Your journey begins…
Experience the beauty of Rwanda and encounter the magnificent gorillas on a trekking experience in Volcanoes National Park, as you make your way through Virunga volcanoes. Travel to Kigali and explore the Genocide Memorial Museum.
- Endangered gorillas
- Volcanoes National Park
- Genocide Memorial Museum
- Kigali City tour
Day 1
KIGALI
On arrival at Kigali International Airport, guests will be met by a Sense of Africa driver guide and transferred to Kigali Serena Hotel for check-in.
Overnight at Kigali Serena Hotel – Breakfast.
Day 2
NYUNGWE FOREST NATIONAL PARK
After breakfast, guests will be collected by their guide and transferred to Nyungwe Forest National Park, about a 6 hour drive from Kigali. Nyungwe Forest National Park is also home to a rich variety of flora and fauna; 13 recorded species of primates, including the Angola colobus and an estimated 500 chimpanzees as well as the L’Hoest monkey, olive baboon, grey-cheeked mangabey and red-tailed monkey. Bird enthusiasts will not be disappointed, with over 300 species. In the afternoon, guests will be taken for a canopy walk.
From the park information centre, descend the 40 degree slant via a zig-zag foot path to the first tower deep in the forest valley for the 1½ hr walk on the Canopy Walk’s suspension bridge. Guests then return to the lodge and spend the day at leisure.
Overnight at Nyungwe Top View Hill Hotel – Lunch, dinner, and breakfast.
Day 3
NYUNGWE FOREST NATIONAL PARK
Guests rise at dawn then board their transfer at 4.30am to the forest for a chimpanzee tracking experience. Although it is possible to track and see chimpanzees in Nyungwe Forest, this is very hilly terrain in a rainforest and the chimpanzees themselves are only semi-habituated and tend to move far and wide over a large area. This makes the tracking difficult and unpredictable and sighting the chimpanzees is hard to guarantee.
The national park does not practice a refund policy in case of failure to sight. In the afternoon, guests will be taken for another canopy walk.
Overnight at Nyungwe Top View Hill Hotel – Lunch, dinner, and breakfast.
Day 4
LAKE KIVU
After breakfast, guests will head to Lake Kivu with its idyllic scenery. Lying in the Albertine Rift and covering most of Rwanda’s western border with DR Congo, Lake Kivu is the largest water body in Rwanda. The rest of the evening is spent at leisure.
Overnight at Lake Kivu Serena Hotel – Lunch, dinner, and breakfast.
Day 5
VOLCANOES NATIONAL PARK
After breakfast, guests will be collected by their driver-guide and transferred through to Volcanoes National Park. After check-in at Tilozera Volcanoes Ecolodge, guests can have lunch and spend the rest of the afternoon at leisure.
Overnight at Tilozera Volcanoes Ecolodge – Lunch, dinner, and breakfast.
Day 6
VOLCANOES NATIONAL PARK
After an early morning breakfast, guests will be collected by their guide and are transferred to the Volcanoes National Park headquarters for a briefing of the gorilla tracking experience and allocation of the trekking porters. Guests will start their gorilla trekking adventure at the foothills of the Virunga mountains, with stirring views in all directions.
Upon sighting the gorillas, guests will stay with them for an hour as they go about their daily life of feeding, playing, resting and raising their young. Coming face-to-face with a giant silverback must truly be one of the greatest wildlife adventures! In the afternoon, guests will be able to visit a local community.
Overnight at Tilozera Volcanoes Ecolodge – Lunch, dinner, and breakfast.
Day 7
DEPARTURE
After breakfast, the journey ends with a 3 hour drive back to Kigali. On arrival, guests will be taken on a city tour of Kigali, including the visit of the Genocide Memorial before being transferred to the airport for their further travels.
Inclusions
Accommodation: As specified
Meals: 6 breakfasts, 5 lunches, 5 dinners
Activities: As specified
Transfers: Arrival and departure transfers
Guide: Qualified English speaking driver-guide
Tax: All taxes on the services quoted above
General:
City tour and Genocide Memorial Museum
Extra lunch in Kigali as per the itinerary
Gorilla permits (quoted separately)
Exclusions
All international / domestic flights and taxes
Visas
Travel and personal accident insurance
Personal expenses
Excursions / activities not specified
Gratuities