5-Day Rwanda Primate Tour with Gorillas & Chimps

Want to see primates in Rwanda? This 5-day safari takes you to Volcanoes National Park and Nyungwe Forest National Park, the two most popular primate destinations in the country.

Rwanda, together with Uganda and D.R. Congo, is home to some of the world’s remaining endangered mountain gorillas. In Nyungwe, you will trek chimpanzees and enjoy a canopy walk.

At Volcanoes, you will trek gorillas and visit the grave of Dian Fossey, the American researcher who dedicated her life to protecting gorillas in the Virunga region.

5-Day Rwanda Primate Trekking Tour Highlights

• Day 1: Arrival & transfer to Nyungwe Forest National Park
• Day 2: Chimpanzee trekking & canopy walk in Nyungwe
• Day 3: Transfer to Volcanoes National Park
• Day 4: Gorilla trekking & Dian Fossey grave visit
• Day 5: Return to Kigali & departure

Detailed 5-Day Rwanda Primate Trekking Tour Itinerary

Day 1: Arrival & transfer to Nyungwe Forest National Park

On arrival at Kigali International Airport, meet our company representative who will warmly welcome you for your 5-day primates safari.

Take a short city excursion in Kigali to get oriented with the country of a thousand hills. Visit museums, genocide memorial sites, local markets, and craft centers. After the tour, drive south through Butare city and continue to Nyungwe Forest National Park. Arrive at your lodge, check in, have dinner, and rest.

Day 2: Chimpanzee trekking & canopy walk in Nyungwe

After breakfast, transfer to the park headquarters for a briefing about chimpanzee trekking. The session takes about 30 minutes.

Head into the forest with rangers to search for chimpanzee groups. Since chimpanzees are semi-habituated, trekking starts early to increase chances of seeing them before they move deep into the jungle. Nyungwe also hosts 13 other primate species, so you may spot vervet monkeys, blue monkeys, and colobus monkeys.

In the afternoon, take part in the canopy walk, a suspended bridge offering views of the forest from above. Look out for birds, primates, butterflies, and unique plants. Return to your lodge for dinner and overnight.

Day 3: Transfer to Volcanoes National Park

After breakfast, leave Nyungwe and drive north to Volcanoes National Park. On the way, enjoy views of the Congo-Nile trail and the Virunga ranges. Arrive at your lodge in the afternoon, check in, have dinner, and rest.

Day 4: Gorilla trekking & Dian Fossey grave visit

Have an early breakfast and transfer to Kinigi park headquarters for a briefing about gorilla trekking rules and guidelines. You will be divided into groups of eight, each assigned a gorilla family with an experienced ranger guide.

Enter the forest and trek for 2 to 8 hours depending on the gorillas’ movement and weather conditions. When you find them, spend one hour observing and photographing these apes.

After trekking, have your picnic lunch and later hike to Karisoke to visit the Dian Fossey graveyard, where she was buried alongside gorillas she protected. Return to your lodge for dinner and overnight.

Day 5: Return to Kigali & departure

After breakfast, check out and drive back to Kigali. You will be dropped at the airport for your departure flight.

End of 5-Day Rwanda primates tour.

If you'd like to personalize your tour by adding extra days or destinations, please reach out to us through our main contact page using the button below.