11 Day Rwanda Wildlife Safari Tour Experience

Day 1: Arrival at Kigali Airport.

On arrival you will be picked from the airport after a meet and greet session by our company representative who will transfer you to the lodge for dinner and overnight.

Accommodation:

Luxury: Kigali Serena Hotel

Midrange: Hotel chez Lando

Budget: Murugo Hostel

Day 2: Transfer to Akagera national park.

You will be picked from the lodge and then drive to Akagera National Park.On the journey to this park, in the North – East of Rwanda, you will drive through the magnificent low lying rural landscapes with amazing panoramic views covering a distance of over 135 km about 2 ½ hours’ drive. The attractive Rwandese long horned cattle in Rwamagana district grazing in their impressive herds will add an ingredient of scenic views as the terrain changes from the hilly landscapes of the central to the plain landscapes of the east which the Akagera occupies. On arrival you will do an afternoon game drive which will enrich you with wild animals like Giraffes, Buffaloes, Spotted Hyenas, Elephants, Crocodiles, Hippos and plenty of bird life. Dinner and overnight at the lodge

Accommodation:

Luxury: Ruzizi tented camp

Midrange: Akagera game lodge

Budget: Dereva hotel

Day 3: Game drive and a boat ride on Lake Ihema.

After an early cup of warm coffee, embark on the morning game drive with the beautiful sun rises clearly exposing the plain rolling savannah landscapes of the park with a short savannah grassland intertwined with woodlands stretching long to the boarder of Tanzania scattered with countless numbers of wild game. The game drive in the morning exposes you to numerous families of elephants, buffaloes, Masaai giraffes, various antelopes like Impala, bushbucks, water bucks among others, the predators including leopards among other wild game that flourish within this natural shelter.

A long stretch to the overhanging slopes of Mutumba generates a rewarding experience on your safari in Rwanda. This activity lasts for 3-4 hours after where you will return to the lodge for relaxation and a buffet lunch. In the afternoon, you will embark on a journey to Lake Ihema for a soothing boat cruise with its banks filled with countless populations of both aquatic and terrestrial animal species which include among others the hippos, buffaloes, and the Nile crocodiles plus a wide range of bird species that dwell within the swampy vegetation and the opportunity to encounter the Rwanda’s second largest lake. Retire from dinner and overnight thereafter.

Accommodation:

Luxury: Ruzizi tented camp

Midrange: Akagera game lodge

Budget: Dereva hotel

Day 4: Transfer to Parc National des volcanoes (volcanoes national park).

After breakfast, you will depart for Parc National des volcanoes with lunch en route.

This is undoubtedly Rwanda’s most popular and country’s most visited park. Volcanoes national park is an ecologically diverse destination and it is no wonder that trekking mountain gorillas remains the most popular activity here. A wide variety of other hikes and activities are offered thus making it possible to spend several days in the area without running out of what to do.

The entire evening can be spent on sightseeing and relaxing around the hotel.

Accommodation:

Luxury: Mount gorilla view lodge

Midrange: Le Bambou Gorilla Lodge

Budget: Muhabura hotel

Day 5 and 6: Gorilla trekking and visit the twin lakes.

Have breakfast, transfer to the park headquarters where you will meet the ranger guides for briefing before you begin trekking. The trek can be quite tough that it takes a lot of time approximately 2-8 hours and the encounter with these unique species is an unusual experience. The hike amidst the jungle while viewing the lovely Rwandan flora and fauna, the impressive panoramic views and magical scenic landscapes of the Virungas would definitely leave you mesmerized. The eventual one hour direct contact with these world’s rarest animals eye to eye with them is worth remembering and getting attracted to their thick beautiful fur while being entertained by the playful young gorillas puts your stressful minds and thoughts into a state of relaxation and happiness quite worth the expensive price of a gorilla ticket.

Retreat from this trip, relax at the lodge and in the evening undertake a trip to the twin lakes of Ruhondo and Bulerafor scenic viewing.

After this encounter, retire at the lodge for overnight stay.

Accommodation:

Luxury: Mount gorilla view lodge

Midrange: Le Bambou Gorilla Lodge

Budget: Muhabura hotel

Day 7: Undertake the Dian Fossey trek.

Have breakfast and then go to visit Dian Fossey ‘s grave to pay tribute to this renown gorilla conservationist who devoted her entire life studying and advocating for gorilla conservation and preservation in Africa. This is at the former Karisoke Research Center where Dian spent over twenty years studying the Mountain Gorillas, and the trek to the site is quite spectacular, passing through bamboo forest and afro-montane habitats. You may spot other wildlife during the visit. Dinner and overnight at the lodge

Accommodation:

Luxury: Mount gorilla view lodge

Midrange: Le Bambou Gorilla Lodge

Budget: Muhabura hotel

Day 8: Golden monkey trekking. Visit the twin lakes in the evening.

After breakfast you will go for Golden monkey trekking. These unique creatures live and thrive in the bamboo vegetation towards the base of the volcanoes and habituation has helped these unique species to overcome their initial shyness to accept their daily visit by researchers and tourists.

Trekking golden monkeys and gorillas is a similar experience – in a small group of not more than 8 people, and visitors are allowed a maximum of 1 hour to spend with the monkeys once they find them.

After this encounter, you will return to the lodge, have lunch and go to visit the twin lakes as you enjoy the cool breeze of the lakes.

Accommodation:

Luxury: Mount gorilla view lodge

Midrange: Le Bambou Gorilla Lodge

Budget: Muhabura hotel

Day 9: Transfer to Nyungwe National Park.

An early wake up will see you starting the Journey to Nyungwe National Park. The drive is approximately 6-7 hours via Kigali city, traversing through small towns and villages and if interested you can look out for several up country mass graves to learn more about the 1994 genocide in Rwanda.

Nyungwe forest is one of the most important bird watching areas in Rwanda with over 275 bird species. The majority are forest specialists and 26 are regional endemics; the forest is also home to wide diversity of animal species, making it a leading option for conservation in Africa. The forest sits in a region where several large scale bio geographical zones meet and the variety of terrestrial biomes provide a wide span of micro habitats for many different species of flora and fauna. The park boasts of over 13 primate species (25% of Africa’s total), 1068 plant species, 85 mammal species, 32 amphibian and 38 reptile species.

Most of these animals are discriminate range species that can hardly be located elsewhere; but only in the Albertine Rift forests of Eastern Africa.

Arrive in the evening for relaxation, Dinner and overnight at the lodge.

Accommodation.

Luxury: Nyungwe Forest Lodge

Mid-Range: Nyungwe hill top view lodge

Budget: Gisakura guest house

Day 10: Chimp trekking & afternoon Nyungwe Canopy walk.

After breakfast, you will get on an experiential trek for chimpanzees in the hard-to-penetrate, dense prehistoric forests of Nyungwe. The trek starts at 8 am with an early briefing session at the park headquarters; before going on to the forest in search of the human’s closest cousins the Chimpanzees. Treading beneath this dense forest and eventually having direct encounter with these chimpanzees for one hour makes the chimp trek unforgettable.

The species live happily and flourish within their natural habitats. They are so impressive to look at for as long as you visit Rwanda, as they chomp fruits; quietly leaping from a tree to the other; rolling themselves on the trees; mating and socializing freely. The activity usually lasts between 2 – 5 hours; after which you return to the lodge for lunch and a short relaxation.

In the afternoon, you assemble at Uwinka Visitor center to embark on the famous Nyungwe Canopy walk. This is the first of its kind in East Africa and the third in the whole of Africa. The canopy walk way is raised to over 40m above the ground and it is 90m long; hanging over a steep deep valley blanketed by a thick forest offers quite impressive scenic views of the landscapes and the floral and faunal species that are found in this area.

Return to the lodge in the evening for relaxation and overnight.

Accommodation

Luxury: Nyungwe Forest Lodge

Mid-Range: Nyungwe hill top view lodge

Budget: Gisakura guest house

Day 11: Transfer from Nyungwe Forest – Kigali city and departure.

Have breakfast ready for a guided nature walk in the forest to see a variety of animals and some of the 280 bird species found here, which include the Rwenzori Turaco and black and white Casqued Hornbill. Go on an escorted walk in search of large groups of the rare colobus monkeys and transfer back to Kigali with lunch enroute. Later catch up with your evening out bound flight to your next destination marking the end of your Rwanda wildlife Safari tour.
End of safari with Love Uganda Safaris