12 DAYS Gorillas Chimpanzees and Golden Monkey Trekking Rwanda and Uganda

Fly up to Kigali Airport in Rwanda where you will be picked up and transferred to the hotel for long evening relaxation. Kigali is one of the world’s beautiful cities, and is official capital in Rwanda.

After a delicious breakfast, you will be transferred to Nyungwe Forest National Park (NFNP) situated in the Southern province of Rwanda. You will drive for 6 hours and en route, you will be visiting ethnographic museum and royal palace museum. Lunch will be served and continue to check in at the lodge in Nyungwe Forest N/Park.

Get briefed about chimpanzee trekking guidelines at the park offices (Uwinka/Cyamudongo trailhead) and after, begin your trek through Nyungwe Forest with the park guide. The morning trek to see chimpanzee communities takes between 2 and 4 hours which includes one hour of a close encounter. An hour will be enjoyed face to face with chimpanzees and later, you will return to the lodge for a leisurely lunch.

Other primates of Nyungwe include the Dent’s Mona monkeys, L’hoest monkeys, grey-cheeked mangabeys, crowned monkeys, vervet monkeys, and baboons, etc. In the afternoon after lunch you will be part of the canopy walk experience.

Nyungwe Forest National Park contains over 400 colobus monkeys and today, you will be led by the park guide on a memorable colobus monkey trek. A huge concentration of habituated colobus monkeys will be spotted today and other primates such as red tailed monkeys, vervet monkeys, olive baboons, and others. You will walk back for lunch and in the afternoon; join others on a guided nature walk through the tea farms.

Depart from Nyungwe Forest National Park for Musanze, about 3 hours’ drive. Arrive early and check in at your pre-booked lodge for relaxation, refreshments and retire for a night.

After breakfast, you will catch up with morning briefing at Kinigi and at 8:00 am, go look for mountain gorillas with an experienced park guide. The long trek to view gorillas goes for 2 to 6 hours and includes one hour of taking pictures, and observing daily behaviors of gorillas. Gorillas live in families and each family has a silverback gorillas. When you return, there will be a chance to visit Iby’Iwacu village to be entertained by locals’ dances, and music performances.

Meet with Volcanoes National Park guide for briefing and you will spend about 2-4 hours looking for golden monkey troops. The park a good number of habituated golden monkey troops and today, you will have one hour for up close encounter and taking photos. After trekking golden monkeys, you will return to the lodge to relax awaiting transfer to your next destination the following day.

Take direct trip to Bwindi National Park, driving via Katuna/Chanika border. From Katuna, proceed to Kabale town before you get to Bwindi, check in at the lodge at Buhoma sector.

Leave the lodge for briefing on gorilla trekking guidelines and you will be tracking any of the 20 habituated families in Bwindi NP. The park guide will be allocated to accompany you and each family will be visited by a maximum of 8 visitors. The gorilla trek is all about learning about how gorillas behave with opportunity to take photos then you walk back. Once you get back, you will have ample time relaxing at the lodge where you will also have a night stay.

After breakfast, pay a visit to the Batwa community to meet the Batwa pygmies the original forest keepers, hunters and gatherers. Your visit will include exploring how the Batwa live, their traditions, cultures and you will be entertained by traditional/cultural dances. Later, get back and pack your luggage in the vehicle ready to connect to Lake Bunyonyi.

Enjoy an early morning breakfast, and after, join others on an exciting canoe/boat ride on Lake Bunyonyi, the deepest lake in Uganda. This beautiful lake features 29 islands including the historical punishment island. One of the islands will be visited on a canoe ride and you will get back to relax, lunch at the lodge. In the afternoon, meet the guide for a nature walk/community walk to Bakiga people to learn about their distinct ways of life, get to know how they make their local brew or even have a taste of it.

You will set off from the lodge early driving through Mbarara to Entebbe/Kampala city. En route trip includes lunch stopover at Igongo cultural centre and for photo taking at Equator then finally proceed to Kampala/Entebbe.

End of tour