7 Days best of Rwanda Highlights adventure
This incredible 7 Days best of Rwanda Highlights adventure offers the opportunity for once-in-a-lifetime wildlife encounters especially the famous Chimpanzees. You’ll track chimpanzees and spot monkeys, baboons and other wildlife in Nyungwe National Park. Trekking deep into the forests of Parc National des Volcans, you’ll search for endangered mountain gorillas with expert local rangers. You’ll also have an opportunity to explore Kigali and its colourful markets, cross Nyungwe’s Canopy Walkway and kayak on Lake Kivu.
Day 1: Arrival in Kigali and Kigali city tour
Board your international flight to Rwanda’s capital, Kigali. Once you arrive, you will be swiftly escorted by our representative who will transfer you to your chosen accommodation. As this is your first day, you will have time to leisurely explore Rwanda’s lively city.
You’ll have an opportunity to visit the bustling local markets and the Caplaki Craft Co-operative where you’ll find local craftsmen in wooden huts. They’ll be selling handicrafts, including jewellery, paintings, batik, fabrics, wood carvings, traditional masks, baskets, bags, scarves and beading.
Day 2: Transfer from Kigali to Nyungwe Forest National Park
After breakfast, you’ll be driven through spectacular scenery to Nyungwe National Park in Rwanda’s mountainous southwest. The rain forest within the park is home to chimpanzees and monkeys, plus an abundance of birdlife and butterflies.
Day 3: Chimpanzee Trekking in Nyungwe forest
Today, you’ll join a guided hike through the dense forest of Nyungwe National Park to track chimpanzees. This is a phenomenal wildlife experience that is at par with gorilla tracking. Whilst the trek is undoubtedly exciting, it can be challenging as the chimps are very mobile and they’re always running around in the canopies, on the move from one place to another.
During your time in Nyungwe National Park, you’ll also have an opportunity to cross the Canopy Walkway, a 200-meter bridge suspended between giant trees, 50 meters above the forest. The walkway offers incredible views of the upper canopy and it is excellent for spotting wildlife. Many of the primates live in trees so you’ll have better chances of locating them from the walkway. It is also a fantastic way to see the birds and butterflies that are found in the forest.
Day 4: Nyungwe Forest National Park to Lake Kivu
Today, you’ll depart Nyungwe and head to your next accommodation which is located on the white sandy shores of Lake Kivu. Here you can relax on the stunning palm-fringed beaches, kayak on the calm waters of the lake, take a boat tour to the nearby islands or coffee and banana plantations. You can also hike in the surrounding hills or visit Imbabazi Orphanage.
Day 5: Lake Kivu to Volcanoes National Park
After a hearty breakfast at Lake Kivu Serena Hotel, you’ll be driven from Lake Kivu to Parc National des Volcans (Volcanoes National Park), which is roughly a four hour drive passing through breathtaking scenery. On arrival at your accommodation, you’ll have a briefing about tomorrow’s gorilla trek.
Day 6: Gorilla Trekking Day in the Volcanoes
After an early breakfast, you’ll venture out to Kinigi, at the foothills of the Virungas, in Parc National des Volcans where you’ll begin your trek. Your guide and tracker will lead you deep into the forest in search of your allocated gorilla family. Your trek could last from 30 minutes to eight hours depending on the exact location of the specific gorilla family which you’re tracking.
When you meet the gorillas, you’ll have the chance to spend up to one magical hour quietly observing them. The gorillas are likely to be just a few meters away from you and they will continue to go about their daily lives, feeding and interacting with each other, under the watchful gaze of the silverback.
Late in the afternoon, you’ll be transferred back to your accommodation where you can spend the evening reflecting on your incredible encounter with the wild mountain gorillas of Rwanda.
Day 7: International Inbound Flight
On this morning, you’ll be driven back to Kigali, where you’ll have an opportunity to visit the Genocide Memorial and Education Centre which is a permanent memorial to those who were killed during the 1994 genocide.
