Gorilla, Chimp and Rainforest Trek

Our expedition begins with arrival to Kigali international airport, where our guide will be available to assist us throughout the journey. On exit from airport we drive to our stay at Kigali, enjoying a serene retreat at The Retreat. Relax and unwind as you learn from the resort owner and fellow guests about the beauties and history of this iconic African country

We begin our morning today with the tour of the Kigali Genocide Memorial. A permanent memorial found in Kigali city where some of those who fell victim to the Genocide in 1994 where buried. Here you will learn the history that led up to the Genocide in Rwanda and other Genocides in the World. It includes poignant display of some of the victims like photographs and belongings which bring the realities to life. This place helps one put into context how and why the genocide really happened and appreciate how far the country has moved on since then. It also plays a vital role in educating the future generations of Rwanda about the Genocide, and to us all as ambassadors. We will then proceed and visit Kimironko market where all sorts of items are up for sale by the locals like fresh fruits, vegetables, handicrafts, souvenirs and many others. We then directly drive to Musanze, a district town at the foothills of Volcanoes National Park, and home to Virunga Mountain Range of Rwanda. On this 2 and a half hour journey, see lush green hills, farms, wave at the smiling locals, watch the kids wonder at you in excitement. On the way learn more about the country, and feel free to discuss about the trek, as we build the excitement! Once we arrive to Musanze the Volcano Mountain will be an obvious site. As we check in for overnight, enjoy a late lunch and enjoy the rest of the day to prepare for a life-changing experience next day. We sleep excitingly with the thoughts of seeing our close cousins early morning, so make sure you get a fulfilling night's rest.

We wake up very early next day, to take our packed breakfasts, and head to the briefing station Kinigi around 6:00 AM, at the foothills of Volcanoes National Park. There are twelve fully habituated gorilla families living here, with each troop consisting of at least one silverback along with several females and youngsters. During the briefing, we will be allocated one of the family groups according to fitness levels, and be acknowledged with the protocols and rules for visiting the gorillas. Beginning at 8:00, we will begin trekking up the rainforest mountain. Our hike up to the allocated family can last anything from 30 minutes to four or more hours, depending on where the family is foraging for that day. Hence each hike will be unique. With 2 porters available to carry backpacks and cameras, they will offer you a helping hand along the route, if the terrain is too difficult for you. We make it a conscious practice to hire porters, as part of contribution in preserving the people who depend on this activity for their living, as well as their role in conserving our endangered cousins. We reserve this day purely for encounter with the gorilla. Once down, we head back to our basecamp for refreshments, and relive the experience of the day with fellow travelers.

After a relaxed breakfast, we embark on yet another scenic drive to transfer to Nyungwe, home to Nyungwe National Park. On this 6 hours drive, the winding highway, soft bends, lake views, the walking locals will keep you engaged and at wonder. We will make a short stop at town of Gisenyi, to have lunch by Lake Kivu - largest lake in Rwanda, and 6th largest in Africa. Surrounded by magnificent mountains, the view of its deep emerald green waters spread over a surface area of 2,700 km2, will leave you invigorating for the day Once at our nature based lodge in Nyungwe, we encourage you to tuck in rather early, as the encounter with chimps demands a very early morning attendance the next day.

Wake up very early in the morning and at 5:00 AM we leave with packed breakfasts, to the park's headquarters for briefing. We then proceed to the forest to begin our treks at 6:00 AM. Nyungwe forest hosts largest population of Chimpanzees, making for almost-sure chances of sighting them. Just like gorilla trekking, the trails here will be muddy, twisting through thick forestation, but welcomed by many beautiful sights and sounds - gibber of one of the 13 other monkey species, coo's of the birds, or sight of a beautiful butterfly on a bush. Unlike the mountain gorillas, Chimpanzees are very vocal and mobile. They are famous for being heard from a distance, before finally catching a sight of hopping across tree tops, foraging some fruits or hunting for mammals. Because they are light, they move very quickly, and so will you have to too! During this activity you may also have great chances to spot a variety of bird species as Nyungwe National Park is home to about 310 bird species of which 29 are endemic to the Albertine Rift. Some of the most commonly sighted bird species in Nyungwe National Park are Congo-bay Owlet, Kivu-ground Thrush, Doherty-bush shrike, Rwenzori Turaco and Grauer’s-swamp Warbler to mention but a few. When we finally encounter this primate, you will be allowed to spend an hour with them as you watch and enjoy them going about their normal day playing, feeding and interacting with one another. Depending on their location at that day, trek can last anywhere to just 1 or 4 hours. We will descend to the base of the park, and reach back our lodge around 11:00 AM. Relax and replenish with a scrumptious lunch, as we gather by 13:45 to go on a guided canopy walk in the park. During this walk you will get to experience the forest from an aerial view; the only walk of its kind in East Africa. This amazing construction hangs about 60 metres above the forest floor between giant trees and towers giving explorers a stunning view of the different flora and fauna in this park. We are sure you wouldn't want to leave the forest yet, but we return back to lodge for a refreshing night, before returning back for yet another beautiful trek

After breakfast, you will proceed to the park headquarters where you will be briefed and then proceed to the starting point of your hike. This trail covers a distance of 10.6 kilometres together with the road segment and takes approx. 4 hours to complete. This trail passes through tea plantations, steep rainforest ravines to reveal the magnificent Isumo waterfalls. The name “Isumo” is a local slang meaning waterfall. This trail lies on an altitude of 1770 metres above sea level at the low point and 1940 metres above sea level at the highest point. It’s considered a moderate trail to hike. Along the route, you can encounter exotic primates like The Vervet and Black & White Colobus Monkeys. The trek will also offer the opportunities to spot an array of bird species such as the Rwenzori Turaco. This will be our last trekking experience for this expedition. We hope you make the best of it. Once done, we return back to the station, and transfer to our lodge for overnight. Refresh and relive your experiences on your last night of the expedition You will proceed to Kigali International Airport later on to catch your departure flight.

After a refreshing breakfast, we pack our bags, and take one last road trip heading back to Kigali. On the way we make a brief stop at a local market, in case you wish to shop for any local goods. Take your time enjoying the calming views and breeze as we arrive the city by afternoon. We drop off at the airport, for flight back home, and hope to see you again soon to explore the beautiful wilderness once again!