The Primate Safari by Ker & Downey

This custom 16-day adventure by Ker & Downey is the ultimate African primate safari, pairing gorilla tracking in Rwanda with chimpanzee safaris in Tanzania. Primate safaris in Rwanda through the hidden forests is one of the most exclusive and thrilling experiences East Africa – matched only in its wonder by the Great Migration and wild primate habitats of Tanzania.

Suggested Itinerary-at-a-glance:

• Day 1:

  Arrive Kigali / Kigali Serena Hotel (D)

• Day 2:

  Nyungwe Forest National Park / Nyungwe Forest Lodge (B,L,D)

• Day 3:

  Nyungwe Forest National Park / Nyungwe Forest Lodge (B,L,D)

• Day 4:

  Nyungwe Forest National Park / Nyungwe Forest Lodge (B,L,D)

• Day 5:

  Volcanoes National Park / Sabyinyo Silverback Lodge (B,L,D)

• Day 6:

  Volcanoes National Park / Sabyinyo Silverback Lodge (B,L,D)

• Day 7:

  Volcanoes National Park / Sabyinyo Silverback Lodge (B,L,D)

• Day 8:

  Kigali / Kigali Serena Hotel (B)

• Day 9:

  Lake Victoria / Rubondo Island Camp (B,D)

• Day 10:

  Lake Victoria / Rubondo Island Camp (B,L,D)

• Day 11:

  Serengeti National Park / Sayari Camp (B,L,D)

• Day 12:

  Serengeti National Park / Sayari Camp (B,L,D)

• Day 13:

  Lake Tanganyika / Greystoke Mahale (B,L,D)

• Day 14:

  Lake Tanganyika / Greystoke Mahale (B,L,D)

• Day 15:

  Lake Tanganyika / Greystoke Mahale (B,L,D)

• Day 16:

  Departure (B)

Itinerary Description:

Ker & Downey's primate safari begins in Rwanda's lovely capital city of Kigali with an evening of leisure and rest before transferring nearby to Nyungwe Forest National Park. Spend the next two days exploring the diverse climates and terrains of the park and embarking upon thrilling primate safaris. Lush forests at varying altitudes offer refuge for a quarter of Africa's primate species, chimpanzees and colobus monkeys among them. When not on the trail, spend time taking in the views from the Nyungwe Forest Lodge, located on a picturesque working tea plantation.

Your exclusive primate safari in Rwanda continues in Volcanoes National Park, the area that played host to acclaimed researcher Dian Fossey for over 20 years. Set off in search of Silverback Gorillas on guided treks, soaking in the sweeping view of the forested valley from the terraces of the Sabyinyo Silverback Lodge. There are 10 habituated families of Mountain Gorillas located in the Rwandan sector of the Virunga Volcanoes specifically tracked for visitor interaction. Just like a typical human family unit, each gorilla family offers something unique and completely different, making no two gorilla treks the same.

Journey next into Tanzania to the jungle clad Rubondo Island on Lake Victoria, a wilderness where a number of indigenous mammal species – such as hippo, vervet monkey, genet, and mongoose – share their protected habitat with introduced species such as black-and-white colobus, Suni antelope, elephant, giraffe, and the island's famed chimpanzees, all of which thrive amid Rubondo’s inaccessibility.

Take a quick pause from your primate safari adventures to visit the land where the Great Migration takes center stage, the Serengeti. Game viewing and remote safari luxury are the staples of any stay at Sayari Camp, and with a position adjacent to the Mara River, guests are treated to front-row seats to the seasonal wildebeest crossing, one of the greatest spectacles in the world.

Round out your primate safari at the beautiful Greystoke Mahale on the shores of Lake Tanganyika in Mahale Mountains National Park, which hosts some of the last wild chimpanzees in the world. In addition to game viewing here, you can participate in chimp tracking activities, as well as snorkeling and fishing in the world’s second largest freshwater lake.

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