7 Days Best of Rwanda Safari
This 7 Days Best of Rwanda Safari takes you on an incredible Rwanda Safari visiting Akagera National Park, Nyungwe Forest National Park and Volcanoes National Park. On this Rwanda Tour you will enjoy incredible sightings of the Big Five – lion, leopard, cape buffaloes, elephants and rhinos.
Highlights of 7 Days Best of Rwanda Safari
- Day 1: Arrival and transfer to Akagera National Park
- Day 2: Morning Game drive and afternoon boat cruise
- Day 3: Transfer to Nyungwe Forest National Park via Kigali city
- Day 4: Chimpanzee tracking and canopy walk
- Day 5: Transfer to Kibuye Gisenyi (Lake Kivu)
- Day 6: Gorilla trekking in Volcanoes National Park and Departure
- Day 7: Transfer back to Kigali – Departure
Detailed Itinerary of 7 Days Best of Rwanda Safari
Day 1: Arrival and transfer to Akagera National Park
Your Rwanda Safari commences with pick up from your hotel in Kigali or from the airport upon arrival and embark on a journey to Akagera National Park after a brief Kigali City Tour visiting Gisozi Genocide Memorial. On arrival, you will check in at your lodge for lunch and short rest. In the afternoon you will go for your first game drive in the savannah plains of Akagera.
Meals: Lunch and Dinner
Accommodation: Akagera Rhino Lodge or similar
Day 2: Morning Game drive and afternoon boat cruise
Wake up early for breakfast and head to the park for a morning game drive in search for lions, elephants, giraffes, buffaloes, zebras, leopards and other mammals and a lot of bird species resident in the park. Enjoy the beautiful scenic views of savannah grassland and aquatic vegetation along the shores of Akagera River. Return to your lodge for a delicious lunch.
In the afternoon you will go for a boat cruise on Lake Ihema, explore the beautiful lake and get up close to huge crocodiles basking on the shores. Later in the evening, return to your lodge for relaxation, dinner and overnight.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Accommodation: Akagera Rhino Lodge or similar
Day 3: Transfer to Nyungwe Forest National Park via Kigali city
After a delicious breakfast, begin your journey to Nyungwe Forest National Park via Kigali City. You will have a brief tour of the Craft Market to buy souvenir craft items, have African buffet lunch and continue south west and visit the national museum to get a brief history of historical events in Rwanda. Later on, proceed to Nyungwe Forest National Park. Upon arrival, check in at your lodge for dinner and overnight stay.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Accommodation: Nyungwe Forest Top Hill View Lodge
Day 4: Chimpanzee tracking and canopy walk
Wake up early for breakfast and head to the park headquarters for briefing about gorilla trekking, then head into the forests of Nyungwe looking for the playful chimpanzee. The trek takes approximately 2 to 4 hours or more depending on the movement of the chimpanzees and where they spent their previous night.
You will spend one hour in the presence of the chimpanzee observing the behavior, watch them play, feed and groom each other. Later return to your lodge for lunch and in the afternoon, you will take a canopy walk over the thick rain forests and get a thrill of getting closest to wildlife in the forest.
Return to your lodge for dinner and overnight.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Accommodation: Lake Kivu Marina Bay or similar
Day 5: Transfer to Kibuye Gisenyi (Lake Kivu)
Enjoy a leisurely breakfast, check out and transfer to Kibuye – Gisenyi. On arrival, check in at your lodge and later take a tour of Bugarama Hot Springs where you may take a shower of the hot water from the springs rich in natural mineral content and potential to cure skin ailments, unique on safari to Rwanda.
Later take a boat cruise to explore beautiful scenery of Lake Kivu and thereafter transfer to Gisenyi a coastal town also on close to Volcanoes National Park for relaxation, dinner and overnight stay.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Accommodation: Five Volcanoes Boutique Hotel
Day 6: Gorilla trekking in Volcanoes National Park and Departure
Wake up early for breakfast and head to the park headquarters in Kinigi for briefing about gorilla trekking. In groups of 8 people you will be assigned a gorilla family to trek, head into the forest looking for mountain gorillas.
The trek in search for mountain gorillas takes approximately 30 minutes to 5 hours or more depending on the movement of the gorillas and where they spent their previous night. Upon locating them you will spend one hour in their presence watching them play, feed, groom each other and take amazing pictures.
After this exciting experience you will trek back to the park headquarters, meet your driver-guide and return to your lodge for lunch and an afternoon of rest.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Accommodation: Five Volcanoes Boutique Hotel
Day 7: Transfer back to Kigali – Departure
After breakfast, you will check out of the lodge and embark on a journey back to Kigali where you will be dropped off at the airport for your flight back home or to your next destination
Meals: Breakfast and Lunch
End of 7 Days Best of Rwanda Safari
Safari Inclusions
- Transport in a 4WD Land cruiser or a Luxury Safari Van with pop-up roof for excellent safari view.
- All fuel for the tour.
- English speaking driver/guide.
- Accommodation as stated in the itinerary.
- All meals as per itinerary.
- Park-entrance fees according to the program
- All activities described in the itinerary.
- Chimpanzee permit per person
- Gorilla trekking permit per person
Excluding:
- International air fares
- Meals that are not part of your accommodation.
- A porter for during the gorilla tracking (someone who carries your day pack).
- Personal (medical/travel) insurance.
- Tips and gratuities to rangers, driver/guide, porter, hotel staff, etc.
- All expenses of personal nature (e.g., drinks, laundry, optional activities, souvenirs etc.)
