5-Day Rwanda Gorilla & Golden Monkey

Catch a morning flight from Nairobi to Kigali International Airport, arriving by late morning. Your Rwanda driver-guide meets you at the airport and drives you north to Volcanoes National Park, approximately 2 to 3 hours on excellent roads through Rwanda's scenic highlands. Pass through Musanze town at the base of the Virunga volcanoes and arrive at your premium lodge in the early afternoon. Settle in and enjoy the views of the volcanic peaks. Attend an evening briefing about gorilla trekking protocols, what to wear, and what to bring.

Report to the Volcanoes National Park headquarters at 7:00am for the ranger briefing and gorilla family assignment. You will be placed in a group of up to 8 trekkers and assigned one of the park's 12 habituated gorilla families. Enter the forest with your guide, trackers, and an optional porter. Hike through bamboo zones, hagenia forest, and potentially into the alpine zone, depending on the gorilla family's location. Treks typically take 1 to 4 hours each way. The one hour you spend with the gorillas is indescribable: silverbacks chest-beating, juveniles playing in the undergrowth, and mothers cradling infants. Return to your lodge for lunch and a restful afternoon.

Morning trek into the bamboo forests at the lower slopes of the volcanoes to find the endangered golden monkeys. These striking primates, with their golden-orange backs and playful nature, are endemic to the Virunga volcanic range and number only about 5,000 individuals. The trek is typically shorter and less demanding than the gorilla trek, lasting 1 to 3 hours, and the monkeys are a joy to watch as they leap through bamboo and forage in animated groups. Spend the afternoon at your lodge or take an optional hike to the Musanze Caves, ancient lava tubes formed by volcanic eruptions.

Choose between two excellent activities. Option one: hike to the Karisoke Research Centre founded by primatologist Dian Fossey, visiting her tomb and the graves of the gorillas she studied. The 3 to 4 hour hike climbs through the forest to the alpine meadow where Fossey lived and worked, offering profound insight into gorilla conservation history. Option two: visit the twin lakes of Burera and Ruhondo for stunning volcanic scenery, canoeing, and community visits. Both options provide a meaningful final day in the Virunga region. Return to your lodge for a farewell dinner.

After breakfast, drive back to Kigali. If time permits, stop at the Kigali Genocide Memorial for a powerful and important visit, or explore the city's craft markets and coffee houses. Transfer to Kigali International Airport for your departure flight or onward connection to Nairobi. C.A.T.S can arrange a return flight to Nairobi the same day or a post-safari extension to Lake Kivu for relaxation on the shores of one of Africa's Great Lakes.