10 Days Best of Rwanda Safari
The 10 days Best of Rwanda safari is an exceptional adventure that starts and ends in Kigali Rwanda. The safari will take you to Akagera National Park which is one of the biggest national parks located in the Eastern part of Rwanda, Nyungwe Forest National Park, Volcanoes National Park and Lake Kivu which is the largest lake in Rwanda. During the 10 days Best of Rwanda safari, you will be able to view different wildlife species including the big five mammals like buffaloes, elephants, rhinos, lions, leopards and other animals like waterbucks, duikers, roan antelopes, giraffes, impalas, zebras, hippos, hyenas among others during the game drives and boat cruise on Lake Ihema and also engage in an adventurous chimpanzee and gorilla trekking experience where you will be able to spend time with the chimpanzees and mountain gorillas in their natural environment.
Highlights of the 10 days Best of Rwanda safari
Day 1: Pick up and transfer to the hotel in Kigali
Day 2: Transfer to Akagera national park
Day 3: Morning game drive and afternoon boat cruise
Day 4: Transfer to Nyungwe Forest National Park
Day 5: Chimpanzee trekking and canopy walk tour
Day 6: Transfer to Volcanoes National Park
Day 7: Gorilla trekking experience and Ibyi’wacu cultural tour
Day 8: Golden monkey trekking and transfer to Lake Kivu
Day 9: Boat cruise and relaxation
Day 10: Departure to Kigali
Detailed Itinerary
Day 1: Pick up and transfer to a hotel in Kigali
Depending on your location on the first day of the 10 days best of Rwanda safari, you will be picked up by our driver guide from the airport, brief you about the safari and then transfer to a hotel in Kigali for dinner and overnight.
Day 2: Transfer to Akagera National Park
On the second day of the 10 days Best of Rwanda safari, our driver guide will pick you up from your hotel to go for a city tour where you will visit the Kigali genocide memorial centre, Kimironko market, and art centres among others. After the city tour, you will have lunch and after you will start the journey to Akagera National Park which takes about 2 to 3 hours’ drive with great views of the rolling hills, beautiful scenery, and landscape among others. Upon arrival, you will check into the lodge for dinner and overnight.
Day 3: Morning game drive and afternoon boat cruise
Morning game drive
After an early breakfast on the third day of the 10 days best of Rwanda safari, your driver guide will pick you up from the lodge to go for a morning game drive in the park where you will be rewarded with great views of animals like elephants, buffaloes, rhinos, impalas, waterbucks, warthogs which will be grazing in the open savannah plains, view predators like lions, leopards, hyenas among others if you are lucky, variety of bird species among others. After the game drive you will drive to the lodge for lunch.
Boat cruise,
After lunch you will go for an amazing boat cruise on Lake Ihema where you will get a chance to view animals like hippos and crocodiles in the water, view elephants, buffaloes, waterbucks, warthogs along the shores, water birds like martial eagles, papyrus gonolek, pelicans, hornbills, African skimmers, cormorants, African spoonbills, fish eagles, king fisher’s among others. After the boat ride you will return to the lodge for an evening relaxation dinner and overnight.
Day 4: Morning game drive and transfer to Nyungwe Forest National Park
Morning game drive
After breakfast on the fourth day of the 10 days best of Rwanda safari, your driver guide will pick you up from the lodge to go for a short game drive in the park where you will be able to view some of the animals that you might have missed during the previous game drive.
After the game drive you will drive out of the park and start the journey to Nyungwe forest national park with en-route lunch and great views of the beautiful scenery, and landscape among others on the way. Upon arrival, you will connect to your lodge for dinner and overnight.
Day 5: Chimpanzee trekking and canopy walk tour
Chimpanzee trekking,
After an early breakfast on the fifth day of the 10 days best of Rwanda safari, you will meet up with your driver guide to transfer to the park headquarters for a chimpanzee trekking briefing. After the briefing, you will be allocated a chimpanzee family to trek and an experienced park guide who is knowledgeable about chimpanzee trekking trails. Chimpanzee trekking in Nyungwe Forest National Park takes about 30 minutes to 5 hours depending on where they are located because they like to move from one place to another in search of food. During trekking, you will be able to view different bird species, other primate species, plant and tree species among others. Once the chimpanzees are located, you will be allowed to spend one hour with them in their habitat which gives you an opportunity to learn more about their behaviours, habits, take photos, watch them carry out their daily activities and record the incredible moments to show people back home. After the one hour with the chimpanzees, you will return to the lodge for lunch.
Canopy walk tour
After lunch, you will go for an adventurous canopy walk tour which starts at Uwinka Visitors Centre. During the canopy walk, you will be able to view different bird species, primates, and animals, and enjoy an aerial view of the forest, and tree tops among others. After the canopy walk, you will drive back to the lodge for an evening relaxation, dinner and overnight.
Day 6: Transfer to Volcanoes National Park
On the sixth day of the 10 days best of Rwanda safari, you will have breakfast at leisure and meet up with your driver guide to transfer to Volcanoes National Park. On the way, you will have an en-route lunch and then continue the journey with great views of the beautiful scenery, and landscape among others. Upon arrival, you will go for a twin lakes tour of Lake Burera and Lake Ruhondo where you will be able to enjoy stunning views of the terraced farmlands, bird species among others. From the Twin Lakes, you will drive to the lodge for dinner and overnight.
Day 7: Gorilla trekking in Volcanoes national park and Ibyi’wacu cultural tour
After breakfast on the seventh day of the 10 days best of Rwanda safari, you will carry your lunch box and meet up with your driver guide to go for gorilla trekking briefing. After the briefing, you will start trekking in the forest in search of the mountain gorillas which takes about 30 minutes to 6 hours depending on where they are located because they like to move from one place to another in search of food. During trekking, you will be able to view different birds, other primate species among others and once the gorillas are located, you will be allowed to spend one hour with them in their environment where you will be able to watch them feed, play, breastfeed, groom young ones, take photos and record videos to show people back home.
After gorilla trekking, you will meet up with your driver guide to go for an interesting Ibyi’wacu cultural tour where you will be able to interact with the local people, learn about their culture, history, lifestyle, way of living, visit their homesteads, enjoy their traditional performances among others. After the cultural tour, you will return to the lodge for an evening relaxation, dinner and overnight.
Day 8: Golden monkey trekking and transfer to Lake Kivu
After breakfast on the eighth day of the 10 days best of Rwanda safari, you will meet up with your driver guide to go for golden monkey trekking briefing at the park headquarters. After the briefing, you will start trekking in the forest in search of the golden monkeys which takes about 30 minutes to 5 hours depending on where they are located and once they are located, you will be allowed to spend one hour with them in their habitat where you will be able to watch them feed, play, jump up in tree branches, take photos and record the moments to show people back home.
After Golden Monkey trekking, you will meet up with your driver guide and drive back to the lodge for lunch where after you will check out of the lodge and meet up with your driver guide to transfer to Lake Kivu which is the largest Lake in Rwanda. Upon arrival, you will check into the lodge for an evening relaxation, dinner and overnight.
Day 9: Boat cruise on Lake Kivu and relaxation
After a relaxed breakfast on the ninth day of the 10 days best of Rwanda safari, your driver guide will pick you up from the lodge to go for an amazing boat cruise on Lake Kivu where you will be able to explore some of the islands, enjoy beautiful views of the landscape among others. After the boat cruise on Lake Kivu, you will return to the lodge for lunch where after you will spend the rest of the day at leisure or engage in optional activities like swimming, birding, sport fishing among others. Dinner and overnight as above.
Day 10: Departure to Kigali
On the last day of the 10 days best of Rwanda safari, you will have breakfast at leisure, check out of the lodge and meet up with your driver guide to transfer back to Kigali. Upon arrival, you will have lunch and later your driver guide will drop you off at Kigali International airport for your flight or drop off at any place of advise.
End of 10 days best of Rwanda safari
Tour includes
- Gorilla trekking permit
- Chimpanzee trekking permit
- Canopy walk
- Park entrance fees/ game drive
- Boat cruise fees
- Kigali city tour
- Ibyi’wacu cultural tour
- Services of a professional English speaking driver guide
- Full board accommodation
- Pick up and drop off in Kigali Rwanda
- Vehicle and fuel
- Bottled drinking water
Tour excludes
- Air flight tickets
- Visas
- Life insurance
- Optional activities not included on the itinerary
- Personal expenses like buying souvenirs, cigarettes, crafts, drinks, laundry services, hiring a porter, tips among others.
