Bwindi Forest Gorilla Tours

9 Days Highlights of Rwanda Safari

9 Days Highlights of Rwanda Safari

Join us on this 9 days Highlights of Rwanda Safari taking you on an African safari journey to the best safari destinations in Rwanda, this safari takes you on a journey to Akagera National Park – one and only savannah national park in Rwanda hosting the big Five (lion, leopards, cape buffaloes, elephants and rhinos) and other wildlife species, Volcanoes National Park – home to the endangered mountain gorillas which you will see on mountain gorilla trekking safari and Nyungwe Forest National Park for chimpanzee trekking.

Brief itinerary of 9 days Highlights of Rwanda Safari

Day 1: Kigali City

Day 2: Kigali – Akagera National Park

Day 3: Akagera National Park

Day 4: Akagera – Kigali

Day 5: Kigali – Nyungwe Forest National Park

Day 6: Nyungwe Forest National Park

Day 7: Nyungwe – Volcanoes National Park

Day 8: Gorilla Trekking

Day 9: Golden Monkey Trekking – Kigali City

Detailed Itinerary of 9 Days Highlights of Rwanda Safari

Day 1: Kigali city

On your arrival at Kigali International Airport, Kigali City – Rwanda, you will be welcomed by our representative and be transferred to your hotel in Kigali City for overnight.

Depending on the time of arrival, you will have a short Kigali city tour visiting the Kigali Genocide Memorial Center, the Kigali Convention Centre, the Inema Arts Centre and Kimironko Market Center.

Accommodation options

Luxury: Four Points by Sheraton Kigali

Midrange: Onomo Hotel Kigali

Budget: Five to Five Hotel

Meal Plan: Dinner

Day 2: Kigali – Akagera National Park

Have breakfast, transfer to Akagera National Park – the only savannah park in Kigali City and home to the African Big Five and other wildlife species. When you arrive in the park, you will head to the lodge for lunch and short rest. In the afternoon you will go for a game drive exploring the park and spotting several animals such as lions, leopards, cape buffaloes, zebras, elands, warthogs, antelopes, giraffes among others. In the evening, you will have an evening boat ride on Lake Ihema enjoying the scenic sights of the lake and aquatic birds such as herons, jacana sandpipers, papyrus gonolek and animals like hippos and crocodiles. Return to the lodge for dinner and night stay.

Accommodation options

Luxury: Magashi Camp

Midrange: Akagera Game Lodge

Budget: Dereva Hotel

Meal Plan: Full Board

Day 3: Akagera National Park

Have breakfast, then head to Akagera National Park for a full day game drive exploring the scenic landscape of the park dominated by savannah plains, acacia trees and swamps, Akagera National Park is the largest protected wetland in the Central Africa and the last remaining refugee for savannah adapted species.

During the game drives that is morning and afternoon game drives with a lunch break (either at your lodge or picnic site), you will see many animals such as hippos, lion, giraffes, elephants, rhinos, leopards, hyenas, zebras among others. Return to the lodge for dinner and overnight stay.

Accommodation options

Luxury: Magashi Camp

Midrange: Akagera Game Lodge

Budget: Dereva Hotel

Meal Plan: Full Board

9 Days Highlights of Rwanda Safari

Day 4: Akagera – Kigali

Wake up for a cup of coffee and head to the park for an early morning game drive on which you will be able to spot predators like hyenas, lions, leopards and elusive bird species such as shoebill stork and the swamp – dwelling Sitatunga. After lunch, you will checkout of your lodge and transfer to Kigali City.

Accommodation options

Luxury: Four Points by Sheraton Kigali

Midrange: Onomo Hotel Kigali

Budget: Five to Five Hotel

Meal Plan: Full Board

Day 5: Kigali – Nyungwe Forest National Park

Have breakfast, meet your guide and transfer to Nyungwe Forest National Park with a stopover in Butare,

Nyungwe Forest National Park is the most preserved forest in Africa and acclaimed as the most important site for biodiversity in Rwanda, the park is home to a huge population of chimpanzees and other 12 species of primates including black and white colobus monkeys and olives baboons among others.

Accommodation options

Luxury: One & Only Nyungwe

Midrange: Nyungwe Top View Hotel

Budget: Nyungwe Eco Village

Meal Plan: Full Board

Day 6: Nyungwe Forest National Park

Have breakfast, head to the park for a morning chimpanzee trek. You will join other trekkers at the park’s headquarters for briefing, be assigned a chimpanzee sector to trek and then head into the forests looking for the chimpanzees. The trek takes approximately 2 to 4 hours or more depending on the movement of the chimpanzees and where they spent the previous night, along the way you will spot other primates such as olive baboons, black and white colobus monkeys and many birds.

When you locate the chimpanzees, you will be allowed to spend one hour in their presence watching them play on tree branches, groom each other, play fight and take fascinating pictures and videos. Return to the park’s headquarters and head to the lodge for lunch.

In the afternoon, you will go an afternoon canopy walk on a high suspended metallic bridge above the Nyungwe Forest. During the walks, you will be treated to views of the Nyungwe Forest, birds and primates playing on tree branches.

Return to the lodge for dinner and overnight.

Accommodation options

Luxury: One & Only Nyungwe

Midrange: Nyungwe Top View Hotel

Budget: Nyungwe Eco Village

Meal Plan: Full Board

Day 7: Nyungwe – Volcanoes National Park

After breakfast, you will transfer to Volcanoes National Park – Home to The Gentle Giants. The vast forested park stretches along Five of the 8 Virunga Volcanoes.

Arrive in the park in the afternoon and spend the rest of the day at relaxation.

Have dinner and overnight stay

Accommodation options

Luxury: Five Volcanoes

Midrange: Lembaboo Gorilla Lodge

Budget: Hotel Muhabura

Meal Plan: Full Board

Day 8: Gorilla Trekking

Have early breakfast and head to the park’s headquarters for briefing from the rangers, you will be grouped into 8 and be assigned of the 10 habituated gorilla families in the jungle of Volcanoes National Park. Head to the starting point and head into the jungle in search for mountain gorillas, the trek through the forest takes approximately 2 – 6 hours depending on the movement of mountain gorillas and their feeding range.

When locate the gorillas, you will spend one hour with the gorillas watching them go on with their daily life, feeding, playing, resting and take amazing pictures and videos.

After the trek, you will go for a visit to the Ib’iwacu Cultural Village for a cultural experience, you will be entertained by local dances and drama, take part in crowning of the King and visiting the local herbalist. Return to the lodge for dinner and overnight.

Accommodation options

Luxury: Five Volcanoes

Midrange: Lembaboo Gorilla Lodge

Budget: Hotel Muhabura

Meal Plan: Full Board

Day 9: Golden Monkey Trekking – Kigali city

Have early breakfast and head to the park’s headquarters for briefing about golden monkey trekking then head into the forests, the golden monkeys are known for their unique characters and are a rare species that are endangered. The golden monkeys are easily recognized due to the yellow patches that can be seen all over their bodies, you will see these beautiful creatures playing on tree branches of bamboo trees and take amazing pictures of them.

Return to the lodge for lunch and transfer back to Kigali for your return flight.

9 Days Highlights of Rwanda Safari

 

 

 

 

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