Rwanda Gorilla, Golden Monkeys and Lake Kivu

You will be met by a representative of African Flash McTours, either at your hotel or Kigali International Airport, depending on your travel arrangements.  After a familiarization talk, the tour begins with visits to several places of interest across the city.  Notable among these are the Genocide Memorial, where the tragic events of 1994 are commemorated, local markets and craft stores, and the presidential palace.

Known as the “Land of a Thousand Hills,” Rwanda is a small, safe, and clean country, having made a miraculous recovery since the 1994 genocide. It is truly one of the most fascinating places in Africa.

After lunch, we’ll transfer you to your accommodation close to the Volcanoes National Park.  The journey should take about 2.5 hours.

Volcanoes National Park covers an area of 160km² (62mi²) at an altitude of between 1,881 and 4,202m (6,171-13,786ft).  The park was created in the country’s northwest to protect the steep slopes that are home to the highly endangered mountain gorilla.  The montane ecosystem consists of evergreen and bamboo forests, open grasslands and alpine heath.

Time permitting, you will visit the Twin Lakes of Burera and Ruhondo before dinner and bed.

Gorilla tracking requires an early start, and breakfast will be served at 06h30.  We suggest wearing the appropriate clothing and hiking boots, as these are essential for navigating wet, uneven terrain.

After breakfast, we will transfer you to the park headquarters to meet your guides and be briefed on the protocol for gorilla encounters.  Your guides are devoted to gorilla conservation and have received specialist training.  This equips them to conduct ethical encounters and inform guests about the rainforest ecosystem.  We recommend using the porter service at US$10 per person/ per day/porter.

It can take anything from a few minutes to several hours to locate the gorillas, depending on their location and behaviour.  It is a fascinating experience to see the guide’s tracking skills in action.  Once located, regulations permit groups to spend no more than one hour with the troop, ensuring disturbances are kept to a minimum.

Gorillas are an endangered species, their numbers slashed by mostly human-induced causes.  These include loss of habitat, as swathes of jungle were sacrificed to agriculture.  

After the trek, we’ll return to the lodge for lunch.  In the afternoon, you have the option of visiting the Iby’Iwacu Cultural Village before returning for dinner and bed.

As on the previous day, you’ll rise early for breakfast and be transferred to the park for your second primate tracking activity.  After being briefed, you’ll set off in search of one of the habituated troops of golden monkeys.  The activity typically lasts between 2 and 4 hours.  Once located, you will spend a precious hour with the enigmatic primates, watching them go about their daily lives.

This activity is one of the most popular offered in Volcanoes National Park.  Endemic to these high-altitude forests, the golden monkey (Cercopithecus mitis Kandti) is a local subspecies of the widespread Sykes Monkey, also known as the “Blue Monkey”.  They are playful, curious and a delight to watch as they cavort in the bamboo branches and forage on the forest floor.  Within the park, there are two habituated groups, the more frequently seen of which is often found at the base of Mt Sabyinyo.  Troop sizes average 80 – 100 animals, so there is always lots going on.

After the trek, you’ll be revitalised by a delicious lunch.  Next, you’ll visit the Dian Fossey Museum to learn more about primate conservation.  And then it is time to transfer to your next destination: the town of Gisenyi, on the shores of beautiful Lake Kivu.

This morning, you are free to sleep late if you choose.  Then, enjoy a tasty breakfast, enjoy the scenery or join one of the activities you may have missed.  Options include a tour of various places of interest in the city of Gisenyi, kayaking, or visiting a local fishing village.  Gisenyi is Rwanda’s second-largest city, sitting on the border with the neighbouring Democratic Republic of Congo.

Lake Kivu is one of the African Great Lakes, situated within the Albertine Rift.  The lake forms part of the border between Rwanda and the neighbouring Democratic Republic of Congo.  The lake is the sixth-largest in Africa, and the largest in Rwanda.

Later, it will be time to head back to Kigali.  The drive back to the capital should take 3-4 hours to complete.  If there was no time for the city tour of Kigali on the first day, there might be time to make this up once back in the capital.  

As the tour comes to its conclusion, we’ll part ways, either at your hotel or at the airport.