5 Days Rwanda Primates & Lake Kivu safari

5 Days Rwanda Primates & Lake Kivu safari: Take on a 5 day Rwanda gorilla holiday with an opportunity to visit the mountain gorillas in a space of 5 days with a golden monkey trekking experience and a full-day excursion on the famous Lake Kivu. Volcanoes national park is the only gorilla park of Rwanda and is the perfect destination for mountain gorilla lovers. A perfect primates destination where silver meets gold; the silverbacks meet the golden monkeys in one national park. This safari starts and ends in Kigali Rwanda. This safari package is available for booking throughout the year on a daily basis.

5 Days Rwanda Primates & Lake Kivu safari

Trip highlights of the 5 Days Rwanda Primates & Lake Kivu safari

Trip description

Day 1: Drive from Kigali to Volcanoes national park

Your driver guide will be waiting for communication from you once you are ready to start your safari. He will meet you at your hotel in Kigali, brief you on the expectations of the next few days and you will embark on the safari vehicle to start your safari. You will make your first stopovers at the Kimironko market for a chance to purchase local produce and also interact with the local people of Rwanda. You will also visit the Kigali Genocide memorial grounds as part of your Kigali city tour. 

You will have lunch in Kigali or Musanze and head out to Ruhengeri the home of the mountain gorillas to check into your hotel for the next few nights. Dinner will be served and you will spend your first night in Volcanoes national park.

Hotel options in Volcanoes national park

  • Hotel Muhabura for budget option
  • Le Bambou gorilla lodge for midrange option
  • 5 Volcanoes gorilla lodge for luxury option

Day 2: Mountain gorilla trekking in Volcanoes national park

Get set for your big day in the Volcanoes national park. Right after an early breakfast, your driver-guide will be ready to drive you to the park briefing point. You will attend the 20 to 30 minutes brief before the activity and hire porters if need be. Connect with your ranger guides to enter the forest searching for mountain gorillas. You will trek for about 2 to 4 hours depending on how far into the forest your gorilla family of the day may be that day.

When you meet the gorillas, you will spend one hour enjoying them at a 6 meters distance. Watch them go about their daily routine and see how close to humans they are. Exit the forest and head back to your hotel for a late lunch.

Later in the evening, you will take on the Iby’iwachu cultural center visit for an experience of the Rwandan culture. Return to your hotel in Ruhengeri for dinner and another night stay.

Day 3: Golden monkey trekking in Volcanoes national park

A long day ahead! Wake up ready to get back into the forest right after having breakfast and head back to the Volcanoes national park for your golden monkey experience. The golden monkeys are another of the primates in Volcanoes national park. You will see these golden monkeys swing from one tree branch to another. Return to your hotel after the activity for dinner and another night in the Volcanoes national park. 

Day 4: Lake Kivu visit

Wake up at leisure for breakfast and check out of your hotel and drive towards Gisenyi for your Lake Kivu visit. This is a 2 to 3 hour road transfer. You will drive straight to Lake Kivu for a boat trip and have lunch at the lake shores. Spend the day enjoying the breeze and scenery while reading a book or swimming. You will later connect to check into your hotel at Gisenyi where you will have dinner and spend the night.

Hotel options in Gisenyi

  • Paradise Malahide for budget option
  • Le Palme Beach hotel for midrange option
  • Lake Kivu Serena lodge for luxury option

Day 5: Drive back to Kigali

Wake up to your last day of the safari. You will have breakfast at your hotel and check out to exit Ruhengeri. You may have a brief stopover at the Dian Fossey Gorilla fund museum if you are interested and further connect to Kigali for drop off. You may take this time to take on the Kigali city tour if you were not able to do it on the first day of pick up.

End of the 5 Days Rwanda Primates & Lake Kivu safari

Trip quote to include:

  • Safari vehicle with fuel
  • English speaking driver guide
  • Accommodation
  • Meals (Breakfast, lunch, dinner)
  • Activities as described in the itinerary
  • Bottled water

Trip quote to exclude:

  • International flights
  • Visa fees
  • Optional activities
  • Personal needs like insurance, airtime, laundry, tips, alcohol
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