10 Days Classic Rwanda Primate Safari

Arrival at Kigali International Airport, meet and greet with our representative and transfer to the Hotel with in Kigali city (15-30mins)

Accommodation: Heaven Boutique Hotel (residence King Room)

Meal plan: Bed & Breakfast

Wake up the African sounds of Kigali city and have your breakfast, your private driver will be waiting to take you through Rwanda’s most beautiful countryside dotted with calming nature scenery and colour.

This part of your tailor-made Classic Rwanda Safari is a 5-6hour lazy drive that will see you take stops at local markets, the traditional palace in Nyanza and continue to Butare, visit the Botanical Gardens and the cultural museum. Pass through stunning green fields of tea scattered across the hillsides and the small unique wooden houses surrounding Nyungwe Forest just before you arrive at the lodge and check in. For the rest of the day, make yourself comfortable with nature’s own ambiance around the lodge, chill out in the lounge and meet new people.

Accommodation: Nyungwe Top View Hill Hotel (Cottage)

Meal plan: on Full board

Have an early breakfast and transfer to the park headquarters for the chimpanzee tracking activity briefing. Escorted by a park ranger and a guide, jump onto the the jungle trails to another rainforest experience. In a short while, you’ll find your designated chimpanzee troop which you’ll follow and stick with for the next one hour. The chimpanzee bands keep moving, making noise, grooming, stopping for snack or nap and your challenge is to keep up with them with the guidance of the park guide. After your unforgettable experience with the chimpanzees in their nature setup, you’ll take the aerial view on Nyungwe forest and beyond on the 160 meters (525 ft) high canopy walkway. The canopy walkway has been named the world’s best forest canopy walkway, according to a latest report by Lonely Planet.

Suspend your emotions and let loose, shout at the top of your voice and free yourself, spread your arms and your eyes as far as you can see and re-invent your emotional self: this is the place you want to be at.

Return to the lodge for the rest of the evening.

Accommodation: Nyungwe Top View Hill Hotel (Cottage)

Meal plan: on Full board

You’ll find that quite simply, Nyungwe Forest National Park is Rwanda’s most important area of biodiversity, with no fewer than 1000 plant species, 13 species of primates, 75 species of other African mammals, at least 275 species of birds and an astounding 120 species of butterflies. It has been rated the highest priority for forest conservation in Africa and its protected area covers one of the oldest rainforests in Africa. Despite its huge biodiversity, Nyungwe is little known outside of East Africa.  

In the middle of the forest, you’ll setup a picnic lunch and take in the friendly service of this beautiful African jungle. Later return to the lodge, relax or visit the Tea Plantation.   

Accommodation: Nyungwe Top View Hill Hotel (Cottage)

Meal plan: On Full board

With a morning breakfast proceeds via Kibuye. Enjoy the stunningly beautiful views from Lake Kivu up to Gisenyi; beautiful countryside with valleys dotted with agricultural farms. Kibuye is the most beautiful of all the three-resort town on Lake Kivu. After relax at the shores of Lake Kivu. Take a boat out on the lake to see the various islands. Swim in the refreshing waters or stroll to the nearby villages rambling across a number of hills, you next Classic Rwanda Safari adventure reboots the next day!

Accommodation: Cleo Lake Kivu Hotel (King Suite)

Meal plan: Full board

After breakfast, you can choose to stay in or take a discovery boat ride on Lake Kivu.

You will encounter local fishermen, fishing villages and also the residents of Idjwi Island (Congo) who are rowing long distances in their dugout canoes to visit the Rwanda markets.

You will be picked up in Gisenyi for lunch before retiring to the lodge.  

Accommodation: Cleo Lake Kivu Hotel (King Suite)

Meal plan: Full board

After breakfast, join your Classic Rwanda Safari driver and head towards to gorilla sanctuary where you’ll hail to track the elusive mountain gorilla and spend the next three nights.

In the late afternoon, head out for a cultural experience at Ib’ywachu cultural village. The village offers an opportunity to learn about ways of living of the local people as introduce you to their traditional way of life, including songs and dances accompanied by lively drumming. You can listen to “gorilla songs” sung by the well-known performer Ngayabatema (better known as Kayuku), or perhaps watch the unique dance form presented by the Intore dancers and accompanied by traditional instruments. Take a lesson from a traditional healer in how to create medicinal elixirs from local plants, grasses, and shrubs.

Accommodation: Mountain Gorilla View Lodge (Standard Room)

Meal plan: Full board

With an early breakfast, drive to the park headquarters for gorilla briefing (45 minutes).  When venturing into this gigantic forest, a packed lunch, comfortable clothes, shoes and a walking stick is a must before. The time spent gorilla tracking is unpredictable, It varies from 2-8 hours before an encounter with the family of these gentle creatures. The location of each gorilla family depends on temperature, their feeding range and movement of the previous day with the trackers ahead of your tracking group. Strict guidelines will be issued at the trailhead briefing point, make sure you remember the most important ones.

Enjoy the one hour allotted, (only time allowed in the company of each gorilla family a day) watch and capture this memorable experience as they go about their day-to-day activities; the young ones playing around the old ones, feeding each other and eating foliage. The sight of these outstanding creatures is the climax of this entire safari. Later retire for an overnight at the lodge.

Accommodation: Mountain Gorilla View Lodge (Standard Room)

Meal plan: Full board

After an early breakfast, you get to choose which activity you want for this day; Either track the golden monkeys or climb the breath-taking Visoke volcano, or trek to Karisoke Research Centre; a place which was set up by the famous primatologist Dian Fossey, a brave lady who protected and saved a lot of these gentle creatures from inhuman savages. Or visit the local communities around the park. After the activity of your choice, have a relaxed afternoon

Accommodation: Mountain Gorilla View Lodge (Standard Room)

Meal plan: Full board

This morning after a leisurely breakfast/ lunch drive back to Kigali. On your way to Kigali make some stops for scenic viewing, the drive to Kigali takes about 2.5hr hours as Rwanda is a small country.

Depending on your departure flight time have an optional Day room use or extra night in Kigali

End of the classic Rwanda Safari. No Accommodation; Only Breakfast