Chimp and Gorillas Safari in Rwanda

Day 1 Kigali
Get acquainted with Rwanda's capital on an orientation walk.

Day 2 Ruhengeri
Visit the village market, help tend the gardens, enjoy traditional food and learn Rwandan dancing at a village homestay. Staying with our friends in the local community, we experience the village life of Rwanda. Many people in these surrounding areas were very recently unhappy about having to co-exisit with their famous primate neighbours. The gorillas were seen as a pest as they often came to raid the village gardens for food leaving nothing for the villagers to eat themselves. The scene of desperation meant that some of the locals turned to poaching. Through small-scale sustainable tourism such as our visit and homestays, the people have found a different source of survival to subsidise their small-scale farming.

Here we can visit the market, attend optional dance lessons, help in the gardens and enjoy the local food and take the chance to try banana beer. You may choose to visit the Iby'iwacu cultural village which includes cultural Intore dances, traditional healer visit, community walk and of course a try of the local beer. Our accommodation is in a local village.

Day 3 Parc National des Volcans/ Gorilla Trek
These volcanic hills and eucalypt forests shelter rare mountain gorillas. Finding these gentle creatures requires a scenic hike through rugged terrain, and the sheer thrill of coming across a habituated group of gorillas, dominated by a great male silverback, more than outweighs any difficulty. You do, however, need to be prepared and fit enough to walk up to 4 hours- up and down hill. There is a maximum group size of 8 on each gorilla visit to any one habituated family and visits are strictly controlled to minimize the possibility of disturbance or transmission of disease to the animals.

Days 4-5 Gisenyi/ Kibuye
Explore the scenic shores of Lake Kivu, the highest of Africa's Great Lakes. Crowned by the enormous Idjwi Island, the lake is ringed by lush green hills. Unwind in a lakeside bar in Gisenyi, which offers excellent views of the lake and the Virunga Volcanoes. With its waterfront and sandy beaches, Gisenyi is a wonderful place to relax.

The following day we further experience the natural beauty of Lake Kivu with its islands, oddly shaped peninsulas and the enormous Idjwi Island at its centre, so rich in the cultural history of the Rwandan people. We drive on to Kibuye, the most attractive of the lake ports. It's among Rwanda's best hidden treasures, with lush green hills and a peaceful cool breeze.Days

Day 6-7 Nyungwe National Park/ Chimpanzee Trek
The Nyungwe National Park is the only destination in the world where you can see more than five primate species in a single location, including rare species such as chimpanzee, mountain monkeys and the Angolan black and white colobus monkeys. Hike through the trees to spot these playful primates. The Nyungwe presents a unique phenomenon in primate tourism due to its huge concentrations of habituated primates whose troops can include up to 500 individuals. As an avian hub for birders, the Nyungwe is also the best place in the country to partake in bird watching. We set off on a hike to track the handsome chimps and colobus monkeys today, peering through the trees for a look at these endangered primates.

Day 8 Kigali
Stop by tiny Butare and visit the National Museum for a fascinating lesson on Rwandan history. The Kigali Memorial Centre gives sobering insight into the genocide that occurred in the 1990s.

Day 9 Akagera National Park
No trip to Africa would be complete without a safari adventure. We head to the Akagera National Park taking a scenic route that passes through Rwanda's phenomenal landscape. There are plenty of animals to see in this park including elephants, giraffes, buffaloes, zebras, hippos, crocodiles and many other mammal species. One of the most scenic reserves in East Africa, the Akagera also provides a perfect opportunity to view gentle hills blending beautifully with lowland swamps and bodies of gleaming water.

Day 10 Kigali
Toast the end of an exhilarating adventure with a refreshing local brew back in Kigali.