8 Days Experience Rwanda Safari

This 8 Days Experience Rwanda Safari, is the best and simplest way to experience the highlights or the land of a thousand hills. The trip takes you to Nyungwe forest in the southern and to the northern part of the country; Akagera game park for the savannah experience, volcanoes national park in the Virunga transboundary region. The only region to see mountain gorillas in Africa in their natural habitat. Before ending the trip with a relaxation on the banks of lake Kivu.

Overview

Rwanda ‘The land of a Thousand Hills’ is one of the smallest countries in the East African community, located in the Greatlakes region. With a lush of endless expansive mountains and natural beauty, the country boasts of a moderate climate throughout the year. The central and western parts of the country is dominated by mountains, while the eastern part is covered by savannah plains and swamps.

Safari Highlights

Rwanda city tour
Chimpanzee trekking
Canopy walk
Game drives and boat safari in Akagera
Gorilla trekking experience
Golden monkey tracking
Experience of Lake Kivu

Itenerary

Day 1: Arrival

Arrive at Kigali airport meet and greet with our representative who will transfer you to your hotel.

Approx. Distance. 10kms, 20minutes’ Drive

Meals. None

Accommodation. Hotel Des Mille Collines – Medium, Kigali Serena Hotel – Luxury

Day 2: Morning Kigali city tour

Morning city tour of Kigali and visit the Genocide memorial before starting the journey to Nyungwe Forest national park- en-route stopover for lunch. Arrive in the afternoon and relax at the lodge anticipating the Chimpanzee trek that lies in the next morning.

Approx. Distance. 220kms, 6hours’ Drive

Meals. Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Accommodation. Top Hill View Lodge – Medium , One & Only Nyungwe House – Luxury

Day 3: Morning Chimpanzee tracking in Nyungwe forest national park

it begins at the Nyungwe Forest Park HQ where your trekking group will head into the forest with a guide after a short briefing. About 1 hour before your group sets off an advance party of guides will have entered the forest to locate where the Chimpanzees spent the night. sightings are very common, and guides are skillful in tracking them. During the trek, you will also get to see the different birds, animals, and plant species within the forest. In the afternoon after lunch you will go for a canopy walk in the park and experience more of what Nyungwe Forest has to offer.

Approx. Distance.

Meals. Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Accommodation. Top Hill View Lodge – Medium, One & Only Nyungwe House – Luxury

Day 4: Drive to Akagera in the eastern part of the country

Morning breakfast and drive to Akagera in the eastern part of the country. Arriving for lunch after which you will go for a boat ride on Lake Ihema with more chances of seeing other species of animals including Hippos, crocodiles and many aquatic bird species.

Approx. Distance. 300kms, 7hours’ Drive

Meals. Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Accommodation. Akagera Game Lodge – Medium, Ruzizi Tented Camp – Luxury

Day 5: Morning game drive in Akagera National park

Giraffes, Buffaloes, several Antelope species, and recently the re-introduced Lions and Rhinos. The park has different wildlife habitats and also a birders haven with over 500 bird species. After transfer to Volcanoes national park, lunch stopover en-route.

Approx. Distance. 215kms, 5hours’ Drive

Meals. Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Accommodation. Five Volcanoes Hotel – Medium,Virunga Lodge – Luxury

Day 6: Gorilla trekking experience

This is the big day and climax of this 8 days’ experience. The bamboo-covered slopes of the Virunga Mountains are home to the Rwandan Mountain Gorillas. Start the trek at 8am in the morning searching for these great Apes, once you have managed to find them you will be able to spend an uninterrupted hour observing these incredible animals in their natural habitat. A trek can last anywhere from 30 minutes to 4 hours, depending on which of the seven groups you were allocated and how far they moved from where they slept the previous night.

Approx. Distance.

Meals. Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Accommodation. Five Volcanoes Hotel – Medium, Virunga Lodge – Luxury

Day 7: Tracking of the golden monkeys

This day you will go for a morning tracking of the golden monkeys in the park before transferring to Gisenyi on the bank of lake Kivu. Spend a relaxed afternoon and evening by the lake. back on the road to Kigali. Arriving in time to check in for your evening departure flight to your next destination.

Approx. Distance. 65kms, 1hour 30minutes’ Drive

Meals. Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Accommodation. Lake Kivu Serena Hotel

Day 8: A relaxed morning at the hotel on the white sands of the Kivu Lake

A relaxed morning at the hotel on the white sands of the Kivu Lake, before driving back to Kigali in time to check-in for your departure flight to the next destination.
Approx. Distance. 160kms, 4 hours’ Drive

Meals. Breakfast and Lunch

Accommodation. None

Includes & Excludes

Inclusions

Transfers and transportation in a 4×4 Safari Vehicle with an English-speaking driver guide
Park entrance fees
1 x Gorilla Trekking Volcanoes Park (USD 1,500 per person, or 1,050 per person low season discount)
1x Chimpanzee tracking Nyungwe (USD 100 per person)
Golden monkey tracking
Kigali city tour
Canopy walk in Nyungwe
Game drive in Akagera
Boat ride on lake Ihema
Accommodation as stated above or similar depending on availability at the time of booking
Meals as stated above, Full board on safari and bed and breakfast in Kigali
1 liter of drinking water per person per day in the vehicle.