The Great Apes of Rwanda Itinerary You’ll Ever Need in 2025
The Great Apes of Rwanda Itinerary You’ll Ever Need in 2025. If you love apes, Rwanda has to be the ultimate bucket-list destination.
Because it is home to the world’s largest population of mountain gorillas, permits for hiking these amazing animals sell out almost every day of the year. In the meantime, there are possibilities to observe a dozen additional primates and great chimpanzee trekking prospects.
With this fascinating tour, you will hike the Virunga Mountains to witness Rwanda’s big apes in their native habitats before travelling south to the ancient Nyungwe Forest for up-close experiences with bands of colobus monkeys and East Africa’s endangered chimpanzee populations.
Highlights & Activities
What’s on offer whilst on this The Great Apes of Rwanda Itinerary
Looking past the obvious highlights is often a key component of the finest safaris. It’s about all the thrilling experiences that will make your heart skip a beat. These are experiences that no one could possibly foresee, but these are what truly set your The Great Apes of Rwanda safari apart.
A Detailed The Great Apes of Rwanda Itinerary
2 Nights Volcanoes National Park
Gorilla Trekking in Rwanda – FACE TO FACE WITH WILD MOUNTAIN GORILLAS | Volcanoes National Park
It’s a simple 2.5-hour drive from Kigali’s contemporary airport to Volcanoes National Park via first-rate highways.
Gorilla trekking is scheduled for the morning. The day will begin promptly at 7 a.m., and you will be placed in a group of no more than eight people. You don’t have to be concerned about falling behind because your guide will keep up with the slowest walker and take as many breaks as necessary. Walking through farms and communities until you reach the park border, where your guide will get you ready to encounter the gorillas beyond, will give you a true sense of rural Rwandan life.
You will spend an hour with these wonderful creatures, and although it will pass quickly, this duration provides sufficient opportunity for substantial engagement. The juveniles are very vigorous, while the predominant silverback is easily identifiable due to his substantial size. The reason for gorillas’ ambivalence towards human presence remains an enduring mystery.
Alongside the gorillas, one can also embark on a golden monkey excursion. This is a rare subspecies of the blue monkey exclusively located in the bamboo forests of the Virunga Mountains. In addition to their photogenic qualities, they are energetic, playful, and quite entertaining to observe. Similar to the gorillas, there is a one-hour time constraint.
Accommodation: Bisate Lodge
2 Nights Nyungwe Forest National Park
Trekking in Rwanda Part 1 | Chimpanzees in Nyungwe National Park (& The Epic Suspension Bridge!)
Proceeding to Nyungwe Forest, which attracts significantly less people than Volcanoes National Park; although this may contribute to its allure, it undoubtedly merits greater attention than it now receives. The magnificent forest clearings of ancient mahogany, ebony, and enormous ferns harbour a multitude of vibrant birds and more than a dozen species of monkeys.
Chimp trekking in ancient forests
The primary attraction of Nyungwe is chimpanzee tracking, which commences at dawn. You will be placed in a group of up to eight individuals and will have the opportunity to spend one hour with the animals. Nyungwe has a lower elevation than Volcanoes National Park and experiences reduced precipitation; however, hiking is more challenging due to denser vegetation and steeper inclines. The vegetation can pose challenges for chimpanzee observation, as they exhibit greater activity than the stationary gorillas; yet, witnessing their remarkably human-like conduct in such an unspoiled environment justifies the endeavour.
Featuring 130 kilometres of pathways, including a canopy walkway elevated 50 meters above the forest floor, there is more to discover than just chimpanzees. A uncommon subspecies of beautiful black-and-white colobus monkeys resides in groups exceeding one hundred individuals, while L’Hoest’s monkeys and grey-cheeked mangabeys are also commonly observed.
The drive back to the airport takes roughly 4 to 5 hours, with some intriguing locations in route if you opt to pause The Great Apes of Rwanda Itinerary journey. These are the distinguished National Museum in Huye and the elevated Rukari Palace.
Accommodation: Nyungwe House
End of The Great Apes of Rwanda Itinerary
Essential Information
Examine pertinent details regarding your intended location or destinations, such as the requirements for a passport, visa, and vaccinations.
Passport Information
In addition to having a minimum of two (2) blank visa pages for entry and exit stamps for each nation you visited during your trip, your passport must remain valid for at least six (6) months after your trip is over.
Processing U.S. passports and visas is made simple and quick by our partner VisaCentral. You can reach them by phone at 844 823 1224 or online at visacentral.com. There are service charges. For information on entrance requirements specific to their trip, citizens of other nations should get in touch with the relevant consular office.
Visa Information
You, as the visitor, are entirely responsible for making sure you have the required travel documents for admission into every country during your trip, as visa rules and laws pertaining to entry into foreign nations change regularly. For information on entrance requirements specific to their trip, non-citizens of the United States should get in touch with the relevant consular office.
U.S. passport holders cannot enter Rwanda without a tourist visa. An electronic visa, or eVisa, is advised by The Bespoke African Safari Co. The 30-day stay and 180 days from the date of issuance are the duration of the single-entry visa. Go to irembo.gov.rw/rolportal/web/dgie/single-entry-visa to apply today. When you arrive at Kigali International Airport (KGL), you can also get a tourist visa. The cost of a single-entry visa is $50 USD (subject to change), and it can be paid using a Visa, Master Card, or USD (cash).
Vaccination Requirements
For the most recent information on recommended or necessary vaccinations for your location, check with the World Health Organisation (who.int/en) or the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (cdc.gov/travel). To give any vaccines or prescriptions time to take effect, you should see your doctor or the local travel clinic a few months prior to your trip.
You’ll be visiting places where malaria is spread. We strongly recommend that you discuss your itinerary, personal risk assessment, mosquito bite prevention strategies, and antimalarial medications with your physician or travel clinic. Before you leave, we advise completing any prescriptions.
This trip only requires a yellow fever vaccination, given at least 10 days before arrival, if you are travelling from or have passed through a region in South America or Africa where yellow fever is endemic. A list of all impacted nations is now available from the WHO and the CDC. If you don’t have your doctor’s International Certificate of Vaccination with you, you might not be allowed entrance. Your doctor can give you the required paperwork if they recommend against getting the immunisation.
Essential Trip Information
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