Rwanda Tour Overview

The 9 day Rwanda gorilla trekking tour offers a great opportunity to visit and explore the country’s major tour hubs / attractions such as Volcanoes National Park, a home to mountain gorillas with currently 10 habituated groups available for tourism purposes, Akegara National Park for wildlife viewing in search for animals such as Giraffes, Elephants, Buffaloes, Antelopes, Hippos and lions. The trip also goes to Nyungwe National park for chimpanzee tracking and colobus monkey tracking or canopy walk adventure. We also also visit historical sites, cultural museums and genocide memorial sites among others. Accommodation is offered in self – contained lodges / hotels categorized into budget, deluxe and luxury depending on your budget. Private transportation offered in a 4WD safari vehicle with a pop-up roof for excellent game viewing and photographing. Below is a day by day detailed itinerary;

ITINERARY: 9 Days Gorilla trekking Safari

Day 1: Arrival in Kigali, Kanombe International Airport

Upon arrival in Rwanda, meet your driver/guide (Our company representative) at the airport and then transfer to Kigali city. You will get briefed about your tour adventure in Rwanda, have lunch at Nakumat, later depart for Akagera wildlife park, 2-3hrs drive, arrive by early evening, check in Ruzizi Tented Camp or Akagera Game Lodge for dinner and overnight stay.

Day 2: Half Day Game Drive and Canoe Ride on Lake Ihema

Wake up early for breakfast and proceed for a game drives in search for more predators and early raisers returning to their hideouts. Expect an encounter with Zebras, Giraffes, Elephants, Buffaloes, lions and other antelopes and well as about 450 bird species. After lunch, enjoy a boat ride on Lake Ihema to see Hippos, Crocodiles, and marine bird species, later in the late afternoon, drive back to Kigali for dinner and overnight at Chez lando Hotel, Hotel Kempinski or Urban Boutique

Day 3: Kigali City Tour, transfer to Parc National des Volcans Rwanda

Have breakfast at the hotel and proceed for a city tour in Kigali, visit the genocide museum in Gisozi, after lunch, depart northwards for Volcanoes National park Rwanda, a home to the endangered mountain gorillas in Africa. The journey goes through the beautiful terraced hillsides that characterize much of Rwandan landscape, gradually climbing to the base of the awesome Virunga volcanoes, with as many as five peaks visible on a clear day. Arrive by late afternoon or early evening, check-in Virunga Lodge / Sabinyo Silverback Lodge / Mountain gorilla view lodge, Muhabura hotel or Kinigi Guest Lodge for diner and overnight.

Day 4: Rwanda Gorilla Trekking Adventure

Wake up early heavy breakfast, then assemble at volcanoes gorilla park headquarters (with packed water and lunch) for a briefing about gorilla trekking experience. Tracking the gorillas through the light mountain forest of the Virunga is a wonderful experience and an adventure for life time. The trek takes 1-7hours depending on the movement of gorillas in their natural setting / habitat!! Its quiet hectic to hike up into the moutains but the thrill of encountering these gentle giants is worth the effort. Sight and stay with the gorillas is 60 minutes maximum, take photos and videos.

Retire to the lodge in time for a late lunch! Some gorilla families however are more elusive, and tracking can take a full day, especially when it is wet and muddy. This is why visitors are advised to go with packged lunch or snacks like biscuits, also hire a porter to carry your day pack and assist you during the trek. Overnight and dinner as on DAY 3.

Day 5: Tracking Golden Monkeys in volcanoes National Park Rwanda

Breakfast followed by adventurous golden monkeys tracking in the same forest, then after lunch, depart to Gisenyi, visit Ross Carr’s orphanage and Lake Kivu. Overnight at Kivu Serena Hotel overlooking Lake Kivu shores/beach or Stipp Hotel / Paradise Malahide Hotel.

Day 6: Transfer to Drive to Nyungwe Primates Forest

Early in the morning you will start a journey from north of the country to south-western through the rolling hills and  green hills of tea to the vast Nyungwe mountainous Forest, arrive by late afternoon, dinner and overnight at 5 Star Nyungwe Forest lodge / Budget Gisakura Guest house.

Day 7: Primates tracking (Chimpanzees and Monkeys)

Breakfast and go on an escorted walk in search of the large Chimpanzee communities in mountainous Nyungwe National Park. During the walk, expect an encounter other primates like golden monkeys, blue monkeys, L’hoest’s monkeys, Red-tailed monkeys, Mangabeys, Baboons and Vervets among others as well as many bird species. Retire for lunch, relax for time time before proceeding for black and white Colobus monkeys and birds including the Rwenzori turaco. Dinner and overnight as on DAY 6.

Day 8: Canopy walk, transfer to Kigali

This is a day for canopy walking adventure in Nyungwe forest canopies. There are many routes at different altitudes and offers an adventure experience for life time. Later transfer back to Kigali with enroute stop at Murambi genocide museum, Rwanda National museum in Butare, arrive in Kigali by evening for overnight at Mille Colline Hotel / Manor Hotel / Urban Boutique / Kigali Serena / Chez Lando.

Day 9: Depart for Kigali

Depending on your scheduled flight, you will be taken for a city tour in Kigali, last minute shopping in Kigali before transferring to the airport where the tour ends.

This marks the end of our 9 day Rwanda safari adventure. The tour can be taken any time of the year. However, the demand for gorilla trekking permits is very high through out the year. Visitors are therefore advised to book your gorilla permits in advance. For more information about Rwanda gorilla safaris and wildlife tour packages, click here.

END OF THE GORILLA TREKKING SAFARI RWANDA