9 Days Explore Rwanda Safari
Our 9 days Explore Rwanda safari has been carefully designed to give you the best experience while on your safari in Rwanda. During this 9 days Explore Rwanda safari, you will be visiting all three national parks in the country including; Akagera, Nyungwe Forest and Volcanoes national parks.
Highlights for 9 Days Explore Rwanda Safari
Day 1: Arrival and transfer to Akagera National Park
Day 2: Game drive and Lake Ihema boat cruise.
Day 3: Transfer to Nyungwe National Park
Day 4: Chimpanzee tracking
Day 5: Waterfall nature walk and transfer to Lake Kivu – Kibuye
Day 6: Transfer to Volcanoes national park – twin lakes
Day 7: Gorilla trekking experience
Day 8: Golden Monkeys tracking and return to Kigali
Day 9: Departure
Detailed Itinerary for 9 Days Explore Rwanda Safari
Day 1: Arrival and transfer to Akagera national park
Following your arrival at Kigali airport/depending on your location in Kigali, our company representative/ driver-guide will be meeting you to start your tour. Start with a brief city tour and visit the Kigali genocide memorial before you embark on a 2-3 hours’ drive to Akagera national park. Arriving late evening then connect to your lodge for relaxation dinner and overnight stay.
Day 2: Game drive and Lake Ihema boat cruise.
After a morning breakfast, you will embark on a morning game drive around the park for a rewarding wildlife views. Expect to encounter the Big five including the Lions, elephants, buffaloes, leopards, cape buffaloes and the recently introduced Rhinos along with other animals including; giraffes, warthogs, waterbucks, zebras, hyenas and different antelope species. Expect to also see over 500 species of birds. The game drive may last for about 3-4 hours. Return to the lodge for lunch and relax as you wait for the next activity.
In the afternoon, the driver will pick up for a boat cruise on Lake Ihema-the second largest lake in Rwanda after Lake Kivu. The boat trip exposes you to plenty of wildlife on the lake shores which come to cool off and drink water including hippos, buffaloes, huge crocodiles and birds such as malachite kingfisher and fish eagle.
After the amazing cruise, drive out of the park to connect back to Kigali for dinner and overnight stay.
Day 3: Transfer to Nyungwe National Park
After enjoying your delicious breakfast at leisure, embark on your journey to Nyungwe Forest National Park which is a 6-7 hours’ drive from Kigali with en-route visit the national museum in Butare. Proceed to Nyungwe and connect for a canopy walk before you connect to your lodge to rest. You will go on a walking trail that will take you to the Canopy Walk-a swing bridge 50 meters in length that is suspended from large trees; you will be able to see the amazing rainforest with a bird’s eye view, spotting wildlife moving below you. Dinner and overnight stay at your hotel or lodge in Nyungwe.
Day 4: Chimpanzee tracking
Enjoy breakfast and go for briefing about the endangered chimpanzees before entering the forest in search of the active and playful fellows in Nyungwe forest. The Chimpanzees are much easier to spot as they jump from one tree to another, chattering and laughing. Chimpanzee tracking usually takes about 3 hours. On finding them, spend an hour while taking pictures and videos. You will then return to your accommodation for lunch. Spend the rest of your time at leisure at the lodge.
Day 5: Water fall nature walk and transfer to Lake Kivu – Kibuye
After having breakfast, connect to enter the forest on a forest walk to the waterfalls, you will encounter different birds and primates. Reaching the waterfalls is relaxing and refreshing. Thereafter, transfer to Lake Kivu in Kibuye. Head back to your lodge for dinner and overnight stay.
Day 6: Transfer to Volcanoes national park – twin lakes
After breakfast at leisure, transfer to Volcanoes National Park, home to the endangered mountain gorillas in Rwanda. It’s a 2-3 hours’ drive from Lake Kivu with en-route stops for pictures. Arrive in Musanze and connect to check-in your lodge. After lunch, visit the twin lakes of Burera and Ruhondo. The twin lakes area is very scenic, with steep and intensively farmed hills surrounding the pristine dark blue waters. They offer magnificent views over the whole of the Virunga Volcanoes. Return to your lodge with an amazing view overlooking the Virunga Volcanoes. Dinner will be served at our lodge.
Day 7: Gorilla trekking experience
After early morning breakfast, you will be transferred to the park headquarters for a briefing about the endangered mountain gorillas from the park warden. Along with your trekking gear, drinking water, and packed lunch, the driver will drop you off at the starting point to trek the gorillas together with the ranger guides.
This activity may take between 1-8 hours searching for the gorillas depending on their movement. However, meeting them is so rewarding and you will spend maximally 1 hour with them as you take time studying them and taking pictures and videos. After spending your time with the fascinating mountain gorillas, return to the base and meet your driver to connect to your lodge for lunch and refresh.
After lunch, take a cultural walk to Iby’iwachu Cultural Village-a Non-Profit umbrella organization that aims at improving the lives of reformed poachers and communities around Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park through provision of conservation incentives, supporting community enterprise development and livelihood-based projects. It’s a rewarding place where you will be guided around the place as you enjoy the Kinyarwanda traditions including the Intore dance, traditional ceremonies and a guided community walk. Retreat and return to your lodge for relaxation, dinner and overnight stay as above.
Day 8: Golden Monkeys tracking and return to Kigali
After early morning breakfast, transfer to the park headquarters for briefing from the park warden about the endangered golden monkeys. After connect to the tracking starting point and enter the forest to search for the rare golden monkey. This activity can take about 1-5 hours and is done at closer view of the other primates in the park like the red tailed monkeys, Vervet monkeys among other. After viewing the rare golden monkeys for an hour while taking pictures and studying their behaviors, return to the base and meet your drive to connect to Kigali arriving late evening. Retire back to your lodge for dinner and overnight stay.
Day 9: Departure
On this last day of the trip, you will have your delicious breakfast. Depending on your flight details, you may have a brief city tour for the places missed and interested. When it’s time for your check-in flight, the driver will drop you off at the airport.
End of the 9 Days Explore Rwanda Safari
