7 Days Rwanda Wildlife Safaris – Overview

The 7 Days Rwanda Wildlife Safari is one of the highly rewarding safari packages that allow the visitors to the land of thousand hills to explore the different wildlife species protected in the three national parks of Rwanda .

The 7 days Rwanda Wildlife safari will start and end in Kigali which is the capital city of Rwanda and also the cleanest city in East Africa.

The safaris will give you an opportunity to travel to the remarkable Akagera National Park alive with wide-range of animal species like Elephants, Buffaloes, Hippos, Zebras, Topi, oribi, the Masai giraffe, bushbuck, Defassa waterbuck, and reedbuck among others.

Thereafter, it connect you Volcanoes national park where you will have the highlight of your safari by encountering the mountain gorillas in their serene environment.

The 7 days safari also takes you Nyungwe rainforest national park located in the south western direction from Kigali .

Here you will have chance to tour the best preserved and conserved montane rainforest in whole of the Central Africa, Trek some of stunning 13 different primate species (25% of Africa’s total), enjoy the sights of over 275 bird species, 1068 plant species, 32 amphibian and 38 reptile species.

7 Days Rwanda Wildlife Safaris – Highlights

• Day 1: Arrive at Kanombe International Airport & Transfer to Akagera National Park
• Day 2: Early Morning Game drive & Afternoon boat cruise, Behind the Scenes experience
• Day 3: Transfer from Akagera NP to Volcanoes National Park
• Day 4: Early Morning Gorilla trekking & Afternoon cultural tour or twin lakes walk
• Day 5: Transfer to Nyungwe Forest National Park along the Congo – Nile Trail
• Day 6: Early Morning Chimp trekking in Kyamudongo forest & after noon forest or canopy walk in Nyungwe National Park at Uwinka overlook.
• Day 7: Transfer from Nyungwe Forest Park to Kigali with enroute stopovers at Butare National Museum, Nyanza & departure

7 Days Rwanda Wildlife Safaris – Detailed Itinerary

Day 1: Arrive at Kanombe International Airport & Transfer to Akagera National Park

Upon your arrival at Kanombe International Airport; you will be met by our driver guide who will then take you to one of the hotels in Kigali for refreshment and a chivalrous introduction about the safari and Rwanda in general.

Thereafter, you will embark on an overland journey of 120kms about 2-3hours driver without en-route stopovers.

The wonderful scenic drive will take rolling hills and picture landscape of the eastern part of Rwanda to Akagera national park. Upon your arrival at the park, you will drive to your lodge to check-in, have dinner and overnight Stay.

Accommodation: Akagera game Lodge (Luxury), Ruzizi Tented Lodge (Mid-Range), Shakani Campsite (Budget).

Day 2: Early Morning Game Drive & Afternoon Boat Cruise, Behind The Scenes Experience

After cup of coffee,, you will depart the lodge for early  rewarding game drive in the park’s well-designed network of tracks.

The game drive will take you through different vegetation zones alive with plenty of wildlife species like elephants, buffalo, zebra, bushbaby, hippos, crocodiles Butchell’s Zebra, lions, elephants, topi and over 500 bird species.

As one of the most scenic savanna in East Africa, the game drive in Akagera offers you chance to enjoy the views and sights of the gentle picturesque hills blending in beautifully lowland swamps and water bodies.

Afterwards, drive back to the lodge for lunch and refreshment. After lunch, embark on an afternoon boat trip on the waters of Lake Ihema.

The boat trip will offer you a chance to get close to the different water birds species including African fish eagles, open-billed stork marabou stork, cormorants, crowned cranes, egrets and   herons among others.

The boat trip will also reward you with the views and sights of the unique wild game like Hippos, Nile Crocodiles, elephants, Buffaloes when they are drinking on the shores of lake.

After the boat trip, you will retire back to the park head Quarters for Behind the Scenes experience. Here you will get more insights into Akagera, including conservation developments within the park; you will meet some of the important individuals integral to the management of the park. Retreat back to your lodge for dinner and overnight stay.

Accommodation: Akagera game Lodge (Luxury), Ruzizi Tented Lodge (Mid-Range), Shakani Campsite (Budget).

Day 3: Transfer From Akagera NP to Volcanoes National Park

Right after an early morning breakfast, you will embark on the transfer to Volcanoes National Pak in the north west of Rwanda passing through Kigali city.

The drive is an interesting country side encounter with rural farmed landscapes and remarkable flora. You will make a stop in Kigali for short relaxation and lunch after which you will proceed for 116km about 2 – 3 hours’ drive to Volcanoes National Park arriving in the evening for relaxation dinner and overnight

Accommodation: Mountain Gorilla View Lodge (Upmarket/Luxury) / Hotel La Palme (Midrange/Standard) or Muhabura Hotel (Budget/Basic).

Day 4: Early Morning Gorilla Trekking & Afternoon Cultural Tour or Twin Lakes Walk

After taking a hearty breakfast, report to the park headquarters for an early morning registration and briefing about gorilla trekking etiquettes in Volcanoes Park.

In this session, you will be assigned a particular gorilla family or group that you are going to encounter.

In case you are not physically fit, you are allowed to inform the responsible park officials so that they can assign you less strenuous Gorilla family.

After briefing, the experienced Ranger guides will lead you into the forest trails to search for the critically endangered mountain gorillas thriving in the hilly forested areas of Volcanoes national Park.

The activity which may last between 2 – 8 hours depending on the movements of the apes will reward you with one (1) hour of memorable direct encounter with Mountain gorillas.

You will see them feed their young ones, look for food among other gorilla daily activities and at that time, you are allowed to take as many photos as you wish after which you will disembark to starting point where the activity starts from.

After retiring to the park headquarters, transfer to the lodge for lunch and relaxation. After lunch, you either embark cultural encounter with the local communities around volcanoes national park.

The cultural encounter will give you a rare opportunity to interact with the local people in their natural environment, with a taste of their unique culture and traditions.

You will visit community schools, local home steads; listen to interesting stories about the local people.

Alternatively, you can decide to take on visit to the Twin lakes of Ruhondo and Bulera for amazing scenic views and recreational boat cruise. Retire in the evening for dinner and overnight

Accommodation: Mountain Gorilla View Lodge (Upmarket/Luxury) / Hotel La Palme (Midrange/Standard) or Muhabura Hotel (Budget/Basic).

Day 5: Transfer to Nyungwe Forest National Park Along The Congo – Nile Trail

After taking a relaxed breakfast, embark on the over land transfer to Nyungwe Forest National Park 240km about 7 hours’ drive along the Congo Nile Trail that stretches along the charming shores of Lake Kivu.

The divide marks the point of separation between catchment areas for the Nile River and River Congo. The area has good scenic views that will occupy you throughout the journey.

You will drive through Kibuye town where you can stop for lunch and then through Cyangungu before proceeding for 54km to Nyungwe National Park arriving in the evening for dinner and overnight.

Accommodation: Nyungwe Forest Lodge (Upmarket /Luxury) / Nyungwe Hill Top Hotel (Mid-range/Standard) or Gisakura Guest house (Budget/Basic).

Day 6: Early Morning Chimp Trekking in Kyamudongo Forest & Afternoon Forest or Canopy Walk in Nyungwe National Park at Uwinka Overlook.

Right after your early morning cup of coffee, you will drive to the park headquarters for an early morning briefing about the rules to follow when trekking the chimps.

After briefing, you will be led by the ranger guide through the beautiful forest trail to trek the fascinating chimpanzee creatures.

Along the trails you will enjoy the nice melodies of different bird species housed in the forest and you will also have chance to enjoy the views of other primates like grey-cheeked mangabey, monkeys.

The activity takes between 2-6 hours but experienced guides will also make sure that they take you where you will have to see the primates as fast as possible.

Face to face encounter with the chimpanzees is very amazing because you will observe them play, feed and rest. After this worthwhile experience, you will head back to the lodge for lunch.

In the afternoon, you will embark on the famous Nyungwe Canopy walk which is the first of its kind in East Africa and the third in Africa.

The canopy walk staring at Uwinka overlook is one of the rewarding encounters that you can have in Rwanda.

It offers impressive views of the lush forest canopy and counts of primates and birds that inhabit it. Retire for relaxation, dinner and overnight

Accommodation: Nyungwe Forest Lodge (Upmarket /Luxury) / Nyungwe Hill Top Hotel (Mid-range/Standard) or Gisakura Guest house (Budget/Basic).

Day 7: Transfer From Nyungwe Forest Park to Kigali With En-route Stopovers at Butare National Museum, Nyanza & Departure

Following a cup of tea in the morning, you will depart from Nyungwe national park driving back to Kigali.

The overland long journey will reward you with amazing sceneries and picturesque hills distributed all over the route.

The experienced driver guide will drive you at slow speed to allow you capture the best photographs of the hilly landscape, local people.

You will have lunch enroute and a number of stopovers at Butare National Museum, Nyanza (Rukali) as well as Malaba coffee factory, plus other exciting areas.

On arrival to the park, you will drive to Kigali Craft shops to shop for souvenir. After shopping, you will embark on transfer to the Airport for flight departure.

End of The 7 Days Rwanda Wildlife Safaris

Getting There

Safari Inclusions

• Chimpanzee Permit (for chimpanzee trekking safaris)
• Gorilla Permit (for gorilla trekking safaris)
• Full Board Accommodation on Safari
• Transportation in either 4X4 Safari Van or 4X4 Safari Land Cruiser all with Pop up roof & AC
• Fuel
• Professional English Speaking driver guide. Any other foreign language speaking guide can be arranged on request.
• Entrance fees to the tourist sites including Protected areas mentioned
• Activity fees of the tourist activities mentioned
• Bottled water while on safari
• Border crossing fees (for cross border safaris)

Safari Exclusions

• General tips for the driver guide, site guides and service staff at the lodges
• Laundry Services
• Other Beverages / drinks of personal nature like Alcohol
• International Flights (Arranged on request)
• Domestic Flights (Arranged on request)
• Visas
• Optional Activity fees
• Other extras not mentioned in the Itinerary
• Airport Transfer (Arranged on request)
• Accommodation in Kampala or Kigali unless it is part of the Itinerary (Arranged on request)