12-DAYS BEST OF RWANDA SAFARI

Rwanda

From

$2899.00

Duration

12 days

Overview

Rwanda, also known as ’The Land of a Thousand Hills’, has five volcanoes, 23 lakes, and numerous rivers, some forming the source of the River Nile. The Main water bodies are Lake Kivu, Lake Muhazi, Lake Ihema, Lake Bulera, Lake Ruhondo, Lake Mugesera. Main National Parks Parks are Akagera, Volcanoes and Gishwati-Mukura National Parks. The Volcanoes National Park in the Virunga volcanic mountains with its high altitude forests is world-famous for mountain gorillas. while Lake Kivu to the west offers beautiful beaches and an archipelago of islands.

Highlights

  • Kigali City Tour 
  • Chimp Trekking 
  • Gorilla Trekking
  • Golden Monkey Trekking  
  • Game Drives in Akagera 
  • Boat Safari at Lake Ihema 
  • Relax at Lake Kivu 

Itinerary:

Day 1: Arrival 

Day 2: Travel to Nyungwe Forest

Day 3: Chimpanzee Tracking 

Day 4: Lake Kivu

Day 5: Lake Kivu 

Day 6: Volcanoes National Park

Day 7: Gorilla Tracking 

Day 8: Golden Monkey Tracking 

Day 9: To Akagera National Park

Day 10: Game Drives 

Day 11: Lake Ihema 

Day 12: Departure

Inclusions/Exclusions

  • Chimp Trekking Permit
  • Gorilla Trekking Permit 
  • Entrance Fees 
  • Lunch 
  • All Taxes/VAT
  • A professional driver/guide
  • Return Transport to Kampala/Entebbe 
  • Bottled mineral water in the vehicle
  • International flights 
  • Visa Fees 
  • Travel Insurance 
  • Tips or Personal Purchases (souvenirs, drinks, etc.)
  • Additional accommodation before and at the end of the Safari 
  • Government imposed increase of taxes and/or park fees

Day by Day

Arrive at Kigali International Airport where you will be met by our representative and transferred to your hotel of choice in Kigali.

Journey: 20 mins  

Meal Plan: Not Included 

Accommodation: Budget: Peponi Living Spaces / Midrange: Parkinn by Radisson Kigali/ Luxury: Kigali Serena Hotel

After breakfast, we go for the Kigali City Tour and explore sites like the Kandt Museum, Presidential Museum and Kigali Genocide Museum. Proceed west to Nyungwe Forest, passing through the town of Butare, about 135km from Kigali. Here you can visit Butare National Museum displaying a range of ethnographic objects that will give you an insight into the rich traditional life and culture of the country.

Journey: 5 – 6 hrs  

Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner 

Accommodation: Budget: Gisakura Guesthouse / Midrange: Top View Hill Hotel/ Luxury: One & Only Resort

Nyungwe Forest has 310 bird species, 26 of which are endemic to Rwanda. The forest is incredibly biodiverse with 13 known primate species in residence, from colobus monkeys, mangabeys, blue monkeys, and chimpanzees.

Follow an experienced guide into the forest to observe these fascinating creatures at a close range. Watching them interact with each other and go about their daily routine of grooming, playing and foraging is an incredible experience. 

Option activity: The forest canopy walks is a network of suspension bridges that will lead you on a 1.5-hour walk over a deep gorge, through beautiful and lush vegetation and different animal habitats.

Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner 

Accommodation: Budget: Gisakura Guesthouse / Midrange: Top View Hill Hotel/ Luxury: One & Only Resort

After breakfast, we travel north along the shores of Lake Kivu to the town of Gisenyi. Spend the afternoon relaxing at the lodge or take a walk along the long stretch of beach just outside the property. 

Other optional activities include; 

  • Kayaking on the Lake, 
  • visit the Nyamyumba Hot Springs,
  • Hike the Congo Nile Trail (227km)
  • Fishing (Half Day)
  • Primate safari at Gishwati-MakuraNational Park (Half Day)
  • Hike the Nyiragongo Volcano (2 Days)

Journey: 3 -4 hrs

Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner 

Accommodation: Budget: Inzu Lodge / Midrange: Kivu Lodge/ Luxury: Lake Kivu Serena Hotel

After breakfast, you have the opportunity to complete some of the optional excursions outlined on day 4 or just relax at the beach hotel. 

Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner 

Accommodation: Budget: Inzu Lodge / Midrange: Kivu Lodge/ Luxury: Lake Kivu Serena Hotel

Our destination today is the Volcanoes National Park. The park contains parts of the Virunga mountain range and its 5 volcanoes that form the border between Rwanda, Uganda, and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Besides being one of the most scenic sights in Africa, the park is also the home of mountain gorillas.

Journey: +4-5 hrs

Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner 

Accommodation: Budget: Hotel Muhabura / Midrange: Le Bombou Gorilla Lodge/ Luxury: Sabinyo Silverback Lodge 

In the company of an experienced park ranger, you will be tracking the whereabouts of one of the habituated family groups who live in the park. journey along forested (sometimes muddy and slippery) slopes, thick vegetation, and bamboo forests before you reach the territory of these gentle giants. 

En route, your ranger will point out telltale signs of previous gorilla activity like dung, nests, and chewed bamboo shoots. Depending on the location of the gorillas on any given day the walk can take anything from 1 to 7 hours. Once the family of gorillas has been located, settle in to the environment and enjoy the hour you have to quietly observe these fascinating primates whose habits and mannerisms remind us so much of our own.

Note: The gorilla tracking can be done in Uganda at half price. This is just a two hours’ drive from Kivu! 

Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner 

Accommodation: Budget: Hotel Muhabura / Midrange: Le Bombou Gorilla Lodge/ Luxury: Sabinyo Silverback Lodge 

Today`s optional tour is the Golden Monkey Tracking for those interested. Golden Monkeys are endemic to the volcanic mountains of the Virunga Range and typically live in the bamboo vegetation zones near the base of the volcanoes. You will be tracking them with an experienced ranger and once you find them, will have one hour to spend watching these active creatures.

In the afternoon you will head out on a canoeing trip on the Twin Lakes – Bulera and Ruhondo, which are located at the base of the volcano Mount Muhabura. In modern canoes, you will glide across the dark blue waters of these stunning lakes, which are surrounded by rolling hills and scenic views of the Virunga volcanoes.

We can add extra days on the itinerary so that you hike one or all of the volcanoes in this area. There are three volcanoes here and each can be hiked in a day! (Mt Muhabura, Mt Sabinyo & Mt Gahinga) 

Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner 

Accommodation: Budget: Hotel Muhabura / Midrange: Le Bombou Gorilla Lodge/ Luxury: Sabinyo Silverback Lodge 

Akagera National Park is Central Africa’s largest protected wetland and the last remaining refuge for savannah-adapted species. The park is located in north-eastern Rwanda and covers 2500 km² of savannah plains. The park has a variety of wildlife and is a habitat for over 500 different species of birds.

Journey: 5-6 hrs

Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner 

Accommodation: Budget: Karenge Bush Camp / Midrange: Akagera Game Lodge/ Luxury: Rusizi Tented Lodge

On a game drive in the park you may see herds of elephants and buffalo emerge from the woodland to drink at the lakes, and if you are lucky, maybe even leopard, spotted hyena, or lions. Over the past couple of years, several black rhinos have been re-introduced to the park after having been made extinct in 2007. That officially makes Rwanda a Big 5 country again! You will have all day to explore the park and its inhabitants today. A knowledgeable ranger will join you in your vehicle to guide you around the park and hopefully help you spot all the big 5!

Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner 

Accommodation: Budget: Karenge Bush Camp / Midrange: Akagera Game Lodge/ Luxury: Rusizi Tented Lodge

Your final game excursion in Akagera National Park will be by private boat safari on Lake Ihema. From your boat, you will see the park and its inhabitants from a different vantage point as you cruise along the shoreline. Crocodiles bask on the banks of the lake and it is home to numerous hippos and bird species. You may even see elephants and buffalo at close range as they come down to the shoreline for a drink. 

Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner 

Accommodation: Budget: Karenge Bush Camp / Midrange: Akagera Game Lodge/ Luxury: Rusizi Tented Lodge

In the morning, we have an early breakfast and have one more game drive before setting off for the capital. Depending on your time of flight, there is a chance to do some last minute souvenir shopping in Kigali or a city tour before departure. If you wish to extend your stay in the country, we can make arrangements. End of Safari

Journey: 5- 6 hrs

Meal Plan: Breakfast & Dinner 

Accommodation: Not included

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Tour Information

Max Guests

6

Min Age

16+

Tour Location

Languages Support