Experience the highlights of Rwanda on this exciting 7-day tour. Trek in Volcanoes National Park, spending a memorable hour with the critically endangered mountain gorillas. Visit Nyungwe Rainforest, exploring one of Central Africa's most well-preserved rainforest ecosystems. Break up your wildlife adventure with relaxation on the shores of Lake Kivu and an evening wandering the lively streets of Kigali. This highlights tour will show you the best of the "Land of a Thousand Hills", giving life to a nation's resiliency and ability to overcome.
Highlights
Trek with the endangered mountain gorillas in Volcanoes National Park
Visit the Rwanda Genocide Memorial in Kigali
Explore Nyungwe Rainforest and search for resident chimpanzees
Activities that provide a reasonable level of physical challenge and elevate the heart rate. Focused on more active pursuits including multisport tours. Travelers may be active 5-7 hours total each day. Recommended for travelers with active lifestyles.
After you arrive, a Silverback Africa Airport Agent will greet you immediately upon landing on the Airport tarmac and help you with all immigration procedures while you relax in the VIP Lounge. Following this, a Silverback Africa Representative along with your driver guide will welcome you at the airport lobby and provide an overview of your trip. Thereafter, you will be driven to Kigali Serena Hotel, which is a 20-minute drive away.
Pick up from the Hotel at 8:00am after breakfast, drive to Nyungwe national park, Via Butare for a visit to King’s Palace and National Museum then Proceed to Nyungwe National Park. Situated in the southwest of Rwanda, the Nyungwe rainforest borders Burundi to the south, and Lake Kivu and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the west. This rainforest is likely the most well-preserved mountain rainforest. The drive is estimated to take around 5-6 hours.
Indulge in an early morning meal at your accommodation. At 4:30 AM, commence an exhilarating hike in search of chimpanzee communities. It is estimated that there are around 400-500 chimpanzees in the Rwandan population, primarily located within Nyungwe National Park, with a small group residing in the Forest.
While on your trek, you may also have the opportunity to observe migratory bird species like the Ross’ turaco, grey-cheeked hornbill, red-breasted sparrow hawk, and regal sunbird. Return to your lodge for lunch.
In the afternoon, embark on the thrilling adventure of the Canopy Walk, an experience that's sure to get your heart racing. This walk features three bridges and three towers. The first bridge leading to the initial tower is 37 meters in length and stands at a height of 20 meters. The main bridge spans 86 meters in length and towers at a height of 60 meters. The final exit bridge is 25 meters long and 15 meters high. In total, the canopy walkway measures 150 meters.
Day 4: Nyungwe National Park | Volcanoes National Park
Savor a final breakfast while relishing the invigorating breeze of the rainforest. Following this, join a scenic drive along the Congo Nile Trail (Kivu Belt), making a pause in Kibuye. Here, you'll relish your lunch with splendid views of the serene waters and picturesque small islands. Afterward, continue the journey to the Volcanoes National Park, the primary hub for Gorilla tracking adventures.
Following your morning wake-up call and breakfast, proceed to the park headquarters for the necessary formalities and a briefing on gorilla trekking etiquette by the guides from Volcanoes National Park. The specific gorilla group you will visit will be determined by the allocation among the 13 habituated Gorilla groups. Park rangers have already set out to locate accessible Gorilla groups for visitors.
You will be designated to a particular gorilla group, with a maximum of 8 visitors per family. The length of your trek will vary depending on the assigned gorilla group and will commence at an altitude of around 7,000 feet on the upper terraced slopes of the volcano. As you venture further, you'll enter a bamboo forest and dense undergrowth.
While the paths may be steep, the walking is not excessively strenuous. There are no words sufficient to convey the excitement of locking eyes with these gentle giants, who share approximately 97% of their genetic makeup with humans. Once you locate your assigned Gorilla group, you'll spend an hour in their company before retracing your steps back down the volcano slopes. Lunch will be provided at the lodge.
In the afternoon, you'll have the opportunity to visit the Iby' Iwacu Cultural Village.
Following breakfast, you'll return to Kigali for a city tour, which encompasses a visit to the Genocide Memorial site. This site provides insight into Rwanda's history from its pre-colonial era to the tragic events of the 1994 genocide, as well as how Rwanda has navigated its way through this difficult past. The tour will then showcase the remarkable progress and advancements in Rwanda, demonstrating the remarkable resilience of humanity. A delightful lunch will be arranged at a restaurant in Kigali. Your driver guide will be available to assist with any potential souvenir shopping endeavors in the city.
Apologies for the inconvenience. Prices for not yet published. Below per person rate based on previous season. Contact us to confirm upcoming season pricing.
Prices for are estimated based on inflation. Contact us to confirm pricing and availability for your desired departure date.
Initial deposit is 25% ($400 minimum) plus permit costs, and most travelers will call our office and pay the deposit with a credit card.
Final payment is due Final payment is due 70 days (10 weeks) prior to departure by bank transfer, check or credit card. All final payments by credit card may be subject to a surcharge and maximum of $20,000 charge. prior to departure
Our guide and driver were very good with their knowledge and were very helpful with our questions. It was a very pleasant visit that would have been impossible to do on our own. Hotels and restaurants were fantastic. The special places we got to go to, like the kitchens, were great. Enjoyed the entire trip!
Meyer Smolen
TrustScore 4.8 | 174 reviews
TrustScore 4.8 of 5
Based on 174 reviews on
8 hours ago
The trip was not only memorable for the amount of animals we saw but also for the people and accommodations at the two camps where we stayed. Our first guide, BK, was a wealth of information about the animals, landscape and down to the plants and what they were used for. Everyday out was a learning experience with him. All the people at the camps were gracious and the food was excellent.
Our second camp in the Okavanga was just as good as the first as far as the staff, accommodations, food and animals. After our experience at the first camp we amazed that the high quality remained the same. Our guide, G, made sure we were able to enjoy every experience including a rush through the bush to witness a cheetah and an ensuing hunt that he heard over his radio.
In both camps there were enough guides out that if they saw something the other guides were informed which helped in seeing as much as possible. It was also nice that the concessions were large enough that we did not have vehicles following each other throughout the day.
Normally there is always something in a trip of this length that we think could be improved upon but this is the rare case where we cannot think of anything. From the time we left the States to when we returned it was one of the most hassle free vacations we took.
Perhaps emphasizing the use of the laundry facilities at the camps would be useful because of the luggage restrictions would be the only thing I can think of as an improvement to future clients.
Kenneth Dropek
1 day ago
Mary was so pleasant and professional. She made sure all of our questions were answered.
