Overview 

The 3-day tour Volcanoes and Nyungwe Forest National Park introduces you to Rwanda’s iconic primate destinations. Start your primate adventure at Nyungwe Forest National Park with chimpanzee tracking and proceed to Volcanoes National Park for gorilla trekking. Nyungwe is Central Africa’s biggest montane forest, consisting of 13 species of primates (500 chimpanzees, 400 colobus monkeys, red-tailed monkeys, Dent’s Mona monkeys, grey-cheeked mangabeys, olive baboons, vervet monkeys, and more). 

 

Volcanoes National Park is blessed with a variety of wildlife including forest elephants, golden monkeys, mountain gorillas, buffaloes, spotted hyenas, bush pigs, bush bucks, giant forest hogs, and over 200 bird species. Volcanoes NP is found in Northwestern Rwanda, and it is the country’s oldest park, gazetted in 1925. 

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Brief Itinerary

• Day 1: Nyungwe Forest NP

• Day 2: Chimpanzee tracking & Volcanoes NP

• Day 3: Gorilla trekking & Kigali 

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Detailed Itinerary 

Day 1: Nyungwe Forest NP

After a hefty breakfast, leave Kigali for Nyungwe National Park 6-7 hours’ drive in a comfortable 4x4 tourist vehicle. This will be your first primate destination as per this special Rwanda safaris package. At Butare, a short stopover will be made and you will be visiting the National Museum, Nyanza palace, and other sites. Have a lunch break and later continue to the lodge for relaxation and later, set off for a 3:00 pm canopy walk. During the canopy walk, you will be viewing the park’s primates, birds, and floral species.

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Accommodation:

• Luxury: One & Only Nyungwe House

• Midrange/Moderate: Nyungwe Top View Hotel

• Budget/Basic: Gisakura Visitor Center/Guesthouse

 

Day 2: Chimpanzee tracking & Volcanoes NP

Assemble at Uwinka/Cyangugu Reception for a briefing about chimpanzee tracking rules and to be assigned a park ranger guide to lead you. An actual visit to see the chimpanzee community starts at 8:00 am, and takes about 2-4 hours to navigate through the forest while searching for chimpanzees. 

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Observing chimp behavior and photography is guaranteed once you come across a chimpanzee community. After, return and check out then set off to Volcanoes NP with packed lunch. Arrive early, and proceed to The Ellen DeGeneres Campus of the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund. Have a short tour at the Ellen DeGeneres Campus and later check in at your lodge for relaxation & overnight stay.

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Accommodation: 

• Luxury: Bisate Lodge/Silverback Lodge/Mountain Gorilla View Lodge

• Midrange: Five Volcanoes/Le Bambou Hotel/Da Vinci 

• Budget: Kinigi Guesthouse/check in at Muhabura Hotel 

 

Day 3: Gorilla trekking & Kigali 

Enjoy a hefty breakfast early, after, head to Kinigi offices for a briefing about mountain gorilla trekking rules. 12 habituated gorilla families (Karisimbi, Umubano, Hirwa, Sabyinyo, Bwenge, Uganda, Agashya, Amahoro, Susa A, and Kwitonda) live in Rwanda’s Volcanoes N/Park, and today, you will visit one family in a group of 8 guests. It will be a long trek taking about 2-6 hours, inclusive of one hour of observing how the gorillas behave and taking pictures. Return from tracking gorillas, check out, and drive back to Kigali. 

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End of tour 

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Inclusions 

• Valid gorilla permits for Volcanoes NP

• Park entry fees

• Bottled water on a road trip

• Ground transportation & driver/guide services

• Chimpanzee permits for Nyungwe 

• Accommodation for 2 nights on 3 days Volcanoes and Nyungwe tour 

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Exclusions 

• Beverages

• Airfares

• Tips

• Laundry 

• Passport 

• Shopping

• Insurance