Overview of the 5-Day Nyungwe and Volcanoes National Park Safari
5 days Nyungwe and volcanoes tour start and ends Kigali. In the course of the Rwanda safari, you will visit Volcanoes national park and Nyungwe forest national park. During the tour, you will go for gorilla trekking, chimpanzee trekking, canopy/cover walk and also a metropolis tour in Kigali.
TOUR SUMMARY
Day 1; Arrival followed by quick city excursion and a visit to genocide memorial site
Day 2; Gorilla hiking/trekking in Volcanoes national park
Day 3; Transfer from Volcanoes National Park to Nyungwe Forest National Park
Day 4; Chimpanzee tracking & Canopy stroll in Nyungwe Forest National Park
Day 5; Drive through Kigali to the airport
Detailed itinerary of 5-day tour
Day 1: Arrival followed by quick city excursion and a visit to genocide memorial site
When you arrive, our guide will welcome you and take you to your hotel for some rest before taking you on a brief Kigali city tour and visiting the genocide memorial site, where over 250000 people were buried in 1994. It is from the memorial site that you will learn about the massacre against the Tutsi people and how it was carried out in the twentieth century. After that, you’ll be transferred to your lodge, eat dinner, and enjoy the rest of the night.
Meal plan: Lunch and Dinner
Day 2: Transfer to Volcanoes and do Gorilla hiking/trekking
You will have an early meal on this day. You will then be transported to the Volcanoes National Park headquarters in the far northwest of Rwanda for an orientation with Rwanda Development Board officials. Following a short orientation, you will embark on a gorilla trekking adventure within Volcanoes National Park. The rangers will take you deep into the wooded jungle in search of gorillas. You are going to trek up and down the terrain until you come across these peaceful creatures whose companionship will provide you with treasure. Depending on the gorillas’ movements, the activity could last a long time, in the afternoon after lunch, you will then go on a village excursion with a resident local guide for more cultural fun and to learn about the local culture before returning to the lodge for supper and a night’s rest.
Meal plan: All meals included
Day 3: Transfer from Volcanoes National Park to Nyungwe Forest National Park
After an early breakfast, you will be driven to Nyungwe Forest National Park, where you will settle into your lodge for lunch. This park is one of Africa’s oldest rainforests, rich in biodiversity and incredibly gorgeous. During your time in this unaltered tropical rain forest, you will engage in a variety of activities, such as birding, where the park is home to over 300 bird species, 29 of which are endemic to the Albertine Rift, such as the Kungwe Apaliser, Shelley crimson wing, and Grauer’s Warbl, among others. You will also have the opportunity to hike along well-established 130-kilometer trails such as the Congo Nile, which is the longest, the Igishigishigi, which is the shortest, and the Imbaraga, which is the most challenging. Return to the lodge for a delicious supper and an overnight rest after an action-packed activity day.
Meal plan: All meals included
Day 4: Chimpanzee tracking & Canopy stroll in Nyungwe Forest National Park
Before heading out for chimp trekking, you will be briefed about the chimp trek rules and regulations at the park headquarters before entering the forest in search of these lively and playful fellows in Nyungwe wooded area, you will spot the chimps within the forest as they bounce from one tree to the next, chattering and giggling and spend one hour with them in their natural habitat. Return to your lodge for lunch and some rest before returning to the forest for another engagement in a canopy stroll/ walk and follow on foot path trail to Uwinka where you will get on the swing bridge that is 50 meters long and suspended from large bushes. You’ll be able to see the amazing rainforest from a bird’s eye perspective, observing flora and fauna moving around beneath you. Return to your lodge for relaxation, supper, and a night’s stay after the cover stroll hobby.
Meal plan: All meals included
Day 5: Drive through Kigali to the airport
After a relaxed breakfast at the lodge, you will be driven to Kigali, where you can choose to enjoy a town tour as well as a walk to Kimironko market. Following the town tour, you will be transferred to the airport for your planned departure flight, thereby concluding this safari excursion.
Meal plan: Breakfast