9 Days Rwanda Luxury Wildlife Safari

Overview

This 9-Day Rwanda Luxury Wildlife Safari will take you to some of Rwanda’s most amazing destinations. You’ll thus hike through Nyungwe Forest National Park and search for the elusive mountain gorillas in Volcanoes National Park. Also, enjoy the sights of the Big 5 in Akagera National Park. Enjoy all that Rwanda has to offer from Kigali!

Details of the 9-day Rwanda Luxury Wildlife Safari

Day 1: Arrival and hotel transfer

Upon arrival, you will meet your guide from Safari Vacations and Travel Services. He will then brief you about the safari and then transfer you to the hotel as you wait the next day.

Accommodation: Serena Hotel Rwanda/Raddison Blu Hotel

Day 2: Transfer to Nyungwe Forest National Park

After early morning breakfast, you will drive into the Nyungwe Forest. On the way, you will visit Nyanza King’s Palace and the National Museum of Butare. Also, you can visit the genocide memorial of Murambi. Nyanza was the headquarters of the ancient Rwanda Kingdom before the arrival of the Europeans. The compound features the tastefully decorated modern palace built by King Mutura in 1934. Then, head to Nyungwe Forest National Park.

Accommodation: One&Only Nyungwe House

Meal plan: Full Board

Day 3: Nyungwe Chimpanzee trekking

Following breakfast, you will enter the Nyungwe forest to undoubtedly track the Nyungwe Chimpanzees. A walk into the forest with our knowledgeable guides well versed in botany, ornithology, and also interspecies relationships will be a whole new learning experience for you. After finding the chimpanzees, you’ll spend an hour with them. Use this time to take pictures, monitor their behavior, and also see how they take care of each other. You will also return to the lodge for lunch, dinner, and overnight stay.

Accommodation: One&Only Nyungwe House

Meal plan: Full Board

Day 4: Nature walk & Canopy walk

Following breakfast, you will also enter the forest again for a nature walk to the waterfalls. This nature walk will be an experience of a lifetime as you’ll see different primates and bird species. Then, later in the afternoon, embark on a much more rewarding canopy walk. Then come back for dinner and an overnight stay.

Accommodation: One&Only Nyungwe House

Meal plan: Full board

Day 5: Transfer to Gisenyi

Today after breakfast, you will transfer to Gisenyi. Here, you’ll also spend part of the day relaxing and swimming at Kivu Serena Beach. You’ll do so as you wait for the next day to transfer to Volcanoes National Park. Meanwhile, you may partake in other optional activities like a launch cruise and island visits.

Accommodation: Lake Kivu Serena Hotel

Meal plan: Full board

Day 6: Transfer to Volcanoes National Park for Gorilla Tracking

Early in the morning after breakfast, you will transfer to Volcanoes National Park for your gorilla trek. You will arrive very early in the morning at the main office for a short briefing and coffee. Then, enter the forest for Gorilla trekking which will take you only for one hour in their presence. However, finding them may take between 2-6 hours depending on where they nested the day before. Use the one hour to take pictures, monitor their social behavior, and record short videos. Your overnight will be at the hotel.

Accommodation: Five Volcanoes Lodge

Meal plan: Full Board

Day 7: Golden monkey trekking

Today you will visit the golden monkeys in Volcanoes National Park. You will again have to be at the main office at 7:00 am for a short briefing before your trek. Return at lunchtime and then go visit the twin lakes of Burera and Ruhondo. Your overnight will be at the hotel.

Accommodation: Five Volcanoes Lodge

Meal plan: Full Board

Day 8: Transfer to Akagere National Park

Following morning breakfast, you will head to Akagera via Kigali. Furthermore, you will also have lunch before driving into Akagera National Park. You will cruise to Lake Ihema in the afternoon and then also go on a bird watch in Akagera. Your overnight will be at the lodge.

Accommodation: Akagera Rhino Lodge/Akagera Game Lodge

Meal plan: Full Board

Day 9: Akagera game drive and transfer back to Kigali

After breakfast, you will go on a game drive in the park. Akagera National Park is in Eastern Rwanda on the border with Tanzania. Akagera National Park is the only Savannah park in Rwanda and is home to several mammal species. These include Lions, Elephants, Giraffes, Hippos, Kobs, Zebras, Bushbucks, Waterbucks, and also most recently Black Rhinos have been introduced from South Africa. This makes Akagera National Park officially a Big 5 park like it was many years ago. It is also home to numerous bird species in several habitats which include woodland, swamps, lakes, and Savannah.

After a game drive, you will come back to your lodge for lunch. Then, check out and transfer back to Kigali for your drop off which marks the end of the 9-Day Rwanda Luxury Wildlife Safari.

Included