10 days Rwanda wildlife safari with Gorillas
Overview
Rwanda is fast becoming one of the hottest safari destinations on the continent. Leaving a troubled history behind, it’s home to a stirring conservation effort in Akagera, exceptional primate-viewing in Nyungwe and Volcanoes national parks and some of the most sought-after lodges and camps in East Africa. Quite simply, Rwanda is the place to be, and this itinerary will get you to the very heart of this wonderful country.
Day 1. Arrival and hotel transfer
On arrival into Kigali, you will be met by our representative and transferred to your booked hotel. There will be a briefing at the hotel this evening before dinner, but the remainder of the day is at leisure. We can arrange any additional activities for an additional fee.
Overnight at booked hotel
Meal plan: full board
Day 2. Transfer to Akagera national park
After breakfast in Kigali, we will transfer in a 4×4 vehicle with a pop-up roof to the wonderful Akagera National Park. Now run by African Parks, Akagera was once one of the premier game reserves in all of Africa. In fact, the population of African Wild Dogs here was once so high that the park was known as the ‘Parc aux Lycaon’. Sadly, the park fell victim to mismanagement, poaching and habitat destruction in the latter part of the twentieth century, and much of its native fauna was extirpated.
African Parks, however, have done a huge amount to restore Akagera to its former glory. Reintroductions have seen Black Rhino and Lion brought back to the park and establish themselves; careful management has boosted the population of Elephant, Buffalo, Giraffe and even Leopard. Rarities including Selous’ Mongoose and Sitatunga can also be seen by lucky visitors, and we hope to tick off some of these species today.
Overnight at your hotel/lodge
Meal plan: full board
Day 3. Full day game drive
We have a full day in this beautiful park today, exploring the rich wetland areas around the park’s centrepiece, Lake Ihema. Included in your tour cost is a boat safari on the lake itself, an excellent opportunity for close views of Hippo, Elephant and Buffalo as they relax and feed in the water. An additional game drive is another great chance of track down the elusive Lion and Leopard.
Overnight at your hotel/lodge
Meal plan: full board
Day 4&5. Explore more of Akagera National Park
These two days see us shift location slightly to explore a different area of Akagera. Situated further south, we have a good chance of locating the secretive Black Rhino over these two days. We also recommend taking up the opportunity to head out on night drives, which are available at an extra cost. These drives represent the best chance of locating Leopard and other nocturnal creatures.
Overnight at Ruzizi Tented Lodge
Meal plan: full board
Day 6. Transfer to Kigali to Musanze
Today is a driving day, starting with the short hop across back to Kigali. We will pause here for a city tour, taking in the Natural History Museum and a local craft market. Most importantly, we will visit the Genocide Memorial, a haunting and emotional reminder of the atrocities of 1994. Lunch will be offered at the Mille Collines Hotel, immortalised in the film ‘Hotel Rwanda’.
After lunch, we will continue our drive to Musanze, best known as the gateway to Volcanoes National Park.
Overnight at your hotel/lodge
Meal plan: full board
Day 7. Gorilla tracking
After an early breakfast, we will head off for one of the finest wildlife experiences in all of Africa. We will start with a briefing with the rangers in the national park, where we will be assigned a gorilla family ahead of the day’s trek. Please be aware that we may be grouped with other visitors to the park today, depending on the size of our group – the overall group size will be limited to ensure an intimate and special experience.
The trek ahead can last anywhere from a few minutes to several hours – we will be assigned a family of gorillas on the basis of the level of fitness of the group, so you won’t be asked to trek further that you want to! Under the expert guidance of park rangers, we have an extremely high chance of locating the gorillas today. We will be able to spend up to an hour in their presence – a spellbinding experience.
This afternoon you will visit a local cultural village to learn about Rwanda’s pre-colonial history.
Overnight at Home Inn Musanze
Meal plan: full board
Day 8. Transfer to Lake Kivu
This morning we will once again head to the national park, this time in search of the entertaining and acrobatic Golden Monkeys. These wonderful primates make great models, and we’re sure you’ll get some excellent photographs today.
Thereafter, we will drive to the shores of Lake Kivu, where we will overnight near Rubavu – the rest of the day is at leisure.
Overnight at your hotel/lodge
Meal plan: full board
Day 9. Transfer to Nyungwe for Chimpanzee tracking the next day.
Completing our drive south this morning, and what a scenic drive it is, we will find outside in Nyungwe Forest. This afternoon you have a choice of activities, perhaps a walk through the forest canopy, a guided hike, or a quick dip under one of the many local waterfalls.
We will overnight outside the park in anticipation of our chimpanzee trek tomorrow.
Day 10. Chimpanzee and Kigali transfer
This morning we will journey deep into Nyungwe Forest in search of the wonderfully charismatic Chimpanzee. We will aim to intercept them as they descend from the trees at sunrise and, with luck, we will be able to watch them feed and play as they go about their business.
After returning to our hotel, we will head back to Kigali with some great memories in town.
End of 10 days Rwanda wildlife safari with Gorillas.
Included
Park fees (For non-residents)
Gorilla permits (One per person, non-resident)
Chimp permits (One per person, non-resident)
All activities (Unless labeled as optional)
All accommodation (Unless listed as upgrade)
A professional driver/guide
All transportation (Unless labeled as optional)
All Taxes/VAT
Round-trip airport transfer
Meals (As specified in the day-by-day section)
Drinks (As specified in the day-by-day section)
Excluded
International flights (From/to home)
Additional accommodation before and at the end of the tour
Tips (Tipping guideline US$10.00 pp per day)
Personal items (Souvenirs, travel insurance, visa fees, etc.)
Government imposed increase of taxes and/or park fees
Some meals (As specified in the day-by-day section)
10 days Rwanda wildlife safari with Gorillas
