Compare 2 Days Rwanda Gorilla trekking safari by Kagera Safaris vs 7 Days Rwanda Safari Adventure by Samson's Safaris

Day 1: Drive from Kigali to Volcanoes national park

Meal: Lunch and Dinner

On arrival at the airport, welcomed by a Kagera Safaris representative and transferred to your hotel in Musanze formerly known as Ruhengeri. Alternatively if you were already in Kigali you will be picked from your hotel or designated location and drive to Musanze. The drive from Kigali to Musanze takes about 2 hours with great scenery along the way.

The drive to musanze takes you through different villages and town along the road. Enjoy the scenery of the thousand hills with great views of valleys and pathways to different homes and trading centers. Be expectant to meet the massive mountain gorillas on your trek after briefing from ranger guides early the next. We advise that you get enough sleep the day before so that you prepared for both a short hike and along hike depending on where the gorillas nested.

Journey time – 2 hours

Accommodation: Upmarket – Mt Gorilla view lodge; Mid range – Le bambou gorilla lodge; Budget – Garden palace hotel

Day 2: Gorilla Trekking in Volcanoes national park

Meal: Breakfast and Lunch

Trekking the mountain gorillas in their natural habitat of the Virunga volcanoes is an experience that will stay with you every waking moment. Arise early and your driver guide will transfer you to the briefing area at the park headquarters. Enjoy the traditional dances and coffee as you wait to receive your briefing from the ranger guide. You will then be given information on the groups to trek and you transfer to meet your ranger guide. After further briefing on likely distance to travel and expected behavior while in the forest, you start your trek into the jungles of volcanoes national park. For some gorilla groups, you are expected to drive out a bit before starting the trek. You are advised to take a long a porter to help with your day pack and some of your gadgets, it is easy to think that you do not need one but they can be helpful if the gorillas nested further a way from your starting point.

Day 1: Airport Transfer to Hotel

Upon arrival at Kigali international airport, you will go through custom and immigration, and you will be met by our company guide who will warmly welcome you to the Land of a thousand hills that Rwanda is know of, an later drive to your booked hotel accommodation for dinner and overnight stay. Meals – Dinner

Accommodation options: Serena Hotel Kigali, (luxury) or Hotel des Mille Collines (Mid-range) Or Quiet Haven Hotel (Standard)

Day 2: Transfer to Nyungwe National Park. Travel time +5 hours

Early morning enjoy your buffer breakfast and checkout of the hotel and drive heading to the western province, on your way visit the Royal Palace Museum and Ethnographic Museum in Southern Province, this will give you a great history of traditional ways of living among Rwandans and their past way of leadership of Kingship with an enroute lunch.  You will reach in the afternoon at Nyungwe national park and spend the afternoon at your leisure. Meals -Breakfast, lunch & Dinner

Accommodation options: One & Only Nyungwe House (High End) OR Mantis Marina Kivu Bay (Mid – range)

Emeraude Kivu Resort (Standard)

Day 3: Chimpanzee tracking & Canopy Walk.

Today, after your early morning cap of African coffee, you will leave your hotel to experience the natural forest of Nyungwe well known for having 13 species of primates, and transferred to the park for briefing and chimpanzee trekking. You will be entitled to one hour on finding the chimpanzees. After doing the chimpanzee trek, head for lunch before heading for a canopy walk. This 90 meters suspended metallic bridge will give you a great overview of Nyungwe forest and on a luck day spot one or two more primates in the forest as you take a walk on this bridge and later return in the afternoon for dinner and overnight stay.  Meals Breakfast, lunch & Dinner.

Accommodation options: One & Only Nyungwe House (High End) OR Mantis Marina Kivu Bay(Mid – range) Emeraude Kivu Resort(Standard)

Day 4: Transfer to Musanze.

You will make up ready to catch up with the beautiful sun rise over the Lake Kivu after just getting done with your morning breakfast. You will take a boat ride to explore the beautiful attractions within this great lake. You have a nature walk at one of the islands within this lake which is known for harboring thousands of the bats. This lake is also known as a birding paradise as it host a number of bird species like the comrand, pied king fishers, weaver birds, heron to mention but a few. You will later return for and drive off to Musanze which is roughly a 3 hours’ drive. Musanze is a tourism area near Volcanoes National Park, where most of the lodges are located since there are no lodges inside of the park. Meals: Breakfast, lunch & Dinner

Accommodation options: One & Only Gorilla Nest lodge (High End) Or Mountain Gorilla View Lodge( mid – range)

or La Palme Hotel (Standard Hotel)

Day 5: Gorilla Trekking.

Early morning cup of coffee, then prepare for the gorilla trekking briefing from the park headquarters and thereafter, you will enter the jungle with your packed lunch to search the shy mountain gorillas and enjoy their life style in their real home. After meeting the gorillas, you can sit around these great apes for a whole hour watching their social life as you take pictures. On a gorilla safari, a reasonable degree of fitness is required as well as walking shoes, packed food and mineral water, insect repellent, sun screen and hut. The gorilla tracking experience takes half or whole day depending on the movements of these primates. After this gorilla tracking experience you will return to your lodge for lunch. In the afternoon, spend the day at your leisure as you enjoy your bungalow, diner and overnight at the lodge. Meals – Breakfast, lunch & Dinner

Accommodation options: One & Only Gorilla Nest lodge(High End) Or Mountain Gorilla View Lodge( mid – range)

or La Palme Hotel (Standard Hotel)

Day 6: Golden monkey & Transfer to Kigali. Travel time + 2 hrs

Today after you warm early morning breakfast, you will be picked by our safari driver guide who will transfer you to the park headquarters for briefing and start off you day golden monkey trekking. Just like the gorilla trekking experience, the same applies to golden monkey trekking though no so hectic like gorilla trekking. You will later return to the lodge for lunch and later transfer to Kigali. Meals – Breakfast, lunch & Dinner.

Accommodation options: Serena Hotel Kigali, or Hotel des Mille Collines (Mid-range) Or Quiet Haven Hotel (Standard)

Day 7: Transfer to the airport.

After getting done with your relaxed morning breakfast, depending on your flight time, you will be transferred to the airport to catch up with your onward flight. End of service!