5 Day Rwanda Gorilla and Nyungwe Hiking Safari
per person
This 5-day safari in Rwanda will take you to see mountain gorillas in Volcanoes National Park, visit the Dian Fossey Tomb, and explore Iby’iwacu Cultural Village. You will hike the Rukuzi Trail, enjoy the beauty of Nyungwe Forest, and experience a canopy walk and the scenic Isumo Waterfalls. After these adventures, you will transfer to Nyanza to visit the King’s Palace and then go to the museum in Butare.
Highlights
- Day 1: Pickup from Kigali- Transfer to Nyungwe Forest National Park
- Day 2: Morning Hike on Rukuzi Trail and canopy walk in Nyungwe Forest national Park
- Day 3: Waterfalls Hike
- Day 4: Gorilla trekking – Visit the Iby’iwacu Cultural Village
- Day 5: Visit Dian Fossey Tomb and the former Karisoke Research Centre – Departure to Kigali
Day 1: Pickup from Kigali & Transfer to Nyungwe Forest National Park
Wake up early and have breakfast, after our company representative will pick you up from your hotel or a resident in Kigali. Then, enjoy a 5- to 6-hour drive to Nyungwe Forest National Park, stopping at the king’s Palace in Nyanza and the National Museum in Butare. You will have lunch along the way. Arrive in the evening, connect to your accommodation, relax, and spend your evening at leisure. Have dinner and stay overnight at the lodge.
Accommodation: One & Only Nyungwe House (Luxury), Top View Hill Hotel, Emerald Hotel/ Gisakura Guest House (Budget)
Meal plan: Lunch and Dinner
Day 2: Morning Hike on Rukuzi Trail and canopy walk
Enjoy breakfast and attend a briefing at the park headquarters led by the head ranger guide. Afterwards, begin a challenging 5-hour guided hike on the Rukuzi Trail in Nyungwe Forest National Park, offering views of the park, Lake Kivu, and volcanoes on clear days. Remember to bring your packed lunch. After lunch, walk on the 60-meter Canopy Walk, taking 1-2 hours. Return to the lodge for dinner before nightfall.
Accommodation: One & Only Nyungwe House (Luxury), Top View Hill Hotel, Emerald Hotel/ Gisakura Guest House (Budget)
Meal plan: Lunch and DinnerDay 3: Waterfalls Hike & Transfer to Volcanoes National Park
Wake up early and have breakfast before driving to the park for a guided nature walk to the Isumo waterfalls, which takes 4 hours round-trip. After lunch, transfer to Volcanoes National Park to see endangered mountain gorillas. You may arrive at your lodge in the evening and visit Lake Ruhondo or Musanze town before dinner.
Accommodation: Mountain Gorilla View Lodge (Luxury), Hotel La Palme (Mid-range), and Muhabura Guest House (Budget).
Day 4: Gorilla trekking – Visit the Iby’iwacu Cultural Village
Wake up early and have your heavy breakfast before heading to the park offices for a briefing. Ask the hotel staff for your boxes of packed lunch before setting off for your gorilla tracking experience. At the park offices, you will meet park wardens, rangers, and other visitors. These officials will brief you about rules and regulations, inform you about the gorillas, what to expect, and how to behave while tracking. After the briefing, you will be assigned a gorilla family based on your fitness, availability, and choice.
Gorilla trekking at Volcanoes National Park lasts between 1-6 hours, depending on the gorilla group and their location. The trek can be physically demanding, with treks through dense bamboo forests and rough terrains. It’s important to follow the rangers’ instructions closely while near the gorillas. Do not eat near them, maintain a safe distance, and avoid surrounding them in a group to prevent irritation. Flash photography is not allowed. Once you locate the gorillas, you have one hour to observe them before returning to the starting point to meet your driver and relax at the park offices.
In the afternoon or evening, the drive guide will take you to Gorilla Guardian Village, formerly Iby’iwacu cultural village. Here, expect to learn about the culture of three Rwandan tribes. You will also have the chance to buy souvenirs and visit the local medicine man to learn about traditional disease treatments.
Accommodation: Mountain Gorilla View Lodge (Luxury), Hotel La Palme (Mid-range), and Muhabura Guest House (Budget).
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 5: Visit Dian Fossey Tomb and the former Karisoke Research Centre – Departure to Kigali
Wake up early and have breakfast while waiting for the Guide to take you to the park offices for a briefing. Then, hike the same path that Dian Fossey took many times to the mountain slopes. Rangers will share information about Fossey, her work with gorillas, her foundation, and her legacy. You will meet some porters who worked with her and hear their stories. Finally, visit Dian Fossey’s burial site near Digit, her favorite gorilla, and see her old research station and the Karisoke Research Centre. After, retire and return to Kigali city.
Meal Plan: Breakfast and Lunch
5 Day Rwanda Gorilla and Nyungwe Hiking Safari includes & Excludes
Includes:
- 1 gorilla trekking permit per person
- Waterfalls Hike
- Hike on Rukuzi Trail and canopy walk in Nyungwe Forest national Park
- A private English-speaking guide /driver
- Entrance fee to the Dian Fossey Tomb
- A Cultural experience at the Iby’iwacu Cultural Village.
- Kigali City Tour
- All activities mentioned in the itinerary
Excludes:
- Personal insurance
- Extra activities
- Alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks such as juice, soda, wine, etc.
- Accommodation before and after the safari.
- Expenses of a personal nature like tips, laundry services, cigarettes, visas, and air tickets.