12 Days Rwanda Gorilla Trekking Adventure
12 Days Rwanda Gorilla Trekking Adventure: Take on this 12 days Rwanda safari visiting the 3 national parks and the famous Lake Kivu in a space of twelve days. Trek the mountain gorillas and golden monkeys of Volcanoes national park, visit the Lake Kivu, trek the chimpanzees of Nyungwe forest national park and walk on the canopy of the rain forest and conclude your safari with a wildlife safari in Akagera national park. This Rwanda tour is available for booking on any day of the week throughout the year. It starts in Kigali and ends in Kigali.
Trip highlights of the 12 Days Rwanda Gorilla Trekking Adventure
- Day 1: Kigali city tour
- Day 2: Drive to Volcanoes national park
- Day 3: Mountain gorilla trekking in Volcanoes national park
- Day 4: Golden monkey trekking in Volcanoes national park
- Day 5: Transfer to Lake Kivu
- Day 6: Full day in Gisenyi
- Day 7: Drive to Nyungwe forest national park
- Day 8: Chimpanzee trekking and canopy walk in Nyungwe forest
- Day 9: Tropical waterfall guided hike and tea plantation visit
- Day 10: Drive to Akagera national park via Kigali
- Day 11: Day Game drive and Lake Ihema boat cruise
- Day 12: Drive back to Kigali
Trip description
Day 1: Kigali city tour
As soon as you receive your COVID-19 test results and are ready to start your safari, your driver guide will be waiting at your hotel to transfer you for your Kigali city tour. You will exchange pleasantries and set out to your first stopover.
You will visit the Kigali genocide memorial grounds for the brief history of the events that occurred in the country in 1994. You will later visit the Kimironko market for a chance to buy some local produce and souvenirs and also interact with the local people of Rwanda. You will later return to your hotel in Kigali to rest and spend the rest of the day at leisure.
Hotels options in Kigali
- Step Town motel for budget
- Des Milles Collines hotel for midrange
- Kigali Serena hotel for luxury
Day 2: Transfer to Volcanoes national park
Right after having breakfast, you will gather your belongings and head out to meet your driver guide at the reception ready to transfer to your next destination. Check out of your hotel in Kigali and head out to Ruhengeri.
You will have lunch in Musanze and set out to visit the Dian Fossey fund museum in Musanze ahead of your visit to the gorillas. Spend some time at the museum and later head out to your hotel in Volcanoes national park in time to check in and have dinner.
Hotel options in Volcanoes national park.
- Fatima hotel for budget
- Le Bambou gorilla lodge for midrange
- 5 Volanoes boutique hotel for luxury
Day 3: Mountain gorilla trekking in Volcanoes national park
You will be expected to be up for breakfast by 6 am so that you make it for the briefing before the gorilla trekking experience in volcanoes national park. You will connect with your driver guide to the reception area for the brief and to hire porters. Enter the forest searching for the mountain gorillas. The trek will last about 2 to 5 hours depending on how far into the forest the mountain gorillas may be that day.
Spend the magical one hour with the mountain gorilla family of the day at a 7 meter distance and after exit the forest to connect back to your hotel for a late lunch. Spend the rest of the day at leisure as you wait for dinner and spend the second night at your hotel in volcanoes national park Rwanda.
Day 4: Golden monkey trekking in Volcanoes national park
Volcanoes national park is another park where “Gold meets Silver”. This park is a home to both the silver back gorillas and the golden monkeys. You will wake up for breakfast before you connect to the park for your pre trek brief.
Golden monkey trekking is more demanding than the mountain gorilla trekking as it is a 6 hour trek. The monkeys are playful creatures so expect to see them jump from one point to another point. You will have your packed lunches after the trek and retire back at your hotel.
Day 5: Transfer to Lake Kivu
Wake up at a more relaxed note and get ready for breakfast at your hotel. You will after check out of your hotel and drive 2 hours to Rubavu for your visit to Lake Kivu. You will arrive in Gisenyi in time for lunch.
Have lunch at the lake shores and connect to check in at your hotel for the rest of the day.
Hotels in Gisenyi
- Paradise Malahide for budget
- Le Palme Beach hotel for midrange
- Kivu Serena lodge for luxury
Day 6: Full day in Gisenyi
The serene breeze from the lake will wake you up and you will connect to the dining area for the luxury breakfast. Set out to the beach shore where you will spend most of the day taking on boat trips, swimming, paddle boarding and kayaking or opt to relax reading a book. You will have lunch at your hotel and enjoy the hotel as it gets dark.
Dinner will be served and you will enjoy another night in Gisenyi.
Day 7: Drive to Nyungwe forest national park
Wake up for breakfast at leisure and pack your bags to check out of the hotel and connect with your driver guide to transfer to Nyungwe forest national park. This transfer is a 4 to 5 hour transfer from Gisenyi to Nyungwe forest national park. You will have an enroute lunch in Kibuye.
Arrive in the Nyungwe forest in the late afternoon hours and drive to your hotel to check in and settle in. Dinner will be served and you will spend your first night in Nyungwe.
Hotels in Nyungwe forest national park.
- Gisakura Visitor center for budget
- Nyungwe top hill view hotel for midrange
- One and only Nyungwe house for luxury
Day 8: Chimpanzee trekking and canopy walk in Nyungwe forest
Wake up as early as 5 am to trek the chimpanzees. They are early risers so you will be expected to be at the trailhead in time for the trek. You will join the team headed for chimpanzee trekking in the forest after the pre trek briefing. The ranger guides will lead the way as you follow. The chimpanzee sounds can be heard all the way from the starting point and these are playful creatures so you will see them swing from tree branch to tree branch.
Connect back to your hotel for an early lunch. At 2 pm, you will drive back to the park for the Canopy walk experience in Nyungwe forest national park. You will walk along this 2 meter long and 9 meter high suspended bridge giving you a view of the forest from above. Drive back to your hotel after for dinner and second night in Nyungwe forest.
Day 9: Tropical waterfall guided hike and tea plantation visit
Have breakfast at your hotel and connect with your driver guide for a transfer for your Nyungwe tropical forest waterfall hike. This is a 4 hour guided hike to and fro covering an area of 5.3 kilometers. You will cross a large tea plantation and later return to your hotel for lunch.
After lunch when the sun has cooled down abit, you will go to the Gisakura Tea factory for a tour and an insight on the tea making from scratch. The Gisakura Tea factory is 2 kilometers away from the Gisakura guest house. Get back to your hotel in time for dinner and another stay as the night before.
Day 10: Drive to Akagera national park via Kigali
Wake up for breakfast in the misty Nyungwe forest and after arrange your luggage to check out of the hotel. You driver guide will be waiting for you to embark on your 6 to 7 hour road transfer from Nyungwe forest to Akagera national park via Kigali.
You will have an enroute lunch and enroute visits to the Butare museum and the King’s palace and connect further to the Akagera national park. Arrive in the late evening for check in, dinner and night stay.
Hotel options in Akagera national park
- Akagera Game lodge for budget
- Karenge bush camp for midrange
- Rusizi tented camp for luxury
Day 11: Day Game drive and Lake Ihema boat cruise
Have an early breakfast and connect with your driver guide to start your 5 hour game drive. You may opt to carry packed lunch boxes or return to the hotel for lunch. You will drive around the Akagera national park searching for the game like the lions, giraffes, elephants, rhinos and the smaller animals like the kobs, bush backs.
Enjoy your lunch and later in the evening return to the park to Lake Ihema for the boat trip. Get to see the water animals of Akagera national park like the crocodiles, the hippos basking and later return to your hotel for dinner and overnight at the hotel as the night before.
Day 12: Drive back to Kigali
You will exit the Akagera national park headed back to Kigali after breakfast. If your flight is much later in the day, you may have a brief game drive to get to see the game you may have missed out on the day before. Drive to Kigali for drop off. You may also go for a second Kigali city tour on this day as it is complimentary.
End of the 12 Days Rwanda Gorilla Trekking Adventure
Trip quote to include:
- Full-time safari vehicle with fuel
- English speaking driver guide
- Accommodation
- Meals; breakfast, lunch and dinner
- Activities described in the itinerary
- Park entrance fees
Trip quote to exclude:
- COVID-19 PCR test
- Flights
- Visa fees
- Optional activities
- Personal needs like travel insurance, phone service, porters, laundry etc.
