6 Day Rwanda Classic Primates Safari

Welcome to Rwanda.

On arrival at Kigali International Airport, meet your Kenzi Safaris representative and driver-guide who will welcome you and transfer you to your hotel.

Depending on your arrival time, head out for a guided Kigali city experience.

Explore selected parts of the city and get your first introduction to Rwanda, its people and everyday life.

After the city experience, transfer to your hotel for check-in, dinner and overnight.

After breakfast, leave Kigali and begin your journey towards Nyungwe Forest National Park in southwestern Rwanda.

Travel through Rwanda's beautiful countryside with cultural and historical stops along the way.

Visit the King's Palace in Nyanza to learn more about Rwanda's traditional monarchy and royal history.

Continue towards Huye for a visit to the Ethnographic Museum, where collections and exhibits provide another introduction to Rwanda's history, traditions and cultural heritage.

After the cultural experience, enjoy lunch and continue towards Nyungwe.

Arrive at your lodge later in the day, check in and spend the evening relaxing as you prepare for the following morning's chimpanzee trek.

After an early breakfast, transfer to the designated starting point for your chimpanzee trekking experience in Nyungwe Forest.

Meet the ranger guides for a briefing before entering the rainforest.

Walk through the forest in search of a habituated chimpanzee community. The length of the trek varies depending on the location and movement of the chimpanzees.

Nyungwe is also home to several other primates, including L'Hoest's monkeys, colobus monkeys and red-tailed monkeys, as well as a rich variety of forest birds and butterflies.

Once the chimpanzees are located, spend the permitted viewing time observing their behaviour as they feed, communicate, groom and move through the forest.

After trekking, return for lunch and some time to relax.

Later in the afternoon, experience the Nyungwe Canopy Walk.

Walk along the suspended walkway above the rainforest and enjoy elevated views across the forest canopy.

The experience also provides opportunities to look for monkeys, birds and other forest life from a different perspective.

Return to your lodge for dinner and overnight.

After breakfast, return to Nyungwe Forest National Park for another primate experience.

Meet your ranger guide for a briefing before entering the forest in search of colobus monkeys.

Follow the forest trails while looking for the monkeys and other wildlife.

Once the colobus monkeys are located, spend the permitted viewing time watching them feed, groom, rest and interact with one another.

After the trek, return to meet your driver-guide and begin the journey towards Volcanoes National Park.

Enjoy Rwanda's beautiful countryside during the drive north towards the Virunga region.

Along the journey, make a scheduled stop at the former Imbabazi Orphanage before continuing to your lodge near Volcanoes National Park.

Check in, enjoy dinner and prepare for the following day's mountain gorilla trek.

Today is the main highlight of your Rwanda primate safari — mountain gorilla trekking in Volcanoes National Park.

After an early breakfast, transfer to the park headquarters for your trekking briefing.

Meet the ranger guides, receive information about the trekking guidelines and be assigned a habituated mountain gorilla family.

Continue to the trailhead and begin your trek into the Virunga forest.

The trek can take several hours depending on the location of the gorillas, terrain and forest conditions.

Gorilla Trekking Note

Gorilla trekking takes place through natural forest and mountainous terrain.

The duration and difficulty of the trek varies depending on the location of your assigned gorilla family.

A reasonable level of fitness is recommended, and local porters are available to carry backpacks and provide assistance along more challenging sections of the trail.

Once the gorillas are located, spend the permitted viewing time observing them in their natural habitat.

Watch them feed, rest, groom, play and interact while your ranger guide provides more information about their behaviour and family structure.

After trekking, return to the starting point and meet your driver-guide for the transfer back to your lodge.

Later in the afternoon, visit a local cultural community near Volcanoes National Park.

Learn more about Rwandan traditions, music and everyday life through cultural demonstrations and activities.

Return to your lodge for dinner and overnight.

After breakfast, return to Volcanoes National Park for your final primate experience — golden monkey trekking.

Meet your ranger guides for a briefing before entering the forest.

Trek through the bamboo vegetation on the slopes of the Virunga Mountains while searching for a habituated golden monkey troop.

Once located, spend the permitted viewing time watching these active primates as they feed, jump between bamboo stems and interact.

After trekking, return to your lodge for lunch and check out.

Begin your journey back to Kigali.

Depending on your flight schedule, you may stop at selected art and craft markets for some last-minute shopping.

Continue to Kigali International Airport, where your Kenzi Safaris driver-guide will drop you off in time for your departure flight.

This marks the end of your 6-Day Rwanda Classic Primates Safari.