9 Days Rwanda Classic Safari
The 9 days Rwanda Classic Safari is an extraordinary tour that will take you to the most visited destinations in Rwanda that is Akagera National Park which is the largest savannah national park 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 9 days Rwanda classic 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 and gorilla trekking experience where you will be able to spend time with the chimpanzees 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 9 days Rwanda classic safari
Day 1: Pick up and transfer to a hotel in Kigali
Day 2: Transfer to Akagera National park-evening game drive
Day 3: Morning game drive and afternoon boat cruise
Day 4: Transfer to Nyungwe Forest National Park
Day 5: Chimpanzee trekking and canopy walk
Day 6: Transfer to Lake Kivu-afternoon boat cruise
Day 7: Transfer to Volcanoes National Park
Day 8: Gorilla trekking experience and Ibyi’wacu cultural tour
Day 9: Golden monkey trekking and 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 the first day of the 9 days Rwanda classic 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: Transfer to Akagera National Park –evening game drive
On the second day of the 9 days Rwanda classic safari, you will have breakfast, check out of the hotel 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 centres, Kimironko market among others. After the city tour, you will have lunch and after you will start the journey to Akagera National Park which takes about 2 to 3 hours’ drive.
Upon arrival, you will go for an evening 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 to your lodge for evening relaxation, dinner and overnight.
Day 3: Morning game drive and afternoon boat cruise
After an early breakfast on the third day of the 9 days Rwanda classic 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 the water, view animals along the shores, and 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 4: Transfer to Nyungwe Forest National Park
On the fourth day of the 9 days Rwanda classic 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 5: Chimpanzee trekking and Canopy walk tour
After an early breakfast on the fifth day of the 9 days Rwanda classic 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 6: Transfer to Lake Kivu-boat cruise
After a relaxed breakfast on the sixth day of the 9 days Rwanda classic safari, you will check out of the lodge and meet up with your driver guide to transfer to Lake Kivu with stunning views on the way. Upon arrival, you will check into the lodge for lunch where you will go for an amazing boat cruise on Lake Kivu where you will be able to enjoy great views of the lake, scenery, landscape, and bird species among others. After the boat cruise, you will return to the lodge for an evening relaxation, dinner, and overnight.
Day 7: Transfer to Volcanoes National Park –twin lakes tour
On the seventh day of the 9 days Rwanda classic 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 an 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 lodge for dinner and overnight.
Day 8: Gorilla trekking experience
After an early breakfast on the eighth day of the 9 days Rwanda classic safari, you will carry your packed lunch and meet up with your driver guide to transfer to the park headquarters for 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, and 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 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 9: Golden monkey trekking and departure to Kigali
On the last day of the 9 days Rwanda classic safari, you will have an early breakfast, check out of the lodge and meet up with your driver guide to transfer to the park headquarters for 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 start the journey back to Kigali with en-route lunch on the way. Upon arrival, your driver guide will drop you off at Kigali International Airport for your departure flight or drop you off at any place of advice.
End of 9 days Rwanda classic safari
Tour includes
- Part entrance fee/game drive
- Chimpanzee trekking permit
- Gorilla 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.
