With this 12 Days Luxury Wildlife Safari in Rwanda, explore through Rwanda’s National Parks. Get up close to the endangered mountain Gorillas in the Volcanoes National Park, lying in the great Virunga Mountains. The primates of Nyungwe National Park – Chimpanzees and Colobus monkeys and a vast of wildlife. The diverse Savannah grasslands of Akagera National Park. All through the trip, enjoy luxurious accommodations with a team of expert guides to ensure your Holiday in Rwanda is full of wonders and memories to last.
Day 1: Kigali
The driver guide (your Safari driver guide throughout the trip) will meet you upon your arrival at Kigali International Airport. He will brief you on your safari before transferring you to your overnight hotel in Kigali. Relax at your hotel. Depending on your arrival time in Kigali, you may take a visit to the Kigali Memorial site.
Main Destination: Kigali
Accommodation: Ubumwe Hotel
Day 2: Kigali – Nyungwe Forest National Park
From your hotel in Kigali after breakfast, your guide will drive into Nyungwe Forest. En route, a visit to Nyanza King’s Palace, and the National Museum of Butare. This was the headquarters of the ancient Rwanda Kingdom before the arrival of the colonists. The compound of the palace illustrates a tastefully decorated modern palace built by King Mutura in 1934.
Main Destination: Nyungwe National Park (Chimpanzee Tracking)
Accommodation: One and Only
Luxury Safari Lodge, located just outside Nyungwe Forest
Day 3: Nyungwe Forest National Park
In the morning after breakfast, the guide will lead you to the reception at the starting point where you will explore various tracks – Nyungwe Colobus monkeys, Grey-cheeked Mangabey, and L’Hoest’s Monkeys are some you may encounter. A canopy walk overlooking the forest top with guides well-versed in botany, ornithology, and interspecies relationships will be a whole new learning experience. You will return to the Lodge for lunch and have your overnight at the hotel.
Main Destination: Nyungwe Forest National Park (Chimps)
Accommodation: One and Only
Day 4: Cyamudongo Forest – Chimpanzee Tracking
On this day, you wake up earlier and head to Cyamudongo Forest – a section of the great Nyungwe National Park for Chimp tracking. The trek involves hiking and the time taken to find these primates is unpredictable. Some snacks are required and enough water. You will return to the lodge for an overnight stay.
Main Destination: Nyungwe Forest National Park
Accommodation: One and Only
Day 5: Nyungwe – Gisenyi
Early in the morning, leave Nyungwe and head to Kibuye on a five-hour journey. Enjoy the beautiful green hills that roll up our countryside, as well as views of Kivu Lake. Your overnight stay will be at Serena Lake Kivu Hotel.
Main Destination: Gisenyi (Town)
Accommodation: Serena Lake Kivu – Gisenyi
Day 6: Gisenyi
You will take a boat ride to the islands which lasts for about 2 hours. Return to the hotel for lunch and ten take a coffee Plantation tour in the afternoon. In the evening, enjoy the sunset at the beach on Lake Kivu.
Main Destination: Gisenyi (town)
Accommodation: Serena, Lake Kivu
Day 7: Gisenyi – Musanze
Spend part of the day relaxing at the swimming pool at Kivu Serena Beach Hotel. After lunch, the driver guide will drive you to Musanze, the base town to visit mountain gorillas. Enjoy an evening visit to the Ibyiwacu cultural village and then overnight at the Hotel.
Main Destination: Musanze (Kinigi)
Accommodation: One and Only
Day 8: Volcanoes National Park – Gorilla Trekking
From the lodge after breakfast, your guide will transfer you to Volcanoes National Park headquarters for briefing on your gorilla trekking adventure. Allocations will be done to which group you are to visit, and the driver guide will take you to the starting point. Time taken on the trekking is unpredictable but after the trek, you will return to the lodge for lunch dinner and overnight stay.
Main Destination: Volcanoes National Park – Musanze
Accommodation: One and only
Day 9: Golden Monkeys and Twin Lake Visit
In the morning you will head back to the briefing point for the golden monkey trek in Volcanoes National Park. Briefing at the main office at 7:00 am for a short before your trek. Return at lunchtime and in the afternoon go visit the twin lakes of Burera and Ruhondo. Return for overnight stay will be at the hotel.
Main Destination: Volcanoes National Park (Kinigi)
Accommodation: One and only
Day 10: Musanze – Akagera National Park
From your lodge after breakfast, head to Akagera National Park via Kigali city. Here you will have lunch in Kigali before driving into Akagera National Park. A 6-hour journey from Musanze. Your overnight stay will be at the lodge.
Main Destination: Akagera National Park
Accommodation: Magashi Camp
Mid-range lodge located inside Akagera National Park
Day 11: Akagera National Park – Safaris
Head for an early morning game drive. Akagera National Park is located in Eastern Rwanda on the border with Tanzania and is managed by African Parks. Akagera National Park is the only savannah park in Rwanda and is home to several mammal species. On your game drive, lions, elephants, giraffes, hippos, kobs, zebras, bushbucks, waterbucks and most recently black rhinos will be on the list of those you might come across. In the afternoon, you will take a boat ride on Lake Ihema and later return to the lodge for dinner and overnight.
Main Destination: Akagera National Park.
Accommodation: Magasha Camp
Luxury Lodge in Akagera National Park
Day 12: Return to Kigali – Departure
At the lodge, you will have breakfast, you will return to Kigali. Depending on your departure flight time, you may visit the Ntarama Church, a genocide site where more than 5,000 people were killed during the 1994 genocide. This memorial site is located 30 minutes south of Kigali. You will have an insight into the Unity and Reconciliation Commission in Rwanda.
Main Destination: Kigali
(End of tour)
Included
- Gorilla permits (One per person, non-resident)
- Park fees (For non-residents)
- All activities (Unless labelled as optional)
- Meals (As specified in the day-by-day section)
- All accommodation (Unless listed as upgrade)
- Roundtrip airport transfer
- A professional driver/guide
- All transportation (Unless labelled as optional)
- All Taxes/VAT
Excluded
- International flights (From/to home)
- Additional accommodation before and at the end of the tour
- Personal items (Souvenirs, travel insurance, visa fees, etc.)
- The government imposed an increase in taxes and/or park fees
- Some meals (As specified in the day-by-day section)
- Drinks