The 6-day Rwanda Double Gorilla Trek and Chimpanzee Tour is an exceptional primate package tailored to provide intimate encounters with our closest relatives – the rare mountain gorillas and chimpanzees in Volcanoes National Park and Nyungwe Forest National Park, respectively. This safari offers two gorilla trekking experiences in Volcanoes National Park, home to a portion of the world’s mountain gorilla population, totaling no more than 1004 individuals in the wild. With 10 habituated gorilla families available for trekking, visitors are assigned to one group of eight for their trekking experience. The park also boasts diverse flora and fauna, including approximately 200 bird species, golden monkeys, and various primate species. Nyungwe Forest National Park, located in the southwest, is a sanctuary for 13 primate species, including over 500 chimpanzees, along with black and white colobus monkeys, red-tailed monkeys, olive baboons, and others. Additionally, the park is home to over 310 bird species. This 6-day tour commences and concludes in Kigali, Rwanda
Day 1: Transfer to Nyungwe Forest National Park
After breakfast at your hotel in Kigali, you will be picked up by our driver guide who will give you a briefing on what your 6 days Rwanda double gorilla trek and chimpanzee tour is about. Later, drive to southwestern Rwanda to Nyungwe Forest National Park a home to 13 distinct primate species, 310 bird species, numerous plant and tree species among others. Arrive early enough to check in at a lodge in Nyungwe Forest National Park.
Day 2: Chimpanzee tracking and canopy walk in Nyungwe Forest National Park
Get up early enough and enjoy your breakfast at the lodge. After, join other visitors at Chanika reception center where you will be briefed on the set rules and regulations that you have to follow while on chimpanzee tracking in the lust rainforest of Nyungwe National Park. After briefing, embark on actual chimpanzee trek which may take you about 2 to 3 hours which covers the 1 hour of magical encounter. This also gets you sights of other primate species such as the black and white colobus monkeys, baboons, vervet monkeys, red tailed monkeys, red colobus monkeys and others plus numerous birds. On this day, make sure that you are well-prepared with right gear for chimpanzee tracking including rain jacket, environmentally friendly clothes, waterproof hiking boots, insect repellents and many others. Later, return to the lodge to have lunch and then set off for afternoon canopy walk along the suspended trail which is about 50 meters high. This gets you incredible sights at varied primates, birds, trees, plants and breathtaking sceneries of Nyungwe forest.
Day 3: Transfer to Volcanoes National Park
The 6 days double gorilla trek and chimpanzee tour starts with breakfast early in the morning and later, head off to northwestern Rwanda to Volcanoes National Park a home to mountain gorillas, golden monkeys and 200 birds among others. En-route, enjoy the breathtaking views of the surrounding areas especially the hilly side that make this landlocked country a true land of a thousand hills.
Day 4: First gorilla trekking in Volcanoes National Park
Have breakfast early in the morning and after, join other visitors for a briefing on the set rules and regulations for gorilla trekking. Ensure that you have some packed lunch/energy-giving snacks and bottled water to keep boosting your energy while on a hike. Gorilla trekking is a strenuous adventure and may take you about 2 to 6 hours depending on your hiking speed, the nature of the habitat, and the location of gorillas.
Day 5: Second gorilla trekking in Volcanoes National Park
Have the best a tasty Rwanda tea or coffee at your lodge and after, head off to the park headquarters at Kinigi for briefing on the set safety measures that you have to observe while on gorilla trekking. With your packed lunch/energy giving snacks and bottled water and right gear, embark on trek for second time in the lush rainforest of Volcanoes National Park. You will spend about 2 to 6 hours but this may depend on your hiking speed, nature of habitat and where the mountain gorillas are found. This also covers the 1 hour of face to face encounter with a group of mountain gorillas. Note, you will be assigned to 1 habituated family to trek in a group of 8 visitors and today, you will explore a different habituated gorilla group which rewards you with a distinct experience.
Day 6: Return to Kigali
After breakfast in the morning, check out from your lodge ready to embark a road trip back to Kigali and this marks the end of your 6 days Rwanda double gorilla trek and chimpanzee tour.