This 6 days Rwanda wildlife and gorilla safari will give you the two ultimate safari experiences i.e. game drives in Akagera national park and gorilla trekking in volcanoes national park. The Akagera national park is the only Savannah park in Rwanda hosting a number of big mammals with the most sought after being Lions, Buffaloes, Giraffes, Zebras and Hippos which will provide for great photographic moments. After this experience proceed to the volcanoes national park for an unforgettable encounter with the Rwanda mountain gorillas.
Safari Highlights
- Kigali city tour
- Game drive
- Boat trip on Lake Ihema
- Gorilla trekking
- Gorilla Guardians Village
Itinerary for Rwanda Wildlife and Gorilla Safari
Day 1: Arrival for the 6 days Rwanda Safari
Today you start the amazing experience of the Rwanda wildlife and gorilla safari. Kagera Safaris driver guide will pick you up from your hotel or at the Kigali international airport on your arrival.
Depending on time of arrival, you will have a short Kigali city tour visiting key areas like Genocide Memorial, craft centers, Kandt National Museum etc.
Drive time – 20 minutes
Day 2: Transfer to Akagera National park + Boat Safari
Leave for Akagera National Park is located in eastern Rwanda after a relaxed breakfast. The journey takes about 2 hours 30 minutes with stopovers en route to Akagera park for photo moments of the beautiful landscape washrooms. Later arrive at the park and check in to your lodge.
Have lunch and later leave for a one hour boat safari on Lake Ihema.
Drive time – 2 hours 30 minutes or Helicopter ( Augusta) – 30 minutes
B, L & D
Day 3: Whole Day Game drive
We arise early and leave right after breakfast to explore Akagera national park in search of the big mammals like Elephants, Giraffes, Buffaloes, several Antelope species and recently the re-introduced Lions. Most of the game drives happen in the northern part of the park where we will spend the better part of the day and return to the lodge later that afternoon. Akagera national park is is the biggest in Rwanda with beautiful scenery and landscape. It has varied habitats for wildlife and a birders haven with over 500 species in the park.
B, L & D
Day 4: Transfer to Volcanoes national park
After breakfast, we start the journey to volcanoes national park where the massive gentle giants inhabit. It is a natural habitat for the mountain gorillas providing the perfect environment and food for the gorillas. Volcanoes national park is located in northern Rwanda about 2 hours 30 minutes from Kigali in Kinigi, Musanze. The drive from Akagera national park to Musanze will be through Kigali city, enjoy several villages with great landscape views. You can ask the driver to stop for picture moments at different view points as you see the endless hills and understand why indeed Rwanda is referred to as ‘the land of a thousand hills’. We will arrive to the lodge later that evening ready for the gorilla hike the next day.
Drive time – 6 hours Or Helicopter (Robinson) – 35 minutes
B, L & D
Day 5: Gorilla trekking safari
After a restful night, your agenda today is meeting the mountain gorillas in the lush and dense jungles of the Virunga ranges – the volcanoes national park. Your driver guide will transfer you to the briefing place right after your early breakfast to listen from the ranger guide on how to behave while in the park and divide you into the different gorilla groups. In the meantime as you wait for the briefing enjoy the Rwandan cultural dances and the freshly brewed Rwandan coffee. After a briefing from the visitors Centre – embark on the trek that will eventually bring you to the gorillas in their natural habitat. The trek can last anything from an hour to several hours depending on where the gorillas nested the previous night – you need to be relatively fit to enjoy this experience.
B, L & D
Day 6: End of your 6 day Rwanda Wildlife and Gorilla Safari
We hope that you have had a fantastic time exploring the wildlife of Rwanda and will look back at these memories with smile. This is the last day of your safari, after a lazy morning we start journey to Kigali for your return flight or hotel. If your flight in later in the night you can add an optional activity like golden monkey trekking, hike one of the virungas, visit Dian Fossey’s tomb and learn more about her conservation work.
Drive time – 2 hours 30 minutes Or Helicopter (Robinson) – 35 minutes
B & L
