Overview
This ten days best of Rwanda safari is one of the best safaris that most travellers would like to do while on their trip to Rwanda the land of a thousand hills.
The country became famous because of the 1994 tribal genocide between the Hutu extremists and the minor Tutsi which claimed the lives of over 800,000 people but it’s now one of the developed countries in East Africa and Africa in particular.
This Safari is the best as it will lead you to Kigali city one of the cleanest cities in the region where you will see attractions like the genocide memorial center and after proceed to Akagera National Park where you will several wildlife such as the big five and a boat cruise and continue to Nyungwe National Park where you will see primates like chimpanzees and have a canopy walk where you will have a view of the forest.
Having done those activities you will go to Lake Kivu for a boat cruise from where you will transfer to volcanoes national Park for the giant gorilla trekking and golden monkey trekking. After you will then prepare yourself and drive to Kigali airport for your flight.
Day 1: Arrival in Kigali and city tour
Be picked up by your driver immediately after arriving at the airport who will brief you shortly about the trip.
The briefing is always short consisting of the guidelines to follow while on your safari and after you will drive heading to Kigali city where you will visit the Kigali genocide memorial centre where the remains of the 1994 genocide victims are kept. Drive to your hotel in the city for your dinner and rest.
Day 2: Transfer to Akagera and evening game drive
On this day you will wake up early in the morning and be served a delicious breakfast after which you will drive heading to Akagera National Park a journey that will take you 2-3 hours’ drive from Kigali city.
You will have an evening game drive where you will see some of the Park’s wildlife and bird species singing in the evening and after drive to your hotel for your dinner and overnight
Day 3: morning game drive and evening boat cruise
On this 3rd day of this beautiful safari, you will wake up early as done on the past days and be given your morning meals and then drive to the park for a morning game drive where you will have a look at wildlife such as lions, buffalos, Elephants, Rhinos, leopards and many more which will make your drive enjoyable.
In the evening of this day, you will after lunch drive heading for a boat cruise which is usually done on Lake Ihema where you will have an evening breeze and sight of some aquatic animals like crocodiles, hippos and water birds plus other animals which come to drink water at the lake. Drive to your lodge and have your dinner
Day 4: Transfer to Nyungwe National Park
Wake up early in the morning and be served your breakfast and then after drive heading to Nyungwe National Park via Kigali having a stopover in Huye where you will have your lunch and have a visit to the national museum where you will learn more about the traditions of the people of Rwanda arriving in the forest in the evening. Drive to your lodge for a dinner
Day 5: chimpanzee trekking and canopy walk
For you to catch up with time, you will wake early in the morning and have your well-served morning breakfast after which you will head for the activity which you have been waiting for, gorilla trekking.
You will drive to the park headquarters where you will be briefed shortly about the activity by the park officials and be given your trekking permit then after an armed ranger guide will lead you to the forest where you will start looking for these primate animals.
The activity usually takes 2-7 but depending on the location of the gorilla group you are going to trek and the movements made by these animals. Immediately after reaching them, an extra one hour will be given to you for you to take photos and videos. Return to the park office for your trekking certificate and drive to your lodge for dinner and rest
In the evening you will drive to the park for the canopy walk which is a high raised metallic way higher than the tree tops which will provide you with a spectacular view of the forest and some wildlife and birds. Drive to your lodge for evening meals
Day 6: Transfer to Lake Kivu
On this 6 day of this safari, you will drive heading to Lake Kivu from where you will have a beautiful morning breeze of the water and a spectacular view of the landforms in this beautiful country the land of a thousand hills. Retreat to the lodge for meal preparations.
Day 7: Boat cruise and transfer to volcanoes national park
Wake up early in the morning and be served a morning breakfast and after the drive head for a boat cruise on the Lake Kivu where you will have a look at the water animals like crocodiles, hippos, frogs and other animals and not forgetting water bird. This experience is nice and normally takes 2-3 hours. After the cruise transfer to the Volcanoes National Park the home for the endangered mountain gorillas.
Day 8: Gorilla trekking
This is the day all visitors like while on their Safaris in the land of a thousand hills. Begin it with a morning breakfast at your lodge and drive to the park for payments and be issued a permit for trekking and then your ranger guide will give you a briefing of the activity before setting off for the activity and after you will set off and the activity will take 1-8 hours depending on the group you want to trek and the location where they grazed from the previous night.
As soon as you reach them you will be given an hour in their presence that will enable you to take photos and videos.
Since the animals tend to move high in the mountains, our visitors are always advised to come with their hiking equipment such as gumboots/ hiking shoes for their trek to be colourful and interesting. Drive to your lodge and have your dinner and overnight as done the previous days.
Day 9: Golden monkey trekking
This activity is also interesting but not as interesting as gorilla tracking and chimpanzee trekking. Begin your day with a delicious breakfast and then drive to volcanoes national Park for golden monkey trekking.
The activity normally takes 3-4 hours depending on the movements of these primates. Immediately after you reach them you will be awarded an hour in their presence that will allow you to take photos and videos and after drive back to the lodge for lunch and relax a bit at the lodge as you wait for your dinner.
Day 10: Transfer to Kigali for departure flight.
Being your last day of this beautiful safari, you will wake up early in the morning and be given your breakfast at your lodge and after drive head to Kigali airport for your flight.