12 Days Explore Rwanda Safari
The 12 days Explore Rwanda safari is an interesting and extraordinary tour that will take you to the most visited destinations in Rwanda Akagera National Park which is the largest savannah national parks located in the Eastern part of Rwanda, Nyungwe Forest National Park, Volcanoes National Park and Lake Kivu which is the largest lake in Rwanda. During the 12 days explore Rwanda safari, you will be able to engage in game drives and boat cruises on Lake Ihema where you will be able to view various wildlife species including buffaloes, elephants, rhinos, lions, leopards, zebras, giraffes, waterbucks, impalas, bushbucks, oribi, topi, hippos, and different bird species. You will also engage in an exciting chimpanzee, golden monkey, and gorilla trekking experience where you will be able to spend time with the chimpanzees, golden monkeys, and mountain gorillas in their natural habitat. During the safari, you will also engage in an adventurous canopy walk where you will be able to enjoy aerial views of the park and the Ibyi’wacu cultural tour where you will be able to interact with the local people in the neighboring communities.
Highlights of the 10 days best of Rwanda safari
Day 1: Pick up and transfer to a hotel in Kigali
Day 2: Kigali city tour
Day 3: Transfer to Akagera National park-evening game drive
Day 4: Morning game drive and afternoon boat cruise
Day 5: Transfer to Nyungwe Forest National Park
Day 6: Chimpanzee trekking and canopy walk
Day 7: Colobus trekking and transfer to Lake Kivu
Day 8: Boat cruise and relaxation
Day 9: Transfer to Volcanoes National Park
Day 10: Gorilla trekking experience
Day 11: Golden monkey trekking and Ibyi’wacu cultural tour
Day 12: Departure to Kigali
Detailed Itinerary
Day 1: Pick up and transfer to a hotel in Kigali
Depending on your arrival time at Kigali International Airport on day 1 of the 12 days explore Rwanda safari, our driver guide will pick you up from the airport, brief you about the safari, and then transfer you to the hotel for dinner and overnight.
Day 2: Kigali city tour
On day 2 of the 12 days explore Rwanda safari, you will have breakfast at leisure and meet up with your driver guide to go for a Kigali city tour where you will be able to visit the Kigali genocide memorial center, art/craft centers, Kimironko market, during the city tour you will have lunch and then continue to visit other areas like Kandt house, presidential museum among others. After the city tour, you will return to the hotel for an evening relaxation, dinner and overnight.
Day 3: Transfer to Akagera national park –afternoon game drive
On the third day of the 12 days Explore Rwanda safari, you will have a relaxed breakfast, check out of the hotel and meet up with your driver guide to start the journey to Akagera National Park which takes about 2 to 3 hours’ drive and on the way you will enjoy stunning views of the beautiful scenery, landscape, farmlands among others. Upon arrival, you will check into the lodge for lunch.
After lunch, you will go for an afternoon game drive in the park where you will be able to view animals like buffaloes, elephants, waterbucks, zebras, giraffes, impalas, topi, oribi among others. After the game drive, you will drive back to your lodge for dinner and overnight.
Day 4: Morning game drive and afternoon boat cruise
After an early breakfast on the fourth day of the 12 days explore Rwanda safari, you will meet up with your driver to go for a morning game drive in the park where you will be able to view animals like buffaloes, waterbucks, rhinos, elephants, bushbucks, zebras, impalas, topi, oribi, giraffes, view predators like lions, leopards, hyenas among others looking for the morning hunt. After the game drive, you will return to the lodge for lunch.
After lunch, you will go for an amazing boat cruise on Lake Ihema where you will be able to view hippos and crocodiles in water, view animals along the shores, and see water birds like cormorants, hornbills, kingfishers, fish eagles among others. After the boat cruise, you will drive back to the lodge for dinner and overnight.
Day 5: Transfer to Nyungwe Forest National Park
On the fifth day of the 12 days explore Rwanda safari, you will have breakfast, check out of the lodge, and meet up with your driver guide to start the journey to Nyungwe Forest National Park with en-route lunch and stunning views of the scenery, landscape among others on the way. Upon arrival in Nyungwe Forest National Park, you will connect to your lodge for dinner and overnight.
Day 6: Chimpanzee trekking and Canopy walk tour
After an early breakfast on the sixth day of the 12 days explore Rwanda safari, you will meet up with your driver guide to transfer to the park headquarters for a chimpanzee trekking briefing. After the briefing, you will start trekking in the forest in search of the chimpanzees with an experienced park guide which takes about 30 minutes to 5 hours depending on where they are located. During trekking, you will be able to view other wildlife species and once the chimpanzees are located, you will be allowed to spend one hour with them in their habitat which gives you an opportunity to learn more about their behaviors, and habits, watch them carry out their daily activities like feeding, breastfeeding, playing, grooming young ones, resting, fighting, take photos and record videos to show people back home. After the one hour with the chimpanzees, you will trek back to the starting point where you will meet up with your driver guide and return to the lodge lunch.
After lunch, you will transfer to the park headquarters to go for the canopy walk briefing where you will have a 200m walk along the forest trail to the amazing canopy walkway where you will be able to enjoy aerial views of the forest, trees, spot different bird species, primates among others. After the canopy walk tour, you will meet up with your driver guide and return to the lodge for an evening relaxation, dinner and overnight.
Day 7: Colobus monkey trekking and transfer to Lake Kivu
On the seventh day of the 12 days explore Rwanda safari, you will have breakfast and meet up with your driver guide to transfer to Uwinka park headquarters for a briefing where after you will be allocated a park guide and start trekking in the forest in search of the Black and white colobus monkeys. Once the colobus monkeys are located, you will be allowed to spend one hour with them in the habitat which helps you to learn about their habits, and lifestyle, take photos and record videos.
After colobus monkey trekking, you will drive back to the lodge for lunch where after you will check out and meet up with your driver guide to transfer to Lake Kivu which is the largest lake in Rwanda. Upon arrival, you will connect to your lodge for dinner and overnight.
Day 8: Boat cruise and relaxation
After a relaxed breakfast on the eighth day of the 12 days explore Rwanda safari, your driver guide will pick you up from the lodge to go for an amazing boat cruise on Lake Kivu where you will be able to enjoy great views of the lake, scenery, landscape, bird species among others. After the boat cruise, you will return to the lodge for lunch and spend the rest of the day at leisure or engage in optional activities like sport fishing, birding, and swimming among others, dinner and overnight.
Day 9: Transfer to Volcanoes National Park –twin lakes tour
On the ninth day of the 12 days explore Rwanda safari, you will check out of the lodge and meet up with your driver guide to start the journey to Volcanoes National Park. On the way, you will have en-route lunch and enjoy great views of the landscape, hills, traditional homesteads, views of Lake Kivu among others. Upon arrival, you will go for a twin lakes tour where you will visit Lake Burera and Lake Ruhondo, enjoy scenic views of the terraced farmlands or engage in an interesting boat ride on the lake. After the twin lakes tour, you will drive to the lode for dinner and overnight.
Day 10: Gorilla trekking experience
After an early breakfast on the tenth day of the 12 days explore Rwanda safari, you will carry your packed lunch and meet up with your driver guide to transfer to the park headquarters for a gorilla trekking briefing. After the briefing, you will start trekking in the forest with an experienced park guide which takes about 30 minutes to 6 hours depending on where the gorillas are located. During trekking, you will be able to view other wildlife species and once the mountain gorillas are located, you will be allowed to spend one hour with them in their habitat which gives you an opportunity to learn more about their behaviors, habits, watch them carry out their daily activities like feeding, breastfeeding, playing, grooming young ones, take photos and record videos to show people back home. After the one hour with the mountain gorillas, you will trek back to the starting point where you will meet up with your driver guide and return to the lodge for an evening relaxation, dinner, and overnight.
Day 11: Golden monkey trekking and Ibyi’wacu cultural tour
On the eleventh day of the 12 days explore Rwanda safari, you will have an early breakfast and meet up with your driver guide to transfer to the park headquarters for a golden monkey trekking briefing. After the briefing, you will start trekking in the forest which takes about 30 minutes to 5 hours depending on where the golden monkeys are located. Once they are found, you will be allowed to spend one hour with them in their habitat which gives you a chance to watch them play, feed, jump up in tree branches, take photos, and record videos.
After golden monkey trekking, you will meet up with your driver guide and return to the lodge for lunch after you will go for an exciting cultural tour where you will be able to interact with the local people who live in the neighboring villages, learn about their history, culture, lifestyle, way of living, visit their homesteads, listen to their ancient stories, enjoy their traditional performance among others. After the cultural tour, you will return to the lodge for dinner and overnight.
Day 12: Departure to Kigali
On the last day of the 12 days explore Rwanda safari, you will check out of the lodge and meet up with your driver guide to start the journey back to Kigali. Upon arrival in Kigali, you will have lunch and after your driver guide will drop you off at Kigali International Airport for your departure flight or drop off at any place of advice.
End of 12 days explore Rwanda safari
Tour includes
- Part entrance fee/game drive
- Chimpanzee trekking permit
- Gorilla trekking permit
- Golden monkey trekking permits
- Colobus monkey trekking permit
- Canopy walk tour
- Kigali city tour
- Boat cruise
- Ibyi’wacu cultural tour
- Services of a professional English-speaking driver guide
- Full board accommodation
- Pick up and drop off in Kigali Rwanda
- Vehicle and fuel
- Bottled drinking water
Tour excludes
- Air flight tickets
- Visas
- Life insurance
- Optional activities not included on the itinerary
- Personal expenses like buying souvenirs, cigarettes, crafts, drinks, laundry services, hiring a porter, tips among others.
