5 days Rwanda gorilla trekking and lake kivu tour

The tour driver shall pick you from Kigali at 8am and depart for Musanze in the north of Rwanda. The journey from Kigali to Musanze and Volcanoes National Park is only 2 hours of driving.

You will check into your hotel and wait to have lunch.

In the afternoon you shall go for the canoe ride on River Mukungwa in Musanze. The 3 – 4 hours trip along the river is a wonderful way of exploring the beautiful landscape and get up-close with the locals in the countryside and for the keen birder there are lots of birds.

Accommodation options to choose from:

Budget: Isange Paradise Resort

Midrange: Five Volcanoes Boutique Hotel

Upmarket: Amakoro Songa Lodge

Luxury: One&Only Gorilla’s Nest / Bisate Lodge

Mean plan: Lunch, Dinner

Today you shall transfer to the park office at 7am to meet the park guides for briefing and go for the golden monkey tracking adventure in Volcanoes National Park. The golden monkeys are endangered species and are unique to the Virunga mountains. They live in the bamboo forests in the lower zones of the mountains. You will track a habituated troop of about 100 individuals. The monkeys offer excellent photography due to their beauty and highly active character. Time taken to find them is about 1 hour and time allowed to watch them is only 1 hour.

In the afternoon you shall visit the Gorilla Guardians Village for a cultural tour. The locals will show you their various cultures and traditions.

Optional activity:

Instead of the golden monkey trek and cultural village tour you can do the following activities:

Mount Bisoke hike: you can do the full day hike on Mount Bisoke (3711m) and enjoy the spectacular views of the Virunga mountains and encounter an array of wildlife, however the biggest reward is the beautiful crater lake on top of the mountain.

Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Today you shall go for the gorilla tracking adventure in Volcanoes National Park. With packed lunch, you shall transfer to the park office to meet the park guides for allocation of the gorilla groups and briefing about the gorilla trekking etiquette and thereafter set off for the ultimate gorilla adventure in the Virungas.

After the amazing gorilla tour you shall transfer to Lake Kivu which is 1.5hours away from Musanze.

Optional activity:

Dian Fossey tomb trail hike: Instead of Gorilla tracking you can do the dian fossey tomb trail trek and learn about the story of researcher Dian Fossey who dedicated her life to studying and protecting the gorillas in Rwanda. The Dian Fossey trail is located in the valley between Mount Bisoke and Mount Karisimbi. There is also plenty of wildlife to see on the way including gorillas, golden monkeys, duiker and rare plant life

Accommodation options to choose from:

Budget: Inzu Lodge

Midrange: Paradise  Kivu

Upmarket: Lake Kivu Serena Hotel

Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Wake up to the beautiful views of the Lake Kivu. You will do a boat ride and enjoy the scenery.

Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch Dinner

Today you shall travel back to Kigali

Mean plan: Breakfast