7 Days One&Only Nyungwe House & One&Only Gorilla’s Nest
The 7 Days One&Only Nyungwe House & One&Only Gorilla’s Nest is an Unforgettable Safari that combines 2 of Rwanda’s renown National parks; Nyungwe Forest National park as well as Volcanoes National park. This Safari will offer you Wildlife encounters with different mammal and bird species, rich Cultural encounters and also beautiful sceneries in Rwanda’s countryside.
Safari destinations
Nyungwe Forest National Park
Nyungwe Forest National Park is Africa’s largest Afro-Montane forest with an area of about 970sqkm. It was established as a National park in 2004. This forested park is located in the South Western region of Rwanda at the boarder with Burundi. Nyungwe Forest National Park is renowned for being home to the Chimpanzee which share 98.8% of DNA with Humans. This forest has only 2 Habituated chimpanzee groups, the larger group having 60 individuals and the smaller group having 30 individuals. There are about 13 primate species including the chimpanzees, Hamlyn’s Monkeys, owl-faced monkeys, golden monkeys, Silver monkeys, Dent’s Mona Monkeys, Angola Colobus, Red-tailed Monkeys, vervet monkeys, grey-cheeked Mangabeys, and L’Hoest’s monkeys.
Nyungwe Forest National Park accommodates over 300 bird species with 29 of them being the Albertine Rift Endemics. There are also 85 mammal species living within this forested park and among them include serval cats, Golden Cat, Congo clawless otter, Giant Forest Hog, Eastern Needle-clawed Galago, Bosman’s Potto, mongoose, Marsh Mongoose, and leopard among others.
Volcanoes National Park
Volcanoes National Park is one of the oldest parks in Africa and was gazetted mainly to conserve the endangered Mountain Gorillas. The park was established in 1925 and it covers an area of about 162sqkm. Volcanoes National Park is located in the Northern Province of Rwanda in Musanze. It lies within the Great Virunga Volcano Conservation area which includes adjacent parks of Rwanda, Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo. It home to various mammal species including Bufaloes, forest elephants, duikers, forest hogs, bush pigs, spotted hyenas and primates like the mountain gorillas, golden monkeys and many others. About 178 bird species can be found here including about 29 species that are endemic to the Rwenzori mountains and the Virunga.
Day 1: Pick up from Kigali International Airport – Drive to your Hotel
The 7 Days One&Only Nyungwe House & One&Only Gorilla’s Nest will start with a pick up from Kigali International Airport by our Driver guide from Paradise Adventure Vacations who will meet and greet you, he will brief you about your journey and thereafter transfer you to your Hotel with rewarding views of Rwanda’s rolling hills. Upon arrival at your Hotel, you will relaxed from the long flight as you await your dinner as well as an overnight.
Location: Kigali Rwanda
Accommodation Option:
| Luxury | The Retreat Heaven Boutique Hotel |
Meals Plan: Breakfast and Lunch as well as Dinner, a selection of drinks, laundry, activities at the lodge
Drinking Water and Fruits Throughout the journey
Day 2: Visit Genocide Memorial Site – Transfer to Nyungwe Forest National Park with a Stopover at Butare Museum
On day 2 of your Safari, you will have a drive through Rwanda’s Capital City Kigali and visit the Genocide Memorial Site. This site is a place for commemoration of the massive killings which occurred between 7 April and 15 July 1994 during the Rwandan Civil War. You can as well decide to visit the Inema Art Centre You will later transfer to Nyungwe Forest National Park with a stopover at Butare museum where you will learn about what culture was like before Colonization including clothing, food production, hunting, money and also traditional ritual objects. You will then continue with the journey to the park for dinner as well as an overnight.
Location: Nyungwe Forest National Park
Accommodation Option:
| Luxury | One&Only Nyungwe House |
Meals Plan: Breakfast and Lunch as well as Dinner, a selection of drinks, laundry, activities at the lodge
Drinking Water and Fruits Throughout the journey
Day 3: Nyungwe Forest National Park – Chimpanzee Trekking – Canopy walk
Your day 3 of the 7 Days One&Only Nyungwe House & One&Only Gorilla’s Nest will begin with an early morning lovely breakfast. Wear appropriate clothing for the activity like a long sleeved shirt, a pair of karky or jean trousers, water proof boots, a round cap and a heavy sweater to protect you from the tree branches and also in case of bad weather. Carry in your back packs some snacks and drinking water to help in keeping you hydrated during the trek since it may take about 1 to 5 hours to find these Chimpanzees depending on their location.
Chimpanzee Trekking
Proceed to Uwinka visitor center where you will be briefed about the Do’s and the Don’ts of the park, you will be assigned a chimpanzee group to look out for and also a park ranger to help you during the trek. During the trek, you will encounter various primates like Silver monkeys, owl-faced monkeys, golden monkeys, Dent’s Mona Monkeys, Angola Colobus, grey-cheeked Mangabeys, Red-tailed Monkeys, vervet monkeys and L’Hoest’s monkeys and also bird species like Grauer’s warbler, kamiranzovou, Rwenzori Turaco, Blue Turaco, purple breasted and the blue-headed sunbird. You may as well encounter some mammal species like paradise flycatcher, great blue Turaco, Rwenzori Nightjar, white-tailed crested flycatcher, Kivu ground thrush, montane double-collard sun and red-throated Alethe among others. You will then return back to your accommodation for a delicious lunch.
Canopy walk
Later, you will proceed for the Iconic Canopy walk along the Igishigishigi trail, this is a 2km trail which will give you breathtaking views of the Rainforest and beautiful wild flowers. Here you will also get up close with the bird species of the park like Rwenzori Turaco, paradise flycatcher, great blue Turaco, Rwenzori Nightjar, white-tailed crested flycatcher, Kivu ground thrush, montane double-collard sun and red-throated Alethe and forest hornbills. Later you will have your dinner and an overnight.
Location: Nyungwe Forest National Park
Accommodation Option:
| Luxury | One&Only Nyungwe House |
Meals Plan: Breakfast and Lunch as well as Dinner, a selection of drinks, laundry, activities at the lodge
Drinking Water and Fruits Throughout the journey
Day 4: Drive to Volcanoes National Park
On your day 4 of the 7 Days One&Only Nyungwe House & One&Only Gorilla’s Nest, you will have a delightful breakfast and thereafter embark on a journey to Volcanoes National Park located in the far North West of Rwanda. Upon arrival, you will check into your accommodation for a hearty lunch. Later in the afternoon, you will proceed to IBY ‘lwacu Community where you will get close to the indigenous community and share life experiences.
Here, you will learn about the African culture and lifestyle and also something unique about this community is that the majority of men in this community are reformed poachers who are now taking part in the Conservation Projects within the park. You will take part in various activities including, joining Royalty by being crowned King or Queen of the day, enjoy music and dance. Later you will return back to your accommodation for your dinner and an overnight.
Location: Volcanoes National Park
Accommodation Option:
| Luxury | One&Only Gorilla’s Nest |
Meals Plan: Breakfast and Lunch as well as Dinner, a selection of drinks, laundry, activities at the lodge
Drinking Water and Fruits Throughout the journey
Day 5: Volcanoes National Park – Gorilla Trekking – IBY ‘lwacu Community Encounter
Day 5 of your 7 Days One&Only Nyungwe House & One&Only Gorilla’s Nest will start with a lovely breakfast and then get ready to explore the Volcanoes with an Ultimate experience with the Mountain Gorillas. Wear appropriate clothing for the day like a long sleeved shirt, a pair of karky or jean trousers, a round cap, water proof boots to protect you against the falling tree branches of the Volcanoes National park and also in case of bad weather, Pack some snacks and water to help in keeping you hydrated during the trek.
Gorilla Trekking
Proceed to the park’s headquarters in Kinigi for a briefing on the Do’s and the Don’ts while you are with the mountain gorillas, you will also be assigned a park ranger who will guide you during the trek and also a gorilla family to look out for and then start the search for the mountain gorillas which will take about 2 to 8 hours depending on their movement and feeding range. During your trek, you will encounter various bird species like Long crested eagle, stonechat, cinnamon-breasted bee eater, grey throated throat, African marsh harrier, common moorhen, paradise flycatcher among other bird species.
As your gaze meets the gentle eyes of Africa’s dark-furred Great Apes, you will be allowed to spend a maximum of 1 hour with these majestic creatures as you watch and capture every moment while they go about their day to day activities and the young ones playing around the old ones, feeding each other and also eating foliage. Feel free to ask as many questions as possible about these gorillas and take memorable pictures, you will then return back to your accommodation for a delicious lunch.
Location: Volcanoes National Park
Accommodation Option:
| Luxury | One&Only Gorilla’s Nest |
Meals Plan: Breakfast and Lunch as well as Dinner, a selection of drinks, laundry, activities at the lodge
Drinking Water and Fruits Throughout the journey
Day 6: Volcanoes National Park – Golden Monkey Trekking
Day 6 of your 7 Days One&Only Nyungwe House & One&Only Gorilla’s Nest will start with a leisurely breakfast and thereafter Wear appropriate clothing for the day like a long sleeved shirt, a pair of karky or jean trousers, a round cap, water proof boots to protect you against the falling tree branches of Volcanoes National park and also in case of bad weather, Pack some snacks and water to help in keeping you hydrated during the trek.
Golden Monkey Trekking
Proceed to the park’s headquarters in Kinigi Visitor Center for a briefing on the Do’s and the Don’ts while you are with the Golden monkeys. You will also be assigned a park ranger who will guide you during the trek and also a Golden monkey group to look out for and thereafter you will head out to the jungle in search for the beautiful creatures.
This search through the bamboo forests will take about 3 to 4 hours since these creatures live at the bottom of the Volcano Mountains, on your way you will also encounter various mammal species like Bufaloes, forest elephants, bush pigs, duikers, forest hogs, spotted hyenas and also bird species, If you are lucky you may encounter the Chimpanzees. On finding them, you will be allowed to spend 1 hour with them while learning their ways of life, how they feed and take care of their young ones, how they communicate among others. Take as many pictures as possible to help you tell your unforgettable experience. Later you will return to your accommodation for a hearty and relaxation as you enjoy Nature at its best.
Location: Volcanoes National Park
Accommodation Option:
| Luxury | One&Only Gorilla’s Nest |
Meals Plan: Breakfast and Lunch as well as Dinner, a selection of drinks, laundry, activities at the lodge
Drinking Water and Fruits Throughout the journey
Day 7: Transfer to Kigali International Airport or your Hotel
On the final day of your Safari, you will have a lovely delicious breakfast and then drive to Kigali International Airport or your Hotel. Enroute, you will have stopovers at the City market of Rwanda, pay a visit to the former presidential palace and also visit Artisan shops to explore the artwork and buy some souvenirs to remind you about your time in Rwanda, “The Land of a thousand hills.” This 7 Days Rwanda Gorilla Safari Adventure offers a unique blend of adventure, wildlife encounters, and breathtaking natural beauty. Whether you are a seasoned safari-goer or a first-time visitor, this itinerary is sure to leave you with lasting memories of your time in Rwanda.
Thank you so much for specifically choosing Paradise Adventure Vacations on the 7 Days One&Only Nyungwe House & One&Only Gorilla’s Nest and we hope to see you again!!!
Location: Kigali (City)
Accommodation Option: No (End of tour)
Meals Plan: Breakfast, Lunch
Drinking Water and Fruits Throughout
The Safari Package Includes on 7 Days One&Only Nyungwe House & One&Only Gorilla’s Nest
Meet and greet on arrival
Airport and inter-hotel transfers from day 1 to the last day
Meals as indicated in the itinerary
Kigali Mariotte Hotel, One&Only Nyungwe House, and One&Only Gorilla’s Nest accommodation rate includes: meals, alcoholic and soft drinks, laundry services, any activities at the lodges, and one complimentary massage per guest and applicable VAT
Exclusive use of a private safari land cruiser 4×4 with WI-FI in receptive areas
Services of a professional, experienced English speaking driver guide
A complimentary flower bouquet and a bottle of wine
Bottled mineral water in the vehicle during the tour
1 Gorilla permit per person (this includes briefing at RDB offices, guide, trek – US$ 1,500.-)
All activities, visits and extra meals mentioned in the itinerary
Emergency Medical Evacuation Services
All government taxes.
The Safari Package Includes on 7 Days One&Only Nyungwe House & One&Only Gorilla’s Nest
International and domestic airline tickets unless where indicated,
Entry visa fees, Optional extras whilst in Kigali
Drinks throughout the trip, Tips and gratuities,
Personal expenses such as telephone calls, mini bar, porter-age, travel insurance, etc.
Passenger Information on 7 Days One&Only Nyungwe House & One&Only Gorilla’s Nest
In case of non-availability, we may have to reroute and provide alternative accommodation at lodges of similar category.
Passengers should bring only soft sided bags on safaris as our vehicles have limited luggage space
All the passengers must have Identification Card/Passport with them throughout their travel.
Our Safari Vehicles Seating Plan - 4x4 Safari Land Cruiser Extended
All our Safari vehicles are Toyota Land-cruiser 4×4 with pop-up roofs. The vehicles are serviced and maintained to a very high standard before, during and after every safari. Paradise Adventure Vacations Ltd offering all-wheel drive safari vehicles suitable for off-road driving, which enable travelers to discover the magical areas of East Africa in a pleasant and reliable manner.
Our fleet consists of 4×4 Toyota Land cruisers with a hinged roof and skylights above the front seats. The hinged roof offers two main advantages: it provides shade without restricting the view, so that you can enjoy your safari even in the very sunny hours of the day. It also allows a 360-degree all-round view.
Our Vehicles Are Equipped With:
- Adjustable comfortable seats
- Electric refrigerator for drinks
- High-performance shock absorbers
- Tool & first aid kit
- Adapters and battery chargers
Due to the difficult ground and road conditions inside and outside the national parks and wildlife reserves, a four-wheel drive vehicle is not only recommended, but also crucial for an eventful safari.
