7 Days Rwanda Gorilla Group Tours

This 7 Days Rwanda gorilla group tours will bring you to one of the amazing primate destinations in the world renowned for its gorilla safaris. It will bring you to Volcanoes National Park, one of the 3 national parks in the Virunga conservation area. Here you will encounter the magnificent, huge, gentle, and endangered mountain gorillas and the beautiful golden monkeys that are endemic to the Virunga ranges. Further southwest of Rwanda, you will stop by Nyungwe Forest National Park where you will see the chimpanzees and enjoy the longest canopy walkway in East Africa. This safari will also bring you to the eastern part of Rwanda where you will encounter numerous wildlife including Africa’s BIG 5.

7 Days Rwanda Gorilla Group Tours 

Itinerary overview 7 Days Rwanda Gorilla Group Tours

  • Day 1: Pick up from Kigali and transfer to Volcanoes National Park
  • Day 2: Gorilla trekking
  • Day 3: Golden monkey trekking then transfer to Nyungwe Forest National Park
  • Day 4: Chimpanzee trekking and Canopy walk
  • Day 5: Transfer to Kigali
  • Day 6: Transfer to Akagera National Park
  • Day 7: Game drive and Boat cruise then transfer to Kigali

Detailed Itinerary

Day 1: Pick up from Kigali and transfer to Volcanoes National Park

Upon arrival, your destination driver guide will pick you up from Kigali International Airport and you start a scenic drive to Musanze. Upon arrival at the lodge, you will check in then settle down to a hot delicious lunch after which you will have a bit of rest. Later in the afternoon, you will experience the culture of the local people of Rwanda through a visit to the gorilla guardian village also known as Ibyi’wacu. In the evening, return to the lodge for dinner and an overnight rest in preparation for the next day’s activity.

Meal plan: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner

Accommodation: Budget; DaVinci Gorilla Lodge, Mid-range; Five Volcanoes Boutique Hotel, Luxury; One&Only Gorilla’s Nest.

Day 2: Gorilla trekking

Breakfast will be served early in the morning then at 6:15 am the driver guide will pick you up and take you to the park headquarters for briefing. On arrival at the park headquarters, you will enjoy a hot cup of locally manufactured Rwandan coffee, then proceed for a briefing on the code of conduct and what to expect when you go gorilla trekking. After the briefing, you will be given groups of 8 then your driver guide will drop you off at the starting point. Here you will meet the rest of your group, ranger guides, and hire a potter if you need one then proceed into the forest in search of the gorilla family assigned to you. This will take about 4-8 hours then when you locate them you will be allowed 1 hour in their presence.

Afterwards, return to the starting point where you will meet your driver guide and drive back to the lodge. Lunch will be served at the lodge then you can spend the rest of the afternoon relaxing. Dinner will be served later in the evening before you take your rest for the day.

Meal plan: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner

Day 3: Golden monkey trekking

In the morning, a tasty breakfast will be served then your driver guide will pick you up and take you to the park headquarters where you will be briefed about the dos and don’ts of golden monkey trekking.

After the briefing, he will take you to the starting point of the trek. Here you will join your group of 8 then with a ranger guide and trackers start your journey into the forest in search of the golden monkeys. This will take between 2 to 6 hours though you can get lucky and start spotting them as early as 30 minutes into the trek in the neighboring gardens, digging, cleaning, and feeding on the potatoes of the local community.

7 Days Rwanda Gorilla Group Tours 

Once you locate them, you will be allowed 1 hour in the presence of these beautiful and rare species of monkeys observing them and taking photographs.

After this, you will go back to the starting point where you will meet your driver guide then return to the lodge for lunch. After lunch, you will check out of the lodge and proceed on your adventure to Nyungwe Forest National Park where you will have dinner and stay the night.

Meal plan; Breakfast, lunch, and dinner

Accommodation: Budget; Uwinka visitor’s center, Mid-range; Nyungwe Top View Hill Hotel, Luxury; One&Only Nyungwe House.

Day 4: Chimpanzee trekking and canopy walk

Breakfast will be served early in the morning then you will pick up a packed lunch for the day. Your driver guide will then take you to the park headquarters where you will be briefed about the code of conduct and what to expect when chimpanzee trekking. In your group of 8 you will penetrate the forest in search of the chimpanzees. This will take you about 2-6 hours and when you locate them, you will have 1 hour to observe them and take photographs. After this, return to the visitor’s center where you can enjoy your packed lunch. After lunch, you will hike to the canopy walkway. On arrival, you will enjoy a walk on a 160m long path located 70m above the ground. This walk will expose you to a wider view of the national park from above and you could as well sight some primates such as red-tailed monkeys, black and white colobus monkeys, and velvet monkeys among others. You will return to the lodge in the evening for dinner and overnight rest.

7 Days Rwanda Gorilla Group Tours 

Meal plan; Breakfast, lunch, and dinner

Day 5: Transfer to Kigali

Breakfast will be provided early morning after which you will check out of the lodge and with your driver guide start a scenic drive returning to Kigali. On arrival in Kigali, the driver guide will drop at your hotel where you have lunch and spend the rest of the afternoon relaxing. In the evening the hotel will provide you with dinner before you take your rest.

Meal plan: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner

Accommodation: Budget; Five to Five Hotel, Mid-range; Park Inn by Radisson, Luxury; Radisson Blu

Day 6: Transfer to Akagera National Park

In the morning, breakfast will be served then you will check out of the hotel and start your journey to Akagera National Park. It will take you roughly 4-hours to reach the Southern gate of Akagera National Park. At this gate, you will have a short briefing then you will be allowed into the park. Once in the park, you will proceed on a short game drive to the lodge where lunch will be served.

After lunch, your driver guide will take you to Lake Ihema. At the lake, you will meet a local boat driver who will take you on a boat cruise during which you will enjoy the beautiful breeze from the waters and spot a number of wildlife such as crocodiles and hippos among others. Return to the lodge in the evening for dinner and an overnight rest.

Meal plan: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner

Accommodation: Budget; Muyumba Camp Site, Mid-range; Ruzizi tented lodge, Luxury; Wilderness Magashi

Day 7: Game drive and transfer to Kigali

Early morning, pick up a packed breakfast at the lodge, check out and head for a morning game drive before the sun is out. During this you will spot wildlife such as elephants, buffaloes, duikers, leopards, lions and hyenas among others. This game drive will take you through the different trails in the park then you will exit the park for Kigali through the Northern gate.

On arrival in Kigali the driver guide will drop you off either at your hotel or the airport where you will take a flight to your next destination.

Meal plan: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner

Trip Inclusions

  • Ground Transportation
  • Driver guide
  • Gorilla permit
  • Golden monkey permit
  • Chimpanzee permit
  • All activities
  • Accommodation
  • Meals
  • Bottled water

Trip Exclusions 

  •  Tips
  • Porters
  • Donations
  • Visas and international flights
  • Laundry