8 Days Great Apes – Nyungwe and Volcanoes Expedition
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Vacation Style Holiday Type
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Activity Level Amazing Experience
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Day 1
Arrival in Rwanda – Meet & Greet
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Day 2
Nyungwe National Park enroute visit the King’s palace & Ethnographic Museum
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Day 3
Waterfall hike & Colobus Monkey Trekking
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Day 4
Chimpanzee Tracking & Canopy walk way in Nyungwe National Park
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Day 5
Kayak on Lake Kivu & Coffee tour
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Day 6
Lake Shore Walk & Visit Ellen DeGeneres Campus of Dian Fossey
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Day 7
Golden monkey Trekking & Canoeing on River Mukungwa
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Day 8
Gorilla Trekking In The Wild – Kigali
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Day 1
Arrival in Rwanda – Meet & Greet
Arrival in Kigali, meet our team at the arrival point, transfer to the hotel for check in and refreshment. Dinner and overnight at Heaven Boutique
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Day 2
Nyungwe National Park enroute visit the King’s palace & Ethnographic Museum
After your breakfast you will depart towards the south west in Nyungwe National Park.
Enroute, you will do a cultural and historical exploration of Nyanza and Nyanza where you will visit the King’s palace, a reconstruction of the traditional royal residence, the King’s Palace is a beautifully-crafted thatched dwelling shaped like a beehive.
In olden times, Nyanza was the heart of Rwanda. According to oral tradition, it was the site of battles and power struggles. For a long time, the monarchy was mobile, moving the court between various locations. When it eventually settled in one place, Nyanza was the obvious choice. The capital of the kingdom had as many as 2,000 inhabitants, and huts built with the same methods as seen here.
At the back live a few long-horned Inyambo cattle, descended from the king’s herd, whose keepers carefully tend and sing to them, keeping alive a unique tradition.
The elegant cows, derived from the wider Ankole breed, played an important role during ceremonies in honour of the king. They were decorated with rich jewellery and were taught to listen to a trainer’s songs and follow his movements in a stately parade.
Rwanda ceased to be a monarchy in 1962, when it gained independence from colonial rule. However, the breeding and grooming of Inyambo is still carried out and a fascinating insight into Rwanda’s history.
Proceed to Butare where you will visit the ethnographic museum, a gift from Belgium’s King Badouin in the late 1980s, the Ethnographic Museum now houses one of Africa’s finest ethnographic collections.
Seven galleries display historical, ethnographic, artistic and archaeological artefacts accompanied by visual aides, giving visitors a rich insight into Rwandan culture. The exhibits open with geographical and geological displays, moving on to items used in hunting, agriculture, animal husbandry, pottery, weaving and woodwork. Traditional clothing and architectural methods are also illustrated, as well as the social importance of cattle.
Lunch at E-Bis then proceed to Nyungwe forest. Dinner and overnight at Kivu Marina Bay
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Day 3
Waterfall hike & Colobus Monkey Trekking
Head to the park this morning for a nature walk to the waterfalls in the park. This 2.3 km trail descends into one of the most densely vegetated and steepest rainforest ravines on any trail at Nyungwe. Cool misty air and the murmur of a river rise from below, mingled with calls of birds, tree frogs and insects. Ferns, mosses, lichens and flowers are exceptionally abundant in the high humidity.
Several species of primates are commonly found here, as well as many birds.
You may enjoy the sighting of the waterfall from two main vantage points depending upon how wet you want to get. The first is at the end of a short spur, which leads to a picnic bench overlooking the fall at 50 meters distance. Small trees partially obscure the view. The falls can be reached by descending to the wild river below and then clambering over wet rocks to a large boulder in the middle of the Amphitheatre. From here, you’ll be close to the bottom of the falls, where it thunders down.
After lunch, you will track the black-and-white colobus in Nyungwe Forest National Park. These small primates are easily recognizable by their entirely black body with stark white whiskers, shoulders and tip of the tail. A troop of nearly 400 of these monkeys call Nyungwe National Park home, meaning that although sighting wild animals is never guaranteed, you stand a good chance of finding them within an hour or less into the trek.
Social in nature, you will almost certainly experience playful interaction with these curious primates. Doing this trek will give you the opportunity to interact with the largest group of primates on the entire continent of Africa, a truly special experience.
Dinner and overnight at Kivu Marina Bay
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Day 4
Chimpanzee Tracking & Canopy walk way in Nyungwe National Park
Early morning (4am) breakfast at the hotel then drive to the Park reception for the briefing and grouping followed by the tracking of chimpanzees. Lunch at the hotel and refreshment.
Lunch at the cafe in the park, then check in at the park reception again for another activity.
Meet you forest Ranger and guide will lead your walk to the forest’s canopy with an eye for some of the 310 bird species, butterflies, orchids, centuries-old trees and 75 mammals including 13 primates that live here this walk is a spectacular journey in the largest surviving example of an Afro Montane ecosystem and one of the oldest continuously forested locations on Earth.
The walk includes a 200m long canopy walkway that takes you high above the forest floor providing a unique platform for observing the forest.
Return to the park for dinner and overnight at Kivu Marina Bay
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Day 5
Kayak on Lake Kivu & Coffee tour
After breakfast you will begin your journey of discovery, by kayaking on Lake Kivu exploring different islands.
In the afternoon, you will do a coffee tour. We’ll visit the island’s small coffee washing station, around which local people will give you a tour to show you how they grow and prepare the worlds’ best coffee from crop to cup. You will learn how coffee is grown, how the beans are selected, washed, dried and finally roasted.
Dinner and overnight at Rushel Resort
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Day 6
Lake Shore Walk & Visit Ellen DeGeneres Campus of Dian Fossey
This morning you will do a guided Lake Kivu shore walk in the morning.
After the hike, we’ll transfer to Volcanoes in Musanze where we’ll spend the night.
Dinner and overnight at Amarembo Gorilla Village
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Day 7
Golden monkey Trekking & Canoeing on River Mukungwa
Early transfer to the park for briefing and group later head out to the forest to track an endangered species of monkey known as the Golden Monkey. Spend 1 hour watching the monkey families play in the forest! This is a wonderful wildlife encounter as the proceeds from tourists visiting goes towards the research into the protection of this species and how to preserve their environment so that they do not become extinct. And if you’re into birds then make sure to ask your guides to point out the species that you may find on the trails, which if you’re really lucky may include the rather impressive Blue Turaco!
Return to the base, head to the hotel for lunch and refreshment before you transfer to Mukungwa River for a canoeing experience.
The start is a 15 minute transfer from central Musanze (add about 15 minutes from Kinigi). Here your activity leader will give you a briefing on the riverside before you get on the water. The first section is a flat and easy opportunity to learn how to steer your canoe as you float gently downstream. After about 20-30 minutes you will pull over for a short additional briefing about the small rapid, where helmets must be worn. Then as you continue deep into the countryside, you are surrounded by the sights and sounds of rural Rwanda. You’ll be given an additional briefing about the approximately 200m section where the water speeds up as it goes around a few corners. After about 2.5-3 hours on the water the end of the trip is just after a road bridge. It takes about 20 minutes to drive back to Musanze and a further 15 minutes to Kinigi.
Dinner and overnight at Amarembo Gorilla Village
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Day 8
Gorilla Trekking In The Wild – Kigali
Following breakfast, you will return to the park offices where you will be allocated a gorilla family in groups of 8 as well as a gorilla tracking guide. After a pre-tracking briefing by your guide touching on the gorillas generally, your assigned gorilla family as well as appropriate safety precautions, you drive to the trailhead for the start of a thrilling adventure.
Expect to walk between 2 and 8 hours in steep and sometimes muddy conditions with rain overhead, which can be tough and require a degree of (average) fitness. However, the thrill of coming face to face with a giant Mountain Gorilla silverback completely makes up for the effort!
Be back at the base and drive to the hotel. Lunch and refresh then transfer back to Kigali.
In accordance with our departure time will drop you off at the airport in time for check in. Farewell, End!
In case of non-availability, we may have to re-route and provide alternative accommodation of similar category.
All the passengers must have Identification Card/valid Passport with them throughout their travel.
RULES & REGULATIONS IN THE PARKS
• Never walk alone in the park, always take a guide and listen to him/her
• Keep your voice low so that you don’t frighten the wildlife
• When you are with Gorillas/Chimpanzees keep your distance (7m minimum/23ft), no smoking, eating or drinking, no cell phones, if you must sneeze or cough always cover your face and turn away from gorillas. Visits are limited to 1 Hour per gorilla group per day.
• If you’re to take pictures don’t put the flash ON.
• Don’t drop litter, take it home or in your car (or carry them till you reach the reception where there is bins)
• It is prohibited to pick or remove any plans or other wildlife in the park
NOTE: Before setting out; coughs and sneezes spread diseases and can kill gorillas. If you have a cold or flu or other infectious illness, do not visit Gorillas! Get a doctor’s note and your permit fee will be refunded or you trek when you’re fine.
Rwanda is strictly a polythene free country. For environmental reasons, plastic bags are not allowed!
Thank you for choosing us!
- Private airport and inter-hotel transfers
- Private ensuite accommodation at the selected hotels, lodges or camps
- Services of a professional, experienced English-speaking driver
- Lunch, dinner and breakfast with soft drinks (BB on arrival and FB the rest of the days)
- Drinking water in the vehicle during the tour
- All activities/tours as per itinerary
- All park permits and entry fees as per the itinerary
- Our 24hours/day office assistance
- Taxes and administrative costs
- Emergency Helicopter Evacuation Insurance
- Visas and flights
- Covid tests where needed
- Alcoholic drinks
- Tips and gratuities
- Optional activities
- Personal expenses such as telephone calls, mini bar, porter-age, travel insurance, etc.
We offer a wide range of tours and activities including cultural tours, adventure tours, wildlife safaris, beach holidays, and more
Our tour packages include accommodation, meals, transportation, and activities as per the itinerary. However, some packages may have additional inclusions or exclusions, which will be clearly stated.
Yes, we offer customized tour packages based on your preferences and requirements. Simply let us know what you are looking for, and we will tailor a package that suits you.
Our cancellation policy varies based on the package and the time of cancellation. We encourage you to read our terms and conditions carefully before booking a tour.
You can make a booking by contacting us via phone, email, or through our website. Our team will assist you with the booking process and provide you with all the necessary information.