5 Days Rwanda gorilla trekking & Leisure safari
5 Days Rwanda gorilla trekking & Leisure safari: This is a 5 day Great Ape safari in Rwanda. If you are looking to see some mountain gorillas during your brief stay in Rwanda, this is the ideal tour package for you! The 5 days gorillas and leisure Rwanda safari will take you to Volcanoes National Park which is the only safe haven for the endangered mountain gorillas in the country. During this trip, you will also get a taste of Rwanda’s exquisite local delicacies and learn more about her unique cultures. Your 5 day Rwanda safari will start and end in Kigali city.
Detailed Itinerary for your 55 Days Rwanda gorilla trekking & Leisure safari
Day 1: Pickup from Kigali and Transfer to Volcanoes National Park.
Pickup from Kigali & City Tour: You will be picked up by your guide from Explore Rwanda Tours upon arrival at Kigali International Airport. Your guide will then drive you to Kigali Genocide Memorial, which is about a 30 minute drive from the airport. The genocide memorial grounds is where approximately 250,000 Rwandans were buried following the 1994 Genocide killings against the Tutsi people of Rwanda. The Kigali Genocide Memorial acts as an educative center and a reminder to every one of the atrocities that were committed during the genocide. It is also an initiative to spreading the message of peace and love for our fellow humans irrespective of one’s ethnicity. Other interesting places that you can visit during your city tour include; Camp Kigali, Nyamirambo Women’s Center, Caplaki Craft Village and also Kimironko market to mention but a few.
Transfer to Volcanoes: You will have lunch in Kigali before proceeding with your transfer to Volcanoes National Park which is approximately 1 – 2 hours’ drive from Kigali Genocide Memorial. Check into your lodge for dinner and an overnight at Kinigi Guesthouse/ Virunga Lodge/ One & Only Gorilla’s Nest.
Day 2: Gorilla Trekking and Iby’iwacu Community Tour.
Gorilla Trekking: After having a hearty breakfast at your Lodge’s restaurant, your safari guide will pick you up from your lodge and you will embark on a 30 minute drive to Volcanoes National Park offices.
While at the Park’s offices, you will be briefed by the head ranger at the park in regards to the Park’s rules and regulations, as well as gorilla tracking regulations. After this briefing, the head ranger will put you into groups depending on the gorilla family group you prefer to track. Mountain Gorillas belong to one of the seven habituated family groups and hence have quite a tolerance for humans. It could take about 1- 8 hours to track a gorilla group depending on how easily they are located. Once gorilla group is located, your will be allowed to spend only an hour with the gorillas. You can have your packed lunch after your gorilla trekking experience.
Iby’iwacu Community Visit: After having your lunch, meet up with your guide at the park’s headquarters and proceed with your drive to the popular Iby’iwacu community village which is located just outside the national park. This community is filled with individuals who were once poachers who have reformed and now actively participate in conservation projects that are run in the park. Visiting the Iby’iwacu community village is a good way to experience the Rwanda culture through music, dance and drumming performances from the local intore dance group.
Later drive to your lodge for dinner and an overnight stay.
Day 3: Dian Fossey Hike and Transfer to Gisenyi Town.
Dian Fossey Hike: On the 3rd day of your 5 Days Rwanda gorilla trekking & Leisure safari, have your breakfast early morning from your lodge and then head out to Volcanoes National Park where you will embark on a hiking expedition to Dian Fossey’s tomb, an American primatologist and conservationist, whose scientific studies on Mountain Gorilla Groups in Volcanoes National Park has given us a better understanding of these primate species. You will have the opportunity to learn more about her life and scientific study up until her death. She was murdered on 26th December 1985 in her camp in Volcanoes National Park and was laid near her favorite gorilla ‘Digit,’ along with 20 other mountain gorillas. Aside from her grave site, you will also pay a visit to the Karisoke Research Centre which she used as a base for carrying out most of her scientific studies with the help of her staff. Reconnect with your guide at the park headquarters and drive back to your lodge for lunch.
Transfer to Gisenyi Town: After lunch, you will transfer to Gisenyi town. The town is situated on the northern shores of Lake Kivu. Check into your hotel for dinner and accommodation at Lake Kivu Serena Hotel.
Day 4: Visit Imbabazi Orphanage & Sunset Boat Cruise on Lake Kivu.
Visit Imbabazi Orphanage: On the 4th day of your 5 Days Rwanda gorilla trekking & Leisure safari, have breakfast early in the morning from your hotel and later transfer to Imbabazi Orphanage, where you will get to pay a visit to the little orphaned children, who will bring nothing but smiles on your face. The orphanage was started by an American, humanitarian activist named, Rosamund Hasley Carr. She founded the orphanage upon her return to the country after the 1994 Rwanda Genocide. The orphanage acted as a safe haven for refugees and children who had returned to the country. You will get to spend some quality time playing with the children and learn more about the history of the orphanage and its activities. Later drive back to your hotel for lunch and relax for the rest of the afternoon. You can also visit some of the sandy beaches in the town which offer tourists lots of water sport activities like; swimming, surfing, beach volleyball and so much more.
Evening Boat Cruise on Lake Kivu: Later in the evening, you will embark on a sunset boat cruise on Lake Kivu. Lake Kivu is about 90 km long and 50km wide making it the 8th largest lake on the African continent. While on the boat cruise, you will get to see some of the spectacular bird species around like; the yellow- billed kites, common waxbill and cardinal wood pecker among others. You will also get to visit the peace island of Amahoro and Napoleon Island which is well known for its bat caves.
Later drive back to your hotel for dinner and a good night’s rest.
Day 5: Transfer back to Kigali and Departure.
Transfer back to Kigali: Today marks the last day of your 5 days Rwanda safari with us! Have breakfast at leisure from your hotel and then check out. Your guide will then transfer you back to Kigali city, where upon your arrival in the city, you can decide to embark on a brief tour of the city. This will give you the opportunity to visit the places that you had earlier missed out at the start of your tour. Later, you can have your guide drop you off at the airport where you will board your flight back home. End of Tour.
