Golden Monkey Trekking Safari for 4 Days

Today we head out to start  your Rwanda gorilla trekking safari by driving to park gate for orientation by park rangers at 8am. Gorilla trekking can take as low as 2 hours to 8 hours in the jungle. You will be allowed to stay in the presence of the gorillas for a maximum of 1 full hour. Please remember to bring  firm walking shoes, hut, insect repellent, sun screen, rain gears. Your lodge will prepare you packed lunch and bottled water. Enjoy this gorilla trekking experience in Volcanoes. Later return to your Hotel for Relaxation.

In the afternoon optional activities;

Optional activity one: Musanze caves walk.

You embark on the Musaze Caves walk to explore the historic caves of Musaze that were formed 65million years ago by the basalt lava flow from the Volcanic Mountains of Sabyinyo and Bisoke. The caves feature 31 entrances and stretch to 2km inside. The cave exploration lasts 2 hours walking underground but with the company of the soldier to offer you protection. The caves provided refuge to people in times of war in the pre-colonial Rwanda and even in the 1994 Rwanda genocide.  Tour Costs: per person

Optional activity two:

Cultural Village visit  a Non-Profit umbrella organization that aims at improving the lives of reformed poachers and communities around Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park through provision of conservation incentives, supporting community enterprise development and livelihood based projects.

Tour Costs: per person

Overnight Luxury: Mountain Gorilla View Lodge, Da Vinci Lodge,

Meal plan: Full Board

After breakfast, you embark on the golden monkey tracking commencing at 7am from Kinigi Park headquarters with any number of people that will be available. You head to the trail head and embark on the search for the golden monkeys that tend to dwell in the Bamboo Zone. The golden monkey tracking experience tends to last 4 hours and this includes one full hour on direct viewing. It is an exciting experience as you explore this golden backed monkeys jumping from stem to stem of the Bamboo and playing hide and seek games. After transfer to Gisenyi city for overnight and relaxation by Lake kivu.

Overnight Luxury: Lake kivu Serena/ Paradise Malahinde

Meals: Full Board

In the morning, you will either go for the hike up to Dian Fossey grave (optional activity).

On return you will drive back to Kigali, and later transfer to the airport to check in for your departure flight.

Optional activity: Diane Fossey Hike.

This hike takes you up to Karisoke research centre, Dian Fossey  grave, an American primatologist who dedicated her live conserving the lives of the mountain gorillas until she was killed in 1985 and is buried there next to Digit, a mountain gorilla.

Please note optional activity on this day depends on the time of your return flight .

To go on a gorilla trek, you need a gorilla permit/license which we can arrange for you.  We can only purchase your Gorilla permit after you have made a down-payment to us. Gorilla permits are competitive on a daily basis, advance booking is always preferred.

Please note the gorilla tracking in this itinerary can be done in Bwindi and or Mgahinga national parks. Gorilla tracking is dependent on the permits availability at the time of your booking. Gorilla permits in all parks are on a very high demand and we advise that you book them as early as possible.

• Gorilla trekking can be strenuous activity and Minimum gorilla tracking age is 15 years.
• What to bring: Hiking shoes/walking shoes, long socks to tuck-in long pants , rain wear, warm clothing, evenings can be cold/chilly, gloves preferably gardening type are very helpful and  insect repellant.
• Anyone with signs of communicable diseases will NOT be allowed to track.
• While possession of a gorilla permit is a guarantee of trekking and
• Maximum time allowed with the gorillas will NOT exceed ONE hour, you are kindly requested to practice different modes of using your camera in different light situations. Gorillas can sometimes be moving, Forest vegetation can at times obstruct visibility, and hence taking photos of these creatures can be very challenging!

Transport:
Our standard offering is a 4WD with pop-up roof for easy safari viewing.  All passengers will have a dedicated window seat. Your driver/guide will be at your disposal for questions.

Extension:
If you want to extend your tour to one of our other destinations or if you’d like to add a few side trips to the itinerary, kindly let us know.

Difficulty:
Gorilla trekking takes place at altitudes 1160 to 2607m (3806 to 8553ft) above sea level. This means that moderate/average physical fitness is required. The slowest member will determine the groups’ speed. The pace will be moderate, with plenty stops to rest, ask questions, re-hydrate and enjoy the forest and views.

Booking and payment details:
Once you have decided to join one of our safaris, you will need  to contact us for booking form  which will include details relating to deposit and final payments etc.