6 Days Lush Nyungwe forest safari
Tour Details
For many tourists, gorilla tracking is the highlight of their trip and often a reason to travel to Uganda. In Uganda, you can visit the Gorillas at Bwindi Impenetrable Forest NP and Mgahinga Gorilla NP. Bwindi is Africa’s oldest rainforest and has beautiful ridges, steep valleys, and waterfalls. Be prepared for some steep hikes though. Buhoma is the most accessible track, whereas in Rushaga you can find the largest number of primates. Mgahinga is the path less traveled. Occasionally the gorillas cross to Rwanda but don’t worry as you will get a replacement ticket for Bwindi.
The Batwa Experience in Buhoma (Bwindi Impenetrable National Park) is the original Batwa cultural walk. The Batwa Trail and the Buniga Forest Walk are heavily inspired by its success, attempting to replicate it with Batwa communities from other parts of the Gorilla Highlands region.
The Batwa Experience happens in a forest bordering the national park, an area that can be relatively steep. A path in excellent condition leads from one station to another, showcasing traditional herbalist knowledge, hunting techniques, forest shelters, and more. The crescendo is reached at a spacious purposely-built hut that acts as a dance floor and dining area. The dancing includes an elaborately and impressively costumed deity that is quite a scary sight. The food served has little to do with the Batwa forest diet; it is instead a tasty example of what rural Ugandans usually eat: matooke (plantains), goat stew, and fruits.
The activity lasts about 5 hours and can be started any time from early morning to early afternoon. Up to 12 visitors can go at once; two groups per day can be served.
Trip Highlights
- Batwa Experience
- Uganda Cultural Safaris
- Gorilla Tracking
- Bwindi Impenetrable N.P
- Mgahinga Gorilla NP
- Wild Expeditions Uganda
Detailed Itinerary
Day 1: Airport/Hotel Pick up – City Tour – Transfer to Nyungwe forest
Wild Expeditions Uganda Safari driver will pick you up from the Airport or your hotel and brief you on your overall tour. After the briefing, the driver will take you for the popular Kigali city tour where you will visit the presidential palace museum, one of the city markets, the genocide memorial centre and one souvenir shop. You should also be able to drive around to see some of the prominent buildings and suburbs. Kigali is a small but very neat city and you will love the tour. After the city tour, you will start the long journey to Nyungwe National Park. Nyungwe forest is located in the southwestern part of the country and is famous for chimpanzee tracking, smaller primate viewing, nature walks, birding and taking a forest canopy walk. The journey to the park takes about 5 hours but you won’t get bored, as the scenery and landmarks along the way are amazing.
Dinner and Overnight will be in Nyungwe Forest Lodge (Luxury), Gisakura Guest House (Basic) and Nyungwe Top View Hotel (Mid-range).
Day 2: Chimpanzee Tracking – Canopy walk
You will wake up early, have breakfast and go for the briefing on chimpanzee tracking at the Nyungwe forest headquarters. The briefing is an overview of what to expect during chimpanzee trekking and is usually led by a senior park guide. Once you are done with the briefing, you will head to the forest along with the park Guide and Rangers. The guides and Rangers know the best places to find the chimpanzees. Nyungwe forest is also home to 12 other species of primates. Expect to encounter them while tracking the chimps. Unlike gorillas, chimps are very mobile primates. They also spend more time on top of trees because of their lightweight. Once you find them expect a lot of drama and noise. Each individual chimp has a distinct personality and you will notice the mother’s breastfeeding, juveniles playing, adults mating and grooming. We hope you take as many photos of the primates as possible. After observing the chimps for one hour, you will head back to the lodge for lunch. Later in the afternoon, our driver will take you for a forest canopy walk where you will have a chance to spot different species of trees and birds. The forest canopy walk allows you to get an overall view of the forest and its creatures. The canopy walk takes about 2 hours and is the second most popular activity in Nyungwe forest after chimpanzee trekking.
Dinner and Overnight will be in Nyungwe Forest Lodge (Luxury), Gisakura Guest House (Basic) and Nyungwe Top View Hotel (Mid-range).
Day 3: Transfer to Lake Kivu – Go for an afternoon boat ride
You will wake up and have breakfast at your leisure as you get ready to set off for Lake Kivu. Lake Kivu is the largest lake in Rwanda and goes all the way up to the Democratic Republic of Congo. Once you arrive at your hotel, check-in and have lunch. In the afternoon, you will go for a boat trip along the Lake, which will take you hopping between the different islands. Afterwards, relax by the Lakeshores or go swimming for the remaining part of the evening.
Dinner and overnight at Lake Kivu Serena Hotel (Luxury), Palm Resort Gardens (Budget) and Paradise Marahide (Mid-range).
Day 4: Tour Lake Kivu and the fishing villages – Transfer to Volcanoes National Park
You will wake up on your own time to have breakfast and wait for your Guide. The Guide will take you for a final tour around the lake Kivu where you will look out for the birds and primates. The final part will be visiting the fishing villages and chatting with the fishermen about their trade. Lake Kivu is a very beautiful and romantic place to be. The government of Rwanda has developed the Lakeshores and islands intending to offer the best experiences for tourists. One of the great things about touring the lake is the opportunity to mingle with the local communities and get to know the kind of life they live. After completing all the activities in the lake, you will set off to the Volcanoes National Park.
Dinner and overnight at Mountain Gorilla View Lodge, The Garden Place Hotel (Budget) and Le Bambou Gorilla Lodge (Mid-range).
Day 5: Gorilla Trekking in the Volcanoes National Park – Tour the Iby’iwacu cultural village
Briefing for gorilla trekking starts very early and you should be at the park headquarters in Musanze by 7:00 am. The briefing for gorilla tracking is compulsory and an opportunity to register, and learn about what gorilla trekking is all about and how to act once you are with the gorillas. It is also during the briefing that you will be assigned a gorilla group based on your age and overall fitness. Rwanda has 10 habituated gorilla families available for tracking. If you are interested in a specific family, let your tour company know about it or inform the park officials at the time of the briefing. Some gorilla families are located nearby while others live or move far into the forest. You need to be in good shape to go after those that move deeper into the forest or mountains. Once you find the gorilla family, take as many photos knowing that you will only have one hour with them. Follow instructions from your park guide and always remain calm even when a gorilla comes close to you out of curiosity. After one hour of observing the primates, you should head back to the starting point where our guide will be waiting for you. The Guide will take you back to the lodge for lunch and rest. The hotel staff should help you clean your boots and clothing. Later in the afternoon/evening, the Guide will take you to visit the Gorilla Guardians Village. Formerly known as the Iby’iwacu Cultural Village, the Centre showcases everything interesting about the culture of the Banyarwanda. You will be entertained by cultural performers and requested to participate.
Dinner and overnight at Mountain Gorilla View Lodge, The Garden Place Hotel (Budget) and Le Bambou Gorilla Lodge (Mid-range).
Day 6: Golden Monkey trekking – Transfer back to Kigali
Wake up early and wait for the driver to take you to the park for another briefing about golden monkey trekking. You will meet many tourists at the park offices. Some would have come for gorilla trekking, visiting the tomb of Dian Fossey or hiking one of the Virunga volcanoes. Golden monkeys are an endangered subspecies of the blue monkey. They have golden coats, which make them very cute. The monkeys thrive on bamboo shoots found on the slopes of the Virunga Volcanoes. Their numbers have declined rapidly in the last two decades because of forest encroachment and other human-related activities. Golden monkey trekking in Rwanda takes between 2 to 4 hours and you should be out of the forest by mid-day. You will head back to the starting point where you will find our company Guide waiting to take you back to Kigali. The journey to Kigali takes 3 hours through beautiful countryside with endless green plantations. The driver will take you to the airport for departure or to your hotel if you are still in Rwanda.
Mugisha Henry
Hotel Information
- Kyambura Gorge Lodge
- Ishasha Wilderness Camp
- Jacana Lodge
- Mweya Safari Lodge
The price includes
- Ground transportation in a safari customized 4WD Toyota Land Cruiser with gasoline/fuel, Mineral water in the vehicle, services of an English speaking Driver/guide, Accommodation as shown at the lodges mentioned in the itinerary; Meals as shown (B-breakfast, L-lunch, D-dinner), all Park Entrance Fees, Equator shopping, Gorilla Tracking, Batwa Experience, and Airport Transfer.
The price excludes
- International Airfares; Excess baggage charges; Ugandan Entry Visa Fees; fees for International travel Vaccinations and Inoculations; Items of personal nature such us Room service, Beverages, Communications charges (telephone, fax, internet), Laundry, etc.; Postage fees, Porterage fees, Tips and Gratuities for your Driver/guide and Hotels staff, Shopping charges for Curios and Crafts, International Airport Departure Taxes, Optional activities unless specified as included, Any other services not expressly shown in the itinerary or indicated as included.
NB: Prices are current, net and subject to change. Availability of accommodations and activities is not guaranteed; reservations will be made after receiving confirmation of the final itinerary and the requested deposit. Should any of the included accommodations not be available, we reserve the right to substitute it with alternative suitable accommodation, which might affect the final quoted price. Gorilla and Chimp permits can only be secured after receiving the requested deposit. The estimated travelling hours are based on the actual hours of driving. Stops for lunch and photos are not included.