Planning a Rwanda primate tour that includes the country’s best lodges, such as Bisate Lodge, Singita Kwitonda Lodge, Sabyinyo Silverback Lodge, and One&Only Gorilla’s Nest? Luxury Rwanda tours offer a genuine 5-star travel experience, and Rwanda’s luxury lodges rank among the best in Africa.
Discover Rwanda’s mountain gorillas, golden monkeys, and chimpanzees on this privately guided 5-Day Rwanda Primates Tour, one of the best luxury gorilla trekking packages Rwanda has to offer.
This itinerary begins in Kigali, a city with bustling local markets, a historic Muslim quarter, and strong dining options. Spend 3 nights in Volcanoes National Park in northern Rwanda, before continuing to Nyungwe Forest and returning to Kigali, one of the safest and cleanest cities in Africa. See the detailed itinerary below.
This package includes mountain gorilla trekking permits, chimpanzee permits, entrance fees, and professional trackers, making it one of the more straightforward ways to trek mountain gorillas and chimpanzees in their natural habitat.
5-Day Rwanda Gorilla and Chimpanzee Tour Highlights
- Day 1: Transfer to Volcanoes National Park, Rwanda
- Day 2: Gorilla trekking in Volcanoes National Park
- Day 3: Transfer to Nyungwe Forest National Park via Lake Kivu
- Day 4: Chimpanzee trekking and canopy walk in Nyungwe
- Day 5: Transfer to Kigali
Detailed 5-Day Rwanda Gorilla and Chimpanzee Tour Itinerary
Day 1: Transfer to Volcanoes National Park, Rwanda
Meet your safari driver guide, who will take you around Kigali. The city has survived a turbulent past and grown into one of Africa’s more cosmopolitan destinations.
Kigali is safe, clean, and set among green hills and valleys.
After the city tour, continue on to Volcanoes National Park, arriving in the evening for dinner and an overnight stay.
Day 2: Gorilla Trekking in Volcanoes National Park
Today is dedicated to Volcanoes National Park’s main draw. With a population of more than 400 mountain gorillas, the park ranks among the top gorilla trekking destinations in the world.
The trek begins at 8:00 am after a short briefing and involves hiking through high-altitude terrain and thick vegetation. Wear a long-sleeved shirt, waterproof trekking boots, long trousers, and insect repellent, with cotton socks, and bring a packed lunch and enough drinking water.
Day 3: Transfer to Nyungwe Forest National Park via Lake Kivu
After breakfast at the lodge, transfer to Nyungwe Forest National Park, in southwestern Rwanda, a drive of about 5 to 6 hours. The park is home to up to 13 primate species, including chimpanzees.
Nyungwe is one of the oldest forests in East and Central Africa, with a wide range of tree species and birds. Have lunch en route at Lake Kivu’s white sand beaches, with an optional boat excursion to visit the lake’s islands and meet local fishermen.
Continue to Nyungwe for dinner and an overnight stay at your lodge.
Day 4: Chimpanzee Trekking and Canopy Walk in Nyungwe
Have breakfast, then drive to Nyungwe park headquarters in Gisakura for a briefing with rangers at 8:00 am before setting off on the chimpanzee trek, one of Nyungwe’s most popular activities. Chimpanzees are humans’ closest living relatives, and they remain an endangered species.
Along the way, you may also spot black-and-white colobus monkeys, red-tailed monkeys, grey-cheeked mangabeys, l’Hoest’s monkeys, bush babies, pottos, and elephants, along with bird species such as the Rwenzori rufous-vented tinkerbird, crowned eagle, little greenbul, yellow-spotted nectar, green-breasted pitta, and black bee-eater.
In the afternoon, take the Nyungwe Forest canopy walk, a chance to view birds, rare primates, and nocturnal species of the forest from above.
Day 5: Transfer to Kigali
Have breakfast, then transfer to Kigali city. On arrival, visit the Kigali Genocide Memorial and Kimironko Market, one of the largest local markets in Africa. Have lunch at the Hôtel des Mille Collines, widely known as Hotel Rwanda.
The hotel became known worldwide after 1,268 people took refuge there during the 1994 Rwandan genocide. Its story, and that of the hotel’s manager at the time, Paul Rusesabagina, was later adapted into the 2004 film Hotel Rwanda.
Afterward, transfer to the airport for your departure flight, marking the end of this 5-Day Rwanda Primates Tour.
