5 Days Congo Lowland Gorillas and Nyungwe Chimpanzee Safari
This 5 days Congo lowland gorillas and Nyungwe chimpanzee safari will take you to Nyungwe national park in south western part of Rwanda where you will participate in chimpanzee trekking and canopy walk. From Nyungwe national park you will connect to Kahuzi Biega national park in Bukavu town where you will engage in a breathtaking gorilla trekking activity which gives you an opportunity to spend time with the endangered Eastern lowland gorillas in their natural habitat.
Highlights of the 5 days Congo lowland and Nyungwe chimpanzee safari
Day 1: Pick up and Transfer to Nyungwe national park
Day 2: Chimpanzee trekking and canopy walk
Day 3: Transfer to Kahuzi Biega national park in Bukavu
Day 4: Gorilla trekking
Day 5: Departure to Kigali
Detailed itinerary
Day 1 of the 5 days Congo lowland gorillas and Nyungwe chimpanzee safari
Arrival and transfer to Nyungwe national park, upon arrival at Kigali international airport on the first day of your 5 days Congo lowland gorillas and Nyungwe chimpanzee safari, you will be welcomed by our driver guide who will brief you about your safari and then start the journey to Nyungwe national park in south western part of Rwanda. On the way you will have a stopover at the King’s Palace and Museum in Nyanza which was formerly the residence of King Mutara 111 Rudahigwa where you will have great views of the long horned Inyambo cattle at the back and views of different traditional materials. After the King’s Palace tour, you will have en-route lunch and then continue with the journey to Nyungwe national park where you will check into the lodge, have dinner and overnight.
Day 2: Chimpanzee trekking and canopy walk
Chimpanzee trekking, after an early breakfast on the second day of your 5 days Congo lowland gorillas and Nyungwe chimpanzee safari you will meet up with your driver guide to transfer to the park headquarters for the briefing about the rules and regulations of chimpanzee trekking. After the briefing you will be allocated a chimpanzee family to trek, a park guide who will be sharing information about the chimpanzees as well as conversant with trails in the jungle and then start trekking. Chimpanzee trekking in Nyungwe national park takes about 30 minutes to 4 hours depending on where the chimpanzees are located because they like to move from one area to another in search of food. During trekking you will have spectacular views of bird species like Kivu ground thrush, Rwenzori turaco, regal sunbird, red faced woodland warbler, plants, other primates like l’hoest monkeys, silver monkeys, blue monkeys, owl faced monkeys, red tailed monkeys among others. Once the chimpanzees are found you will be allowed to spend one hour with them in their natural habitat which gives you an opportunity to know more about their lifestyle, behaviors, take photos and record the moments to show people back home. After spending an amazing moment with the chimpanzees you will trek back to the park headquarters, meet up with your driver guide and drive back to the lodge for lunch.
Canopy walk, after lunch you will go for an interesting canopy walk which is 90 meters long and 60meters above the forest. The canopy walk was opened in 2010 and Nyungwe national park is the only forest in East Africa offering this breathtaking activity. The canopy walk starts at Uwinka visitor’s center and goes through steep and deep valley filled with thick forest. The interesting canopy walk takes about 2 hours and offers you with spectacular views of bird species, butterflies, primates like blue monkeys, l’hoest monkeys, black and white colobus monkeys, aerial view of the trees among others which gives you unforgettable experiences. After enjoying the canopy walk you will trek back to the starting point where you will meet up with your driver guide and transfer back to the lodge for dinner and overnight.
Day 3: Transfer to Kahuzi Biega national park in Bukavu
After breakfast on the third day of the 5 days Congo lowland gorillas and Nyungwe chimpanzee safari, you will check out of the lodge and your driver guide will pick you up to start the journey to Bukavu, Democratic Republic of Congo. On the way you will have en-route lunch and scenic views of the rolling hills in Rwanda, beautiful landscapes, views of Lake Kivu among others as you continue with the journey passing via Cyangugu border to Bukavu. From Bukavu town you will connect to the park, check into the lodge for dinner and overnight.
Day 4: Lowland gorilla trekking in Kahuzi Biega national park
Lowland gorilla trekking, after an early breakfast on the fourth day of the 5 days Congo lowland gorillas and Nyungwe chimpanzee safari, you will meet up with your driver guide to transfer to the park headquarters for a briefing about the rules and regulations of lowland gorilla trekking. After the briefing you will be allocated a habituated gorilla family to trek and a park guide who will be sharing information about the lowland gorillas and also well conversant with gorilla trails in the forest. Gorilla trekking in Kahuzi Biega national park starts at around 8:00am and takes about 30 minutes to 5 hours depending on where the gorillas are located because they like to move from one place to another in search of food. During trekking you will be able to view other wildlife species including colorful bird species like hornbills, sun birds, bar tailed trogon, barbets, primates like red tailed monkeys, grey cheeked magabey, baboons, black and white colobus monkeys, plant species, animals among others. Once the lowland gorillas are found you will be allowed to spend one hour with them in their natural habitat which gives you an opportunity to learn more about their behaviors, habits, ask questions, watch them carry out their daily activities, take photos and record the moments to show people back home. After the breathtaking moment with the lowland gorillas you will trek back to the park headquarters where you will meet your driver guide and transfer back to the lodge for lunch.
Guided nature walk, after lunch you will go for an interesting nature walk in the park which starts from the camp at Tshivanga. During the guided nature walk you will follow different routes such as the Lwiro route that will take you to Tshibati waterfall where you will enjoy the cool breeze and breathe fresh air. the guided nature walk also gives you an opportunity to view different bird species like Rwenzori turaco, Shelleys crimsonwing, grauers broadbill, plant and tree species, forest dwellers among others. You will also visit Mbayo tea plantations, the communities around the park where you will be able to interact with the local people, visit their farmlands, homesteads, learn more about their culture, tradition among others. After the guided nature walk you will meet up with your driver guide and transfer to the lodge for dinner and overnight.
Day 5: Departure to Kigali
On the last day of your 5 days Congo lowland gorillas and Nyungwe chimpanzee safari, you will have a relaxed breakfast, check out of the lodge and meet up with your driver guide to transfer back to Kigali. On the way you will pass via Cyangugu border and upon arrival in Kigali you will have lunch. After lunch you will continue with the journey and your driver guide will drop you off at Kigali international airport for your next flight or drop off at any place of convenience.
End of 5 days Congo Lowland gorillas and Nyungwe chimpanzee safari
Inclusions of the 5 days Congo Lowland gorillas and Nyungwe chimpanzee safari
- Chimpanzee trekking permit
- Canopy walk
- Gorilla trekking permit
- Kigali city tour
- Guided nature walk
- An English speaking driver guide
- Full board accommodation
- Pick up and drop off
- Vehicle and fuel
- Bottled water
Exclusions of the 5 days Congo Lowland gorillas and Nyungwe chimpanzee safari
- Air flight tickets
- Visas
- Optional activities not included on the itinerary
- Personal expenses like buying souvenirs, crafts, drinks, laundry services, hiring a porter, tips among others.
