8 DaysRWANDASmall Groups
This 8-day luxury Rwanda safari adventure promises unforgettable memories as you explore and experience the best of Rwanda’s attractions in just one week. The itinerary takes you to two of Rwanda’s iconic national parks, which are Akagera National Park and Volcanoes National Park, while also including a visit to the scenic Lake Kivu to enrich your journey. Engage with the local community and gain insights into their daily lives, adding a cultural dimension to your adventure. Highlights of the trip include both gorilla trekking and golden monkey trekking, offering a once-in-a-lifetime wildlife experience. Request a quote
$5,590per person
Day by Day
Your Itinerary
1Day 1
Arrival in Kigali
Upon arrival at Kigali International Airport, depending on your flight time and undergoing immigration procedures, you will be met by our safari driver-guide, who will warmly welcome you into the land of a thousand hills, brief you shortly, and later transfer you to your booked accommodation for an overnight stay.
Accommodation Options:
Midrange Accommodation: Hôtel des Mille Collines
Luxury Accommodation: Kigali Serena Hotel
Meal Plan: Dinner.
2Day 2
Full-day Kigali City Tour
Discover the best of Kigali on a guided city tour that combines history, culture, and everyday local life. Begin with a meaningful visit to the Kigali Genocide Memorial, where you will gain insight into Rwanda's past and its remarkable journey of reconciliation and transformation. Continue with a leisurely walk through Kigali's vibrant Car-Free Zone, a lively area filled with cafés, shops, public art, and welcoming streets that showcase the city's modern charm. Conclude your experience at Kimironko Market, Kigali's largest local market, where colorful stalls offer fresh produce, traditional fabrics, handcrafted souvenirs, and an authentic glimpse into the daily life of Rwandans before returning to your hotel.
Accommodation Options:
Midrange Accommodation: Hôtel des Mille Collines
Luxury Accommodation: Kigali Serena Hotel
Meal Plan: Dinner.
3Day 3
Transfer to Akagera National Park.
Today, after your early breakfast, you will be picked up by your safari guide and depart for Akagera National Park at 8:00 am. The journey to the park takes approximately 2.5 hours, depending on stopovers along the way. As you travel through Rwanda’s stunning, winding landscapes, feel free to ask the guide to stop for photography. Upon arrival at the park, you will enjoy a short game drive before proceeding to your accommodation for check-in. After settling in, you will have lunch before heading out for a boat trip on Lake Ihema. During the boat ride, you will observe hippos and crocodiles in the water or along the shores, as well as buffaloes and elephants wallowing by the water banks. Later in the evening, you will return to the lodge for dinner and an overnight stay.
Accommodation Options:
Midrange Accommodation: Salt of Akagera
Luxury Accommodation: Ruzizi Tent Lodge
Meal Plan: Breakfast, lunch & dinner
4Day 4
Full Day Game Drive and Night Game Drive
After your morning breakfast at the lodge, you will head out for a full day game drive, continuing your search for wildlife across the park. You may take different routes to increase your chances of varied animal sightings while exploring this beautiful landscape. A picnic lunch will be enjoyed during the course of the day. Later in the evening, you will embark on a night game drive, offering the opportunity to spot nocturnal wildlife species that are active after dark. Following this experience, you will be transferred back to your lodge for dinner and an overnight stay.
Accommodation Options:
Midrange Accommodation: Salt of Akagera
Luxury Accommodation: Ruzizi Tent Lodge
Meal Plan: Breakfast, lunch & dinner
5Day 5
Transfer from Akagera to Volcanoes National Park
Depart the lodge at 6:00 AM for a full day game drive, maximizing wildlife viewing opportunities in the cool morning hours and continuing through midday. With picnic lunch boxes arranged, you will explore diverse habitats, tracking big game and enjoying extended time in the park without returning to the lodge. In the late afternoon, exit the park through the northern gate and proceed directly toward to volcanoes by road, taking you through beautiful scenery of the land of a 1000 hills, viewing daily life along the way. A warm welcome awaits you at the hotel of your choice on the foothills of Volcanoes National Park. Once you check in, refresh you have the rest of the day at leisure.
Accommodation Options:
Midrange Accommodation: Mountain Gorilla View Lodge
Luxury Accommodation: Five Volcanoes Boutique Hotel
Meal Plan: Breakfast, lunch & dinner
6Day 6
Gorilla Trekking Experience & Cultural Village.
Early morning cup of coffee, then prepare for the gorilla trekking briefing from the park headquarters and thereafter, you will be briefed before you enter the jungle with your packed lunch to search the shy mountain gorillas and enjoy their lifestyle in their real home. After meeting the gorillas, you can sit around these great apes for a whole hour watching their social life as you take pictures. On a gorilla safari, a reasonable degree of fitness is required, as well as walking shoes, packed food and mineral water, insect repellent, sunscreen, and a hut. The gorilla-tracking experience takes half a day or a full day, depending on the primates' movements. After your unforgettable gorilla trekking experience, you will return to the lodge for a well-deserved lunch. In the afternoon, visit a nearby community village, where you will immerse yourself in local traditions. Experience the wisdom of traditional healers, learn the art of mat weaving, enjoy vibrant cultural dances, and discover how banana beer and traditional foods are prepared. In the evening, enjoy dinner and settle in for an overnight stay.
Accommodation Options:
Midrange Accommodation: Mountain Gorilla View Lodge
Luxury Accommodation: Five Volcanoes Boutique Hotel
Meal Plan: Breakfast, lunch & dinner
7Day 7
Golden Monkey Trekking & Transfer to Gisenyi Lake Kivu
Enjoy an early breakfast before transferring to the Volcanoes National Park Headquarters in Kinigi for a briefing by the park rangers. During the briefing, you will be assigned to a golden monkey family and receive important information about the trek, park regulations, and how to responsibly observe these endangered primates in their natural habitat. Accompanied by an experienced ranger guide, set off on a Golden Monkey Trek through the bamboo forests on the lower slopes of the Virunga Mountains. The trek generally lasts 2 to 4 hours, depending on the location of the troop, and includes up to one hour spent observing and photographing these fascinating primates once they are located. After the trek, return to the lodge for lunch, then depart for Gisenyi (Rubavu) on the northern shores of Lake Kivu. Upon arrival, check in to your lakeside lodge and spend the remainder of the day at leisure. Relax by the lake, enjoy the peaceful atmosphere, take a stroll along the waterfront, or admire the spectacular sunset over Lake Kivu.
Accommodation Options:
Midrange Accommodation: Kivu Paradise Resort
Luxury Accommodation: Kivu Serena Hotel
Meal Plan: Breakfast, lunch & dinner
8Day 8
Morning boat trip, transfer back to Kigali
After breakfast, enjoy a relaxing morning boat trip on Lake Kivu, exploring the beautiful shoreline around Gisenyi. Cruise across the calm waters while taking in panoramic views of the surrounding hills, lakeside communities, and nearby islands. The excursion offers excellent opportunities for photography, birdwatching, and experiencing the peaceful atmosphere of one of Africa's Great Lakes. Following the boat excursion, return to the lodge to check out before departing for Kigali. Enjoy a scenic drive through Rwanda's rolling hills and picturesque countryside, arriving in the capital in the afternoon. Depending on your schedule, you may be transferred directly to your hotel or to Kigali International Airport for your onward flight.
Meal Plan: Breakfast and lunch
What's Included
All Accommodation and meals as per itinerary
1 Gorilla Permit per person
Transportation by 4x4 safari vehicles
Golden monkey permit
Kigali City tour
Boat tour at Lake Ihema in Akagera National Park
Baot trip on lake Kivu
Day and night game drives in Akagera National Park
Services of a professional English/French-speaking driver/guides
All activities specified in the program, including applicable entrance fees
What's Excluded
Airfare
Alcoholic Drinks
Visa
Laundry
Telephone charges
Tips to local guides
Porter fees during trekking
Personal insurance
Personal shopping bills
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