Overview
You will see and explore all three Rwandan national parks during your 8-day Rwanda wildlife safari. You begin with the gorgeous Akagera national park, then move on to Nyungwe forest national park, and finally to Volcanoes national park, which is home to mountain gorillas. As you weave your way into Rwanda, take in the various scenery. The parks contain a combination of Savannah, woodland, and hilly terrain, providing you a diverse view of Rwanda.
Safari Highlights
- Game drive
- Boat ride
- Chimpanzee tracking
- Canopy Walk
- Gorilla tracking
Itinerary
Day 1: Arrival to Kigali International Airport
Today you begin your incredible journey of Rwanda on your wildlife and gorilla safari. On your arrival, a driving guide from African buffalo safaris will pick you up from your accommodation or the Kigali international airport.
Day 2: Transfer to Akagera National park + Boat Safari
After breakfast, take a brief city tour that includes a visit to the Kigali genocide monument to learn about the history of this lovely country. After this encounter, depart towards Akagera National Park, with brief stops along the road for photography and restroom usage.
Arrive in the park and, following a quick stop at the park reception desk, proceed to your lodge for check-in and lunch. After lunch, depart for a boat safari on Lake Ihema. Return to the resort for lunch and a boat tour on Lake Ihema in search of hippos and crocodiles, OR spend the afternoon relaxing at the lodge and reading a good book.
Night game drive in quest of nocturnal creatures is optional
Day 3: Explore Akagera National Park
Akagera National Park is a Savannah park in north-eastern Rwanda, near the Tanzanian border. It is home to various large animals that are not seen elsewhere in Rwanda. After an early breakfast, we will go on a morning game drive in search of Elephants, Zebras, Giraffes, Buffaloes, Waterbucks, Bushbucks, and recently imported Lions. Game drives at Akagera National Park are often held in the park’s northern section. Depending on the animal sightings and your interests, game drives can last virtually a full day.
Return to the lodge after the wildlife drive and relax by reading a book or simply sitting and breathing in the fresh air.
Day 4: Transfer to Nyungwe forest national park
This morning, we leave for the Nyungwe forest in southern Rwanda, with a lunch break at Huye, formerly known as Butare. Huye is home to the Rwandan ethnographic museum, formerly known as the Rwandan national museum; here, we will study about Rwandan culture and history. Later in the evening, we arrive in Nyungwe Forest.
Day 5: Rwanda Chimpanzee Tracking and Canopy Walk
Chimpanzee trekking in Nyungwe forest immerses you in nature, allowing you to feel and appreciate it. Unless you are the kind who can have an early breakfast, chimp trekking is done early in the morning with a packed meal or lunch. You are asked to be at the briefing site at 5.30 a.m., where you will be briefed on how to behave and the potential length of your trip.
Nyungwe forest is home to 13 species of primates, including L’Hoest’s monkeys, Rwenzori Colobus monkeys, red tailed monkeys, vervet monkeys, grey cheeked mangabeys, and others. For chimp trekking, your guide will take you to either the Uwinka trailhead or the Cyamudongo area. In the afternoon, you will be taken to the Uwinka center to begin your canopy walk and further explore the park.
Day 6: Transfer to Volcanoes national park
After a lovely and interesting day in the forest yesterday, you prepare to begin your journey to the Volcanoes National Park in northern Rwanda this morning. After breakfast, we depart for Volcanoes National Park, taking in the beauties of Lake Kivu and the twisting roads of the country of a thousand hills.
Day 7: Gorilla trekking
Meet the mountain gorillas in the Virunga mountains’ deep woods. The journey begins with a briefing at the park headquarters in Kinigi, where you will be given a ranger and gorilla family to hike with. The Rwanda gorilla hike through Volcanoes National Park is a once-in-a-lifetime event that many people want to do. The gorilla trek can range anywhere from an hour to several hours, depending on where the gorillas nested the night before. You should be reasonably fit to appreciate this experience, and remember to pace yourself while you trek the gorillas.
Depending on how long the gorilla tracking lasts, you may be able to participate in a cultural group performance by visiting a cultural hamlet or going on a community stroll.
Day 8: End of the Rwanda wildlife Safari
Start your last day with breakfast and then go to the airport for your outbound departure; if you have time before your flight, you may do a brief city tour of Kigali.
