This 05 Day One & Only Rwanda Safari starts and ends in Rwanda. Take this opportunity to visit Nyungwe national park for chimpanzee trekking as well as mountain gorillas in Bwindi national park there after relax at Lake Bunyonyi the second deepest Africa.
After completing the city tour in Kigali, the first stop will be in Nyungwe Forest National Park. One of the oldest rain forests in Africa, Nyungwe is rich in biodiversity and spectacularly beautiful. The mountainous region is teaming with wildlife, including a small population of chimpanzees as well as 12 other species of primate, including the L’Hoest’s monkey endemic to the Albertine Rift.
Nyungwe Forest National Park is one of the top destinations in Rwanda is that receives a number of visitors and second popular national park after volcanoes national park. It is one of the largest and oldest national parks in Africa which is situated in south western region of Rwanda
Chimpanzee trekking permit for Nyungwe Forest National Park is charged 90 USD per person per day for all foreign non-residents as for the foreign residents the permit is 60 USD per person.
Chimpanzee trekking in Nyungwe Forest National Park is an early morning activity that starts at 5:00 am with a briefing at the park centres. Nyungwe forest national park has about three sections where the chimpanzee trekking starts from such as Kitabi section, Gisakura section as well as the Uwinka which are known as the park headquarters. During the briefing session visitors are divided into groups of 8 people and they are assigned to different park ranger guides that will guide them as they go for chimpanzee trekking in the forest.
It takes travelers about 2-6 hours to locate the chimpanzees and allowed to spend only one hour with the chimpanzee community from the time they have met it. In the one-hour experience, travelers are allowed to take photos and with chimpanzees as they de-nest, beast-feed, as well as with the juvenile monkeys.
Once you have gotten that everlasting experience, cross to Uganda via Kisoro for yet another breath-taking moment in Bwindi national park. Bwindi is home to over half of the world’s remaining mountain gorillas. Finding these beasts in the dense forest is no easy task, and gorilla treks here can last 7 hours or more.
Gorilla trekking takes approximately 30 minutes to 7 hours and this depends on the location of the Gorillas assigned by the park rangers. Early morning, travelers have a briefing session at the park headquarters. You will be divided into 8 people per gorilla family in the sector chosen. The permit fee is to help on the conservation of the environment and improve on health of the mountain Gorillas.
You’re allowed only to stand 7 meters away from the Gorillas. Visitors are not allowed to consume drinks or food in front of the Mountain Gorillas. You will have your packed lunch by the lodge and food is a must since the time for trekking the Gorillas is unpredictable. Do not litter anything in the forest. Carry all your plastics back to the lodge or rubbish bins to the park headquarters.
After this lifetime experience, transfer to Lake Bunyonyi for relaxation. Lake Bunyonyi is found in the south-western part of Uganda near the border with Rwanda in Kabale District. Lake Bunyonyi is one of the most naturally beautiful lakes in Africa and is one of the leading tourist destinations in Uganda.
The lake attracts tourists, honeymooners and Ugandans who wish to get away from the busy town life and enjoy the cool weather and beautiful islands. The lake offers great panoramic views from all sides and is a great place to go for meditation and relaxation. The Lake is collection of water that filled a valley created by a volcanic explosion hundreds of thousands of years ago.
Lake Bunyonyi is made up twenty nine islands among which include Bushara, Njuyeera, Bwama and the infamous Punishment Island (Akampeine). Among the Bakiga in the area, any girl who got pregnant before marriage was taken and abandoned in Akampeine Island to die of hunger or drowning. Visit all these historical islands on the lake to know how the Bakiga used to treat those young misbehaving girls.
One can take part in island hopping, canoeing, and nature walks, community visits, birding and swimming. Lake Bunyonyi is free of Bilharzia, crocodiles and hippos but is considered very deep by normal standards. If you are not a good swimmer, it’s better to stay clear of the lake unless you are on a boat with lifesaving equipment. After the relaxation, you will transfer back to Kigali for your booked flight.
