Gorillas & Chimpanzees
Two guided primate treks in two distinct forest settings, with one permit for each experience.
7 Days Rwanda Luxury Gorilla & Chimpanzee Safari
Discover two remarkable primate experiences on our 7 Days Rwanda Luxury Gorilla & Chimpanzee Safari. This private journey combines the forests of Nyungwe, the shores of Lake Kivu and the volcanic landscapes of northern Rwanda, with luxury stays and a dedicated driver-guide throughout.
Begin in Kigali before heading to Nyungwe for chimpanzee trekking and a guided canopy walk. Continue to Karongi for a lakeside overnight, then travel to the Volcanoes region for your mountain gorilla encounter. Return to Kigali on day seven.
The programme balances early forest starts with time at your lodges. One gorilla trek and one chimpanzee trek are included in the proposed package, while optional experiences can be added to suit your interests and available time.
Your route: Kigali → Nyungwe → Karongi, Lake Kivu → Volcanoes National Park → Kigali.
Six nights: 1 Kigali + 2 Nyungwe + 1 Lake Kivu + 2 Volcanoes.
Six nights: 1 Kigali + 2 Nyungwe + 1 Lake Kivu + 2 Volcanoes.
Private 4×4
Travel with your own vehicle and professional English-speaking driver-guide.
Luxury Stays
A proposed collection of luxury hotels and lodges, plus a boutique lakeside overnight.
Forest & Lake
Combine the Nyungwe canopy walk with Lake Kivu scenery and time to unwind.
Your Seven-Day Rwanda Safari Itinerary
Expand each day for activities, accommodation and meals. This is a proposed itinerary; the final quotation confirms availability and arrangements.
Welcome to Rwanda, the Land of a Thousand Hills. Your Universal Ventures Rwanda representative will meet you at Kigali International Airport and escort you to your private vehicle for the transfer to your luxury hotel.
Settle into your room and enjoy time to recover from your journey. If your arrival schedule allows, a short orientation drive or a relaxed restaurant visit can be arranged at an additional cost.
Your driver-guide will introduce the route, explain the early starts for primate trekking and review the arrangements for your journey to Nyungwe the following morning.
Overnight: Luxury hotel in Kigali
Meals: Dinner
After breakfast, leave Kigali with your private driver-guide and travel southwest through rolling hills, farmland and small towns toward Nyungwe National Park. This is a substantial travel day, with breaks for refreshments and lunch along the way.
A visit to the King’s Palace in Nyanza can be added if requested in advance and if the day’s timing permits. Your guide will balance any stops with arrival at your lodge before the evening briefing.
Check in at One&Only Nyungwe House, the proposed luxury base for your two-night stay. Settle into the forest-edge surroundings, enjoy dinner and prepare for an early departure for chimpanzee trekking. The exact collection time depends on the trekking sector assigned.
Overnight: One&Only Nyungwe House — proposed
Meals: Breakfast, lunch & dinner
An early start takes you to the designated reception point for registration and a briefing with the park team. Set out with park guides and trackers to search for chimpanzees in the assigned forest sector.
Listen for calls in the canopy as you follow forest trails and watch for movement among the trees. Chimpanzees are active wild animals, and the duration of the search, visibility and quality of sightings vary. Your guides will explain their behavior and direct the permitted viewing experience.
Return to your lodge after the trek for lunch or a late meal, depending on your return time. Keep the afternoon free to rest and enjoy the surroundings. A tea experience or spa treatment may be arranged separately, subject to availability and your lodge package.
Overnight: One&Only Nyungwe House — proposed
Meals: Breakfast, lunch & dinner
After an early breakfast and check-out, travel to the scheduled canopy-walk briefing point. Follow your park guide along the forest trail to the suspended walkway for a different perspective on Nyungwe’s treetops and valleys.
The approach involves walking on forest paths as well as crossing the walkway itself. The activity is subject to weather and park operations; your guide will confirm the scheduled departure and coordinate luggage and road transfers.
Continue to Karongi on Lake Kivu, with lunch arranged around the activity and transfer schedule. Check into your selected lakeside boutique property and spend the rest of the day enjoying the views. This overnight stay breaks up the journey from Nyungwe to the Volcanoes region.
Overnight: Selected lakeside boutique property in Karongi
Meals: Breakfast, lunch & dinner
Enjoy breakfast beside Lake Kivu and a relaxed start to the day. A short private boat trip can be added at an extra cost if arranged in advance, subject to weather and the onward travel schedule.
Continue with your driver-guide toward Musanze and the Volcanoes National Park area. Take in Rwanda’s changing scenery, with breaks along the way before arriving at your luxury lodge.
One&Only Gorilla’s Nest is the proposed base for the next two nights. Settle in, enjoy dinner and prepare your trekking clothing and daypack. Your guide will confirm the next morning’s pick-up for the park briefing.
Overnight: One&Only Gorilla’s Nest — proposed
Meals: Breakfast, lunch & dinner
After an early breakfast, your private driver-guide will transfer you to the park headquarters in Kinigi for registration and briefing. Park staff allocate trekking groups and gorilla families; share any relevant fitness or mobility needs before your safari.
Follow experienced park guides and trackers through the forest in search of your assigned mountain gorilla family. The route may cross bamboo forest, uneven ground and steep slopes, and the total trekking time depends on the gorillas’ location and conditions on the day.
Once the family is located, enjoy the permitted observation period, normally up to one hour, watching the gorillas feed, rest and interact. Follow your guide’s instructions throughout the encounter.
After the trek, return to your lodge for a meal and a restful afternoon. Keep the evening unhurried so you can enjoy your final night in the Volcanoes region.
Overnight: One&Only Gorilla’s Nest — proposed
Meals: Breakfast, lunch & dinner
Enjoy your final breakfast before departing with your private driver-guide for Kigali. Your departure time will be planned around your international flight, allowing for the road journey and airport check-in.
If time allows, enjoy lunch in Kigali and a short stop for souvenirs before your airport transfer. An early flight may require an additional Kigali overnight on the preceding day and a revised itinerary.
Your 7 Days Rwanda Luxury Gorilla & Chimpanzee Safari concludes with drop-off at Kigali International Airport or a Kigali hotel of your choice. Any additional overnight stay is quoted separately.
Overnight: No overnight included
Meals: Breakfast & lunch
Proposed Luxury Accommodation
Six nights across four destinations. These properties and categories are proposed, subject to availability. Your quotation will name the Kigali and Lake Kivu properties and confirm every room category.
Kigali1 night
Luxury Kigali Hotel
A comfortable first-night base with a private airport transfer and time to rest before your onward journey.
Discuss Your Stay →Nyungwe2 nights
One&Only Nyungwe House
A luxury retreat beside Nyungwe, proposed for your chimpanzee trekking stay and time between forest activities.
View Lodge →Karongi • Lake Kivu1 night
Lakeside Boutique Stay
A selected boutique property in Karongi to break the journey between Nyungwe and the Volcanoes region. The property and room category are quoted individually.
Discuss Your Stay →
2 nightsOne&Only Gorilla’s Nest
A luxury base for your gorilla trek, with time to settle in before the activity and relax afterwards.
View Lodge →What’s Included?
The proposed package below is confirmed and itemized in your personal quotation.
✓ Private 4×4 vehicle, fuel and driver-guide
✓ Private arrival and departure airport transfers
✓ Six nights in the confirmed accommodation
✓ Meals as listed in the daily programme
✓ One gorilla trekking permit per person
✓ One chimpanzee trekking permit per person
✓ Guided Nyungwe canopy walk
✓ Required park entry for scheduled activities
✓ Bottled drinking water in the vehicle
✓ Transfers between all overnight destinations
× International flights and visa fees
× Travel and medical insurance
× Additional nights and room upgrades
× Optional Lake Kivu boat trip and cultural visits
× Spa treatments and separately charged lodge activities
× A second gorilla trek or golden monkey permits
× Porter hire and all gratuities
× Alcoholic drinks and other unlisted beverages
× Personal expenses and laundry unless stated
× Any service not confirmed in the quotation
Why Choose This Rwanda Primate Safari?
Two Primate Destinations
Combine a Nyungwe chimpanzee trek with mountain gorilla trekking in Volcanoes National Park on one planned circuit.
A Lakeside Pause
Spend a night in Karongi between the two park regions, with an evening to enjoy Lake Kivu scenery.
Personalized Service
Your dedicated road guide coordinates transfers, lodge arrivals and park briefings throughout the journey.
Your Private Rwanda Journey
Customize My SafariPlan Your Gorilla & Chimpanzee Safari
Share your travel dates, number of travelers and preferred accommodation. We will prepare a personal quotation for this seven-day journey.
Frequently Asked Questions
The proposed itinerary includes one mountain gorilla trek in Volcanoes National Park and one chimpanzee trek in Nyungwe National Park, with one permit per person for each activity. A second gorilla trek requires a revised itinerary and an additional permit.
Your road vehicle and driver-guide are private. Gorilla trekking, chimpanzee trekking and the canopy walk follow park arrangements and may be shared with other visitors. Exclusive park activities are not included in the standard proposal.
The proposed package includes one gorilla permit, one chimpanzee permit, the canopy walk and the required park entry fees for the scheduled activities. Permits and lodge reservations remain subject to availability until secured; the written quotation confirms the final inclusions.
The six nights comprise one night in Kigali, two at One&Only Nyungwe House, one at a selected lakeside boutique property in Karongi and two at One&Only Gorilla’s Nest. Properties, room categories and meal arrangements are confirmed in your personal quotation.
Primate treks can involve steep, muddy and uneven terrain, and their duration varies. The canopy walk also requires a forest hike. Tell us about your walking comfort before booking so we can discuss the itinerary and available support; a short or easy trek cannot be guaranteed.
Yes. We can adjust the lodge selection, activities and pace, or quote additional nights, a second gorilla trek, golden monkey trekking or an Akagera extension. Optional activities and upgrades are charged separately.
