6 Days Rwanda Primate Tour 

Rwanda Primate Tour – Recently, Rwanda has become a top favoured Gorilla trekking destination. Some travellers will visit this beautiful and naturally gifted country for a day or two to see the gorillas and fly home. This is already a significant contribution to conservation, but there is also much pleasure in taking an adventure to see the country’s other primates. 

This WILD INTENSE tour covers the thousand-hilled country’s hot spots for primates and by the time we visit Volcanoes National Park, which is the last destination of the trip, we will have covered a highly ranking scenic journey on the African continent.  

Day 1 Rwanda Primate Tour: Arrival for Tour 

We consider a night stay in Kigali since we are not sure about the arrival times of the flights. Provided flights are here early; we will visit a couple of historical sites in the country. We like to visit the Kigali Genocide Memorial 

Day 2 Rwanda Primate Tour: Transfer to Nyungwe Forest National Park 

Have breakfast then transfer to Nyungwe Forest as the home of primates; we pass by Murambi Rwanda Genocide Memorial Museum and Rwanda National Museum.

Nyungwe forest is in south-west Rwanda between Lake Kivu and the international border with Burundi. Nyungwe is divided north-south by a line of mountains that reach 2,600–2,900 m and which form part of the remote Congo–Nile watershed. As a result, Nyungwe is composed of two areas differing in pedology, vegetation, water-flow and biodiversity.

Day 3 Rwanda Primate Tour: Chimpanzee Tracking and Primate Walk Tour – Safari Rwanda

This morning of our Rwanda Primate Tour, we follow on arrangements made the previous day and head to the forest to track Common Chimpanzee. There are not so many places in the world where human beings can visit their closest relatives, Nyungwe and its surrounds are one of the very few and the experience here, hardly compares. 

When we return to our accommodation, we spend the rest of the day looking for the other 12 species of primates that occur here and also enjoy the other beauties of Nyungwe forest. The primates include the restricted-range Angola Pied Colobus which we will commit ample to if we are to find them. Other primates shall consist of; L’Hoest’s monkey, Owl-faced monkey, Blue monkey, Red-tailed Monkey, Grey-cheeked mangabey, Mantled guereza and the widespread Olive Baboon. 

Other mammals we will be looking for include shall include the Giant forest squirrel, Rwenzori Sun squirrel, Boem’s bush squirrel, Giant forest hog, Black-fronted duiker and Yellow-backed duiker. The Leopard, Golden cat, Large-spotted genet also occur here, and there are also high chances for Congo clawless otter that can be tough to see as they make their way in streams and many more.

Day 4 Rwanda Primate Tour: Wildlife Tour to Volcanoes National Park

After breakfast, we transfer to the home of the endangered Mountain Gorillas.

Volcanoes National Park (Parc National des Volcans) is in north-west Rwanda on the joint border with Uganda and DR Congo. It is contiguous with Mgahinga Gorilla National Park (Uganda) and Virunga National Park (the Democratic Republic of the Congo).

The park is best known for Eastern Gorilla and famous for being the base for the American naturalist Dian Fossey to carry out her research into the Mountain Gorillas. 

Dian arrived in 1967 and set up the Karisoke Research Centre between Karisimbi and Visoke. From then on, she spent most of her time in the park and she widely credited with saving the Mountain Gorillas from extinction by bringing their plight to the attention of the international community. Unknown assailants murdered her at her home in 1985, a crime often attributed to the poachers she had spent her life fighting. Fossey’s life later was portrayed on the big screen in the famous film “Gorillas in the Mist”, named after her autobiography. Her grave is in the park close to the research centre, and amongst the gorillas which became her life.

Day 5 Rwanda Primate Tour: Gorilla Trekking at Volcanoes National Park

The main activity today will be Mountain Gorilla Tracking. Mountain gorillas are the largest living primates and the world’s most endangered apes with an estimated population of just over one thousand left in the wild of the whole world and none in zoos. The Eastern Gorilla was not yet known to the scientist until 1902. They are the next closest living relatives to human beings after the two chimpanzee species, sharing 97% DNA with us. 

After tracking and still feeling energetic, an optional leisurely village walk to the locals can be considered. This is ideal for the adventurous groups that love to learn of the details of the people in areas they travel. 

Day 6 Rwanda Primate Tour: Track Golden Monkeys and Transfer to Kigali for Departure

Before we end this six-day Rwanda Primate Tour, WILD INTENSE Rwanda primate tour adventure, we revisit the park for one species of primates. We will look for another Albertine rift endemic primates and carry lots of memories away. 

We head to Kigali to catch flights. WILD INTENSE will secure a day room to change in Kigali in the costing of this tour. We Will also be happy to secure a place on your behalf if you want to overnight. The overnight expenses will not be included in the default cost unless requested.