7 DAYS RWANDA SAFARI
Overview
7 days Rwanda safari, 6 nights and 7 days long Rwanda tour introduces you to 3 of the 4 National Parks in Rwanda. These include Volcanoes National Park, Akagera National Park and Nyungwe Forest National Park. The major safari activities to expect to be part of while on the 7 days Rwanda safari tour include gorilla trekking, game viewing (game drives & boat cruise) and chimpanzee tracking.
Brief itinerary
Day 1: Akagera National Park
Day 2: Wildlife viewing & Launch cruise
Day 3: Akagera to Nyungwe National Park, Rwanda
Day 4: Chimpanzee trekking, Canopy- Nyungwe
Day 5: From Nyungwe to Volcanoes N/Park
Day 6: Gorilla trekking
Day 7: Golden monkey trekking & departure
Detailed itinerary
Day 1: Akagera National Park
After breakfast, meet your Rwanda safari driver for briefing about your trip and later, drive to the Eastern Province of Rwanda to visit Akagera National Park. From Kigali to Akagera is 2 hours 30 minutes’ drive and you will get there in a full time 4×4 rental car in Rwanda.
Arrive early at Akagera, check in at the safari lodge for lunch and later, you will enjoy the first guided game drive. There are numerous game tracks to explore while on a game drive with possible animal sightings such as bush bucks, buffaloes, elephants, lions, warthogs, birds and others.
Accommodation:
- Budget: Karenge Bush Camp/Dereva Hotel
- Midrange: Akagera Game Lodge
- Luxury: Magashi Tented Camp/Ruzizi Tented Lodge
Day 2: Wildlife viewing & Launch cruise
Game drive in Akagera is without doubt one of the main highlights on Rwanda safaris. It is one of the incredible opportunities to explore Akagera National Park’s wildlife species while in your 4×4 vehicle with safari guide. You will begin your wildlife viewing early morning after breakfast, take about 2-4 hours exploring and experiencing the 1122sq.kms Akagera National Park.
Your game drive in Akagera comes with astonishing sightings ranging from giraffes, elephants, leopards, lions, hyenas, buffaloes, rhinos. Also, expect to see diversity of antelopes including bush bucks, impalas, topis, water bucks, klipspringers and more. There are also lots of elands, sitatungas and others.
Birds are among the interesting creatures which you shouldn’t miss sighting on a morning game drive. A total of 500 bird species are sheltered within Akagera N/Park. After your game drive, drive back for lunch at the lodge, relax and later, be part of the launch or boat cruise 3-4 hours along Lake Ihema.
Lake Ihema launch cruise excursion involves sighting hippos, crocodiles and water birds in large numbers. Retreat from a boat excursion, settle at the lodge for relaxation, dine and retire for the night.
Accommodation:
- Budget: Karenge Bush Camp/Dereva Hotel
- Midrange: Akagera Game Lodge
- Luxury: Magashi Tented Camp/Ruzizi Tented Lodge
Day 3: Akagera to Nyungwe National Park, Rwanda
Exit your lodge in Akagera NP, drive up to Nyungwe Forest National Park. Pass through Kigali city where you will enjoy an en-route lunch and later proceed to Nyungwe Forest National Park.
Accommodation:
- Budget: Gisakura Guesthouse
- Midrange: Nyungwe Top Hill Lodge
- Luxury: Nyungwe Forest Lodge
Day 4: Chimpanzee trekking, Canopy walk tour- Nyungwe
After breakfast, all chimpanzee trekkers shall be required to assemble at visitor centre/reception in Nyungwe Forest National Park for briefing. Learn what set rules and regulations to follow while on a trek to see chimpanzees in Nyungwe Forest. After you have been assigned to park guide, the actual chimpanzee trek begins at 8:00am and expect to take 2-4 hours.
When your group has finally come across chimpanzee community, there will be only one hour to enjoy face to face encounter with chimps, taking pictures, learning how they live, socialize, feeding habits, copulation and more. The fact that you will be winding through the rain-forest, higher chances are you will come across different primates in addition to chimpanzees and they include colobus monkeys, l’hoest monkeys, vervet, red colobus, red tailed monkeys and more.
Return thereafter and have enough time to chill, enjoy lunch offered at the lodge. In the afternoon, canopy walk experience will be an addition to your morning chimpanzee tracking adventure. You will be exploring the canopy walkway suspended 70m from the ground and 160kms long taking you about 2 hours.
On a canopy walk, there are lots of primates and birds to see. The canopy walk begins from Uwinka Visitor Centre and you will navigate through Igishigishigi trail. After your exploration on canopy walk, retreat and have time to share your long day experiences, tell stories, dine and spend a night.
Accommodation:
- Budget: Gisakura Guesthouse
- Midrange: Nyungwe Top Hill Lodge
- Luxury: Nyungwe Forest Lodge
Day 5: From Nyungwe to Volcanoes N/Park
Wake up early to enjoy a hefty breakfast, after, meet your Rwanda driver guide for transfer to Volcanoes National Park. En-route, enjoy lunch then proceed to the park not forgetting magical view of Lake Kivu.
Volcanoes National Park is with no doubt Rwanda’s most sought for National Park and only one in Rwanda to visit for gorilla trekking. Located 2 hours’ drive from Kigali, Volcanoes National Park is 160sq.kms and a home to diversity of wildlife including mountain gorillas, spotted hyenas, golden monkeys, bush bucks, black fronted duikers, elephants, buffaloes and over 200 birds.
Volcanoes National Park protects birds such as lagden’s bush, Ruwenzori double collared sunbird, crested barbet, red chested sunbird, African green broadbill, African goshawk, lesser honey guide, African swamp hen, grey headed bush shrike and others. Some of these can be spotted solely on birding tour or combined with gorilla trekking safari.
Accommodation:
- Budget: Muhabura Hotel/Kinigi Guesthouse/Villa Gorilla
- Mid-range: Da Vinci Lodge/Hotel La Palme/Le Bambou Gorilla Lodge
- Luxury: Bisate Lodge/Mountain Gorilla View Lodge/Singita Kwitonda Lodge
Day 6: Gorilla trekking
After an early morning breakfast, expect to transfer to Kinigi for briefing and this will be the time for you to get to know the guidelines to be followed when tracking mountain gorillas. When leaving the lodge, ensure that you have carried pack of snacks, bottled water. Allocation of gorilla families will be done on this day and there are 12 habituated families of mountain gorillas to track but only one is trekked by 8pax.
How long your gorilla trek in Volcanoes National Park Rwanda will last all depends on your physical fitness level, nature of the habitat, location of gorillas etc. Once you have found a family you were searching for, then you will be guaranteed of 1 hour of face to face encounter, photography and deep understanding about their daily behaviors.
Retreat from trekking mountain gorillas, then in the evening, a cultural trip will be done in the nearby community- Iby’Iwacu village. Have in-depth experience and exploration about the Rwandese unique cultures, practices, get entertained from the dances, music performances, storytelling and more.
Accommodation:
- Budget: Muhabura Hotel/Kinigi Guesthouse/Villa Gorilla
- Mid-range: Da Vinci Lodge/Hotel La Palme/Le Bambou Gorilla Lodge
- Luxury: Bisate Lodge/Mountain Gorilla View Lodge/Singita Kwitonda Lodge
Day 7: Golden monkey trekking & departure
Enjoy a heavy breakfast, after, briefing on golden monkey tracking rules and regulations at Kinigi. Volcanoes National Park Rwanda is one of the kind spots in Africa and world at large where golden monkeys and mountain gorillas share the same habitat. Expect to spend 2-4 hours on golden monkey track after briefing and there is one hour to enjoy a face to face interaction.
Retreat from tracking golden monkeys, have early lunch. After, meet your Rwanda safari guide/driver for return trip to Kigali. Today marks the end of your 7 days Rwanda safari.
End of safari
Inclusions
- Golden monkey permits
- Gorilla permits
- Chimp permits
- Park entry fees
- Game drives
- Launch cruise
- Bottled water
- All Rwanda tour activities listed on 7 days Rwanda safari
- Travel by road 4×4 wheel drive vehicle
- English-speaking driver guide service
- Accommodation 6 nights in all the 3 parks
Exclusions
- Cigars
- Insurance
- Visas
- Airfares
- Laundry
- Telephone
- Tips
- Shopping expenses
- Accommodation after 7 days safari in Rwanda