Rwanda Primate Package

Today, your adventure begins!  Depending on your travel arrangements, one of our representatives will meet you at either Kigali International Airport or your hotel.  Once you’ve been checked into your overnight lodgings, you’ll be briefed about the tour, and any questions can be answered.

Dubbed the “Land of a Thousand Hills”, Rwanda is one of the most compelling places to visit in Africa.  Small, safe and remarkably clean, the country has made a miraculous recovery since the 1994 genocide.  

Rwanda is a small East African country that neighbours Uganda to the north, Tanzania to the east, Burundi to the south and the Democratic Republic of Congo to the west.

Today, Rwanda stands as a model of stability, reconciliation and economic growth.  The country boasts modern infrastructure, an excellent road network and a vibrant tourism sector.  

Of its many attractions, the most popular reason for visiting Rwanda is the hope of spending time with the rare mountain gorillas of Volcanoes National Park.  This is one of the few places in the world where you can still see these precious creatures in their natural habitat.

Rwanda is home to three main ethnic groups, namely the Batwa, Hutus and Tutsi, who live in unity under a progressive government.  English, French and Kinyarwanda are widely spoken.  Inspiring, warm and welcoming, Rwanda offers a memorable cultural and wildlife experience in a beautifully lush setting.

After breakfast, your guide will meet you at the hotel.  From there, we’ll start with a tour of Kigali, including a visit to the Genocide Memorial.  The site commemorates the tragic loss of life in 1994.  During the tour, you will learn more about Rwanda’s history from the pre-colonial period until the brutal tragedy occurred.  The tour informs visitors how Rwanda came to terms with this dark chapter in its history, and looks at the broader impact of genocide worldwide.  We will also visit the Nyamirambo Women’s Centre, Inema Art and a local market.

After lunch, we’ll set off for your first wildlife destination: Volcanoes National Park.  The expected travelling time to the park is 2h30.

Made famous by her book, “Gorillas in the Mist”, it was renowned primatologist Dian Fossey who first informed the public about the fascinating lives of mountain gorillas through her pioneering studies.  Of the area she worked, Fossey wrote, “In the heart of Central Africa, so high up that you shiver more than you sweat, are great, old volcanoes towering up almost 15,000 feet, and nearly covered with rich, green rainforest – the Virungas”.

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 is a tapestry of evergreen and bamboo forests, open grasslands and alpine heath.  

Beyond the gorillas, the forest is abuzz with life, from the undergrowth to the towering canopy.  Here you will see and hear a never-ending array of birds, insects, mammals and reptiles.  And, if you’re fortunate, you may see the two members of the Big 5 that live in the park: elephants and buffalo.  Another special resident is the rare golden monkey.

After dinner, retire for the night in anticipation of an exciting adventure deep in the rainforest.

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

After breakfast, you’ll be transported to the park headquarters, where your guides for the day will brief you on gorilla trekking protocol.  Devoted to gorilla conservation, your guides have received specialised training and boast a profound understanding of the apes and the forest they call home.  We recommend making use of the porter service, at US$10 per person/per day per porter

Despite being the world’s largest apes, it takes skill and time to find them, ranging from a few minutes to several hours.  Once located, as per permit conditions, your group will get to spend a precious hour with the troop, thus ensuring that disturbances to the way of life are kept to a minimum.

With no natural predators, the greatest threat to gorillas comes from mankind.  The main impact on their population has been the loss of habitat, where great swathes of jungle have been clear-cut for agriculture.  Additionally, they are highly susceptible to human-borne disease and have been heavily poached. 

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.

Greet the day with an early breakfast before we transfer you to the park headquarters for your next rainforest experience.  Today, you’ll be heading out in search of rare golden monkeys after being briefed by your guides.  Once again, please wear the appropriate clothing for navigating difficult terrain.

The activity should last around 4 hours, depending on how long it takes to locate one of the habituated troops.  Once located, permit regulations once again allow you to spend an hour enjoying the antics of the delightful primates as they go about their lives.  After gorilla trekking, this is one of the most popular activities offered at Volcanoes National Park.

Golden monkeys (Cercopithecus mitis Kandti) are endemic to the high-altitude forests of this region, and a localised subspecies of the widespread  Blue (Syke’s) monkey.  Playful and inquisitive, they are a delight to watch, whether swinging through the canopy or foraging on the forest floor.  The park has two habituated troops, one of which lives around the base of Mt Sabyinyo.  Each of the troops has between 80 and 100 members, so there is always a buzz of activity.

After the trek, you’ll be revitalised by a delicious lunch before checking out and transferring back to your hotel in Kigali

All too soon, it is the end of your Rwanda primate adventure.  After breakfast, we will ensure that you are transferred to Kigali International Airport in time for your onward travel plans.  Then, it is time to say goodbye.  We hope that you have enjoyed your time in Rwanda with Africa Flash McTours and that if you decide to visit East Africa again in the future, you’ll allow us to host your next adventure.