7 Days Rwanda Gorillas & Wildlife Safari

Day 1: Transfer to Volcanoes National Park

After an early breakfast transfer to Volcanoes National Park the home of the endangered mountain gorillas on your Rwanda Gorillas & Wildlife Safari.This drive takes 2-3 hours from Kigali city to Musanze province and you will connect to your lodge in Ruhengeri for relaxation, dinner and overnight stay.

There is more activities than just Gorilla trekking in Volcanoes National park like Golden monkey trekking,mountain hiking and many others.This makes an ideal destination for visitors traveling to Rwanda.

Accommodation: Sabyinyo silverback lodge / Le Bambou Gorilla lodge / Hotel Muhabura

Day 2: Gorilla Trekking in Volcanoes National Park

With an early breakfast, drive to the park headquarters for gorilla briefing in Kinigi where you will be allocated trekking groups and a tour guide to begin your Rwanda Gorillas & Wildlife Safari. Along with your trekking gear, drinking water and packed lunch, the driver will drop you off at the starting point to trek the gorillas together with the ranger guides. Tracking the gorillas lasts between 1-8 hours and meeting them is so rewarding as you spend 1 hour with them as you take time studying them and taking pictures and videos and this is the climax of your Rwanda Gorillas & Wildlife Safari.

Depending on the time your gorilla trekking will end, you can decide take a cultural walk to Iby’iwachu Cultural Village-a Non-Profit umbrella organization that aims at improving the lives of reformed poachers and communities around  Volcanoes National Park or you may enjoy the Kinyarwanda traditions including the Intore dance, traditional ceremonies and a guided community walk. Later retire for an overnight at the lodge and reflect on the day’s activities over dinner.
Accommodation: Sabyinyo silverback lodge / Le Bambou Gorilla lodge / Hotel Muhabura

Day 3: Transfer to Nyungwe Forest National Park via Lake Kivu

After early morning breakfast at the lodge, you will set off and drive to Nyungwe Forest National Park with an en-route stopover at Lake Kivu and enjoy the breeze, lunch and Rendezvous at the shores, this is an hour drive to Rubavu. After lunch, you will drive for 4-5 hours to Nyungwe National Park.  Arrive at your lodge in the evening and enjoy dinner as you prepare for the next day’s amazing adventure.

Accommodation: Nyungwe Forest lodge / Nyungwe Top View Hill Hotel / Gisakura guest house

Day 4: Chimpanzee Trekking in Nyungwe Forest National Park

Have an early breakfast, you will be transferred to the park headquarters for a briefing. With a park ranger enter the forest for Chimpanzee trekking. Enjoy chimps viewing; as they swing from tree to tree, branch to branch and the little ones feeding on fruits or hiding behind their mothers as you follow them from nest to nest.

After lunch, you will enjoy a walking safari on the trail that leads to the Canopy Walk-a swing bridge 60 meters suspended from large trees and 90 meters above the forest floor. You will be able to see the amazing rain forest with a bird’s eye view, spotting wildlife moving about below you and birds flying above you.

Accommodation: Nyungwe Forest lodge / Nyungwe Top View Hill Hotel / Gisakura guest house

Day 5: Transfer to Akagera National Park

After early morning breakfast, you will be transferred to the eastern province for your Rwanda Gorillas & Wildlife Safari to visit Akagera National Park that borders Tanzania. The drive from Nyungwe Forest National Park to Akagera National Park lasts 5-6 hours with en-route stopovers at Nyanza king’s palace and Rwanda national museum. Check into the hotel for a rest and lunch.

After lunch drive to the park, enjoy a game drive to introduce you to the beautiful scenery as you spot animals and as the sunsets you may be able to spot the big cats getting ready for parole.

Accommodation: Akagera game lodge / Dereva hotel / Ruzizi tented camp

Day 6: Game Drive and Boat Safari on Lake Ihema

Have an early morning breakfast and drive the park for your morning game drive around the park for a rewarding wildlife views. Expect to encounter the Big five including the Lions, elephants, buffaloes, leopards, cape buffaloes and the recently introduced Rhinos and other animals including; giraffes, warthogs, waterbucks, zebras, hyenas and different antelope species. The park is also home for over 500 species of birds that you might see on your game drive, the game drive may last for about 3-4 hours. Return to lodge for lunch and relax as you wait for the next activity.

After lunch,you will be transferred for a boat cruise on Lake Ihema-the second largest lake in Rwanda after Lake Kivu. The boat trip exposes you to plenty of wildlife on the lake shores which come to cool off and drink water including hippos, buffaloes, huge crocodiles and birds such as malachite kingfisher and fish eagle.

Accommodation: Akagera game lodge / Dereva hotel / Ruzizi tented camp

Day 7: Transfer to Kigali

After breakfast,you will be transferred to Kigali where you will enjoy a Kigali city tour including the National Museum and Genocide memorial center that tales of the happenings of the massive deaths in April 1994, the time you spend on your city tour depends on your outbound flight. Later  connect for your flight back home.

End of the Rwanda Gorillas & Wildlife Safari.