8 Days Rwanda Wildlife Safari

Akagera-national-park-zebras Akagera National Park is a Savannah park located in north eastern Rwanda. It is home to several big mammals not found anywhere else in Rwanda. On a morning game drive right after an early breakfast, we will look out for Elephants, Zebras, Giraffes, Buffaloes, Water bucks, Bush bucks and recently introduced Lions. The game drives in Akagera national park usually take place in the northern sector of the park. The game drives can last for almost an entire day depending on the animal sightings and your interests. Return to lodge for lunch and take a boat trip on Lake Ihema for Hippos and Crocodiles OR you can alternatively spend the afternoon at the lodge enjoying nature as you read a good book.

This morning we depart for Nyungwe forest in southern Rwanda with a stopover for lunch in Huye formerly known as Butare. Huye hosts the ethnographic museum of Rwanda that was formerly known as the national museum of Rwanda, here we will learn about the culture and history of the Rwandan people. We arrive in Nyungwe forest later in the evening.

Chimpanzee in nyungwe forest Chimpanzee trekking in Nyungwe forest takes you deep in the forest to experience and appreciate nature. Chimpanzee trekking is done early morning with packed breakfast or snack, unless you are the kind that can have an early breakfast. You are expected to be at the briefing point as early at 5.30 am from where you will receive information on how to behave and possible length of your trek. Nyungwe forest is rich in botanical diversity and home to 13 species of primates like L’Hoest’s monkeys, Rwenzori Colobus monkeys, red tailed monkeys, vervet monkeys, grey cheeked mangabeys etc. Your ranger guide will lead you to either the Uwinka trail head or the Cyamudongo sector for chimp trekking. In the afternoon you will be transferred to the Uwinka centre to start your canopy walk as you explore the park even more.

Today morning after your hectic and engaging day in the forest yesterday, you prepare to start journey to Volcanoes national park. We leave for Volcanoes national park after breakfast, enjoy the sights of Lake Kivu and winding roads in the land of a thousand hills.

Meet the mountain gorillas in the dense jungles of the Virunga ranges. The trek to the gorillas starts with a briefing at the park headquarters in Kinigi where you are assigned a ranger and gorilla family to trek. The trek through volcanoes national park is an unforgettable experience that many people look to undertake. The trek can last from an hour or less to several hours later depending on where the gorillas nested the previous night – you need to be relatively fit to enjoy this experience and remember to pace yourself as you trek.

Lake kivu gisenyiAs you reminisce on your experience with the mountain gorillas, we leave for Gisenyi on the shores of Lake Kivu. This will be more of a rest day for you to think through your entire journey exploring Rwanda on the shores to the beautiful lake Kivu. The activities you can engage in include a visit to the to the hot springs, take a boat trip to an island, kayaking on lake kivu,visit DR Congo – Rwanda border, and relax at the lakeside in the evening sipping a way to your favourite.

Today is your last day on this Kagera Safaris – Rwanda wildlife safari. Start your day with breakfast and transfer to the airport for your exit flight, in case you have some time before your flight you can have a short Kigali city tour.