5 Days Gorilla Trekking and Chimpanzee Trekking Rwanda

Safari highlights

• Gorilla trekking in Volcanoes National Park
• Chimpanzee tracking in Nyungwe Forest
• Scenic Lake Kivu route
• Canopy walkway in Nyungwe
• Kigali city sights and memorial

Itinerary route map

1. Kigali
2. Volcanoes National Park
3. Lake Kivu
4. Nyungwe Forest National Park
5. Kigali

Day-by-day itinerary

1. 01
   Day 1 Kigali city tour and drive to Musanze

   Begin the day with a visit to the Kigali Genocide Memorial, which honours the victims of the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi and tells the story of Rwanda's history and recovery. The visit is sombre but important, and it gives context for the country you are about to explore. Allow about two hours.

   After the memorial, you take a short city tour that may include the Kimironko Market, the Kigali Convention Centre and viewpoints over the city's hills. Kigali is known for being clean, safe and green, and the tour shows modern life in the capital. You can then stop for lunch at a local restaurant.

   In the afternoon, you drive north to Musanze, a journey of about two hours through scenic hill country. You check in at your lodge near Volcanoes National Park, where you can relax and enjoy the views of the volcanoes. Your guide briefs you on tomorrow's gorilla trekking arrangements before dinner.

2. 02
   Day 2 Gorilla trekking in Volcanoes National Park

   After an early breakfast, you drive to the park headquarters at Kinigi for the 7:00 briefing. Rangers explain the rules of gorilla trekking and assign each group to a habituated family, taking into account fitness levels. Traditional dancers often welcome visitors, and it is a good time to take photographs before you set off.

   The trek begins across farmland and enters the bamboo and montane forest on the volcano slopes. The hike lasts from one to several hours depending on the location of the gorillas, and the terrain can be steep and muddy. Porters are available to carry your bag and assist you on difficult sections.

   When you reach the gorillas, you spend one hour observing them from a short distance, watching the silverback, females and playful young. After returning to the park office, you receive a trekking certificate. The rest of the day is free to relax at the lodge or to enjoy a short cultural visit nearby.

3. 03
   Day 3 Musanze to Lake Kivu

   After breakfast you leave Musanze and drive west towards Lake Kivu, one of Africa's Great Lakes. The route follows the shore through the towns of Gisenyi and Kibuye, with views of steep green hills dropping into the water. The road is winding but scenic, and the drive takes about three to four hours.

   Along the way you may stop at viewpoints, fishing villages and tea estates, and you can see how local communities live along the lake. Lake Kivu is free of hippos and crocodiles, which makes it safe for swimming and boating. Your guide can suggest a stop for lunch at a lakeside restaurant.

   You arrive at your lodge on the lake in the afternoon, with time to relax by the water, take a boat trip or simply enjoy the sunset. The lake's calm atmosphere makes it a pleasant place to rest after the intensity of gorilla trekking. Dinner is served at the lodge.

4. 04
   Day 4 Lake Kivu to Nyungwe and chimpanzee tracking

   After breakfast, you drive south along the lake and through the hills towards Nyungwe Forest National Park. The journey takes about four to five hours, passing tea plantations, small towns and forested valleys. As you approach the park, the forest becomes denser, and the air cooler and damper. Ask your guide to stop at viewpoints if you would like to take photographs of the lake and the forest.

   You arrive at your lodge, have lunch and prepare for the chimpanzee tracking or visit to the canopy walkway, depending on the time and the schedule. Chimpanzee tracking usually starts early in the morning, so your guide may arrange it for the next day if you arrive late in the afternoon.

   If you track chimpanzees, a ranger leads you through the forest, and you may spend up to one hour with the community if you find them. The canopy walkway, which is about 160 metres long and 70 metres above the ground, offers views over the treetops. You return to the lodge for dinner and rest.

5. 05
   Day 5 Nyungwe to Kigali

   After breakfast, you check out of your lodge and begin the return journey to Kigali. If you have time, your guide can arrange a short walk or a stop at a viewpoint in the tea estates before you leave the Nyungwe area. The morning air is cool, and the forest is often covered in mist.

   The drive takes about five to six hours, with a stop for lunch along the way, usually in Huye or Muhanga. You pass through rolling hills, terraced fields and small villages, and your guide shares information about the history and culture of southern Rwanda. If you wish, you can visit a local craft shop.

   You arrive in Kigali in the afternoon or early evening and are dropped at your hotel or the airport. Your guide helps with luggage and confirms any onward plans. The safari ends here, leaving you with memories of one of Africa's most ancient and biodiverse forests. Thank you for visiting Nyungwe with us, and we hope to welcome you back to Rwanda soon.