Virunga Primates

Juvenile Mountain Gorilla (Volcanoes National Park Rwanda)

Meet the primates residing in the Virunga ranges
A journey to the Virunga ranges to meet the habituated primates of this park. Gorillas and Golden Monkeys! 

This short  Gorilla Safaris makes it easy to combine your gorilla experience with another safari in East Africa. Rwanda has excellent international flight connections! Including direct flights to other National Parks in East-Africa!

Highlights

Activities

Parks & Places:
Discover Kigali
Discover Volcanoes National Park

Special interest:
The Virunga Gorilla Experience
Observation of the golden monkeys
Habituation of Primates: what does it mean?

RECOMMENDED ACCOMMODATION:
BUDGET (**): Hotel Chez Lando & Mountain Gorilla View Lodge, 
MIDRANGE (***): Hotel des Mille Collines & Five Volcanoes Boutique Hotel.
HIGH-END (****): Kigali Serena Hotel & One & Only Gorilla’s Nest.

More information on Rwanda Recommended Accommodations

ROAD MAP (Estimates): 

Kigali – Musanze: 105Kms - 2h30
Musanze – Kigali: 105kms - 2h30

HELICOPTER TRANSFERS (Estimates): 
Kigali Airport - Musanze: 30 min.

  • Itinerary
    Virunga Primates

    Day 01: Arrival in Kigali
    Day 02: Kigali visit and transfer to Volcanoes NP
    Day 03: Gorilla trekking
    Day 04: Golden Monkeys Trekking and transfer to Kigali for departure 

  • Day 01
    Arrival in Kigali

    You will be met with your driver-guide who will transfer you to your hotel. 
    Depending on your arrival time and your personal programme, your driver-guide may propose you a visit of Kigali city which includes the Genocide Memorial centre at Gisozi, the museums of Kigali, the art galleries or the markets.

    Dinner & overnight at your accommodation

    Kigali is the capital of Rwanda and is one of the safest and friendliest of African capitals. First-time visitors to the bustling and colourful centre often remark how clean the streets are, a matter of pride across every community throughout the country. It is presently inhabited by approximately 1.2 million inhabitants.Kigali is developing rapidly, with new shopping malls, office buildings and, of course, the Convention Centre which lights up the night sky atop of one of the many hills.

  • Day 02
    Kigali visit and transfer to Volcanoes National Park

    Today, you have time for a city tour if you missed it the day before. After breakfast, you will visit the Genocide Memorial centre. Thereafter, you will have a hot lunch and then start the drive to Musanze (Volcanoes National Park). 

    On arrival, you visit the Iby’ Iwacu Cultural village.  In this village, you get to meet the local people in their traditional environment. This visit will allow you to interact with the people, learn about their lifestyles, heritage treasures, and activities.  During the visit, you will embark on a banana brewing process, pottery, meet the traditional healer and of course the spectacular dance performance.

    Dinner & overnight at your accommodation

  • Day 03
    Gorilla Trekking

    After breakfast you will report at the Park headquarters where your driver-guide will accomplish the necessary formalities for you. You will meet your ranger guide(s) for a briefing about the greatest animal experience ever. The day starts with briefing at the park headquarters. Once you have been assigned the gorilla family that you will visit, you then set off with your driver-guide to the starting point.

    Gorilla trekking is a very unforgettable experience. The hike through the bamboo forest may take between 30 minutes to 2 hours. You are encouraged to hire a porter who will be help you carry your backpack and offer you a hand when the trail gets a littler slippery or steep. Porters are sourced from the neighboring communities and by hiring one, you are contributing to their life.

    See here the Magic Safaris Video

    An encounter with the largest living primate is both frightening and breathtaking. You are only allowed 1 hour with them. You observe them as they groom, play and feed.

    After the trekking, you retrun to your accommodation to freshen up and then later on, you will go on an excursion to explore the beautiful “twin” lakes in the region: Lake Burera & Ruhondo. An excellent view of the Virunga chain of Volcanoes can be seen while there depending on weather conditions. 

    Dinner and Overnight at your accommodation

  • Day 04
    Golden Monkeys trekking and transfer to Kigali for departure

    fter breakfast you will report at the Park headquarters where your driver-guide will accomplish the necessary formalities for you. The Golden Monkey (cercopithecus mitis kandti) is listed as “endangered”, these magnificent primates are habituated in groups of about 30 - 40 individuals on the Rwanda side of the Virunga regions. 

    A visit to the golden monkeys is very different experience from gorilla-viewing, the monkeys react and interact differntly; they will keep on playing hide-and-seek much to the delight of the visitors. 

    After this, you have a hot lunch and then drive to Kigali for your departure.

    This is the end of what has been a memorable tour of the country of a thousand hills!
     

    Intore performance at Iby'iwacu village (Rwanda)
    Intore performance at Iby'iwacu village (Rwanda)

     

Your lifetime experience

This safari idea can be tailor-made to create a unique holiday for you. With our intimate knowledge of both Rwanda and Uganda, we look forward to designing and organizing a personalised and memorable holiday.

Contact us for a free quote

The Tour package includes: Return ticket for domestic flight, Airport transfers, accommodation, all meals, plenty of mineral water, the services of a driver-guide, all park and entry fees, all activities as per programme: Kigali city tour, 1 gorilla trek and 1 Golden monkey permit. 

It Excludes: International airline ticket, beverages, tips, visas and personal expenses. 

What to bring with you? Money for your personal expenses, outfit with adapted colours for wildlife observation, good walking shoes, raingear, a few long-sleeve shirts, slippers, sweater for cool evenings, sun protection: hat, sunglasses, sun cream, video/photo camera, a 200 mm or longer telepholens is very usefull, reserve batteries, films and a torch.

Rwanda Visa & Travel Requirments: Find out more.

And there is nothing more beautiful than the moment which precedes the trip, the moment when the horizon of tomorrow comes to visit us and tell us its promises
Milan Kundera
Czech writer