7 Days Rwanda Primates Tour

7 Days Rwanda Primates Tour | Gorillas, Golden Monkeys & Chimpanzees 

Rwanda is the only country where you can realistically trek all three of East Africa’s headline primates — mountain gorillas, golden monkeys, and chimpanzees — in a 7 Days Rwanda Primates Tour, and this itinerary is built specifically around that fact. It moves from Nyungwe Forest in the south, where chimpanzee trekking and a canopy walk take center stage, to Lake Kivu for a change of pace, and finally to Volcanoes National Park for gorilla and golden monkey trekking.

If you’re drawn to primates specifically rather than open-plains game viewing, this trip delivers more variety per day than almost any other Rwanda itinerary: a chimpanzee trek and canopy walk on day two, a boat cruise on Lake Kivu on day three, gorilla trekking and a cultural village visit on day five, and golden monkey trekking on day six.

This itinerary suits primate enthusiasts and photographers who want depth across multiple species rather than a single trekking day tacked onto a broader safari, and who are comfortable with the accommodation tiers — luxury, mid-range, and budget — offered at each stop.

 Quick Facts

Highlights

• Day 1: Airport or hotel pick-up, transfer to Nyungwe Forest
• Day 2: Chimpanzee trekking at Nyungwe Forest, canopy walk
• Day 3: Transfer to Lake Kivu, afternoon boat ride
• Day 4: Tour of Lake Kivu and fishing villages, transfer to Volcanoes National Park
• Day 5: Mountain gorilla trekking, Gorilla Guardians Village
• Day 6: Golden monkey trekking, twin lakes of Burera and Ruhondo
• Day 7: Transfer back to Kigali, city tour

Detailed Itinerary

Day 1: Airport or Hotel Pick-Up, Transfer to Nyungwe Forest

Your guide will collect you very early from your hotel or the airport for the roughly five-hour journey to Nyungwe Forest in southwestern Rwanda. After a safari briefing, enjoy the scenery along the way and see for yourself why Rwanda is known as the land of a thousand hills.

On arrival at the forest, head straight to your lodge to check in, refresh, and relax.

Meal Plan: Dinner

Day 2: Chimpanzee Trekking at Nyungwe Forest, Canopy Walk

Wake early for breakfast before heading to the Nyungwe Forest headquarters for a briefing on chimpanzee trekking etiquette. From there, head into the forest in search of chimpanzees; once located, you will spend an hour in their presence, taking photos and watching them go about their day. Trekking in Nyungwe also offers the chance to spot a dozen other primate species, along with butterflies and birds, sometimes along a route that passes waterfalls and rocky escarpments. Return to the lodge for lunch.

In the afternoon, take on the canopy walk, one of Nyungwe’s signature attractions — a suspended walkway that gives you an aerial view of the forest and a different vantage point on the park’s monkeys and birds. Afterward, return to your lodge.

Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Day 3: Transfer to Lake Kivu, Afternoon Boat Ride

Wake at your own pace, have breakfast, and check out for the journey to Lake Kivu, Rwanda’s largest freshwater lake, which extends into the Democratic Republic of Congo and is known for the methane gas that bubbles up from beneath it. On arrival, enjoy lunch overlooking the water.

In the afternoon, take a boat ride out to some of the lake’s islands. Afterward, you can go for a swim in the lake or simply relax by the shore, taking in the scenery and watching local life unfold around you.

Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Day 4: Tour of Lake Kivu and Fishing Villages, Transfer to Volcanoes National Park

Wake at your own pace and set out to explore more of Lake Kivu, including its fishing villages. Birders will find plenty to look for, with resident and migratory species both present, and you may also spot primates living in the forest around the islands and lakeshore, along with everyday scenes of local life.

After exploring the lake, continue to Volcanoes National Park in Musanze. Check in at your lodge and spend the rest of the day resting ahead of gorilla trekking the following morning.

Lake Kivu Rwanda

Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Day 5: Mountain Gorilla Trekking, Gorilla Guardians Village

Wake early for breakfast before heading to the Kinigi park headquarters for a 7:00 a.m. briefing, where the head guide and rangers will explain what to bring and how to behave around the gorillas.

You will be assigned a gorilla family, with the option to hire a porter if you’re carrying heavy equipment, before setting off into the forest. The trek takes approximately two to five hours or more, depending on the family’s movement. Once you locate them, you are permitted a full hour in their presence — worth every minute of the trek — along with the chance to observe other forest wildlife along the way. Afterward, return to your lodge for lunch.

After a short rest, visit the Gorilla Guardians Village near the park. Originally established as a place for former poachers to sell art and crafts, the village has grown into a leading center for learning about Rwandan culture. You will be entertained by cultural dances, invited to join in some of the performances, and have the chance to buy souvenirs.

Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Day 6: Golden Monkey Trekking, Twin Lakes of Burera and Ruhondo

Wake early for breakfast before heading to the Volcanoes National Park offices for a briefing on golden monkey trekking. You may want to hire a porter to help carry your backpack or other equipment for a more comfortable trek.

Your park guide will lead you into the forest, where you will find golden monkeys feeding both in the trees and on the ground. These rare, endangered primates make for great photographs as they play on the branches. Afterward, head back to the lodge for lunch, and in the evening, visit the beautiful twin lakes of Burera and Ruhondo.

Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Day 7: Transfer Back to Kigali, City Tour

Wake at your own pace and prepare for the journey back to Kigali. Once in the city, you will have the chance to visit the city market, the former presidential palace, artisan shops, and the Gisozi Genocide Memorial site.

After the tour and lunch, you will be dropped at your hotel or at Kigali International Airport for your flight home.