This 6 days Nyungwe and Volcanoes National Park Safari has been customized to suit visitors looking to track primates in Nyungwe Forest National Park and golden monkeys in Volcanoes National Park. This 6 days Nyungwe and Volcanoes park safari in Rwanda also gives you the opportunity to choose between hiking to the late Dian Fossey’s gravesite or Mount Bisoke depending on your hiking preference.
Highlights for 6 Days Nyungwe and Volcanoes National Park Safari.
Day 1: Arrival in Kigali – City tour
Day 2: Transfer to Nyungwe Forest national park- Visit Nyanza King’s Palace and Butare Museum
Day 3: Colobus monkeys tracking – Canopy walkway
Day 4: Transfer to Volcanoes national park
Day 5: Dian Fossey hike or Mount Bisoke Hike
Day 6: Golden Monkey Trek and Transfer Back to Kigali
Detailed Itinerary for 6 Days Nyungwe and Volcanoes National Park Safari.
Day 1: Arrival in Kigali – City tour
Upon arrival at Kigali international airport, you will be welcomed by our company representative who will also be your safari guide. Connect to check-in at your booked hotel. Depending on your time of arrival, you may have an optional Kigali city tour, visiting the Kigali genocide memorial, Rwanda Art Museum and the presidential palace museum where you will learn more about the history of Rwanda. Enjoy en-route lunch, dinner and overnight stay at your hotel.
Day 2: Transfer to Nyungwe Forest national park- Visit Nyanza King’s Palace and Butare Museum
After your early breakfast, embark on your journey to Nyungwe forest national park which is a 6-7 hours’ drive from Kigali with en-route stop the Nyanzi King’s palace and Butare national Museum with en-route lunch. Proceed to check-in your booked lodge for relaxation, dinner and overnight stay.
Day 3: Colobus monkeys tracking – Canopy walkway
After breakfast, follow the same procedure as of chimpanzee tracking, receive a briefing then enter the forest to search for the colobus monkey. These primates are quite different to spot as they keep jumping from tree to tree however, the park rangers will do their best to help you get the best view of the primates. This will take 2-5 hours and on finding them, you will be allowed to spend an hour in their presence.
After lunch, connect for the 2 pm canopy walk experience. You will go on a walking trail that will take you to the Canopy Walk-a swing bridge 50 meters in length that is suspended from large trees; you will be able to see the amazing rainforest with a bird’s eye view, spotting wildlife moving below you.
Day 4: Transfer to Volcanoes national park
After breakfast, embark on your journey the Volcanoes national park. It’s about 6-7 hours’ drive with great sights of the Lake Kivu and Virunga Mountains and the forest. You can stop to take pictures keeping in mind the time. Upon arrival in Musanze, proceed to check-in your lodge, dinner and overnight stay.
Day 5: Dian Fossey hike or Mount Bisoke Hike
Option 1: After breakfast, follow the same procedure of reporting at the briefing point. Thereafter, enter the montane forest to start the Dian Fossey hike. The hike rewards with visit of Dian Fossey graveyard and her home in Karisimbi, some primates and birds. Dinner and overnight stay at lodge as above
Option 2 – You will either hike mount Bisoke or do a second gorilla trekking experience however, the second gorilla experience is not included in the quote below. It’s an optional activity. You will follow the same procedures provided as of the first gorilla trekking experience.
You will enjoy breakfast and set out for Mount. Bisoke hike which is part of volcanoes national park. After briefing about hike with your hiking gears, set off for the hike. It’s a day hike through the steep slopes of the mountain. On reaching the summit, you will discover a beautiful crater lake and the whole experience is overwhelming! Dinner and overnight stay at Lodge as above
Day 6: Golden Monkey Trek and Transfer Back to Kigali
After an early morning breakfast, transfer to the park headquarters for briefing. Enter the forest and hike while in search of the golden monkeys. Tracking the golden monkeys’ rewards views of other primates such as the black and white Colobus monkeys, Olive baboons among others. On finding the golden monkeys, you will be allowed to spend an hour in their presence before you return to the starting point where you will meet your driver after descending. Have your lunch and drive back to Kigali where your driver guide will drop you at a hotel of your choice of Kigali international airport for your evening flight out of Rwanda.
