Rwanda offers one of the best tourism experiences every traveler has ever dreamt of; particularly in Nyungwe forest national park and Volcanoes National Park.
One of the biggest national parks in Rwanda Nyungwe forest national park was established as a national park in2004 and the forest is home to over 1000 animal, bird and natural species.
Volcanoes national park on the other hand is aone – stop center for all Rwanda gorilla safaris sheltering the highest number of mountain gorillas in the Virunga Conservation area.
This 7 day safari to Nyungwe and Volcanoes national parks exposes eye-catching activities including a transfer from Kigali international airport to Nyungwe forest national park; undertake gorilla trekking, chimpanzee trekking, canopy walks and community visits.
Detailed itinerary.
Day 1: Arrival in Kigali international airport and transfer to Nyungwe forest national park.
After an early morning breakfast at your lodge, our professional driver / guide will pick you and lead you to Nyungwe forest (about five hours’ drive covering a distance of 240 km). The road is surrounded by rolling hills, trading centers and breath-taking vegetation cover. It involves a stopover at Butare king’s palace and lunch stopover en route.
Continue to the park and relax for a few hours before paying a visit to Gisakura Tea Estate – one of the popular tea plantations in Nyungwe. Get to learn of how tea is picked, stored and processed.
Return to your lodge for relaxation, dinner and overnight.
Day 2: Chimpanzee trekking and Canopy walk.
After a lip-smirking breakfast, report to the park headquarters for briefing about chimpanzee trekking. As soon as the briefing is done the adventure begins there and then, Nyungwe forest is a home to two habituated chimpanzee families – the small one having 30 members whereas the biggest one having 60 members. You will spend an hour with the human-like creatures in the jungles of Nyungwe as you watch them play, feed and mate. This comes along with animal and views. Return to your lodge for a delicious lunch and relaxation.
In the afternoon, you will go for canopy walking – a swing bridge of a length of about fifty meters. The activity offers best bird views and enjoying the forest from top of the trees.
Return to your lodge for relaxation, dinner and overnight.
Day 3: Transfer from Nyungwe NP to Volcanoes NP.
After a delicious morning breakfast, start your four to five hour journey to Volcanoes national park. The journey involves a lunch stopover at Gisenyi. Upon arrival check in to the lodge of your choice for relaxation, dinner and sleepover.
Day 4; Gorilla trekking.
After an early morning breakfast, make sure you are at Kinigi park headquarters by 7:00am so that you attend briefing about the dos and don’ts of the gorilla trekking activity. By 8:00am you will begin the adventure and dig deep into the forests in search of the gorillas.
The activity last for two to seven hours depending on where gorillas spent the previous night. You are given a full hour in the presence of gorillas in the event of meeting them as you take pictures as long as you are not using a flash-light camera.
Retreat to your lodge for relaxation, dinner and overnight.
Day 5: Visiting Iby’iwachu village tour and transfer to Kigali – departure.
After a morning breakfast, drive to Iby’iwacu village and get to learn more about the stories of Rwandans, traditional dances, music and their ways of life. These people were once poachers but later converted into conversion agents and they are current casual labor providers to the park.
Continue to Kigali city from where you can choose to have a tour around Genocide memorial center, religious centers, local markets, etc. or continue to Kigali International Airport for departure flight back home.
