This is an exclusive safari that offers ultimate exploration of Rwanda’s most attractive wildlife. 
The 8 day primate and wildlife Rwanda safari takes us to all the three national parks of Rwanda; Volcanoes, Akagera and Nyungwe national park. The parks are scattered across the country and this offers another great opportunity to discover the countryside. We offer the best car for this long tour so that you can enjoy the road trip.
8 days Rwanda wildlife safari is full of adventure, we go trekking for mountain gorillas in Volcanoes national park, search for chimpanzees in Nyungwe Forest National Park and enjoy wildlife viewing in Akagera National Park. Game drive and the boat cruise in Akagera are very rewarding with a variety of animals, stunning landscapes and beautiful sunrises and sunset.
Safari highlights
The tour starts and ends in Kigali
Main Activities;
- Chimp trekking
- Canopy walk
- Gorilla trekking
- Wildlife viewing- game drive and boat cruise
Detailed itinerary
Day 1: Arrival in Kigali and transfer to hotel
When you arrive at Kigali international airport, our company driver welcomes you and shares aboutanything of interest about Rwanda. He then gives a briefing about our 8 days safari as he transfers you to your preferred lodge in Kigali. After knowing the schedule of the next day, prepare for the morning pick up before resting overnight.
Day 2: Transfer to Nyungwe Forest National Park
We raise up early, get prepared for travel and go for breakfast as we meet our safari guide for a transfer. We check out of the lodge and drive via the northern route with a stopover at National Museum inButarethen proceed to Nyungwe forest national park in the far Southeastern part of Rwanda.
The country has a beautiful landscape described by numerous rolling hills which offer an eye catching road trip. After about 5-6 hours of travel, we arrive at the park, and check in at the earlier on booked lodge for dinner and overnight.
Accommodation options: Nyungwe Top View hotel, Emeraude Kivu Resort
Day 3: Chimp trekking and Canopy walk in Nyungwe forest
As early as 6:00am, we wake up and have breakfast just before stepping out to head to the park headquarters.We get briefed about the rules and regulations regarding chimp trekking and movement around the forest, then find our way into the forest with a ranger guide. If you love hiking, thenyou are more likely to enjoy their activity the most. Coming face to face with man’s closest forest creatures is one of the most life time momentsyou can have. Make sure you carried your camera and capture every move of the apes. The forest is home to many other animalssuch as monkeys and birds and some of them are likely to be spotted.
Get back to lodge and rejuvenate the body and later on go for a canopy walk. This is more exciting than you think, it offers the best views of Nyungwe forest’s thick canopy, various forest birds and one’s adrenalin. Dinner and overnight at the lodge.
Meal plan: Full board
Day 4: Transfer from Nyungwe to Volcanoes National Park
We start the journey early morning after breakfast, from the south to north of Rwanda, via Kibuye and Lake Kivu. We enjoy views of different landformsincluding the lake, hills and the Virunga Mountains.
We are excited to arrive at one of the few homes to the endangered mountain gorillas that is also strategically located on the conical Virunga volcanoes which give a reason to enjoy the cool climate in this area. The park is also a natural habitat for the lovely golden monkeys and many forest birds.
Check in at the lodge for the overnight
Accommodation options: Bisate lodge-luxury, Le Bambou Gorilla lodge-midrange, Muhabura hotel-budget.
Meal plan: Full board
Day 5: Gorilla Trekking
By 8:00am, we are expected to have arrived at the headquarters for briefing and know the do’s and don’tsof gorilla trekking. Therefore plan best on when to wake up and take breakfast before heading to the beginning point of the activity. Each group of a maximum of 8 people is allocated to a family of gorillas to trek which they search for with an experienced and knowledgeable ranger familiar with the trails in the rain forest.
The great encounter with mountain gorillas is incredible. Spend this awesome moment watching the giants, how playful the infantsare and adults very concerned at their little ones. There is a lot learntabout the gorillas during the one hour spent with them just before trekking back to the headquarters.
There is an optional activity of visiting the Iby’iwachu cultural village for a cultural entertainment and interaction to know about the life of the locals. This can be done in the evening.
Dinner and overnight at the lodge.
Meal plan: Full board
Day 6: Transfer from Volcanoes to Akagera National Park
This is another road trip running from the north to the west of the country. Check out after breakfast and hit smooth tarmac roads of Rwanda, taking us through various towns to Akagera national park. This journey takes about 6 hours and on arrival, we explore the park before checking in at the lodge.Lunch en route.
Accommodation: Akagera Game lodge
Meal plan: Full board
Day 7: Morning game drive and Boat cruise
To widen our chances of seeing more animals in Akagera, we need to be out for the jungle early morning. So we take breakfast very early and drive around the dirt trails. A beautiful view of the sunrise after dawn and lots of wildlife including Masaigiraffes, buffaloes, Zebras, oribis, roan antelopes, elephants and hipposamong others. Lions were re-introduced in the park after extinction due to hunting and they are one of the attractionswe are fortunate to sight. A few primates can be sighted in the forested areas of the park.
There is still much more to explore in the park especially around LakeIhema. We therefore enjoy our lunch and transfer for the boat cruise which displays a lot of attractions ranging from the landscape to mammals. The lake shores are resting places for crocodiles, birds including the occasionally spotted shoebill stork. The lake also has a high concentration of hippos. After the boat ride, we return to the lodge and relax. Dinner and overnight at Akagera Game lodge.
Meal plan: Full board
Day 8: Depart to Kigali
This is our last day of the 8 days adventurous Rwanda safari. We end it in the best style by doing a short game drive to have our last views of the buffaloes, elephants, giraffes and antelopes as we leave the park.
The driver drops us off at the preferred location in Kigali.
Meal plan: Half board
End of tour
The package covers;
- Transport at the destination from day 1-day 8
- Professional safari driver
- Bottled drinking water
- Activities included on the itinerary
- Park entry fees
- Gorilla trekking permit
- Chimp permit trekking permit
- Accommodation and meals per itinerary