Overview
Rwanda offers one of the best tourism experiences in East Africa characterized by views of several geographical features, wild animals and bird species. The 10 days Rwanda safari starts with pick up from Kigali international airport and Kigali city tour on the first day, transfer to Volcanoes national park, gorilla trekking experience, golden monkey trekking, boat cruise on Lake Kivu, Nyungwe forest national park experiences, Akagera national park and then return to Kigali on Day 10.
Detailed itinerary
Upon arrival at Kigali International airport, you will meet our professional driver guide who will brief you about the 10 days safari. He will then lead you on a tour around the capital city – Kigali from where you will have an opportunity of visiting historical places such as the Genocide memorial center where a thousand of Rwandese lost their lives during the 1994 Rwanda genocide.
You will see the remains of genocide victims at the memorial center. Other places to visit include local markets such as Kirimonko market and get to interact with locals. You can also visit some of the craft shops within the city such as Inema Art Centre from where you can grab yourself a craft to remind you of the trip even when you have left.
Check into the lodge / hotel of your choice for relaxation, dinner and overnight.
After a morning breakfast, get in touch with your driver / guide and embark on the two to three hour drive journey northwestwards. The park covers about 160 square kilometers covered by rain forests and encompasses 5 of 8 Virunga Volcanoes that is Karisimbi, Bisoke, Gahinga, Muhabura and Sabyinyo.
Upon arrival, check into the lodge of your choice and have lunch alongside relaxation. Immediately after lunch, you will drive to the park headquarters from where you will meet a ranger who will lead you on the hike to Dian Fossey grave. Along the way, you will meet several animal and bird species such as buffaloes, elephants, duikers, etc. You will also get to learn about Dian Fossey and her contribution towards conservation and habituation of mountain gorillas in Volcanoes national park.
Return to your lodge for dinner and overnight.
Day three is yet another day of exploring the magical Volcanoes national park. After an early morning breakfast, you will meet your driver and go to park headquarters from where you will be briefed by rangers about the dos and don’ts of the trekking activity. You will be assigned a specific gorilla group to trek.
Volcanoes national park is a home to 18 gorilla families 12 of which are ready for trekking. You will enter the forest and start the trekking. Seeing the gorillas depends on how fast you walk and where the gorillas spent the previous night. Upon meeting them, you are given one hour of interacting with them, as they play, feed and mate, including taking pictures.
Meet your driver at the park headquarters and drive back to the lodge for lunch and relaxation.
In the afternoon you can choose to stay around the lodge or visit the Ibyi’wacu cultural village and get to learn about their traditions, enjoy their entertainment, etc.
Return to your lodge for dinner and overnight.
After an early morning breakfast, you will get in touch with your drive and head to the park headquarters for briefing and guidance about the trek. You will be allocated a monkey family to trek and begin the trekking their and then.
During the trekking, you will meet quite a number of other animals such as elephants, duikers, forest hogs. Upon meeting the monkeys you are given a full hour to spend in their presence as you take pictures and watch them socialize.
Return to the lodge for lunch.
After lunch, drive towards the border of Rwanda and DRC – Lake Kivu. Check in to the lodge of your choice for dinner and spend a night.
After a delicious morning breakfast accompanied by spectacular views of Lake Kivu, you will join the morning boat cruise. The cruise introduces you to quite a number of aquatic animals such as crocodiles and hippopotamuses and several bird species such as bronzed sun bird, spotted yellow-throated greenbul, speckled pigeons, wood peckers, etc.
Return to the lodge for lunch.
In the afternoon you will embark on the guided nature walk before returning to the lodge for dinner and overnight.
After a delicious morning breakfast, you will check out of the lodge and get in touch with your driver guide who will lead you on the five hour drive journey to Nyungwe Forest national.
The journey is characterized by views of beautiful scenery, plantations, rolling hills and lunch en-route.
Upon arrival, check in to the lodge of your choice for relaxation. There is an optional evening nature walk around the lodge which provides you with an opportunity of scenic views and seeing several bird species. You will return to the lodge for dinner and spend a night.
After an early morning breakfast, connect with your driver guide and drive to the park headquarters for briefing about the dos and don’ts of the trekking. You will also be assigned a chimpanzee family to trek and the activity begins there and then. The ranger will lead you into the deeper parts of Nyungwe forest from where you will meet the chimps and interact with them for an hour as you take pictures and watch them play, feed and mate. Along the way, you will see quite a number of primate, bird and animal species.
Return to your lodge for relaxation and lunch.
In the afternoon, drive to the park headquarters from where you will be guided on what to do with canopy walking. You will be assigned a ranger to lead you on the 90 meter bridge and walk on top of the forest. It is from here that you will have scenic views of the neighboring features, see quite a number of bird and tree species some of which are restricted to the area.
Return to the lodge in the later hours of the day, relax, have dinner and spend a night.
Have an early morning breakfast, check out of the lodge, meet your driver / guide and embark on the 324 kilometer road to Akagera national park located in Eastern Rwanda.
The road is blessed with beautiful scenery and takes you through rolling hills, trading centers, etc.
Upon arrival, check in to the lodge of your choice and have yourself a delicious lunch.
In the afternoon you will embark on a game drive that will take you to different parts of the park and you will see animals like giraffes, lions, leopards, elephants, etc.
It is only in Akagera national park that you have a chance of seeing all the Big five animals in one place.
Return to your lodge for dinner and overnight.
After a morning game drive, you will meet your driver and embark on a morning game drive. The game drive will take you to deeper parts of the mighty Akagera, you will watch more bird species such as suaza shrike, raptors, the rare shoebill stork, the great sniper bird, jacana and herons. You will get to see more animals that you might have missed the previous day.
Return to the lodge for lunch
Immediately after lunch, meet your driver and go to Lake Ihema for an amazing afternoon boat cruise. The boat cruise will offer you an opportunity of seeing animals like crocodiles, buffaloes, elephants, rhinoceros, hippopotamuses, etc.
Return to the lodge for relaxation, dinner and overnight.
After a morning breakfast, check out of the lodge, meet your driver and start your journey back to Kigali. If time allows you, pass by Genocide memorial center and get to look at the remains of those who lost their lives during the 1994 Rwanda genocide.
Continue to Kigali international airport for a flight back home hence coming to an end of 10 days best of Rwanda safari.
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