The 7 days Rwanda gorilla safari is designed to give maximum wildlife experience to our visitors. Expect to see mountain gorillas in Volcanoes national park, a boat cruise on lake Kivu as you visit Idjwi Island to witness local beer brewing and coffee plantations. Enjoy a scenic drive to Nyungwe forest along the showers of the Albertine Lake Kivu for chimpanzee tracking and a canopy walk in Nyungwe national park. Experience a relaxing and rewarding game drive in Akagera national park and you may conclude your tour with a Kigali city tour.
7 Days Rwanda Gorilla Safari – Trip Summary
Day 1: Arrive at Kigali airport and transfer to Kinigi in Musanze district
Day 2: Gorilla trekking and cultural tour
Day 3: Transfer to Lake Kivu for a boat cruise
Day 4: Transfer to nyungwe Forest for an afternoon canopy walk
Day 5: Chimpanzee tracking and transfer to Akagera national park
Day 6: Game drive in Akagera national park
Day 7: Transfer back to Kigali for a city tour
7 Days Rwanda Gorilla safari in Detail
Day 1: Transfer to Volcanoes National Park Rwanda
Upon arrival at Kigali airport, a representative of Gorilla Trek Africa will welcome and transfer you to Kinigi which is a 3 hours’ drive north of Kigali City. Overnight stay at Five Volcanoes Boutique Hotel, Sabinyo Silverback Lodge, or Mountain View Gorilla Lodge (on Full board basis).
Day 2: Gorilla trekking in Volcanoes national park Rwanda
At 7:00 am transfer to the park headquarters for breakfast and briefing on the day’s activities. At 8:00 your driver guide will transfer you to the gorilla tracking commencement point at the periphery of the Volcanoes national park. Following the trail along with other trackers in the company of an armed game ranger you may be able to encounter a mountain gorilla family in a matter of an hour or more. You will be allowed at least an hour to stay in the presence of these gentle giants. Return to the lodge for you lunch.
In the afternoon you may either visit the twin lakes of Bulera and Ruhondo; or you may visit I’biwachu Cultural Village. At the cultural centre you will be adorned as a king or a queen and be entertained by the famous Ngayabatema singing ‘gorilla songs’ and the intore dance. Overnight stay at Five Volcanoes Boutique Hotel, Sabinyo Silverback Lodge, or Mountain View Gorilla Lodge (on Full board basis).
Day 3: Boat cruise on Lake Kivu or Nyiragongo Volcano hike
Take an early morning breakfast before heading to Lake Kivu for a boat cruise. A sundowner cruise on this lake as you catch a glimpse of the DR Congo horizons is a memorable experience. If Eastern DR Congo is peaceful, an alternative activity on this day would be the Nyiragongo Volcanic Mountain hike. Overnight stay at Lake Kivu Serena Hotel, Kivu Paradis Resort or Paradis Mlahide (On Full Board Basis)
Day 3: Transfer to Nyungwe Forest (4 to 5 hours’ drive)
Undertake a 5 hours’ drive to Nyungwe forest. On arrival enjoy an early lunch before proceeding for a Canopy walk that begins from the Uwinka Reception Centre. The suspended bridge can be accessed from the 2.1 KM long Igishigishigi trail. The suspended bridge is 160 metres above the forest canopy. Overnight stay at One & Only Nyungwe House, or Nyungwe Top View Hotel (on Full Board basis)
Day 4: Chimpanzee trekking
With over 500 chimpanzee individuals, Nyungwe forest is one of best parks for primates trekking. Two chimpanzee troops have been habituated for visitors. One with 60 individuals is at Nyungwe main forest and the second one with 30 individuals is in Cyamudongo. Depending on the availability
of permits, visitors are expected to converge at their starting centres at 4:30 am so that by 5:00 am they are able to start the tracking.
After lunch, your driver guide may transfer you to Kigali City. This is a 5 to 6 hours drive. But in case, the chimp hike could have exhausted you, stay for another overnight in Nyungwe and just have an early morning drive to Akagera national park. Overnight stay at Ruzizi Tented Lodge, Akagera Game Lodge or the luxury Magashi Safari Camp (Full board)
Day 5: Transfer & enjoy an afternoon boat cruise on Lake Akagera
Akagera national park is endowed with large numbers of antelopes including topis, Cape Eland, klipspringer, duiker, roan, oribis, bushbuck, waterbuck, etc. The park is also Rwanda’s only Big Five destination hosting elephants, lions, leopards, black rhino and buffaloes. Most boat cruises in this park are conducted on Lake Ihema. This is the lake with the highest hippos concentration in the whole of East Africa. On this boat cruise, there is a high chance of spotting crocodiles and hippos among others. There is a plethora of birds including shoe bills in the surrounding swamp, jacanas, papyrus gonolek, malachite kingfisher, the hawk, etc. Overnight stay at Ruzizi Tented Lodge, Akagera Game Lodge or the luxury Magashi Safari Camp (Full board)
Day 6: Game drive in Akagera national park
After breakfast begin a game drive at 6:30 am up to 11:30 am and return to the lodge for relaxation and lunch. You may opt for another game drive session that begins at noon and ends at 5:00 pm. Later transfer back to Kigali. Overnight stay at Radisson Blu & Kigali Convention Centre, Kigali Marriot Hotel, Hotel des Mille Collines, etc. (on Bed & breakfast basis)
Day 7: Kigali City Tour or Nyamata Genocide site (optional)
On this day you have an option of undertaking a Kigali city tour including a visit to Gisozi Genocide site or the Women’s handicrafts market. You may visit Nyamata genocide site, 19 Miles (30 KM) south of Kigali. The remains of 50,000 people are found inside the church building. This is a vivid testimony of the 1994 Rwanda genocide.
Later return to Kigali international airport for your scheduled evening flight back to your home or any other destination of your choice.