Overview
The 5 Days Volcanoes Gorillas and Nyungwe Tour provides opportunities to track mountain gorillas in Volcanoes National Park and also see chimpanzees in Nyungwe Forest National Park. Both destinations are prime sites for primate viewing in Rwanda, with Volcanoes being the sole place in Rwanda for gorilla trekking, and Nyungwe offering prime chimp experiences. The tour starts and finishes in Kigali.
Highlights for 5 Days Volcanoes Gorillas and Nyungwe Tour
- Day 1: Pickup from Kigali, transfer to Volcanoes National Park
- Day 2: Gorilla trek
- Day 3: Transfer to Nyungwe Forest National Park
- Day 4: Chimpanzee trek and canopy walk
- Day 5: Return to Kigali
Detailed Itinerary for 5 Days Volcanoes Gorillas and Nyungwe Tour
Day 1: Pickup from Kigali and Transfer to Volcanoes National Park – Ibyi’wacu Village Tour
Your driver-guide meets you at Kigali International Airport upon arrival or from your lodging in Kigali. After a short welcome briefing, you have lunch in Kigali, then begin a three-hour journey to Volcanoes National Park. On arriving, visit Ibyi’wacu village for a cultural excursion.
Following that, check in at your assigned lodge, take a moment to freshen up, and later have dinner and spend the night there.
Day 2: Gorilla Trek
Breakfast is served early in the morning. The gorilla trekking orientation starts at 7 a.m. You will be given in-depth information about the gorilla group you will track. The trek could vary in duration from one hour up to seven hours.
Walking through steep bamboo slopes, you eventually reach a spot where the gorillas are concealed among the vegetation—this is a momentous encounter. Once you locate them, you have one hour to observe them at a safe distance of approximately six meters. When finished, meet your driver-guide again and return to your lodge for lunch and rest. You will then have dinner and another overnight stay at the same property.
Day 3: Transfer to Nyungwe Forest National Park (Around 7 hours)
Enjoy an early breakfast, check out of your lodge, and begin the drive to Nyungwe forest. There may be a brief lunch stop along the way, plus a chance to stretch your legs. Once you reach Nyungwe, have dinner at your designated lodge or hotel and stay the night.
Day 4: Chimpanzee Trek and Canopy Walk
After breakfast, receive an orientation before entering the forest to locate chimpanzees. Treks in Nyungwe typically begin around 5 a.m., so you should arrive at the park’s briefing area early. Bring along a packed lunch from your lodge. Chimps tend to be easy to detect as they move among trees, making assorted vocal calls. The entire trek can last from four to six hours, depending on how deep in the forest they are. Once found, you remain with them for about one hour.
Later, you take a walking trail leading to a canopy bridge measuring about 50 meters in length, suspended at treetop level, giving a panoramic view of the forest canopy.
After this, return to your lodge for dinner and spend the night.
Day 5: Transfer Back to Kigali
Have a leisurely breakfast, then check out and meet your driver-guide to begin the return drive to Kigali, including a lunch break en route. On arrival in Kigali, you can be dropped off at a hotel or at the airport for your departing flight.
End of 5 Days Volcanoes Gorillas and Nyungwe Tour