9 Days Rwanda Safari

9 Days Rwanda Safari to Nyungwe forest national park for Chimpanzee trekking and canopy walk in the Nyungwe forest. This Rwanda safari also takes you to Volcanoes national park for mountain gorilla trekking in Volcanoes Park.

9 Days Rwanda Safari Highlights:

Day 1: Pick Up and Transfer to Hotel

The ARC Guide will pick you up from Kigali Airport and transfer you to the recommended accommodation. Relax and prepare for the next day’s safari program.

 Accommodation:

  • Midrange: Flame Tree Village
  • Luxury: Rwanda Serena Hotel
  • Meal Plan: Bed and Breakfast

Day 2: Transfer from Kigali to Akagera National Park

Drive to Akagera National Park passing through Rwanda’s phenomenal landscapes, the land of a thousand hills.

Start your morning game drive, through rolling hills surrounded by beautiful lakes from the south to the north. catch sight of the elephants and buffaloes drinking at the lake. Picnic in the Park grounds at lunch hour.

Watch beautifully feathered birds like the Malachite Kingfisher, the Egyptian goose, and the papyrus gonolek as you cruise on Lake Ihema. Retire to the lodge for dinner and overnight

  • Accommodation:
  • Mid-Range Lodge: Akagera Game Lodge
  • Luxury Lodge: Ruzizi Tented Lodge

Day 3: Full Game Drive and Return to Kigali

Akagera National Park is home to the often sought-after big five animals. With an entire day at your disposal, you can eagerly expect to search and find Lions, Elephants, Rhinos and Buffaloes, even the rosette leopard.

The wildlife abundance in this park promises sight of impalas, zebras, bushbucks, waterbucks, topis, baboons, giraffes, and cape elands.

The flora and fauna are amazing to see against a backdrop of mountain ranges that surround the National Park. At the end of the day, drive back to Kigali for overnight and dinner.

Accommodation:

  • Budget Lodge: Quiet heaven hotel
  • Mid-Range Lodge: Flame Tree Village
  • Luxury Lodge: Serena hotel Kigali

Day 4: Transfer to The Home of Chimpanzees in Nyungwe Forest

Depart from Kigali to Nyungwe forest and have lunch en-route in Huye district. You have the opportunity to explore the National Museum in Huye.

At this ethnographic museum, you’ll experience ancient Rwandese traditions documented in artifacts housed in seven galleries. After the guided tour at the museum, drive on to Nyungwe Top View Lodge for dinner and overnight.

Accommodation:

  • Budget Lodge: Peace Guest House
  • Mid-Range Lodge: Nyungwe Top View Lodge
  • Luxury Lodge: Nyungwe Top View Lodge

Day 5: Chimpanzee Trekking and Canopy Walk

After an early breakfast, leave for Chimpanzee trekking in the Nyungwe forest. The forest is rich in botanical diversity and home to 13 species of primates including Chimpanzees, L’Hoest monkeys, and Columbus monkeys.

Chimpanzees have human-like behavior and it is amazing to watch them feeding, mutually grooming their hairs, or swinging from branch to branch.

Later, take the canopy walk and experience the top view of the dense forest for a distance of 200 meters, on a bridge hanging 50 meters above the forest cover.

Accommodation:

  • Budget Lodge: Peace guest house
  • Mid-Range Lodge: Nyungwe Top View Lodge
  • Luxury Lodge: Nyungwe Top View Hotel

Day 6: Transfer from Nyungwe to Lake Kivu and Volcanoes National Park

Leave Nyungwe and head to Volcanoes National Park right after breakfast. On your way, stop at Lake Kivu, Africa’s eighth largest lake with the world’s tenth-largest island on a lake called Idjwi.

The lake lies at the border between Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo with many fishing villages on its shores.

Visit Gisenyi fishing village and you may see and dine on a variety of fish from Lake Kivu such as the blue-spotted tilapia, Nile tilapia, East African red finned barb, and Lake Tanganyika sardines. Continue on the drive to Volcanoes National Park.

Accommodation

  • Budget: Fatima Hotel
  • Mid-Range: Gorilla Solution Lodge
  • Luxury: Five Volcanoes

Day 7: Mountain Gorillas and Iby’iwacu Cultural Village

Meet the mountain gorillas in the dense jungles of the Virunga ranges; an unforgettable experience you can tick off your bucket list.

Embark on the trek through the habitat of a species so endangered that besides Uganda, DRC, and Rwanda, you cannot find gorillas elsewhere in the world.

The trek can last from an hour to four hours depending on where the gorillas nested the previous night.  After this, return to your hotel for lunch then continue to Iby’Iwacu culture village.

Here you will be treated to Kinyaranda dancing and drumming, a visit at a replica of the ancient kings and queens, you will experience the lifestyle of a traditional household, how they cooked and decorated their households.

Iby’Iwacu is a Kinyarwanda expression for ‘treasures of our home and heritage.’ Expect to experience exactly that. At the end of the day, head to your hotel for dinner and an overnight stay.

Accommodation:

  • Budget Lodge: Fatima hotel
  • Mid-Range Lodge: Gorilla solution lodge
  • Luxury Lodge: Five volcanoes

Day 8: Golden Monkey Trekking and Return to Kigali

Golden monkeys in Rwanda live in the bamboo vegetation towards the base of the volcanoes and habituation has helped them to overcome their initial shyness and to accept daily visits by researchers and tourists.

They are very active creatures and jump from tree to tree presenting opportune shots for videos and photos. Leave Musanze district and head for the capital Kigali.

Accommodation:

  • Budget: Quiet Heaven hotel
  • Mid-Range: Mille Colline hotel
  • Luxury: Serena hotel Kigali.

Day 9: Kigali City Tour and Flight

While in Kigali, visit the Gisozi genocide memorial. This tour documents the infamous 1994 Genocide and with the aid of guides, writings, and audio presentations, you will get a general picture of what transpired during this horrific event.  After a relaxed city tour, prepare for your return flight.

9 Days Rwanda Safari

9 Days Rwanda Safari

Terms and Conditions

Inclusions

  • Transport in a 4WD Vehicle
  • All fuel for the tour
  • Accommodation as listed in the itinerary;
  • Meals according to the itinerary
  • All activities described in the itinerary;
  • Mineral water and Entrance fees

Exclusions

  • International airfares
  • Personal (medical/travel) insurance;
  • Government tax or park fees increase;
  • Tips and gratuities to rangers, driver/guide, porter, hotel staff, etc.
  • All expenses of personal nature (e.g. drinks, laundry, optional activities, souvenirs, etc.) and other optional activities

Please Note

In case the mentioned lodges are not available during the requested period, we will do our best to book a lodge in the same class for you (of course after consulting with you).

It is not possible to ‘reserve’ Gorilla permits, so we will buy them only after your booking and down payment. Permits also depend on availability.

Disclaimer

Since Gorillas are wild animals, it is not 100% guaranteed that you will see the Gorillas although the chances of seeing them are about 98%.

Package/ Tour Brand:

Extended tours

Country:

Rwanda

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