12 Days Exotic Rwanda Safari
The 12 Days Exotic Rwanda Safari will give you the opportunity to tour around 4 destinations in Rwanda, which include Nyungwe National Park, Volcanoes national park, Akagera National Park and lake kivu plus a city tour in Kigali. You will conduct a number of activities in all these destinations.
Safari highlights
Day 1 : Pick up from Kigali airport and transfer to a hotel in Kigali
Day 2: City tour
Day 3 : Transfer to Nyungwe National Park for a canopy walk
Day 4 : Chimpanzee trekking and nature walk
Day 5 : Birding watching and transfer to lake kivu
Day 6 : Coffee tour and an afternoon boat cruise
Day 7 : Transfer to Volcanoes National Park for a hike to Mount bisoke
Day 8 : Gorilla trekking and visit to Iby’iwacu village
Day 9 : Golden monkey trek and transfer to Akagera National Park
Day 10 : Morning game drive and boat cruise
Day 11 : Bird watching
Day 12 : Transfer to Kigali
Safari description
Day 1 : Pick up from Kigali airport and transfer to a hotel in Kigali
At Kigali Airport, a guide will pick you up and transfer you to a hotel in Kigali, where you will spend the rest of the day and relax from your journey. At the hotel you will have your lunch and dinner.
Day 2: City tour
On day 2, you will have breakfast at the hotel, followed by a city tour that includes visits to the Kigali Genocide Memorial and the Rwanda Art Museum, where you will learn more about the history of Rwanda. You will have a lunch break during the tour, and then head to Kimironko market where you can purchase items such as clothes, paintings, handbags, earrings, and more. A guide will then take you back to the hotel where you spent the previous night, and you will have dinner, take a shower, and later retire to bed.
Day 3 : Transfer to Nyungwe National Park for a canopy walk
You will have breakfast at the hotel in Kigali and a guide will transfer you to Nyungwe National Park. You will get a lodge to stay in at Nyungwe and then you will rest till lunchtime. After lunch, a guide will then brief you before you conduct a canopy walk that will take 2 hours. At the bridge, you will have views of Nyungwe forests and other surroundings at the park
Accommodation options at Nyungwe National Park
Luxury : One and only Nyungwe house
Budget : Gisakura guest house
Midrange : Nyungwe top view hill hotel
Day 4 : Chimpanzee trekking and nature walk
You have breakfast and head to park headquarters with the guide on day 4 for briefing and you will then head towards Nyungwe forest for a chimpanzee trek that will take you some hours before tracing where the chimpanzees are. You will have some time to spend with them and get to know how they manage themselves in their habitats and this will be strictly one hour with them.
You will then head for lunch and a guide will then brief you before you start off on your nature walk around Nyungwe National Park, where you will be able to see various wildlife species and plant species while on foot.
Day 5: Birdwatching and transfer to lake kivu
You will embark on bird watching after briefing and breakfast on day 5 of the safari while at Nyungwe National Park, where a guide will lead you to the birding trails in Nyungwe, which include igishigishi trail, rukuzi trail, bigugu trail among others, where you will see a variety of bird species that stay in this park.
A guide will transfer you to lake kivu after your lunch and checking out if the lodge at Nyungwe National Park.
Accommodation options at lake kivu
- Lake Kivu Serena hotel
- Gorillas lake kivu hotel
- Mara villa kivu eco resort
Day 6 : Coffee tour and an afternoon boat cruise
After breakfast at 8am, you will receive a briefing before embarking on a coffee tour that starts in Gisenyi and takes you to Nyamirundi Island. At the island, you will learn about the coffee-making process from the local residents.
You will return to the lodge for lunch and rest and after that, you will go on a boat trip at lake kivu where you will see the beauty at this lake and the wildlife around it. You will spot several bird species and animal species when on this boat ride. The boat cruise will last approximately 2 hours.
Day 7 : Transfer to Volcanoes National Park for a hike to Mount bisoke
On day 7, you will check out of the lodge at lake kivu after breakfast and you will head to Volcanoes National Park. You will have an enroute lunch on your way to the park. You will conduct a short briefing at the park headquarters when you arrive and then you will go for a hike on Mount bisoke. The hike lasts approximately 6 hours, and you will spot numerous wildlife species as you hike to and from. You will then head to the lodge of your choice, check in, have dinner, and rest.
Accommodation options at Volcanoes national park
Luxury : One and only gorillas nest
Budget : Kinigi guest house
Midrange :My hill eco lodge
Day 8 : Gorilla trekking and visit to Iby’iwacu village
At 6:30am, you will have a gorilla trek with the ranger guide after a briefing at the park headquarters. You will be granted an hour with these amazing primates in their natural habitats after a long trek to spot them of about 5 hours but this depends on where they are in the park. After having an encounter with these primates and taking photos, you will return to the lodge and rest till lunchtime.
You will visit Iby’iwacu village in the afternoon after lunch to gain knowledge of Rwandese customs and culture. You will be educated by the locals in this village, after which you will return to your lodge for dinner and some rest.
Day 9 : Golden monkey trek and transfer to Akagera National Park
A golden monkey trek will begin at 7a.m. on day 9, after breakfast, and you will head into the forest with the ranger guide to track these primates after a briefing at the park headquarters. You have one hour with the golden monkeys after spotting them and thus it may take you several hours to find them depending on their location. You will head back to the lodge after the golden monkey trek and you will check out of the lodge. A guide will then transfer you to Akagera National Park where you will spend the night and on your way to Akagera, you will have an enroute lunch. As for dinner, you will have it at Akagera National Park.
Accommodation options in Akagera
Luxury :Akagera game lodge
Budget : Karenge bush camp
Midrange : Magashi safari camp
Day 10 : Morning game drive and boat cruise
A morning game drive will be conducted as the first activity on day 10 and you will wake up early enough to catch up with the guide for a briefing at the park headquarters. You, with the company of a ranger, will sight several animals, including the big five. You will see most of them when they are rising from their habitats. This drive will also enable you to see other attractions in the park as you drive through.
Upon completion of the drive, you will proceed to the lodge for breakfast and relaxation. After having some rest, you will have lunch and get ready for an afternoon boat cruise at 3pm immediately after the briefing. At lake Ihema where you will carry out the boat cruise, you will spot birds and animals and thus it will take approximately 1 hour before you get back to the lodge. You will rest at the lodge as you wait for dinner. After dinner you will go to sleep.
Day 11 : Bird watching
On day 11, we will go birdwatching after breakfast. A guide at the park headquarters will brief you about this activity and then you will set off. There are different bird species in Akagera National Park and you’ll see a variety of them. The birds that will be spotted include sooty chat, marabou stork, African fish eagle, black-headed gonolek, gray hornbill, Ross’s turaco, swamp flycatcher, papyrus gonolek, red-faced barbet, and white-browed coucal, among others.
Day 12 : Transfer to Kigali
You will check out of the lodge of day 12 of the safari after breakfast. A guide will transfer you back to the hotel where he found you or to Kigali airport.
End of the 12 Days Exotic Rwanda Safari Trip.
12 Days Exotic Rwanda Safari includes
- Meals
- Accommodation
- Gorilla trekking permit
- Golden monkey trekking permit
- Chimpanzee trekking permit
- Hike to Mount bisoke permit
- 4 x 4 safari vehicle
- English speaking driver guide
- Pick up and drop off
- Bottled Mineral water
12 Days Exotic Rwanda Safari excludes
- Visa fees
- Air ticket
- Personal expenses
- Life insurance
- Personal needs
