7-Day Rwanda Primate Safari: Gorillas, Chimpanzees & Canopy Walk

This 7 day Rwanda primate safari gives you mountain gorillas, chimpanzees and a walk through the forest canopy in one trip. You trek the gorillas at Volcanoes National Park on day three, drive south to Nyungwe on day four, track chimpanzees at dawn on day five and spend day six on the canopy walk and the forest edge. Park fees, all three permits, full board and a private 4x4 with fuel are included, and each early start is followed by a rest afternoon.

Gorillas and chimpanzees are very different animals to watch. Gorillas are slow and settled, and the hour is quiet. Chimpanzees are fast, loud and mostly high in the trees, and the walk to find them starts around dawn, before the forest warms up. We put the gorillas first, because they are in the north near Kigali, then drive south across the country to Nyungwe, one of the oldest rainforests in Africa. On day six you walk the canopy walkway, a narrow suspension bridge above the forest, on a day when you are not chasing chimpanzees, so you can stop, look at birds and take photographs. Our Nyungwe travel guide describes the forest in more detail.

Between the two parks is a full driving day that most primate itineraries squeeze. We keep it as a travel day with stops, so that the drive does not eat into the dawn start in Nyungwe. If you want to know what the tracking involves, read what chimpanzee trekking in Rwanda costs and involves. Browse the chimpanzee tracking and canopy walkway pages, and the Rwanda destination page.

This is a trip for people who walk regularly. Both treks start early, and the ground in Volcanoes and Nyungwe is steep, wet and uneven. A gorilla trek can last from one to several hours each way, and chimpanzee tracking can be longer if the chimpanzees have moved. The canopy walk is short and easy for those comfortable with heights. We put a rest afternoon after each trek and a driving day between them. Read how difficult gorilla trekking in Rwanda is before you decide.

June to September and December to February are the drier months, with firmer trails in both parks. Nyungwe is wet at any time of year, so bring rain gear whatever the month. March to May and October to November are wetter and quieter. Both parks run all year, but gorilla dates and the chimpanzee tracking slots are limited, so tell us your dates early.

This tour suits travellers who want to see more than one primate and are happy to do two early starts. It works for couples, friends and active families with teenagers. If you only want the gorillas, take the 4-day Rwanda gorilla trekking tour. For a more comfortable version with higher-end lodges, see the 6-day luxury gorilla trekking and chimpanzee tracking tour.

On the last day, the drive from Nyungwe to Kigali is long. If a suitable flight from Kamembe to Kigali is operating on your dates, we can use it, but flights are limited and we confirm the option before you book. If you travel entirely by road, we add an overnight in Kigali or extend the tour to eight days, so that you do not catch your flight home after a seven-hour drive. Read the gorilla trekking packing list and how booking a gorilla trek in Rwanda works.

For a trip with more time in the villages, see our Signature Journey, the 10-day Rwanda chimpanzee tracking and Eco Hive Guardian tour, and the Hive Guardian initiative.