7 Days Rwanda Congo Primates Tour
7 Days Rwanda Congo Primates Tour
This 7 days Rwanda Congo primates tour is an amazing safari that will take you to Volcanoes National Park where you will take part in gorilla trekking which is one of the popular activities carried out that allow you to spend time with the habituated mountain gorillas. From Volcanoes National Park you will connect to Nyungwe National Park for chimpanzee trekking and canopy walking and then transfer to Congo for Nyiragongo volcano hike which is an active and one of the eight Virunga volcanoes that stands at an elevation of 3470 meters above the sea level
Highlights
- Pick up and transfer to Volcanoes National Park
- Gorilla trekking
- Transfer to Nyungwe National Park
- Chimpanzee trekking and canopy walk
- Transfer to Gisenyi Lake Kivu
- Climb Nyiragongo volcano
- Descend from the volcano and departure
Detailed Itinerary
Day 1: Arrival and transfer to Volcanoes National Park,
You will be welcomed by our driver guide and then transferred to Kigali for a city tour. During the city tour, you will visit craft centers where they make handmade items and a genocide memorial center. You will learn more about the brutal killing of the people during the Rwanda genocide between the Hutus and Tutsi in 1994. After the city tour, you will go for lunch in one of the restaurants. Then start the journey to Volcanoes National Park in north northwestern part of Rwanda. On the way you will have great views of the rolling hills, beautiful scenery, landscapes, smiling people, and farmlands among others. Upon arrival, you will check into the lodge have dinner, and overnight.
Lodging: Mountain Gorilla View Lodge/Gorilla Solution Lodge/Da Vinci Gorilla Lodge
Meal plan: Half board
Day 2: Gorilla trekking in Volcanoes National Park
After an early breakfast, you will carry a packed lunch and your driver guide will pick you up from the lodge. Transfer to Kinigi Park headquarters for a briefing about the rules, regulations, and expectations. Gorilla trekking in Volcanoes National Park is done in groups of 8 individuals. Each group will have a gorilla family to trek each day and a park guide who is well conversant with trails in the jungle. Gorilla trekking takes about 30 minutes to 6 hours. This depends on where the gorillas are. This is so because they like to move from one place to another in search of food.
During trekking, you will have great views of the colorful bird species, primates, animals, and plants. Once you find the gorillas, spend one hour with the gorillas. During the one hour with the mountain gorillas, you will be able to learn more about their behaviors, lifestyles, watch them feed, breastfeed, take photos, and record videos among others which gives you lifetime experiences. After the one-hour encounter with the mountain gorillas, you will trek back to the park headquarters. You will meet up with your driver guide and transfer back to the lodge for an evening relaxation, dinner, and overnight.
Lodging: Mountain Gorilla View Lodge/Gorilla Solution Lodge/Da Vinci Gorilla Lodge
Meal plan: Full board
Day 3: Transfer to Nyungwe National Park
You will check out of the lodge and meet up with your driver guide to transfer to Nyungwe National Park. On your way, you will have a stopover at Lake Kivu where you will take beautiful pictures of the lake, landscape, and bird species among others. After that beautiful moment on the shores of Lake Kivu, you will proceed with the journey to Nyungwe National Park with an en-route lunch. Upon arrival in the park, you will check into the lodge, have dinner, and overnight.
Lodging: Nyungwe Forest Lodge/Nyungwe Top View Hotel/Golden Monkey Hotel
Meal plan: Full board
Day 4: Chimpanzee trekking and canopy walk
You will meet up with your driver guide. Transfer to the park headquarters for the briefing about the rules and guidelines of chimpanzee trekking. After the briefing you will have a chimpanzee family to trek. Chimpanzee trekking in Nyungwe National Park starts at 8:00 am and takes about 30 minutes to 4 hours or even longer.
This depends on the location of the chimpanzees because they like to move from one place to another in search of food. Once you find the chimpanzees you will spend one hour with the chimpanzees. This allows you to learn more about their habits, and behaviors, enjoy the moment as you watch them feed, play, hunt, rest, breastfeed. Take photos, record videos to show people back home among others. After the incredible moment with the chimpanzees, you will trek back to the park headquarters. Meet up with your driver guide, and drive back to the lodge for lunch.
Canopy walk
After lunch, you will go for a canopy walk on a bridge that is 90 meters long above the forest. The canopy walk starts at the Uwinka visitor’s center which is also the park headquarters and goes through a steep and deep valley filled with thick forest. The canopy walk takes about 2 hours and offers you spectacular views of different bird species, butterflies, primates like blue monkeys among others which gives you unforgettable experiences. After the canopy walk you will trek back to the starting point. You will meet up with your driver guide and transfer back to the lodge for dinner and overnight.
Lodging: Nyungwe Forest Lodge/Nyungwe Top View Hotel/Golden Monkey Hotel
Meal plan: Full board
Day 5: Transfer to Gisenyi
Have breakfast, check out of the lodge, and meet up with your driver guide. Transfer to Gisenyi, Lake Kivu which is the largest freshwater lake in Rwanda. Upon arrival you will relax and enjoy spectacular views of the beautiful scenery, sunset, steep terraced hills, different bird species like malachite kingfishers, and majestic crowned cranes. View fishermen who will be fishing in dugout canoes among others. In the evening you will transfer to the lodge for dinner and overnight.
Lodging: Cleo Lake Kivu Hotel/Kivu Paradise Resort
Meal Plan: Full board
Day 6: Hiking Nyiragongo Volcano
You will have an early breakfast and meet up with your driver guide to cross to the Democratic Republic of Congo passing via the Goma Grande Barrier border. From Goma, you will connect to the trailhead at the Kibat patrol post for a briefing about the safety precautions, guidelines, expectations, stopping points, and what to carry during the Nyiragongo hike. After the briefing, you will have a group with the cooks and start hiking Mount Nyiragongo. This takes about 4-6 hours to reach the summit depending on your hiking speed.
During hiking you will pass through high altitudes, lava rocks, and slippery stones. Have stopovers, and enjoy views of the beautiful scenery, landscape, bird species, mammals, plant and tree species among others. When you reach on top of the volcano you will have incredible views of the boiling lava lake, the cooks will help you to prepare hot coffee and dinner. Spend an overnight in a cabin which is comprised of 2 single beds, mattresses, pillow as you smell the boiling and bubbling lava.
Day 7: Descend from Nyiragongo Volcano and departure to Kigali
After an ultimate breakfast, you will meet up with your guides and start descending from the peak of the mountain. This takes about 3 hours to reach the Kibat patrol post. You will have spectacular views of Virunga National Park, Rwenzori Mountains, Lake Kivu, and other volcanic mountains among others. Upon arrival at the trailhead you will meet up with your driver guide. Transfer to Gisenyi via Goma Grande Barrier border for lunch. After lunch, you will continue the journey to Kigali and your driver guide will drop you off at any place of convenience.
Tour includes
- Bottled drinking water
- Fuel and vehicle
- English speaking guide
- Meals
- Accommodation
- Chimpanzee permit
- Gorilla trekking permit
Exclude
- Alcoholic drinks
- Laundry
- Items of a personal nature
- International airfares
- Travel Insurance
- Tips and gratuities
Safari Vacations and Travel Services is a Local tour operator based in Uganda with its head offices in Entebbe. Moreover, Safari Vacations and Travel Services is a business for Ugandan natives. We specialize in life-changing experiences, sustainable tours, and holidays for all East African countries. Also, we are members of the Association of Uganda Tour Operators and with registration from the Uganda Tourism Board. We have a good and long working relationship with the Uganda Wildlife Authority. We are making booking your gorilla permits and gorilla trekking safari easy. Safari Vacations and Travel Services is also high in Trip Advisor reviews.
