4-Day Gorillas and Golden Monkeys Safari

Your driver-guide will pick you up from your designated address or the airport in Kigali and proceed to Volcanoes National Park, located near Ruhengeri in northern Rwanda. Travel through undulating, beautiful terraced hills, offering a clear picture of the country's landscape and altitude. Enjoy a relaxed evening at the lodge as you prepare for the next day's adventure.

After a briefing, you'll embark on the golden monkey trek. The encounter starts at 7am at Kinigi Park headquarters, where you'll head into the forest in search of these endangered primates. The tracking experience takes about 4 hours, including a 1-hour encounter with the monkeys. Habituation has reduced their natural shyness, giving you the chance to watch them roll around on bamboo stems and enjoy close-up sights of their striking golden-and-silver coats.

You'll then transfer to the gorilla land of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. The drive takes you through varied landscapes, including tropical rainforest and the undulating terraced hills of Kigezi, famously known as the "Switzerland of East Africa." Arrive at the lodge for a relaxed evening, with dinner and overnight stay, as you prepare for the next day's adventure.

Enjoy an early breakfast, then head to the briefing point for the highlight of your trip — gorilla trekking. It can last from 2 to 6 hours, depending on the gorilla family you're assigned to visit. You'll trek through rainforest and bamboo-covered slopes, accompanied by a Uganda Wildlife Authority guide and trackers, in search of a mountain gorilla family. The walk can sometimes be tough and long, but the moment you catch a glimpse of the magnificent silverback, any discomfort will be quickly forgotten. Due to the nature of the activity, you'll have a packed lunch. Afterward, drive through the terraced hills to Lake Bunyonyi.

Beyond canoeing, optional activities include swimming (safe in this lake), hiking along island trails on the lakeshores, and community walks to meet local people while listening to the songs of resident and exotic bird species. Enjoy dinner and an overnight stay at Bunyonyi Rock Resort.

After breakfast, check out of the lodge and transfer to Lake Bunyonyi for a guided canoe ride. You will later cross the border to Rwanda. You will transfer to Kigali city with the memory of the great, rare mountain apes. Enjoy an en route lunch, and arrive late in the evening to be dropped off at your hotel or the airport as you say farewell to the "Pearl of Africa".