5 Days Gorilla and Wildlife Safari Tour in Rwanda

Day 1: Pick up from Kigali and transfer to Nyungwe Forest National Park.

Binary Safari Adventure’s guide will pick you up from the airport or your hotel in the morning to begin the tour. After a short briefing, your driver will take you on a two-hour sightseeing tour of Kigali a small yet remarkably well-organized city often regarded as a model for urban development in Africa. Highlights of the tour include visits to the Genocide Memorial Centre, the former presidential palace, the main city market, and local artisan shops.

Once the city tour is complete, you’ll embark on a scenic five-hour drive to Nyungwe Forest, located in Rwanda’s southwestern region. The journey offers plenty of natural beauty to enjoy, and your driver will make several stops at notable sites, including the former King’s palace and other points of interest. Lunch will be served at a selected hotel or restaurant along the way.

Day 2: Chimpanzee Trekking and Canopy Walk in Nyungwe

Start your day early with breakfast before heading to the Nyungwe Forest offices for a briefing on chimpanzee tracking. The session covers the forest’s history, wildlife, and trekking guidelines. Chimpanzee tracking takes 2–6 hours and is led by expert guides. While searching for chimps, you may also see up to 11 other primate species.

After the trek, return to your lodge for lunch and a short rest. In the afternoon, enjoy the famous Nyungwe canopy walk—one of the first in East Africa—which offers stunning aerial views of the forest and chances to spot birds, butterflies, and primates. By day’s end, you’ll be tired but fulfilled after an incredible wildlife experience.

Day 3: Transfer to Volcanoes National Park via the Twin Lakes of Ruhondo and Burera

Wake up at your own time, take breakfasts and checkout. The driver will come to pick you and start the journey to the volcanoes national park. You will drive by the beautiful Lake Kivu and other beautiful features. Take as many photos of the lake as you can. Rwanda has a beautiful countryside with rolling hills, green plantations and welcoming locals. Lunch will be taken along the way. Once you reach the park, you will check in and have rest before going out to visit the twin lakes of Burera and Ruhondo. If there is time, you can take a boat and visit the islands or watch birds.

Day 4: Gorilla Trekking And Iby’iwacu Cultural Village Visit.

Begin your day early with breakfast, then head to the Volcanoes National Park headquarters in Musanze for the 7:00 a.m. gorilla trekking briefing. Pack lunch and plenty of water. During the briefing, you’ll learn the trekking rules and be assigned one of the 10 habituated gorilla families based on your fitness level.

The trek can take 2–6 hours and may be challenging, but seeing gorillas up close is an unforgettable experience. You’ll spend one hour with them—take photos and follow your guide’s instructions for safety. After the trek, return to your hotel for lunch and rest.

In the evening, visit the Gorilla Guardians Village (formerly Iby’iwacu Cultural Village) to enjoy traditional dances and learn about Rwanda’s rich cultural heritage.

Day 5: Golden Monkey Trekking and Transfer to Kigali City.

Wake up early once again, take breakfast and proceed to the park offices in Kinigi. You will meet other travelers who have assembled to take part in the briefing for golden monkey trekking. After the briefing, the park guides will take you to search for the monkeys in the bamboo forests. Unlike gorilla trekking, golden monkey tracking in Rwanda takes a shorter time. Expect to complete the activity in 4 hours at most. Golden monkeys are cute but endangered primates. They are only found in Rwanda, Uganda and Congo. Golden monkeys are very playful and feel very comfortable with flash cameras unlike gorillas. After spending time with the primates, you will head back to the starting point and find our driver waiting to take you back to the hotel for checkout before departing to Kigali. The journey back to Kigali takes between 2 to 3 hours. The driver will take you to the airport for departure or to your hotel if you are still around.