The ten days Rwanda safari is a package that starts and ends in Kigali city but takes you to three major parks of the country for a great and spectacular experience ranging from gorilla and golden monkey activities in Volcanoes National Park to chimpanzee tracking and canopy walk adventure in Nyungwe Forest, Lake Kivu boat cruise and animal views in the magical Akagera National Park.
Detailed itinerary.
Day 1: Arrival – Kigali city tour and overnight at a hotel of your choice.
Upon arrival in the clean city – Kigali, you will meet your driver / guide and spend the entire afternoon driving around the city. You will visit Gisozi Genocide memorial center and get to learn of the stories behind the inter-tribal wars that took place in Rwanda in 1994. Visit other areas of interest such as local markets, craft shops, religious centers, to mention but a few.
Check in to the hotel or lodge of your choice for relaxation, dinner and overnight.
Day 2: Transfer to Nyungwe Forest National Park.
Get in touch with your driver / guide after a delicious morning breakfast and start your journey to Nyungwe forest national park. You will pass by Nyanza Kings palace, Butare national museum, Murambi genocide museum and other places for a great historical and cultural experience.
Continue to Nyungwe forest national park, check in to the lodge of your choice for dinner, relaxation and overnight.
Day 3: Chimpanzee tracking and afternoon canopy walk.
After a delicious breakfast, drive to Kyamudongo forest for briefing about the dos and don’ts of chimpanzee tracking. You will begin the expedition there and then, go deep and deeper into the forests and search the human like creatures. Upon encountering them you will be given some time with them and get to see how they do life. Along the way, you must watch several flora species, animal species and bird species.
Retreat from the experience and drive to your lodge for relaxation and lunch.
In the afternoon get your binoculars and join the guide for a walk on top of the forest – canopy walking. This takes you to the unimaginable parts of the forest as you enjoy birds singing and seeing monkeys climbing from tree to tree as well as taking photos.
Return to your lodge in the later hours of the day for relaxation, dinner and spend a night.
Day 4: Transfer to Lake Kivu and evening boat cruise.
After a delicious morning breakfast, drive to Lake Kivu via Gisenyi, check in to any hotel of your choice for a lunch relaxation. The lake shores offers scenic views of the lake and neighboring features that turn your moments into memories.
In the afternoon, you will join the afternoon boat cruise which will introduce you to Bisesero Genocide memorial Centre, kayaking and kingfisher journeys. It is also a reliable destination for fishing.
Return to your lodge for relaxation, dinner and overnight.
Day 5: Morning boat cruise and transfer to Volcanoes national park.
After a morning breakfast, join a morning boat cruise and explore what might have not been explored the previous day. Connect with your driver and start your one to two hour drive to the magical Virunga Volcanoes national park.
Check in to the hotel of your choice upon arrival for relaxation, dinner and overnight.
Day 6: Gorilla tracking and afternoon community walk.
Every day of the safari is a brand new day! Here we are, in the home of mountain gorillas.
After an early morning breakfast, drive to the park headquarters for briefing. You will be guided on what to do and what not to do during the tracking. This is the time most tourists are always waiting for, dive into the forests and start searching for the gorillas whose discovery depends on luck, walking speed and where they spent the previous night. Upon encountering them, you will spend an hour in their presence as you watch them play, groom, mate and feed. You are allowed to take as many pictures as you wish to as long as you are not using a flashlight camera.
Return to your lodge for lunch and relaxation before embarking on an optional community walk in the evening hours. Visit Ibyi’wacu village and get to know more about their history, practices and culture.
Return to your lodge for dinner and spend a night.
Day 7: Golden monkey tracking and transfer to Kigali city.
Day 7 of the safari is another day in the forest. After a morning breakfast, go to the park headquarters for briefing before entering the forests in search for golden monkey. During the tracking, you will encounter several bird and animal species.
Return to the lodge for lunch and immediately set off for Kigali city from where you will spend a night.
Day 8: Transfer to Akagera National Park.
After a delicious morning breakfast, get in touch with your driver and embark on the two to three hour drive to the home of the Big five animals – Akagera national park.
The park is a home to quite a number of animal species but the major highlight being the big five i.e. elephant, leopard, lion, buffalo and rhinoceros. It is also made up of scenically geographical views.
You can embark on an evening game drive if time allows before checking in to the hotel of your choice for relaxation, dinner and overnight.
Day 9: Morning game drive and afternoon boat cruise.
After a morning breakfast, you will go for a game drive in the northern sector of the park. If you want to have a look at early risers before they go into hiding, you are advised to start the drive as early as possible. You may be lucky enough to see lions and leopards. Enjoy the savannah plains of the park in addition to the rolling hills and gorgeous valleys.
Return to your lodge for lunch and relaxation before embarking on the afternoon boat cruise.The cruise will introduce you to several animal species that converge at Lake Ihema, the second largest lake in Rwanda. You will also see multiple bird species before you return to the lodge for dinner and relaxation.
Day 10: Morning game drive and transfer to Kigali city departure.
This is the last day of the safari, you are expected to wake up a bit earlier and embark on a morning game drive in Akagera National Park and you may see what you missed the previous day.
Return to your lodge for a late breakfast and check out of the lodge. Start your journey to Kigali international airport. If time allows you, you can tour around the city and see what you might have missed on day one of the safari.
Proceed to Kigali international airport for a flight back home, to mark the end of this safari.
