Day 01: Arrival in Kigali
Day 02: Transfer to Nyungwe Forest NP & Canopy Walk
Day 03: Trek Nyungwe forest in seach of the large troops of Angolan Colobus Monkeys
Day 04: Chimpanzees trek at Cyamudongo (Nyungwe NP)
Day 05: Primate trekking in Gishwati-Mukura NP – Transfer to Musanze
Day 06: Gorilla Trekking (Volcanoes National Park)
Day 07: Golden monkey trekking – Kigali & departure

You will be met by your driver-guide who will transfer you to your hotel. Depending on your arrival time, your driver-guide may propose you a visit of Kigali city which includes the Genocide Memorial centre at Gisozi, the museums of Kigali, the art galleries or the markets.

Dinner & overnight at your accommodation

After an early breakfast, you depart for Nyungwe Forest NP, one of the oldest rain forests in Africa. 

You will arrive at your lodge in time for lunch and then later in the afternoon, you will visit the Uwinka Information Center to have the last updates on the location of the habituated groups of chimps and colobus monkeys. This will help to prepare your activities of the next day. 
The Canopy walk is not far from the Uwinka Information Center. It's accessible as part of a specialized guided tour along the Igishigishigi trail (1h30). The walkway is 60 meters above the ground level, and 200 meters long. The dizzying platform is above a steep and deep valley across a massive forest. Enjoy the sights and the sounds of the Forest!

Meals & overnight at your accommodation.

Nyungwe is one of the oldest rainforests in Africa, covering 1,019 km2 of dense Afromontane forests, bamboo-covered slopes, grasslands and wetlands. The park feeds two of the world’s largest rivers, the Congo and the Nile, and provides 70% of the country’s freshwater. 

The terrain is rugged and steep, and you will be at relatively high elevation. Wear good hiking shoes and bring warm clothing!

Your day will start with an early breakfast and a briefing at Uwinka tourist information centre.

Of a particular interest are the large social groups of Angolan colobus (Colobus angolensis), which may be over 300 individuals. These are the largest troops of this species known in the world!  Nyungwe forest counts 25% of the African Primates!

One of these groups is habituated and we recommend to start your exploration with a guided primate walk in search of the Angolan colobus monkeys. Rangers will tell you approximately where the group is located and the hiking times may vary as the group is travelling continuously looking for food. Be prepared to have a more strenuous hiking! Alternatively if the troop is too far you might go for the chimpanzees habituated close to the Uwinka Centre. Find out more about the habituation process.

In case you tracked and missed the wide group of Angolan colobus after a long and strenuous hiking in the forest, you can have another try in a small forest near to the tea factory where an easier-to-see but resident troop is hosted.

Dinner & overnight at your accommodation

Some considerable efforts have been made to habituate the chimpanzees at Nyungwe Forest NP.  The best habituated group is at Cyamudongo. Cyamudongo is a fragment of rainforest (4 km²) located at the outside boundaries of Nyungwe part of the National Park. The excursion will take about 3 hours.  
The reporting time on site is at 6 a.m. latest! 

If you prefer you can have one of the hikes on the well-maintained trails or have another but short and easy guided primate walk. There are L’Hoest monkeys and blue monkeys present and often observed around Uwinka, requiring less strenuous hiking. 

After lunch you set off for Gishwati-Mukura NP. This is Rwanda’s youngest national park.
Dinner and overnight at your accommodation.

According to the UNESCO Bulletin of November 2020, This young national park is a global biodiversity hotspot, including a variety of endemic and endangered species. The area is strategically known for the Eastern Chimpanzee and the Golden monkey”. Find out more about Gishwati-Mukura National Park.

Dinner and overnight at your accommodation.

After breakfast, you have a guided primate trekking where you will see chimpanzees, monkeys and, there is also a little chance, of seeing some other mammals that call this beautiful forest home such as side-striped jackal and serval to name a few. 

You will have your packed lunch in the forest and then continue your trip to Musanze (Volcanoes National Park).
Enjoy the beautiful views as you drive through the winding roads.  If time allows, on arrival you will visit the Iby’Iwacu Cultural village.  In this village, you get to meet the local people in their traditional environment. This visit will allow you to interact with them and learn about their lifestyles, heritage treasures, and activities.  During the visit, you will embark on a banana brewing process, pottery, meet the traditional healer and of course the spectacular dance performance.

Dinner & overnight at your accommodation.

After breakfast you will report at the Park headquarters where your driver-guide will complete the required formalities for you. You will meet the ranger guide(s) for a briefing about the greatest animal experience ever.  Your driver-guide will drive you to the slopes of one of The Virunga volcanoes for your trekking. More Information about the Rwanda Gorilla Experience.

On return from the gorilla trekking, later in the afternoon, you will visit the new "Ellen Degeneres campus of the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund".  The new Campus is a milestone in Gorilla Conservation and home of the Karisoke Research Center created by Dian Fossey in 1967.

Dinner and Overnight at your accommodation.

"The Ellen Fund" is supporting The Fossey Fund to create a campus that will support : the longterm health and care of the Dian Fossey Fund,  gorilla science, responsible tourism, and the needs of the local population. This campus will enhance the gorilla conservation efforts and the work started by Dian Fossey in 1967. This campus is the new home for the Karisoke Research Centre.

After breakfast you will report at the Park headquarters where your driver-guide will accomplish the necessary formalities for you. The Golden Monkey (cercopithecus mitis kandti) is listed as “endangered”, these magnificent primates are habituated in groups of about 30 - 40 individuals on the Rwanda side of the Virunga regions.

The golden monkeys are fast and ever on the move as they feed. Once located, you may have to keep moving with them as your ranger-guide explains their characteristics and specific behaviours. After this visit, you have a hot lunch at your accommodation and then drive to Kigali where you have time (depending on your departure flight time) for a city tour.

This is the end of what we hope has been a memorable primate experience!