3 Days Rwanda Mountain Gorillas & Golden Monkey Trekking Safari
Embark on a primate odyssey in Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park on this 3 Days Rwanda Mountain Gorillas & Golden Monkey Trekking Safari. On this primate adventure you will take part in Rwanda’s most incredible primate experience, gorilla trekking and golden monkey trekking.
Both mountain gorillas and golden monkeys are endangered primate species and endemic to the Virunga ranges sprawling the borders of Uganda, Rwanda and DR.Congo. Volcanoes National Park stretches along the share of the Virunga Volcanoes and is home to a third of the world’s remaining mountain gorillas and golden monkeys.
Gorilla trekking is a lifetime experience giving you an opportunity to stand a few meters before an unbothered family of mountain gorillas after a trek into this 25,000 year old dense forest. The greenery and the spectacular volcanoes views make the would be challenging hike quite enjoyable.
Highlights of 3 Days Rwanda Mountain Gorillas & Golden Monkey Trekking Safari
Day 1: Kigali City Tour & Transfer to Volcanoes National Park
Day 2: Gorilla Trekking & Iby’Iwacu Cultural Village Tour
Day 3: Golden Monkey Trekking – Departure
Detailed Itinerary of 3 Days Rwanda Mountain Gorillas & Golden Monkey Trekking Safari
Day 1: Kigali City Tour & Transfer to Volcanoes National Park
On arrival at Kigali International Airport or after breakfast at your hotel in Kigali, you will be picked up by our driver-guide. After briefing you about the safari, you will go for a Kigali City Tour with a visit to Kigali Genocide Memorial Site and a tour of other places in Kigali.
After lunch at the city restaurant, we drive to Volcanoes National Park on a drive of approximately 2 hours’ drive from Kigali to Musanze, a small town close to the park. Check in at your lodge for a short rest. In the afternoon, you will go for a cultural visit to Iby’Iwacu Village can possible be done in the evening or the following day after gorilla trekking.
Day 2: Gorilla Trekking & Iby’Iwacu Cultural Village Tour
Wake up early for breakfast and later drive to the park headquarters at Kinigi for a comprehensive briefing before the gorilla trek. After the briefing, drive to the trek starting point in groups of 8 people, armed ranger guide and porters. A porter is optional but by hiring them you are supporting the local community.
The trek through the mist forests of Volcanoes National Park usually involves bushwhacking on steep and sometimes slippery terrain but it is quite doable if you are moderately fit. The time taken to find the gorillas may vary depending on the movement of the gorillas and where they spend the night. After find the gorillas, you get to spend one hour in the presence observing them go on with their life in the forest, take pictures and videos. After this amazing experience, trek back to the starting point where you will meet your driver waiting to take you back to the lodge.
In the evening, there is an option of visiting the twin lakes of Bulera and Rubondo that are near the park or take the Ib’Iwacu Cultural Village Tour, that is if you were unable to do the previous evening.
Day 3: Golden Monkey Trekking – Departure
After breakfast, check out of your lodge with your packed lunch boxes and return to the park headquarters for registration and briefing about golden monkey tracking rules and regulations. Golden monkey trekking is more or less like gorilla trekking though not as strenuous.
The golden monkeys are at the edge of the park which is not very far from the trek starting point. It can be a walk of 30 minutes or less and you are with these amazing apes. After an hour of observing them, you leave them to enjoy their privacy and return to the starting point where you will meet your driver and start off the drive back to Kigali City. Your driver guide will drop you off either at the hotel or at the airport, marking the end of your 3 Days Rwanda Mountain Gorillas & Golden Monkey Trekking Safari
End of 3 Days Rwanda Mountain Gorillas & Golden Monkey Trekking Safari
