This 8 Days Explore Rwanda Safari is the ultimate primate and great ape safari experience. Get a chance to experience chimpanzee trekking in Nyungwe forest national park, gorilla trekking and golden monkey trekking in Volcanoes national park. This 8 days Rwanda safari also carefully blends Rwanda’s culture, wildlife and beautiful scenery as you explore her breathtaking countryside and visit cultural sites plus national parks.
Highlights for 8 Days Explore Rwanda Safari
Day 1: Arrival and transfer to your hotel in Kigali
Day 2: Transfer to Nyungwe Forest National Park
Day 3: Chimpanzee trekking and Canopy Walk
Day 4: Transfer to Ruhengeri (Approximately 7 hour’s drive)
Day 5: Gorilla trekking in Parc National des Volcans
Day 6: Golden Monkey tracking
Day 7: Hiking Mountain Bisoke
Day 8: Transfer Back to Kigali
Detailed Itinerary for 8 Days Explore Rwanda Safari
Day 1: Arrival and transfer to your hotel in Kigali
Upon arrival at Kigali International Airport or at pick up from your hotel, our guide will welcome you and transfer to Kigali city and depending on the time of your arrival; you will go for a short city tour with in Kigali and visit the genocide memorial site. Dinner and overnight stay at your lodge.
Day 2: Transfer to Nyungwe Forest National Park (Approximately 6 hour’s drive)
After a morning breakfast on the second day of your 10 Days Rwanda Safari, you will transfer to Nyungwe Forest National Park. En route, you will pass through wonderful and magnificent hills and cultivated countryside.
Have a stopover at the royal King’s Palace in Nyanza for a cultural description about the history of Rwanda. Continue and visit the cultural museum at Rwesero. Proceed and reach Butare town where you will have lunch after lunch you will visit the Rwanda National Museum for a tour around the site.
Proceed and reach the Park late afternoon. Upon arrival you will check into your hotel/lodge and spend the rest of the evening at leisure. Retire back to your lodge for dinner and overnight stay.
Day 3: Chimpanzee trekking and Canopy Walk
Enjoy breakfast and go for briefing before entering the forest, searching for the active and playful fellows in Nyungwe forest. The Chimpanzees are the easy to spot, as they jump from one tree to another, chattering and laughing. Chimp tracking usually takes about 3 hours. You will then return to your accommodation for lunch. After lunch, you will go on a walking trail that will take you to the Canopy Walk, a swing bridge 50 meters in length that is suspended from large trees. You will be able to see the amazing rainforest with a bird’s eye view, spotting wildlife moving about below you. Return to your lodge for dinner and Overnight.
Optional Activity: Tea Tour
Day 4: Transfer to Ruhengeri (Approximately 7 hour’s drive)
Breakfast will be served early this fourth day of your 8 Days Explore Rwanda Safari and then after, you will check out from your Hotel and later transfer to Ruhengeri. En route you will visit the Ibyi’wacu Cultural Village, where you may have a wonderful and interactive experience about the Rwandan traditions, culture and way of life. After this you will continue to the park reaching in the late evening. Dinner and overnight at your lodge.
Day 5: Gorilla trekking in Parc National des Volcans
The fifth day of this 8 Days Explore Rwanda Safari highlights a gorilla trekking activity. Early in the morning after breakfast and a briefing from the RBD officials, set off for the gorilla tracking. This experience of gorilla tracking is a once in a life time adventure. The rangers will lead you deep into the forest in search for the Gorillas. You will move up and down the rugged terrain until you finally meet these harmonious creatures that will entertain you with performances for about 1 hour. The activity in Rwanda can take 3-5 hours since the gorillas move up and down.
This is an awesome and exciting moment. En route there are a lot of chimpanzees and other types of the primates such as the monkeys, birds and so more. Return for lunch at the Lodge and in the afternoon, visit the Ibyi’wacu Village where you will be taken through the works of the local people and learn more about how they are partnering with the park authorities to protect and conserve wildlife especially mountain gorillas.
Also, you will learn more about Rwanda’s interesting cultures, dress in traditional Rwandan attire and participate in traditional dance and singing performances by the local intore dance troupe. Return for dinner and overnight stay.
Day 6: Golden Monkey tracking
After breakfast on the sixth day of your 8 Days Explore Rwanda Safari, you will go for golden monkey tracking. This activity also takes like 2-3 hours in the Virunga forest. Later return back to your lodge for early lunch and transfer back to Kigali city reaching in the afternoon. Take an optional community walk in the evening around Ruhengeri. Dinner and overnight stay at your lodge.
Optional Activities: Visit Twin Lakes of Burera and Ruhondo/ Visit Musanze Caves
Day 7: Hiking Mountain Bisoke
The seventh day of this 8 Days Explore Rwanda Safari highlights a physical challenge. After breakfast at your Lodge, you will set out for a one-day hike on Mount Bisoke. This will give you views of the beautiful slopes and also get a chance to see the forest while on the mountain. Return for dinner and overnight stay.
Day 8: Transfer Back to Kigali
Upon completion of your breakfast, you will check out of your hotel on time and find your driver waiting for you at the lobby. You will then embark on your 3-hour drive back to Kigali arriving in time to have lunch and be dropped off at a location of your choice as you will advise at the time of booking this tour with us!
