Itinerary
14 days Rwanda safari
Experience the beauty of Rwanda also known as the land of thousand hills during the 14 days Rwanda safari. The trip exposes you amazing landscapes of the country that features a mixture of savannah, forests, lakes, and mountainous areas. In the 14 days trip, you will face the mountains gorillas, chimps and the unique golden monkeys at a close distance and then go for a wildlife tour at Akagera national park a relaxing moment at Lake Kivu and with the local people during a cultural experience.
Highlights of the safari
Day 1: Arrival in Kigali
Day 2: City Tour
Day 3: Transfer to Akagera national park and game drive
Day 4: Game drive and boat cruise
Day 5: Visiting the local pastoralists
Day 6: Transfer to Nyungwe forest national park
Day 7: Chimpanzee trekking and nature walk
Day 8: Colobus monkey tracking
Day 9: Transfer to Volcanoes national park
Day 10: Gorilla trekking experience
Day 11: Golden monkey trekking
Day 12: Transfer to Lake Kivu
Day 13: Full day relaxation at lake Kivu
Day 14: Drive back to Kigali
Detailed itinerary
Day 1: Arrival in Kigali
On the first day of the Rwanda safari, you will be welcomed and received by your guide/driver at the airport who will transfer you to the hotel of your booking for refreshment and resting.
Accommodation options – Luxury -Kigali Serena Hotel
Midrange – The Manor Hotel
Budget – Discover Rwanda Hotel
Day 2: Kigali City tour
Wake up for your healthy breakfast at the lodge and then go for a city tour to places like the genocide memorial where you will hear the stories about the genocide incident from the genocide survivors. Also, you will go for a visit the national museum, art and craft shops where you can buy different souvenirs and many others stuffs to use during the trip. Later after the tour, you will drive back to the lodge for dinner and overnight.
Accommodation options – Luxury -Kigali Serena Hotel
Midrange – The Manor Hotel
Budget – Discover Rwanda Hotel
Day 3: Transfer to Akagera national park and game drive
After your breakfast, you will checkout of the lodge for your transfer to Akagera national park. During the transfer, expect to fancy your eyes with beautiful landscapes of the country and vegetation covers. Arrive at the lodge of your booking in the lunch time hours and later proceed for an afternoon game drive where you will spot a number of wildlife species like lions, elephants, impalas, buffalos, topis, zebras and many others. After, return to the lodge for dinner and overnight.
Accommodation options: Akagera lodge – Luxury
Akagera game lodge – midrange
Akagera game lodge – Budget
Day 4: Game drive and boat cruise
Wake up for the early morning game drive with your packed breakfast. During this drive, you will catch the beautiful sunrise in the wild and also spot the early hunters like lions, hyenas, leopards and others. In the afternoon, you will return to the lodge for lunch and later go for a relaxing boat cruise on the calm waters of Lake Ihema. During the experience, enjoy an afternoon breeze on the calm waters a you sight several species like birds and different wildlife such as crocodiles, hippos and others. After, you will drive back to the lodge for relaxation, dinner and overnight.
Accommodation at: Akagera lodge – Luxury
Akagera game lodge – midrange
Akagera game lodge – Budget
Day 5: Visiting the local pastoralists
In the morning after breakfast, you will go for a village walk in the nearby homesteads where you will meet the local pastoralists. During the visit, you will engage in different activities like milking the cows with your hands. From milking, the herdsmen will teach other stuffs like hot to traditionally convert the milk to other products like ghee and yoghurt.
Day 6: Transfer to Nyungwe forest national park
Wake up for your breakfast and leave for Nyungwe forest national park the home of the endangered chimpanzees. The forest is known for protecting the rich rainforests of the park and about 13 species of primates like chimps, L’Hoest monkeys, colobus monkeys aver 300 bird species. As you drive to Nyungwe, expect a stopover at Huye for lunch and then proceed to the park where you will arrive in the evening hours. Check in at the lodge of your booking for dinner and overnight.
Accommodation options: Nyungwe forest lodge (luxury)
Nyungwe Hotel (midrange)
Gisakura Guest House (budget)
Day 7: Chimpanzee trekking experience
Have your breakfast and go for a chimpanzee trekking activity in Nyungwe forest where you will spot several species of primates like chimpanzees, L’Hoest monkeys, colobus monkeys and others. Also, you will spot numerous bird species since the park hosts over 300 bird species.
For the chimpanzee trekking experience, it will begin with a pre-trek briefing at the park headquarters where you will be given all the necessary information and instructions about the experience. After the brief, you will proceed to the park forests to search for the primates and once they are found, you will be allowed to spend an hour in their presence.
After trek, you will return to the lodge for lunch and later go for an optional canopy walk. The walk provides excellent views of the park forests.
Accommodation options: Nyungwe forest lodge – Luxury
Nyungwe Hotel – midrange
Gisakura Guest House – budget
Day 8: Colobus monkey tracking
Wake up for breakfast and leave go for a pre trek briefing at the park headquarters. From the briefing, you will be led by the ranger guide into the rainforests in search of the unique golden monkeys and during your time with them, enjoy their playful acts and other lifestyles like feeding, grooming and others. The 1 hour you will spend with these species will surely be valuable. Later after the track, you will drive back to the lodge for relaxation, dinner and overnight.
Day 9: Drive to Volcanoes national park
Leave Nyungwe forest national park for Volcanoes national park after breakfast. Volcanoes is known for hosting almost half of the world’s endangered mountain gorillas. As you drive to the park, explore the beauty of Rwanda as you take amazing pictures at different stopovers.
Accommodation at Bisate lodge
La Palme Hotel
Muhabura Hotel
Day 10: Gorilla trekking experience
Wake up for your breakfast at the lodge and then meet your driver for your transfer to the headquarters of the park by 8 am for pre trek briefing where you will be told about the dos and don’ts during gorilla trekking experience. After, you will move to the park’s forests for the amazing adventure which is gorilla tracking. The experience involves hiking through the park rainforests in search of the endangered mountain gorillas. The experience takes about 30 to 6 hours depending on the location of the assigned gorilla group. After the allocation of these species, you will be able to enjoy their daily lifestyles like playing, breastfeeding and others. Also, during the experience, you will be able to spot other animals like the golden monkeys, elephants, buffaloes as well as beautiful bird species. Later after the activity, you will move back to the lodge for refreshments, dinner and overnight.
Day 11: Golden Monkey tracking and cultural experience
Have your breakfast at the lodge and then drive to the park headquarters for briefing about the dos and don’ts during the experience. You will then move to the park forests by the guidance of the ranger to search for the apes and once they are allocated, you will be allowed to spend an hour in their presence.
Later, you will drive back to the lodge for lunch and then prepare for community village where you will get a chance of becoming a King or Queen for a day. This community visit will take place in Gorilla Guardians Village and after you will move back to the lodge for dinner and overnight.
Day 12: Transfer to Lake Kivu
From here, you will proceed to Lake Kivu for amazing water experiences. The lake is one of the African Great lakes that lies on the border between D.R. Congo and Rwanda. Upon the arrival at the lake, you will check in at the lodge of your booking for relaxation, dinner and overnight.
Accommodation at: Kivu Serena Hotel (luxury)
Paradise hotel -deluxe (midrange)
Paradise hotel-standard (budget)
Day 13: An experience at Lake Kivu
Wake up for breakfast and go for amazing experiences on the shores of the beautiful Lake Kivu. While at the lake, engage in different experiences like boat trip, kayaking and also a chance to visit DR Congo – Rwanda border. After the full day relaxation along the lake shores, you will return to the lodge for dinner and overnight.
Day 14: Transfer to Kigali and departure
On the last day of the trip, you will start with your breakfast at the lodge and then embark on your journey back to Kigali for your departure flight.
