You can actually change your life with a 7 Days Rwanda primates & Mt. Bisoke adventure. Admire Rwanda’s nature through gorilla gorilla trekking, golden monkey trekking, Mount Bisoke hiking and canoe ride on Lake Kivu. The safari also gives you chance to tour the Iby’Iwachu village, a place so full of Rwandan traditional culture.
Detailed itinerary
Day 1: Transfer from the airport to the hotel
Your assigned tour guide will pick you up from the airport and quickly gives you briefing about the tour. Also gain knowledge about the movements, the history and weather of Rwanda. When you reach the hotel in Kigali check in. In case you arrive early, you may take a short city tour to the local markets, national genocide museum, etc.
Day 2: Transfer to Volcanoes NP
After a leisure breakfast, head to Volcanoes NP that covers an area of 160sqkm. It is well known for its amazing numbers of mountain gorillas and golden monkeys. Located within the Virunga conservation area and a home of 5 of 8 Virunga Mountains. These include Mount Bisoke, Mount Sabinyo, Mount Karisimbi, Mount Gahinga, and mount Muhabura. All these present iconic hiking adventures.
Mammals and primates that reside here include buffaloes, black fronted duikers, bushbucks, bush pigs, spotted hyenas, black and white colobus, white colobus, baboons, and red-tailed monkeys. The park is a paradise for birds like Ruwenzori turacos, strange weaver, ground robin chat among others. You will reach at the lodge and relax as you prepare for next day’s adventure.
Day 3: Gorilla trekking experience
Gorilla trekking is an experience that takes you to the presence of gorillas. Do this to watch them feed, groom, play and breast feed their babies. This starts with a short briefing that takes 20-30 minutes, as the park ranger allocates you to the gorilla family. Track them in a group of 8 people per day. Do this with a park guide assigned to direct you to their location.
The trekking experience takes 2-7 hours and includes an 1 hour to be in gorillas’ presence. Afterwards get awarded with a certificate of trekking.
Day 4: Golden monkey trekking and Ibyiwachu community tour
Start a day by waking up and taking breakfast in the restaurant. Then, head to the park office to get involved in the briefing activity that takes 20-30 minutes. Proceed to trek the rare golden monkeys in their natural environment and this activity can take between 2-4 hours.
You can spot other primates like black and white colobus, white colobus, baboons, and red-tailed monkeys among others. Spot birds like Ruwenzori turacos, strange weaver, ground robin, francolins, red faced woodland warbler, Ruwenzori double collared sunbird etc.
In the afternoon after your buffet lunch, head to Ibyiwachu community to experience the Kinyarwanda culture. The indigenous people there offer traditional dances, traditional meals and traditional storytelling among others.
Take a walk in the community where local brewers, traditional healers, and story tellers etc. live. Your day ends with dinner and accommodation at the lodge.
Day 5: Bisoke hiking adventure
The hike will start immediately after briefing at the park headquarters, at exactly 8:00 a.m. Get help from the park ranger. Have your packed lunch in your backpack with enough water to help quench your thirst during the whole day hike.
It’s advisable to hire for yourself a porter to carry your luggage and a hiking stick. The Bisoke hike takes you to the top of the volcano to view the magnificent Crater Lake. The surrounding landscape of the greater Virunga ranges is also magnificent. The hike to reach the summit takes 4-6 hours unless you are incredibly slow.
You will have your lunch picnic at the summit as you plan to descend back to the starting point. After you will return to lodge in the evening for your dinner and overnight
Day 6: Transfer to Lake Kivu
Transfer to Lake Kivu after breakfast, a place that offers beautiful view of the beaches. Take a canoe ride to encounter the beauty of this lake. Do some sport fishing and cool yourself off at the white sand beaches. You will check in at the accommodation overlooking the lake and be served with lunch and dinner.
Day 7: Transfer back to Kigali, city tour and drop off at the airport
Drive back to Kigali – the capital city of Rwanda. Depending on your scheduled time, take a short city tour to enjoy the country’s culture and history. It is the cleanest in Africa, covered with green trees and filled with cultural and historical attractions. In the end, your drop-off occurs at the airport. Fly back home as you mark the end of your 7 Days Rwanda primates & Mt. Bisoke adventure.
