Rwanda Gorillas, Primates, & Landscapes

Fly from London Heathrow (or selected other UK airports) to Kigali, the Rwandese capital. On arrival you will be welcomed and transferred to the Heaven Restaurant & Boutique Hotel located in a suburb of the city for an overnight stay.

This morning, you are met and transferred to Nyungwe Forest National Park, where en-route you stop in Butare and visit the National Museum.

Check-in at Nyungwe Top View Hill Hotel, idyllically situated on top of one of the hills of Nyungwe Forest where you will stay for the next two nights on a full-board basis.

Today, you are transferred Cyamudongo Forest (an approx 30min drive), where the most of Chimpanzee tracking excursions are organised. You will enjoy a morning of chimpanzee tracking. Note that the terrain where the Chimps are includes some steep slopes. Take rain gear for inclement weather. Guides lead you through the forest in search of these elusive beasts.

This afternoon, you enjoy an interesting canopy walk and view the birds, butterflies, and some monkeys from a high viewpoint.

This morning, you have a long and very scenic drive (an approx. 5hr drive) on unmade roads to Kibuye, on the shores of Lake Kivu.

Check-in at Cormoran Lodge, a rustic yet stylish lodge set on a steep hill leading down to the shore of the lake where you will stay for the night on a full-board basis.

After a relaxing morning, you travel north to Gisenyi (an approx. 2hr drive). You have the chance to explore Gisenyi, its small sandy beach, palm trees and a charming post-colonial boulevard frontage. The rest of the day is yours to relax at leisure. You may choose to enjoy lake fishing, swimming, boating, walking, and trekking.

Check-in at Serena Lake Kivu Hotel, a pleasant hotel located on the shores of the lake where you will stay for two nights on a full-board basis.

Today, you have the chance to relax and unwind at the scenic, high altitude Lake Kivu. You can visit the market and take a walk to visit the nearby residential area.

After a relaxing morning at the lake, you leave the lake shore behind you and transfer to Parc National des Volcans.

Finally, you are transferred to the boundary of the national park where you check-in to the Five Volcanoes Boutique Hotel, and stay for the next three night on a full-board basis.

After an early breakfast you will be taken to the park HQ for a briefing at 07h00 on conduct during gorilla tracking. You will then be allocated to a team of experienced ranger-guides who will take you into Parc National des Volcans, to seek out one of the resident, habituated Gorilla groups.

Time taken to reach the Gorillas varies from as little as 45 minutes to a few hours in closed forest. Once the Gorillas are located, you will be allowed a maximum of one hour with them.

After the briefing at the Park HQ, set off to seek these endangered monkeys which are unique to the Albertine Rift, normally located high up in the dense bamboo groves. This afternoon is yours to relax at leisure.

This morning, you visit the Musanze Cave and view the large colonies of Bats and fascinating rock formations.

This afternoon, you are transferred back to Kigali, and onto the Kigali Genocide Memorial Centre, a historically factual and extremely moving exhibition of the Rwandan genocide.

Check-in to the Heaven Restaurant & Boutique Hotel located in a suburb of the city for an overnight stay.

After a relaxing breakfast, you explore Kigali and have the opportunity to visit the Inema Art Center, Niyo Art Gallery and Kimironko Market.

Finally, you are transferred back to Kigali Airport to check-in for your indirect overnight flight back to London Heathrow (or selected other UK airports).

Arrive back into London Heathrow (or selected other UK airports) by mid-morning.