Destination

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Duration
4 Days
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Tour Type
Gorilla And Wildlife
Gorilla and Golden Monkey Trekking in Rwanda
Rwanda

4-Day Gorilla and Golden Monkey Trekking in Rwanda

4-Day Gorilla and Golden Monkey Trekking in Rwanda

Book with African Safari Tour Holidays for a 4-Day Gorilla and Golden Monkey Trekking in Rwanda if you are staying at Kigali, Rwanda’s Capital. The park is in the northwest corner of Rwanda, and it encompasses 160 square kilometers of lush, mist-shrouded terrain. The park has breathtaking landscapes, consisting of dense bamboo forests, Afro-alpine meadows and towering volcanoes. At an elevation ranging from 2,400 to 4,507 meters above sea level, this ecological jewel is home to about 380 endangered mountain gorillas, making it a prime destination for unforgettable gorilla trekking experiences. It has thickets, swamps, marshes, meadows, alpine forests and grasslands situated in different altitudinal ranges. 

One of the most sought-after wildlife experiences in Rwanda is the chance to trek with mountain gorillas in the dense forests of Volcanoes National Park. This park is part of the larger Virunga Massif, a chain of volcanic mountains that straddle the borders of Rwanda, Uganda, and the Democratic Republic of Congo. The park is home to over half of the world’s population of mountain gorillas, making it one of the best places on earth to see these critically endangered primates in their natural habitat.

The gorilla trekking experience begins with an early morning briefing at the park headquarters, where visitors are assigned to one of the habituated gorilla families that are open for tourism. Each group is led by experienced guides and trackers who are familiar with the gorillas’ habits and movements. The trek through the forest can be challenging, as the terrain is steep and often muddy, but the reward of coming face to face with a wild mountain gorilla is well worth the effort.

In addition to mountain gorillas, Rwanda is also home to another primate species that is equally captivating – the golden monkey. Found in the bamboo forests of Volcanoes National Park, these striking creatures are known for their vibrant golden fur and playful demeanor. Golden monkey trekking offers a unique opportunity to observe these endangered primates up close and learn about their behavior and conservation status.

Similar to gorilla trekking, the experience, Golden monkey trekking begins with a briefing at the park headquarters before setting off into the forest with experienced guides and trackers. The trek through the bamboo forest is a thrilling adventure, as visitors search for the elusive golden monkeys among the dense vegetation. Once the monkeys are located, visitors can spend an hour in their presence, observing their playful antics and interactions with each other.

The park comprises a rich tapestry of flora with the lower slopes adorned with Hagenia abyssinica trees, a variety of ferns, lobelia and senecio species. Besides the mountain gorillas and golden monkeys, the park houses the buffaloes, colobus monkeys spotted hyenas, black-fronted duiker, bushbuck among others. With over 178 bird species residing in the park, volcanoes is a birdwatching haven. Birding is well done during a forest walk where travelers enjoy them singing sweetly up in the trees. These include strange weaver, red-faced woodland warbler, Archer’s ground robin, dusky crimson-wind, Francolins, Rwenzori batis, Rwenzori double collared sunbird and Rwenzori Turaco among others.

The park experiences a temperate climate characterized by distinct wet and dry seasons. The climate in this region is characterized by a temperate atmosphere, thus offering comfortable conditions for an adventure in the jungle. The wet season typically occurs from March to May and October to November, bringing lush greenery and occasional rain showers.

In contrast, the dry seasons, from June to September and December to February, offer clearer skies and cooler temperatures. The average temperature ranges from 15 to 27oC, creating an ideal environment for the captivating biodiversity that calls this park home. The park is surrounded by vibrant communities whose livelihoods are intricately connected to the conservation efforts of Volcanoes National Park. 

Tour Includes;

  • Accommodation for 3 nights
  • Guides for the tours
  • Bottled drinking water
  • Golden monkey permits
  • Gorilla permit
  • English Speaking Guide/Driver
  • bottled drinking water
  • Any activity mentioned in the itinerary

Tour Excludes;

International Flights

Tips To Guides and Staff

Visa and air tickets

 

Details

Book with African Safari Tour Holidays for a 4-day Golden Monkey Trekking experience in Volcanoes National Park if you are staying at Kigali, Rwanda’s Capital. The park is in the northwest corner of Rwanda, and it encompasses 160 square kilometers of lush, mist-shrouded terrain. The park has breathtaking landscapes, consisting of dense bamboo forests, Afro-alpine meadows and towering volcanoes. At an elevation ranging from 2,400 to 4,507 meters above sea level, this ecological jewel is home to about 380 endangered mountain gorillas, making it a prime destination for unforgettable gorilla trekking experiences.

At your hotel, have your early morning breakfast. Your safari guide from African Safari Tour Holidays will meet you to start the safari. After the briefing/familiarization, you will start with a tour of the small but relatively neat and organized city of Kigali. During the Kigali city tour, you will also visit the Gisozi genocide war memorial site where you will learn about what happened during the 1994 genocide in Rwanda. You should also visit the former presidential palace, local craft shops and the main city market before going for lunch in the city. After lunch, you will begin the 2 to 3 hours’ journey to the Volcanoes National Park. The route to this place rewards tourists with beautiful scenery consisting of tea and other plantations. You will know why Rwanda is often referred to as “The land of a thousand hills”. Once you arrive at the Volcanoes national park, check in at your booked lodge. If you arrive early, you may have a tour of the Twin Lakes of Burera and Ruhondo. In the evening you will return to your accommodation to enjoy a delightful dinner and overnight.
After your early morning breakfast, you will be taken to the park offices by 7:00 AM to attend a briefing. The park officials will share important information about tracking mountain gorillas. After the briefing, you will be assigned to one of the 10 habituated gorilla groups. The allocation of gorilla groups is based on age and overall physical fitness of trekkers. After knowing your group, you will also be given a chance to hire a porter if you have heavy equipment. The Rangers will lead you deep into the bamboo forests and mountain slopes in search of the primates. Once you encounter a family, you will observe them for a maximum of 1 hour. Afterwards, you will have lunch, before visiting the Gorilla Guardians Village in Musanze. Formerly known as the Iby’iwacu Cultural village, the site is the best place to experience all that is great about the Kinyarwanda and Batwa culture. Expect to be entertained by cultural dancers after taking a tour of the facility. Your safari guide will drive you back to your accommodation for dinner and overnight.
Wake up for your early morning breakfast. Your safari guide will drive you to the park for another early morning briefing on golden monkeys. Like gorillas, golden monkeys are listed as endangered by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN). They are very cute and playful primates with golden coats. Tracking them doesn’t take so long when compared to gorillas and you should expect to be back at the lodge at midday. You will check out of the lodge and get ready to leave the volcanoes national park for Lake Kivu in Gisenyi. Lake Kivu is the largest freshwater lake in Rwanda. It spreads all the way to the Democratic Republic of Congo. Though the Lake contains hidden methane gas beneath its surface, it is currently not dangerous to swimmers. The lake is popular with tourists because of its natural beauty and amazing activities.  Once you arrive, you will check into your hotel room and have lunch overlooking the lake. After lunch, you can go swimming, relax by the lakeside, canoeing or visiting the different islands/fishing villages. Return to your accommodation for a delightful dinner, and overnight.
Wake up at your own time, take breakfast and go to the lake to complete any activity that you might have missed the previous day. Once you have completed all activities, the driver will start the journey back to Kigali. In case you missed touring the city of Kigali on day 1 (because you arrived in the country late), this will be the day to visit all the sites mentioned earlier. Your safari guide will drive you back to your hotel in Kigali or for your departure flight.

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