8 Days Gorilla Trekking & Cultural Immersion

Detailed Itinerary of 8 Days Gorilla & Cultural Immersion

Day 1. Arrival and city tour

Be picked up from the airport on arrival and immediately immerse yourself in the Kigali city tour where you visit historical places like Kigali genocide memorial grounds, Kimironko market, art and gallery centres, Nyamata church, and more. Later on, head to the hotel for dinner.

Day 2. Head to Akagera National Park, game drive

Leave for Akagera National Park from Kigali a journey that will last for 5 hours as you keep your eyes in the window enjoying the landscape covered with rolling hills. Akagera NP is the park in Rwanda with the big five since it’s a savannah and is located at the border of Tanzania.

Arrive and embark on a game drive which will last for 3 hours as you search for different creatures such as elephants, Masai giraffes, lions, leopards, warthogs, buffalos, and more of the unique savannah bird species. Thereafter, head back to the lodge for dinner and overnight stay.

Day 3. Hot air balloon ride and boat cruise

Embark on a hot air balloon safari with a game drive after breakfast where you are offered great aerial views of the park and surroundings while enjoying wildlife such as elephants, giraffes, lions, buffalos, zebras, and many more. This experience ends with a glass of champagne or juice if you’re not an alcoholic drinker.

After the lunch break, head to Lake Ihema which is located on the park premises for a boat cruise where you spot animals like crocodiles, hippos, elephants, buffalo, different bird species, and more. This experience is amazing since you encounter different wildlife in just 2 hours.

Day 4. Transfer to Volcanoes National Park

Leave Akagera National Park in the morning and head to Volcanoes National Park home to endangered mountain gorillas and the golden monkeys. This park is located in the Virunga mountains which are on the borders of Uganda, Rwanda, and D.R. Congo.

While on the way, have a chance to visit the twin lakes of Burera and Ruhondo where you can opt to take a canoe ride to enjoy the water breeze and beautiful scenery. Arrive and head to the lodge.

Day 5. Gorilla trekking and visit Ibyiwachu cultural village

Take a great time briefing at the park office after breakfast where different aspects will be told such as rules and regulations, crosschecking gorilla permits, hiring Porters, assignment of the park ranger, and more. Begin the search with the help of the park guide ranger while spotting other attractions like monkeys, butterflies, vegetation cover, and many more others.

Upon meeting the gorilla group, follow them for one hour while capturing photos and gathering nothing but memories. The family members can be doing different tasks like searching for food, playing, feeding, and grooming.

Later, head back to the lodge for hot lunch and a visit to the Ibyiwachu cultural village where old storytelling, traditional music and dances, and dress code will be among the cultural immersion of the evening. Return to the lodge for dinner.

Day 6. Transfer to Nyungwe National Park

Leave Volcanoes National Park and drive to Nyungwe National Park home to the 13 unique primes including chimpanzees our close relatives. The journey is amazing as you pass through the rolling hills, green vegetation, and more. Arrive and take part in any optional activity probably a nature walks in the forest.

Day 7. Chimpanzee tracking

Have breakfast and head to the briefing point at the park office. Here be told about what to do and not such as don’t feed wild animals, don’t make noise in the forest, don’t litter, always keep a distance, and more others.

Begin the experience with a guide ranger well-armed to defend you in case of animal threatening. The overall experience can last for about 5 hours including an hour flowing them. Later on, head back to the lodge and have lunch followed by an optional activity such as a canopy walk.