5 Days luxury Gorilla trekking safari in Rwanda
The 5 Days luxury Gorilla trekking safari in Rwanda that will take you to Volcanoes national park in northwestern Rwanda where you will engage in a breathtaking gorilla trekking activity which gives you unforgettable experiences as you spend one hour with the habituated gorilla families. You will also participate in other activities while in the park such as hiking to the graveyard of the primatologist Dian Fossey, visiting the twin lakes of Burera and Ruhondo and visiting Ibyi’wacu cultural village where you will interact with the local people in the community.
Highlights of the 5 days luxury gorilla trekking safari in Rwanda
Day 1: Pick up and transfer to Volcanoes national park
Day 2: First gorilla trekking
Day 3: Second gorilla trekking
Day 4: Dian Fossey hike and cultural tour
Day 5: Twin lakes tour and departure
Detailed itinerary
Day 1 of the 5 days luxury gorilla trekking safari in Rwanda
Transfer to Volcanoes national park, upon arrival on the first day of the 5 days luxury gorilla trekking safari in Rwanda you will be welcomed by our driver guide who will brief you about your safari and then transfer to Kigali for a city tour. During the Kigali city tour you will visit some of the interesting places like the Kigali genocide memorial centre where you will listen to audios and see photos of the victims who died during the 1994 Kigali genocide. You will also visit Kimironko market where you will interact with venders in the market who sell various items like handcrafts, paintings, souvenirs among others. After the city tour you will go for lunch in one of the restaurants in Kigali where you will taste different dishes in Rwanda and then start the journey to Volcanoes national park which is filled with great views of the rolling hills, beautiful scenery, landscapes among others. Upon arrival you will check into the lodge, have dinner and overnight.
Day 2: First gorilla trekking
First gorilla trekking, after an early breakfast on the second day of the 5 days luxury gorilla trekking safari in Rwanda you will carry packed lunch and meet up with your driver guide to transfer to the park headquarters for a briefing about the rules and regulations of gorilla trekking. After the briefing you will be grouped into 8 people and each group will be allocated a gorilla family to trek and a park guide who is well conversant with the trails in the forest. Gorilla trekking in Volcanoes national park takes about 30 minutes to 7 hours depending on the location of the gorillas and during trekking you will have views of other primates like vervet monkeys, black and white colobus monkeys, forest birds, animals like bush pigs, duikers, buffaloes, tree species among others. When the gorillas are found you will be allowed to spend one hour with them in their natural habitat which gives you an opportunity to learn about their lifestyle, take photos and record the moments. After having an exciting moment with the habituated gorillas you will trek back to the park headquarters where you will be awarded a gorilla trekking certificate for participating in gorilla trekking and then meet up with your driver guide to transfer to the lodge for dinner and overnight.
Day 3: Second gorilla trekking
Second gorilla trekking, on the third day of the 5 days luxury gorilla trekking safari in Rwanda you will have an early breakfast, carry packed lunch and meet up with your driver guide to transfer to the park headquarters for a briefing about the rules and regulations of gorilla trekking just like the first gorilla trekking. After the briefing you will be grouped into 8 people and allocated another gorilla family to trek and a park guide who is well conversant with the trails in the jungle. Gorilla trekking takes about 30 minutes to 6 hours depending on their location and once they are found you will spend one hour with them in their natural environment which helps you to learn about their habits, behaviors, watch them carry out their daily activities, take photos as you compare with the first gorilla trekking experience. After the one hour encounter with the gorillas you will trek back to the park headquarters and meet up with your driver guide to transfer back to the lodge for an evening relaxation, dinner and overnight.
Day 4: Dian Fossey hike and cultural tour
Dian Fossey hike, after an early breakfast on the fourth day of the 5 days luxury gorilla trekking safari in Rwanda you will meet up with your driver guide and transfer to the park headquarters for a briefing about Dian Fossey hiking. After the briefing you will drive to the trail head and start hiking up to Karisoke research centre an institute that was established by an American primatologist Dian Fossey who dedicated her life to conserve the mountain gorillas and other animals. When you reach at the institute you will a house where she was killed in 1985 and her graveyard that is next to that of her beloved gorilla Digit and other 20 gorilla graveyards which were killed by poachers. Apart from the graveyards you will also learn about the lives of the mountain gorillas and why conservation is important. After you will descend back to the park headquarters and meet up with your guide to transfer to the lodge for lunch.
Cultural tour, after lunch you will go for a guided cultural tour where you will visit Ibyi’wacu cultural village that is located around the park. During the cultural tour you will get an opportunity to interact with the local people, know about their lifestyle, culture, way of living, learn about their tradition, taste different local dishes, visit farmlands, enjoy traditional dances, drama, songs, listen to traditional stories among others. After the cultural tour you will drive back to the lodge for dinner and overnight.
Day 5: Twin lakes tour and departure
Twin lakes tour, after breakfast on the last day of your 5 days luxury gorillas trekking safari in Rwanda you will meet up with your driver guide and drive to the twin lakes of Burera and Ruhondo which are located at the foot hills of mount Sabyinyo, Muhabura, Bisoke and Gahinga. The twin lakes are fishing grounds to the neighboring local communities who earn a living through fishing and they also offer spectacular views of various bird species, terraced farmlands, beautiful scenery, landscapes, terraced hills, enjoy the cool breeze and take great pictures. After the twin lakes visit, you will drive back to the lodge for lunch. After lunch you will check out of the lodge and meet up with your driver guide to start the journey to Kigali international airport where your driver guide will drop you off for your departure flight.
End of 5 day luxury gorilla trekking safari in Rwanda
Inclusions of the 5 days luxury gorilla trekking safari in Rwanda
- Gorilla trekking permits
- Cultural tour
- Dian Fossey hike
- Twin lakes visit
- Kigali city tour
- Services of an English speaking driver guide
- Full board accommodation
- Pick up and drop off
- Vehicle and fuel
- Bottled water
Exclusions of the 5 days luxury gorilla trekking safari in Rwanda
- International air flight tickets
- Visas
- Optional activities not included on the itinerary
- Personal expenses like buying souvenirs, crafts, drinks, laundry services, tips among others.
