Participation in a 8 days Rwanda classic safari is always legendary. Explore beauty through visiting various national parks like Akagera, Nyungwe and volcanoes. Get involved in game drives, gorilla and chimpanzee trekking, and also take a city tour. The latter exposes you to the genocide memorial centre, local craft markets, and so much more. View amazing scenery with a visit to the twin lakes of Burera and Ruhondo and around lake Kivu dotted. Kivu is surrounded by beautiful beaches. This tour covers both wildlife and cultures in Rwanda.
Detailed itinerary
Day 1: Pick up from the airport, city tour and transfer to the booked hotel
You will meet the driver guide clad in full uniform of our company. He/she gives you a quick briefing about the tour and immediately load your luggage. Take a short city tour in case time allows. Visit the local markets, the genocide memorial centre, the presidential palace museum, among others. After, drive to your booked hotel where you stay this first night of your 8 days Rwanda safari.
Day 2: Transfer to Akagera National Park
With your driver guide just after breakfast at the lodge, transfer to Akagera in the eastern part of the country. The park covers an area of 1,122sq.km and it was named after the Akagera River. This flows on the eastern boarder of Tanzania, pouring its water into Lake Ihema and other small lakes. The park is covered with savannah plains and swampy vegetation making it a good hub for several animals. These include elephants, buffalos, giraffe, zebras, leopards, hyenas, lions.
It is home to several antelopes like bushbucks, topis, oribis, waterbucks, roan antelopes, reedbucks and impalas etc. Composition of birds there are 450 species. They include the giant Kingfisher, Senegal Lapwings, African open-billed stock, grey crowned crane, and African Darter etc. If you watch them, it will give you a wonderful adventure to catch up with game drives.
On arrival in the evening, you will check in the accommodation for your dinner and spend overnight.
Day 3: Full day game drive in Akagera NP
Explore the beauty of this park through a full day game drive adventure. Ab opportunity is presented to spot various animals like elephants, buffalos, giraffe, zebras, leopards, hyenas and lions. It is home to several antelopes like bushbucks, topis, oribis, waterbucks, roan antelopes and duikes etc. Birds tp see include giant Kingfisher, Senegal lapwings, African open-billed stock, grey crowned crane, and African darters etc. Lunch picnic in the savannah plains as you enjoy the beautiful scenery. Return to the lodge in the evening after a rewarding adventure for your dinner.
Day 4: Transfer to Nyungwe N/Park via Kigali
With packed lunch, you will have breakfast and head for a land road trip to Nyungwe via Kigali. This park is well known for its primates and the Eastern Africa canopy walk suspended on top of trees. On this you can be able to spot a number of primates and birds. It covers an area of 1,015 sq.km with diverse wildlife. These include 1050 plant species, 85 mammal species, 13 primate species, and 315 bird species. There are also 32 amphibian species and 38 reptile species among others. The journey is rewarding with several natural and man-made attractions. On reaching at the park, check in the booked lodge or hotel in or around.
Day 5: Chimpanzee Trekking and Canopy Walk
Wake up and take breakfast followed by briefing at the park headquarters. This is to receive the instructions you can follow while trekking the chimpanzees. In a group of 8, know the family of chimpanzees allocated to you. Trekking rules include not making noise, do not mimic, don’t use flash camera light among others. Depending on where you locate the chimpanzees, this can take 3-4 hours as you walk through the forest. Of course this is with the help of the armed park ranger.
In the afternoon, take a canopy walk in the forest to view a number of primates. Some if their species include grey cheeked Mangabeys, L’hoest’s monkeys, Mona monkeys, owl faced monkeys, Ruwenzori monkeys among others. This walk can take 2-3 hours as you enjoy the primates playing and jumping from one tree to another.
Day 6: Transfer to Volcanoes National park via Lake Kivu
Serve yourself a spiced tea or coffee, followed by a check out from the lodge or hotel room. Transfer to volcanoes National Park in the Virunga ranges. The mountain gorillas are the main inhabitats in this forested park. But, buffalos, black-fronted duikers, bushbucks, bush pigs, spotted hyenas, black and white colobus etc. exist as well. Bird species also live here, and include Ruwenzori turacos, strange weaver, ground robin, francolins, and red faced woodland warbler etc.
This park is home to Mt. Karisimbi and Mt. Bisoke that are part of the eight Virunga volcanoes. Epic hiking adventures happen here. The journey takes you to Lake Kivu which has beautiful beaches and resorts. Find your way to the lodge in Volcanoes NP.
Day 7: Gorilla trekking and Ibyiwachu village tour
After breakfast, head to trek the remaining mountain gorillas in their natural habitat, only found in Virunga ranges. Gorillas live in communities that comprise 20 members, each headed by one silverback (the male gorilla). The trek can take 2-8 hours depending on where you locate these apes. Get awarded with the certificate for trekking by the park warden upon return.
Visit Ibyiwachu village after delicious lunch. Ibyiwachu means “treasure our home and heritage”. The village offers a busy agenda that lasts for about two hours. At the village travelers experience amazing cultural dances, traditional meals and drinks such as Banana beer and juice. This is especially possible for those who may decide to have an overnight stay at the village. It enables you learn more about the Kinyarwanda culture.
Day 8: Travel back to Kigali and pass via the twin lakes of Burera and Ruhondo
Take a leisure breakfast and head back to Kigali via the Twin Lakes of Burera and Ruhondo. This place offers a super natural view for photography and birdwatching. Do either of these as you take a boat trip across one of them. After proceed to Kigali where you will have lunch and later a drop off at the hotel or airport.
