Overview
Rotate around the country exploring the different destinations that harbor a wide range of attractions while on this 7 days Rwanda safari. This safari starts and ends in Kigali, having you traverse the dense tropical rainforests of Volcanoes and Nyungwe National Parks for primate encounters. Witness the vast savannah plains and aquatic life of Akagera National Park and its inhabitants while on this safari. Dive straight into the details of the itineraries below.
Full itinerary
Day 1: Pick up and Kigali genocide memorial tour
Arrive in the country through Kigali International Airport and where our driver guide will be waiting to usher you into the country for this 7 days Rwanda safari. A short highlight on what to expect on this safari will be delivered to you by the driver before setting out for Kigali. While in the city, have lunch and drive to the Kigali genocide memorial at Gisozi hill. This place is significant in the country’s history as it holds the remains of over 25,000 people killed in the genocide. This tour unveils the untold stories of the survivors and also the victims, both young and old, portrayed in different sections of the memorial. Drive through the lit streets of Kigali to your booked hotel in time for dinner and overnight.
Day 2: Travel to Akagera National Park and a boat cruise
Travel east to Akagera National Park immediately after your breakfast and check out. This journey lasts between 2-3 hours of scenic beauty that runs from the hilly areas of the city to the vast semi-hilly and savannah plains of the park. Check into your lodge on arrival and have lunch. Travel to the southern side of the park to Lake Ihema for a boat cruise experience that uncovers off offshore life of the park. Lake Ihema harbors many animals and birds, with the commonly seen species including hippos and crocodiles. The lake is sheltered by a curtain of mountains that surround it, adding to the scenic views. This boat cruise experience takes you until evening when you head back to the lodge for dinner and rest.
Day 3: Game drive and head to Volcanoes National Park
Start your day with a delicious breakfast at your residence, and thereafter take on a game drive experience. This game drive is the major activity in the park and the best way to explore its vast wilderness. The park offers untamed adventures of the Big Five, including lions, leopards, elephants, buffaloes, and rhinos, with other animals like hyenas, waterbucks, zebras, and warthogs also present. Have lunch at your lodge and drive to Volcanoes National Park after checking out. Reach the park and straight to the lodge for your dinner and sleep.
Day 4: Gorilla trekking and Iby’iwacu tour
Enjoy an early breakfast as you head out to the briefing center for a pre-trekking experience. This briefing is done to prepare you for what lies beneath the forest and how you should conduct yourself as you traverse the jungles. It also includes the safety measures, if at all, there is a moment of threat. The trekking groups of 8 with be formed and assigned a gorilla family to trek with a lead ranger guide. Begin the trekking experience with your visionary ranger guide, who leads you through the dense forests and rugged terrain to the mountain gorillas. Along the way, meet other species like birds and primates like vervet monkeys and olive baboons. Spend an hour in the presence of the mountain gorillas as they treat you to a show of their lifestyle of feeding, playing, and resting. Return to the lodge for lunch later as you relax. Tour the Iby’iwacu cultural village for insight into the cultures of the Rwandan people and their way of life. This cultural village is supported by the gorilla trekking adventures through giving back to the communities and donations from visitors. The traditional dancers will thereafter entertain you with their cultural songs, ending your visit at sunset as you dive off to the lodge dinner and rest.
Day 5: Journey to Nyungwe National Park
Drive from your lodge in Volcanoes National Park to the southern region of the country to Nyungwe National Park with a stopover in Kigali for lunch. Continue with your journey later in the afternoon, arriving at your lodge in the evening in time for dinner and overnight.
Day 6: Chimpanzee trekking and canopy walk
Explore the forest of Nyungwe National Park for a chimpanzee trekking adventure after your breakfast. Trek the dense montane vegetation of the park for a chance to come one-on-one with the most intelligent animals in the world. Chimpanzees share up to 98.8% of their DNA with humans. After a short briefing on the rules and regulations of trekking, take on this task and maneuver through the slippery and uneven terrain for a chance to spot the chimpanzees. Head out of the forest after spending an hour with chimpanzees playing and feeding, back to your lodge for lunch. In the evening, walk on the 70-meter suspended canopy trail that offers incredible aerial views of the park. Take pictures while enjoying the cool, blowing air of the fresh wilderness before heading back to the lodge for the night duty of dinner and rest.
Day 7: Departure to Kigali
The last day of your 7 days Rwanda safari is all about departure from the tropical rainforest of Nyungwe National Park back to Kigali city, which begins from the moment you check out of the lodge after your breakfast. Journey for about 4-5 hours, arriving in the city by noon, and have lunch. Proceed to the final destination of the airport or hotel. This concludes your 7 days Rwanda safari.