5 Days Rwanda Gorilla and Golden Monkey Trekking Adventure Safari

Arriving at Kigali International Airport, after clearing customs, you will be met by your driver guide outside at the exit point, he will welcome you to Rwanda, share a short briefing, later lead you to your vehicle at the parking and drive you to your booked hotel for an overnight stay. Rwanda’s capital and biggest city stretches across undulating lush hills surrounded by towering mountains, the largest of which is Mount Kigali, rising 1850 meters above sea level. Kigali is the country’s financial, commercial and cultural hub, served by an international airport and featuring a wide range of accommodation options, restaurants and points of interest, including the Kigali Genocide Centre, an atmospheric market and numerous craft shops. With its interesting architecture, busy streets, meandering boulevards, and green hillsides, Kigali is said to be one of the most attractive cities in Africa and is definitely worth a visit. The city is well organized and known for its neatness and hospital people.

After your breakfast at the hotel at 8:00 am, meet your guide, share a short briefing and drive to visit the Kigali Genocide Memorial Center which honors the memory of more than one million Rwandans killed in 1994 through educational and peace-building. You will be able to watch and listen to some video clips from some of the survivors of the incident. Lunch in Kigali and after Lunch we will proceed to Volcanoes NP through the magnificent route to Musanze which will take us approximately 2hrs of good road drive, with a great en route stop overs. The road is smooth and well maintained, something that Rwanda is well known for. You will proceed to your booked accommodation for dinner and overnight stay.

Volcanoes National park
Bordering the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda in Rwanda, the Volcanoes National Park is best known as a sanctuary for the region’s rare mountain gorillas. Visitors flock here to experience a face to face encounter with these intriguing creatures, making it the most famous park in Rwanda. The park is set high on the jungle-covered slopes of the volcanic Virunga Mountains. Highly regulated treks through the reserve allow visitors to spend an hour at a time with these incredible primates in their natural habitat. While the gorillas are without a doubt the main drawcard, visitors can also look forward to exploring a network of scenic hiking trails, visiting the tomb of the world-famous Dian Fossey and the Karisoke Research Centre, and enjoying a beautiful day hike to the Crater Lake on Mount Bisoke. You can as well as opt for trekking the shy golden monkeys or head for a canoe ride on the twin lakes. The beautiful Buhanga Eco Park, still remains virgin and open to visitors, where you get more cultural insight in regards to leadership and kingship of Rwanda.

After an early morning breakfast by 6:30 am, you will be transferred to the park headquarters. You will meet with your ranger who will brief you about the code of conduct while with the gorillas. You will then enter the forest in search of the gorillas. The gorilla trekking may take 2 - 6 hours depending on the movement of the gorillas in the jungle and your group speed as well. Meet and stay with the gorillas for a maximum of one hour. After a great experience you will walk back to the starting point, meet your guide waiting for you and be transferred to your lodge for lunch, and after lunch, you can decide to relax at your lodge at your leisure or opt head for a visit at Elle DeGeneres Campus of Dian Fossey or a cultural encounter with a walking tour at Iby’ Iwacu to get an insight of Rwandan culture. Dinner and overnight at the hotel.

Gorilla Trekking at Volcanoes National Park
Gorilla Trekking in the Volcanoes National Park offers visitors the unique opportunity of discovering the 10 families of gorillas that live within the national park. Visitors can enjoy a cup of coffee before the trek starts and will be separated into groups of 8 depending on their physical abilities. Each group is guided by a guide and two scouts who are well trained in emergency situations. The amount of time set aside per trek is different depending on where the gorilla family is situated. Some trips may take as little as half an hour and some take the better part of the day.

After an early morning breakfast by 6:30 am, you will be transferred to the park headquarters. You will meet with your ranger who will brief you about the code of conduct while with the gorillas. You will then enter the forest in search of the gorillas. The gorilla trekking may take 2 - 6 hours depending on the movement of the gorillas in the jungle and your group speed as well. Meet and stay with the gorillas for a maximum of one hour. After a great experience you will walk back to the starting point, meet your guide waiting for you and be transferred to your lodge for lunch, and after lunch, you can decide to relax at your lodge at your leisure or opt head for a visit at Elle DeGeneres Campus of Dian Fossey or a cultural encounter with a walking tour at Iby’ Iwacu to get an insight of Rwandan culture. Dinner and overnight at the hotel.

Gorilla Trekking at Volcanoes National Park
Gorilla Trekking in the Volcanoes National Park offers visitors the unique opportunity of discovering the 10 families of gorillas that live within the national park. Visitors can enjoy a cup of coffee before the trek starts and will be separated into groups of 8 depending on their physical abilities. Each group is guided by a guide and two scouts who are well trained in emergency situations. The amount of time set aside per trek is different depending on where the gorilla family is situated. Some trips may take as little as half an hour and some take the better part of the day.

Transfer to Kigali for your departure back home. Time permitting, you may undertake an added Kigali city tour to explore the local market, craft shops, before you head to the airport for your departure.
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• Stay back at the lodge and relax, read a book, join a cooking class or take a walk around the property and talk to some locals.
• Go back into the mysterious jungle to meet with the gorillas for a second time. Maybe join the rangers for the habituation experience that gives you more time with the gorillas. But remember, you must have pre-booked the trekking permit.
• Drive down to Lake Mutanda for a traditional dug-out canoeing experience with some of the most enchanting views on the volcano lake.
• Forest walk either on a Batwa Forest Trail or the Circular Trail through Bwindi Impenetrable Forest; this time not for gorillas but everything else ethereal about the jungle.
• Go on a sundowner picnic on top of the world with 360-degree spellbinding views of the hilly landscapes. It's a walking distance from the lodge.

• Stay back at the lodge and relax, read a book, join a cooking class or take a walk around the property and talk to some locals.
• Go back into the mysterious jungle to meet with the gorillas for a second time. Maybe join the rangers for the habituation experience that gives you more time with the gorillas. But remember, you must have pre-booked the trekking permit.
• Drive down to Lake Mutanda for a traditional dug-out canoeing experience with some of the most enchanting views on the volcano lake.
• Forest walk either on a Batwa Forest Trail or the Circular Trail through Bwindi Impenetrable Forest; this time not for gorillas but everything else ethereal about the jungle.
• Go on a sundowner picnic on top of the world with 360-degree spellbinding views of the hilly landscapes. It's a walking distance from the lodge.