10 Days Rwanda Gorilla Safari Tour
10 Days Rwanda Gorilla Safari presents an exhilarating itinerary encompassing Nyungwe Forest, Volcanoes National Park, Akagera National Park, Kigali city tour, and Lake Kivu. The 10 Days Rwanda Gorilla Safari includes visits to Nyungwe Forest National Park, Volcanoes National Park, and Akagera National Park. A wildlife excursion will occur at Akagera National Park, featuring a boat ride on Lake Ihema and a game drive across the savannah plains. The park, characterized by forest-fringed lakes, undulating grasslands, papyrus swamps, and savannahs, is renowned as the most picturesque in Africa.
Nyungwe Forest National Park is the main destination for chimpanzee trekking in Rwanda, in addition to offering a canopy walk. Nyungwe boasts East Africa’s finest canopy walk. From Nyungwe Forest, you will proceed to Volcanoes National Park for gorilla trekking. Gorilla safaris in Rwanda provide a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for trekkers to engage with the mountain gorilla habitat, allowing for a maximum of one hour in proximity to the gorillas.
Highlights of 10-Days Rwanda Gorilla Safari in Rwanda
Day 1: Arrival at Kigali International Airport, short Kigali city tour, and transfer to hotel
Day 2: Drive to Akagera National Park and have an evening game drive
Day 3: Morning game drive and afternoon boat cruise on Lake Ihema in Akagera National Park
Day 4: Transfer to Nyungwe Forest National Park.
Day 5: Chimpanzee trekking in Nyungwe Forest.
Day 6: Canopy walk in Nyungwe Forest National Park.
Day 7: Transfer from Nyungwe Forest to Volcanoes National Park
Day 8: Gorilla trekking in Volcanoes National Park
Day 9: Golden Monkey trekking in Volcanoes National Park and transfer to Lake Kivu
Day 10: Boat cruise and return to Kigali International Airport for a departure flight.
A Detailed 10-Day Rwanda Gorilla Safari Itinerary
Day 1: Arrival at Kigali International Airport, short Kigali city tour, and transfer to hotel
On the day 1 of your 10-day Rwanda Gorilla Safari, a tour guide will be present at Kigali International Airport to receive you. The guide will be immediately recognizable since they will be holding a placard with your names. Following the introduction, your local guide will escort you to Kigali for a city tour and lunch. Subsequent to lunch, you will be conveyed to a reserved accommodation in Kigali city. You check in, unwind, dine, and stay overnight.
Meal Plan: Dinner
Choices for Accommodation: Luxury: Serena Hotel Kigali; Mid-range: Hotel Chez Lando
Day 2: Travel to Akagera National Park and partake in an evening game drive.
After breakfast in Kigali, you will be driven for approximately 2 hours and 30 minutes to Akagera National Park. Upon arrival for lunch, you partake in a meal and thereafter unwind while anticipating the evening game drive. In the afternoon, you will partake in a game drive in the savannah plains of Akagera.
The observable wildlife comprises the Big Five game: buffaloes, rhinoceroses, elephants, lions, and leopards. Additional wildlife species encompass giraffes, zebras, hyenas, Cape bushbuck, topis, oribis, roan antelopes, duikers, impalas, Cape eland, among others. In the evening, you return to your reserved hotel or lodge for repose, dinner, and overnight accommodation.
Options for lodging: Luxury: Ruziza Tented Camp; Mid-range: Akagera Game Safari Lodge
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 3: Morning Game drive and afternoon boat cruise on Lake Ihema in Akagera National Park
on the early morning, breakfast is provided, followed by a game drive on the picturesque savannah plains lasting around four hours, contingent upon animal sightings and interests. Upon concluding the game drive, you return to your accommodation for lunch. In the afternoon, you embark on a boat excursion on Lake Ihema. The boat excursion on Lake Ihema provides excellent views of hippos and crocodiles in the water. Wildlife such as elephants and buffaloes can be observed around the lake’s shores. Subsequent to the boat excursion, you will proceed to a reserved lodging establishment for check-in, dinner, and an overnight stay.
Choices for lodging: Luxury: Ruziza Tented Camp; Mid-range: Akagera Game Safari Lodge
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 4: Transfer to Nyungwe Forest National Park
You will enjoy breakfast at your convenience before being transported to Nyungwe Forest National Park. The journey from Kigali city to Nyungwe Forest takes approximately 4 to 5 hours. Upon arrival, you register at your resort, partake in lunch, and unwind in the evening.
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Options for Lodging: Luxury: Nyungwe Forest Lodge / One & Only Nyungwe Forest House; Mid-range: Nyungwe Top View Hill Hotel
Day 5: Chimpanzee tracking in Nyungwe Forest
In the early morning, you will have breakfast before being transported to the park headquarters to commence a chimpanzee trekking activity. You continue for a while until you locate the spot where the chimpanzees overnighted. Chimpanzees exhibit rapid movement between trees while making Noise; their speed and playfulness influence the quantity of photographs captured and the duration of observation.
Upon completing the hike, you return to the starting point where you meet the driver guide for a journey to the hotel for lunch and relaxation.
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Accommodation choices: Luxury: Nyungwe Forest Lodge / One & Only Nyungwe Forest House; Mid-range: Nyungwe Top View Hill Hotel
Day 6: Canopy Walk in Nyungwe Forest National Park
Nyungwe Forest boasts the premier canopy walkway in East Africa, and you will experience it this morning. You are transported to the park headquarters, where you proceed to the canopy walk.
The suspension walk, around 70 meters above the forest floor, lasts over 2 hours. Subsequently, you return to the hotel for rest and lunch. You spend the evening unwinding.
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner
Choices for Accommodation: Luxury: Nyungwe Forest Lodge / One & Only Nyungwe Forest House, Mid-range: Nyungwe Top View Hill Hotel
Day 7: Transfer from Nyungwe Forest to Volcanoes National Park
After enjoying breakfast at your convenience in Nyungwe Forest, you will be taken to Volcanoes National Park. The journey endures approximately 5 to 6 hours, culminating in the afternoon. You register at a lodging facility of your preference.
Accommodation choices: Luxury: Mountain Gorilla View Lodge; Mid-range: Gorilla Solution Lodge.
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 8: Gorilla trekking in Volcanoes National Park
After breakfast, your driver-guide will collect you from the lodge for transportation to the park headquarters. Upon arrival at the park headquarters in Kinigi, you will first receive a briefing on the guidelines and regulations of gorilla trekking in Rwanda from the park warden. At 8:30 am, the park ranger guide will escort you to the commencement location for the gorilla hike. A total of eight tourists, each possessing a trekking permit for Rwanda priced at USD 1500, are assigned to one gorilla family. Groups of eight individuals require from 2 to 6 hours to trek through the bamboo forest in the rainforest, accompanied by armed ranger guides. Nevertheless, merely 1 hour (60 minutes) is allocated to the observation of the mountain gorillas.
The duration of the journey is variable, contingent upon the movements of the gorilla troop; nevertheless, the population in Rwanda is recognized for traversing shorter distances, so facilitating the trekking experience. Following one hour spent observing a gorilla family, you return to the park headquarters to meet the tour guide for transportation back to your accommodation.
Accommodation Alternatives: Luxury: Mountain Gorilla View Lodge; Mid-range: Gorilla Solution Lodge
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 9: Trekking for Golden Monkeys in Volcanoes National Park and subsequent travel to Lake Kivu
In the morning, you will embark on Golden monkey trekking in Volcanoes National Park, where they coexist with the mountain gorillas. Golden monkeys possess distinctive traits and can be readily recognized by their coloration. Arrive at the park headquarters at 7:00 am for a briefing prior to the excursion.
In Rwanda, there are two troops of golden monkeys, with the largest colony, including approximately 80-100 individuals, located on Mount Sabinyo; it is the most frequented area in the park. Following the golden Monkey trek, you are transported back to your accommodation for lunch. In the evening, you will be transported to Lake Kivu, where you will overnight at the lake’s shores.
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Options for Accommodation: Luxury: Lake Kivu Serena Hotel; Mid-range: Paradise Malahide
Day 10: Boat Ride followed by return to Kigali International Airport for departure flight.
On the final day of your 10-day Rwanda gorilla safari, you will embark on an early morning boat excursion to Coffee Island. You will have breakfast and engage in touring in the picturesque surroundings. Following breakfast, you depart from the island and proceed to Kigali International Airport for your flight back home
Meal Plan: Breakfast
Conclusion of the 10-Day Rwanda Gorilla Safari Itinerary
Inclusions
English speaking driver-guide
Entry fees and taxes including 2 gorilla permits
Safari van
Lunch
Water on board
3 nights’ accommodation
Exclusions
Any purchases of personal kind
Any changes to the Itinerary
International flights and visas