The 10-Day Rwanda safari explores the best of Rwanda featuring the country's three major national parks. All the 3 protected areas are unique and exclusive in their own right. You will start the 10-day Rwanda safari adventure in Nyungwe Forest National Park home to one of Africa's oldest forests and chimpanzees. From Nyungwe, visit Volcanoes National Park for Mountain Gorillas and Golden Monkey Trekking and then end the safari in Akagera National Park for a savanna wildlife experience.
Day 1: Arrival and Transfer to the Hotel
You will be picked up from the airport upon arrival and transferred to your hotel for a rest. You will then have a Kigali city tour, visiting the genocide memorial, local market, and other places of interest.
Day 2: Head to Nyungwe (4 to 5 hours drive)
You will be picked up from your hotel and depart for Nyungwe National Park in southwestern Rwanda with en route stopovers at the Nyanza Palace and Butare Museum. You will also have a stopover for a lunch break and then proceed to Nyungwe arriving in the evening for dinner and overnight stay.
Day 3: Chimpanzee Tracking & Canopy Walk
After breakfast, you will go for chimpanzee tracking in Nyungwe forest to meet the chimpanzee man's closest primates. You will also see other wildlife species including birds and other primates. In the afternoon you will go for a canopy walk along East Africa's only canopy walkway then return to your hotel for dinner and overnight stay.
Day 4: Transfer to Volcanoes National Park (4 hours drive)
After breakfast, you will transfer to Volcanoes National Park with en route stopovers for photography and a lunch break. You will arrive in the afternoon and pass via the twin lakes of Bulera and Ruhondo for sightseeing and later proceed to your lodge for meals and overnight.
Day 5: Gorilla Trek & Community Visit
On this most anticipated day, you will head to the park headquarters after breakfast. You will be briefed about the gorilla trek and then head to the forest in a 2 to 6-hour trek as you see other wildlife species. Once you get to the gorillas, you will observe and interact with them for an hour and later be brought back to the park headquarters. In the evening you will have a cultural visit where you will discover more about the Rwandan local culture.
Day 6: Kayaking & Ellen Campus Tour
After breakfast, you will go for a kayaking experience along the Mukungwa River. Return to your lodge for lunch and in the evening, visit the Ellen Campus of the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund. Later have dinner and overnight at your preferred hotel
Day 7: Golden Monkey Trek & transfer to Kigali
After breakfast you will be taken through another briefing about golden monkey trekking after which you will proceed to the forest. You will meet the golden monkeys that are among the rare primate species only living in the Virunga massif. You will see other wildlife species in the park and later return for a transfer back to Kigali.
Day 8: Transfer to Akagera National Park & Game drives (3 hours’ drive)
You will have breakfast and be driven to Akagera National Park located in Eastern Rwanda. You will arrive early for a lunch break and later go for game drives seeing wildlife and enjoying the sunset.
Day 9: Game drives and Boat Cruise
After breakfast, you will go for game drives in the northern sector of the park seeing several wildlife. Notable animals you will see include elephants, lions, zebras, giraffes several birds, and many others. In the afternoon you will go for a boat cruise along Lake Ihema where you will see other wildlife including hippos, and crocodiles.
Day 10: Departure (3 hours’ drive)
On this morning after breakfast, you will have game drives as you exit the park for a transfer to Kigali arriving early enough for a drop off at the airport for departure or Hotel depending on schedule. You can do the Kigali city tour if you missed it the previous day.