges
• Laundry Services
• Other Beverages / drinks of personal nature like Alcohol
• International Flights (Arranged on request)
• Domestic Flights (Arranged on request)
• Visas
• Optional Activity fees
• Other extras not mentioned in the Itinerary
• Airport Transfer (Arranged on request)
• Accommodation in Kampala or Kigali unless it is part of the Itinerary (Arranged on request)

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