The 9 days Rwanda safari will give you the best of Rwanda’s tourist attractions. From Akagera national park; that now is home to the Big 5 where you will have a chance to sight the big game like leopards, lions, elephants, lions, buffaloes, rhinos and a variety of birds. The trip then takes you to Volcanoes national park a home to mountain gorilla s and the endangered Golden monkeys. It will then take you south of Rwanda to Nyungwe for chimpanzee tracking having a night and relaxation on Lake Kivu.
Day 1: Arrival & Hotel Transfer
Upon arrival at Kigali international airport, you will be welcomed by our company representative or driver / guide who will brief you about the tour and depending on the time of your arrival, you will do for a short city tour within Kigali and visit the Kigali genocide memorial site. Dinner and overnight stay at your Hotel.
Day 2: Transfer to Akagera National Park & Evening Boat Cruise
After breakfast, drive through Kigali then connect through the terraced hills of Rwanda to Akagera National park. Upon arrival in the park, you will check in at your lodge for a bit relaxation and lunch. In the evening go for a short southern Lake Ihema game drive. Look out for animals such as elephants, giraffes, buffaloes, zebras, hippos, crocodiles and many more like roan antelopes and do some sunset photography (Animals against the sun).
Day 3: Morning game drive & Afternoon boat cruise
Wake up early in the morning have breakfast, after which you will go for a Northern circuit game drive to search for animals that you may have missed out in the previous game drive. This will be in search for the early risers like the lions, leopard, hyena, striped Jackal. It will also offer you an opportunity to encounter and enjoy to the fullest the variety of wildlife the park to offer. You will return to the lodge for lunch after the drive.
In the afternoon, do a boat cruise on L. Ihema which is the largest of all the lakes in the park. The cruise will bring you close the aquatic like in the park like hippos, crocodiles and a variety of birdlife (525 species recorded in the park) like African fish Eagle, African Jacana, King fishers among others.
Day 4: Transfer to Volcanoes National Park & Cultural Walk
After an early breakfast, connect to Volcanoes national park (216km) from Akagera national park. Volcanoes national park is known as a haven for mountain Gorillas and is home to five of the Volcanoes that make the Virunga ranges. The park was base for Zoologist Diane Fossey. On arrival check in at your lodge for refreshment and lunch.
After lunch, 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 Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park through provision of conservation incentives, supporting community enterprise development and livelihood based projects. It’s a rewarding place where you will be guided around the place as you enjoy the Kinyarwanda traditions including the Intore dance, traditional ceremonies and a guided community walk. After return to your lodge for an overnight and folk tales as you gather on the fire.
Day 5: Gorilla trekking & Transfer to Lake Kivu
Rise early and have breakfast at the lodge, then transfer to the park headquarters where you will be briefed by park ranger on how to carry out gorilla tracking. Hiking on the slippery and muddy Volcanoes slopes with nettles is quite challenging. But the encounter with mountain gorillas erases all the challenges of the hikes. You will be allowed to stay with these gentle giants for an hour for observation and photography. (No flash lights allowed during photography).
Day 6: Sunrise boat cruise & transfer to Nyungwe Forest
Wake up have breakfast and do a sunrise boat cruise on Lake Kivu. There after transfer to Nyungwe national park. Along the way you will visit the new Visitor’s Interpretive Centre to give you more information about the park such as number of primate species found in the park, types of bird species and other tourist activities carried out with in the Park. Check in at your Hotel for Lunch. In the afternoon, you can go for a nature walk in the forest (Optional). You will have to hike through lush forests and endless green tea fields while taking the stunning views of the surroundings.
Day 7: Chimpanzee trekking & Canopy walk
Have an early breakfast, drive to the park headquarters in Nyungwe forest for briefing before going for chimpanzee tracking. It is advisable to carry packed lunch and plenty of water prior to this tracking since it can sometimes last over 6 hours. In the forest, you will not only see chimpanzees to but also variety of animals and birds like the Rwenzori Turaco, Black and white casqued horn bill, colobus monkeys. Chimpanzee tracking in Nyungwe forest national park takes you the thick forest of Nyungwe, walking onto sounds of the beautiful birds just to meet with man’s nearest cousin in the forest. When you finally meet them, you can take as many pictures as you want as long as the camera doesn’t have a flash.
Day 8: Visit Butare (Rwanda national museum and Nyanza Kings palace museum)
Early in the morning after breakfast, transfer to Butare town which was the first country’s Capital city. Along the way, you will pass through wonderful and magnificent hills and cultivated countryside. Visit the Rwanda national museum. The Museum will provide you with more information about Rwanda’s history and culture. You will have local cuisine lunch. Proceed for about an hour and have a stopover at the royal King’s Palace in Nyanza for a cultural description about the history of Rwanda. Then check in into your Hotel and have lunch.
Day 9: Transfer to Kigali & Departure
This day will mark the end of the 9 day safari in Rwanda. You will wake up in the morning, have breakfast and then transfer to the airport for your exit flight.
