12 Days Remarkable Rwanda Experience

Safari Overview

Rwanda is a unique tour destination in Africa and a home to the rare mountain gorillas. Rwanda has three national parks and each park has its own different attractions. The parks include; Volcanoes national park which is popularly known for mountain gorillas and golden monkeys, Nyungwe national park that is popularly  known for chimpanzees and then finally Akagera national park which is known for wildlife games such as buffaloes, elephants, zebras, lions, and many others.

This 12 day Rwanda wildlife safari will give you an opportunity to have game drives, do gorilla trekking in Volcanoes national park, excellent bird watching, cultural experiences and nature walks. Volcanoes national park is located in the Northern Province, with attractions such as Mountain gorillas, Golden monkeys, Dian Fossy grave, Musanze cave, Twin lakes of Bulera and Ruhondo, Mount Bisoke, Karisimbi and then local communities.

Day1; Transfer Kigali-Retreat heaven hotel Kigali

Kigali is Rwanda’s capital and biggest city which stretches across hills surrounded by lowering mountains such as mount Kigali. Kigali is the country’s financial, commercial and cultural hub. The city has wide range of accommodation options and offers a collection of restaurants and points of interests such as Kigali genocide museum, market, numerous craft shops plus its busy streets. Not forgetting interesting architecture and green hillsides. Kigali is said to be one of the most attractive cities in Africa and is thus worth a visit.

On the arrival at Kigali airport, you will have a meet and greet experience with our professional guide who will help you pass through immigration clearance and then will transfer you to Retreat Heaven Boutique hotel in Kigali town for your dinner and overnight stay.

Day 2; Transfer retreat -Akagera National Park

Akagera national park is central Africa’s largest protected wetland and the last refuge for savannah adopted species in Rwanda with low lying mountains and savannah plains. The park also has swamp fringed lakes and wetlands of Akagera river . The park’s water shores inhabits animals such as hippos and crocodiles plus other animals in the park which includes the elephants, buffaloes, acacia gloves, zebras, giraffes, to mention but a few.

Begin the day with a morning breakfast, then prepare for your transfer to Akagera national park to the northern gate. On arrival at Akagera national park, northern gate, you will get into Magashi camp game drive safari vehicle and be transferred to Magashi camp hotel  for your lunch and afternoon relaxation.

Day 3; Full Day at Akagera National Park

After your morning breakfast, you will be picked for a morning game drive in the park to explore the park and see animals such as zebras, elephants, giraffes, buffaloes and others. After the drive, you will be brought to your lodge for lunch and afternoon resting. You will be picked later for a boat safari on lake Rwanyakazinga to see aquatic animals such as hippos and crocodiles. Pus birds on the lake shores. You will then return to your lodge for dinner and overnight stay.

Day 4; Full Day at Magashi 

You will have you breakfast at your time of convenience and then engage in the day’s activities organized by the lodge and have the rest of the hours for relaxing. You will be picked in the evening for a night game drive in the park to see animals such as zebras, elephants, giraffes and others when they are in their habitants resting. After the game drive, you will be brought back to your lodge for dinner and overnight stay.

Day 5; Transfer to Volcanoes national Park

Volcanoes national park is located on the Rwanda-Congo border and set high on the jungle covered slopes  of the volcanic virunga mountains. The park is known as century for the mountain gorillas and visitors frequent this park to come face to face with these unique creatures. Visitors are allowed to spend two hours with these incredible primates in their natural habitant’s. Although the mountain gorillas are the main tourist attraction, there are other experiences in this park such as golden monkey trekking, hiking the trials, hiking to the crater lake found on mount Bisoke, visiting the tomb of the famous Dian fossy and other experiences.

You will have a morning breakfast, then get  ready for your helicopter flight to Volcanoes (On and only gorilla nest).Alternatively, you can have aground transfer though this will take you a full day since you have to first travel to Kigali and proceed to Volcanoes. The journey ends up being so tiresome and stressful.  On arrival at One and only gorilla nest, you will check in for lunch and afternoon relaxation.

Day 6; Full Day at Volcanoes National Park

Begin the day with an early breakfast and then set off to the park headquarters for gorilla trekking briefing. You will then proceed into the park for gorilla trekking experience. With the guidance of a guide, you will be able to track gorillas from a closer range. This experience will last about 4 hours. You will return to your lodge for lunch and in the evening, you will go for Iby Iwacu cultural village visit to experience the live hood of the local people. You will then return to your lodge for dinner and overnight stay.

Day 7; Full day experience at Volcanoes national park

Start the day with an early breakfast, then be transferred to the park headquarters for briefing about golden monkey trekking and after proceed into the park to track the golden monkeys within their natural habitats. After this amazing experience, you will be brought back to your lodge for lunch and rest of the day relaxation.

Day 8; Full day at Volcanoes national park

Begin your day with an early breakfast, head to the park headquarters for gorilla trekking briefing. You will then head into the park for the second gorilla trekking experience to discover other gorilla families that live within the park. Visitors will be able to track the gorilla families from a closer range with the help of a guide. You will then return to your lodge for lunch and afternoon relaxation.

Day 9; Transfer Volcanoes-Lake Kivu Serena Hotel Gisenyi

Gisenyi is located in the North eastern corner of Lake Kivu and neighbors with Congolese city of Goma. It’s a scenic Rwandan town at the foot of the fertile hills. The town offers an excellent variety of attractions such as beaches which provide a perfect setting for leisure days. Gisenyi town has a public beach which offers allocation for swimming and picnicking, not forgetting numerous restaurants. Visitors can also enjoy activities such as kayaking, hiking to see the gorillas, or go on historical and cultural tours.

You will start the day with your breakfast and then prepare for the transfer to Gisenyi. You will arrive at Kivu Serena hotel, check in for lunch and then go for kayaking in the afternoon Lake Kivu to enjoy the fresh breeze, watch birds on the lake shores, pus viewing aquatic animals such as hippos and crocodiles. You will return to your hotel for dinner and overnight stay.

Day 10; Transfer to one and Only Nyungwe House in Nyungwe forest National Park

Nyungwe forest national park is located in the South western part of the country (Rwanda).The park is well known for its exceptional bio diversity and wide range of species. Its composed of rain forest set high up on the fertile mountain slopes. Its ranked as one of Africa’s most ancient forests and inhabits the country’s sole remaining chimpanzees as well as 85 mammal species with 300 bird species. Visitors can also enjoy spotting colobus monkeys and chimpanzees hiding in trees. Another amazing experience in this park is a canopy walk which is one of its kind in Africa. This walk offers an impressive view of the forest.

You will start your day with a morning breakfast and get ready for a transfer to Nyungwe forest national park. You will arrive at One and only Nyungwe house in the early afternoon, check in and have your lunch plus afternoon relaxation.  You will later take part in the complementary lodge activities, and then have your dinner and an overnight stay.

Day 11; Full day at Nyungwe Forest national park

Start your day as early as 5am with your breakfast and be ready to head to the park headquarters  by 5;30 am for chimpanzee trekking briefing. This trekking provides visitors with a unique chimpanzee experience. Visitors follow path through the lush vegetation up to a point from where  they are able to witness chimpanzees acting out their daily activities walking up, eating and socializing within their natural environment. After this amazing experience which can last between 2-6 hours, you will return to your lodge for your lunch and afternoon relaxation. You will be picked in the evening for canopy walk experience which offers participants an exhilarating perspective atop the ancient treetops and wildlife’ This 160metres long suspended bridge is viewed as a part of a guided hike along the Igishigishigi trail or those hiking the Imbaraga and Umuyove trials. After this unique experience, you will return to your lodge for dinner and overnight stay.

Day 12; Transfer from Nyungwe National Park to Kigali 

You will start your day with a morning breakfast, then be ready for a transfer to Kigali town with lunch at Serena hotel Kigali.  After your lunch, you will visit Kigali genocide museum Centre. This museum is an extremely moving , challenging, educational and ultimately inspiring place which enables its visitors to understand the cause, tragedy and successful rebuilding post genocide. From here, you will proceed to Kigali international airport for your flight

INCLUSIONS

• Meet and greet assistance on arrival
• Airport transfers and inter hotel transfers from the first day to the last day
• Accommodations and meals as per itinerary
• All activities as per itinerary
• Two gorilla trekking permits
• One chimpanzee trekking permit
• One golden monkey trekking permit
• Kigali genocide visit
• Cultural village visit in Volcanoes
• Exclusive use of a private safari land cruiser vehicle
• Bottled drinking water
• Helicopter flight transfer to Volcanoes

EXCLUSIONS

• International flight tickets
• Visas
• All covid testing fees in Rwanda
• All activities and accommodation not mentioned in the itinerary
• Tips
• Personal expenses such as telephone bills