Gorilla Trekking in Rwanda at Volcanoes National park, Golden Monkey Tour and Lake Kivu Boat Ride
On Day 1: Arrival and transfer to Ruhengeri (Volcanoes NP)
When you arrive at Kigali airport, our tour guide will receive you and takes you around for a Kigali city tour which includes visiting the Genocide Memorial Centre at Gisozi or to the market place to see or buy some handicraft and also observe Rwandan lifestyles. Rwanda has a beautiful landscape characterized by verdant highlands and green vegetation. The abundant flora and fauna of Rwanda, include; the rare mountain gorillas, highly admired by international visitors and qualifies it to be among the rapid promising tourist hub in East Africa and Africa at large. The drive to Ruhengeri takes about two and half hours. Upon, arrival, check in at Kinigi Guest House, Muhabura Hotel, Mountain Gorilla View Lodge, Lapalme Hotel or Volcanoes Lodge.
On Day 2: Gorilla Trekking Safari in Rwanda
Enjoy your morning meal and be taken to the park offices by the guide. The park ranger guides will brief you about the guidelines and rules of this wonderful gorilla safari before heading for gorilla trekking in the forest. No exact time is known for the thrilling exercise but meeting and looking at the gorillas in Rwanda is a moment worth its time. After gorilla trekking, return to the lodge where you will also have lunch. You can use the last hours of the day for an expedition to see the eye-catching Lake Bulera and Ruhondo. Then retire for overnight and dinner.
On Day 3: Golden Monkey Trek Rwanda- transfer to Gisenyi (Lake Kivu)
After a morning breakfast, report to Rwanda tour offices to be briefed about the Golden monkey trekking in Volacnoes NP. Trekking these monkeys is an outstanding experience especially when you see them snap and correlate in different ways as they play hide-and-seek a great deal to the excitement of the guests. Golden monkeys live only in the Virunga Conservation Area and have been well adapted in two groups. The Kabatwa group lives near the Park headquarters and the Musanga group near the Karisimbi, a relatively longer walking distance. This trip is very exciting and it’s full of photo opportunities.
Have lunch and take a trip to Gisenyi on the shorelines of Lake Kivu in the Albertine Rift Valley. Lake Kivu is among the African Great Lakes. Situated on the DR Congo-Rwanda boarder, Lake Kivu drains into the Ruzizi River that flows southwards into Lake Tanganyika. Lying at an altitude of 1,460 metres (4,790 ft), Lake Kivu covers about 2,700 km2 (1,040 sq mi). With the depth of 480 m (1,575 ft), Kivu is ranked 15th in the world. In Lake Kivu lies the world’s tenth-largest inland island, Idjwi, as well as the minute island of Tshegera, which also lies within the margins of Virunga National Park. Settlements on the lake shores consist of Kabare, Sake, Kalehe, Bukavu and Goma in Congo and Gisenyi, Kibuye and Cyangugu in Rwanda. dinner and over night at Kivu Sun Hotel, Kibuye Guest House, Malahide Paradise Hotel, Palm Beach Hotel and Kivu Serena Hotel.
On Day 4: Lake Kivu Boat Cruise and transfer to Kigali
Have breakfast and take a boat ride to some of the Islands in Lake Kivu. Go to Napoleon Island, Amahoro and Nkombo islands plus a tour around the fishing villages, rural coffee washing stations and Nyamyumba Hot springs. Return to the main land for dinner and over night at your hotel.
On Day 5: Kigali Visit and Departure
As you prepare for your departure and in case you missed some places on the Kigali city tour, visit the genocide memorial centers, notably Gisozi and Murambi (Gikongoro) in Kigali where the history of the genocide in Rwanda is given in details. A tour to the genocide memorial is for a good number of visitors an expressive experience. Move to the airport for your departure.
End of the trip.