Main Info
Explore the Best of Rwanda in 9 Days. Visit the mountain gorillas in the Volcanoes National Park, track the fascinating chimpanzees in Nyungwe National Park and enjoy a classic game drive in Akagera National Park.
Tour Itinerary
Day 1: Transfer to Volcanoes National Park
After breakfast, pickup from the Kigali Airport or hotel. Travel to Ruhengeri in Northern Rwanda. Dinner and overnight stay at Kinigi guest House/Le Bambou Gorilla Lodge/Mountain Gorilla View Lodge
Day 2: Gorilla tracking in Rwanda (Parc National Des Volcans)
Early morning after breakfast, you will set out for the Gorilla tracking activity. You will start with the Gorilla briefing from the Park rangers at the Headquarters and then later set out with your armed guide through the transparent mountainous forest on the Virunga slopes to search for these great apes of Mountain Gorillas. You will have a face to face with the gorillas and be in their midst for an hour. You can take pictures, video coverage and so on. Later return back to your lodge for lunch and in the evening, take a small tour to the twin Lakes of Ruhondo and Burera. Dinner and overnight stay at Kinigi guest House/Le Bambou Gorilla Lodge/Mountain Gorilla View Lodge
Day 3: Dian Fossey / golden monkey trek
After an early breakfast, you will again transfer to the Park Headquarters for registration and briefing about the Golden Monkey tracking or Dianne Fossey grave trekking. You will choose one activity and later set off to start the activity. For those who will be tracking Golden Monkeys, they should be aware that these Golden Monkeys are rare species of primates in Africa and only a few populations can be seen in the Virunga forests of Volcanoes National Park and Mgahinga National Park for the side of Uganda. For those who will go for Dianne Fossey grave Trek, they should be aware that she was an American Zoologist who was murdered in 1985 while on her research about the rare species of Mountain Gorillas and other primates in Parc Des Volcanoes. Her graves are close to her research center. After the trek, return for dinner and overnight at Mountain Gorilla View Lodge for Luxury/ Le Bambou Gorilla Lodge for Mid range/Kinigi Guest house or Muhabura lodge for Budget.
Day 4: Transfer to Lake Kivu
Pre-breakfast, you will transfer to Lake Kivu in western Rwanda. Arrive in time for lunch after which you will take a launch cruise on the lake. This will give you spectacular views of the area. Dinner and overnight stay at Lake Kivu Serena Hotel
Day 5: Transfer to Nyungwe Forest National Park
After a morning breakfast, you will transfer to Nyungwe Forest National Park. En route visit the new Visitor’s Interpretive Centre to give you more information about the park such as number of primate species found in the park, types of bird species and other tourist activities carried out with in the Park. Proceed and check into your Hotel for Lunch. In the afternoon, you will go for Colobus Monkey trekking. To be able to do the activity, you will have to hiking through lush forests, endless, green tea fields while taking the stunning views of the surroundings. Dinner and overnight at Gisakura guest House for Budget/Nyungwe forest Lodge for Luxury
Day 6: Chimpanzee trekking
After breakfast, report to the park headquarters in Nyungwe forest for briefing before going for chimpanzee tracking. However, it is advisable to organize packed lunch and plenty of water prior to this expedition since it can sometimes last over 6 hours. In the forest, you will not only see chimpanzees to but also variety of animals and birds like the Rwenzori Turacco, black and white casqued horn bill, colobus monkeys – sometimes as many as 400 in a group. Return late in the afternoon. Return for dinner and Overnight at Gisakura guest House for Budget/Nyungwe forest Lodge for Luxury
Day 7: Transfer back to Kigali and to Akagera National Park
After breakfast, you will depart for Kigali for lunch and also a short city tour to the Gisozi Genocide Memorial site. You will later transfer to Akagera national Park. En route you will pass through the country’s phenomenal landscape which will give you views of the country’s beauty and also the life style of its people. Upon arrival in the park, you will go for a short southern Lake Ihema game drive. Look out for animals such as elephants, giraffes, buffaloes, zebras, hippos, crocodiles and many more like Antelopes. Dinner and overnight at Akagera Game Lodge
Day 8: Morning game drive and Boat ride on Lake Ihema.
Early in the morning after breakfast, you will go for a Northern circuit game drive to search for animals that you may have missed out in the previous game drive. It was not a guarantee that all the animals can be seen in the evening game drive. There are some that are early risers and can only be seen in the morning. Return back to the lodge for a small relation as you wait for lunch. After lunch, you will go for a boat ride on Lake Ihema which will offer you with views of the surrounding areas, hills and swamps. Expect to see Hippos, crocodiles and more bird species. Return back to the lodge for dinner and overnight stay
Day 9: Nature walk and transfer back to Kigali city
Early morning after breakfast, you will go for a nature walk to search for different bird species. Return back to the lodge for your packed lunch and return to Kigali city and Departure.
End of the Safari
