13 Days Rwanda Safari
13 Days Rwanda Safari: This fun-filled and adventurous safari will take you to Nyungwe, a huge highland forest in Rwanda’s south west. With about 10000 square kilometers, this is a well-known massive forest in central Africa. This natural forest is known for its high populations of colobus monkeys, chimps, butterflies, and orchids. This woodland is located on a rocky steep hill at a reasonably high elevation.
After that, it’s on to Lake Kivu, a lovely lake with a lot to offer, before heading to Parc National des Volcans, a safe refuge for the gentle mountain gorillas. Appreciate the grandeur of Virunga’s massive tropical rain forest. Before heading to Akagera National Park, you’ll pass through a giraffe refuge with beautiful vistas. Finish with a walking tour of Kigali, seeing the Gisozi Genocide Memorial and the Rwanda National Museum.
Summary of 13 Days Rwanda Safari.
Day 1: Arrival and transfer to your hotel in Kigali
Day 2: Transfer to Nyungwe Forest National Park
Day 3: Chimpanzee trekking
Day 4: Forest Nature Walk
Day 5: Transfer to Kibuye along the shores of Lake Kivu
Day 6: Transfer to Gisenyi
Day 7: Transfer to Volcanoes National Park.
Day 8: Gorilla trekking in Parc National Des Volcans
Day 9: Golden Monkey tracking
Day 10: Hiking Mountain Bisoke
Day 11: Transfer back to Kigali and to Akagera National Park
Day 12: Morning game drive and Boat ride on Lake Ihema
Day 13: Nature walk and Transfer back to Kigali city
Detailed Itinerary 13 Days Rwanda Safari
Day 1: Arrival and transfer to your hotel in Kigali
Arrival in Kigali: Upon arrival at Kanombe International Airport or at pick up from your hotel, our guide will welcome you and transfer to Kigali city and depending on the time of your arrival; you will go for a short city tour with in Kigali and visit the genocide memorial site. Dinner and overnight stay at Step Town Motel
Day 2: Transfer to Nyungwe Forest National Park
Transfer to Nyungwe: After a morning breakfast, you will transfer to Nyungwe Forest National Park. En route, you will pass through wonderful and magnificent hills and cultivated countryside. Have a stopover at the royal King’s Palace in Nyanza for a cultural description about the history of Rwanda. Continue and visit the cultural museum at Rwesero. Proceed and reach Butare town where you will have lunch after lunch you will visit the Rwanda National Museum for a tour around the site.
Proceed and reach the Park late afternoon. Upon arrival you will visit the new Visitor’s Interpretive Centre to give you more information about the park such as number of primate species found in the park, types of bird species and other tourist activities carried out with in the Park. Dinner and overnight at Nyungwe Top Hill View Hotel
Day 3: Chimpanzee trekking
Chimpanzee Trekking: You will have an early morning breakfast then report to the park headquarters in Nyungwe forest for briefing before going for chimpanzee tracking. However, it is advisable to organize packed lunch and plenty of water prior to this expedition since it can sometimes last over 6 hours. In the forest, you will not only see chimpanzees to but also variety of animals and birds like the Rwenzori Turaco, black and white casqued horn bill, colobus monkeys – sometimes as many as 400 in a group. Return late in the afternoon. Return for dinner and Overnight at Gisakura Guesthouse/Nyungwe Top Hill View Hotel
Day 4: Forest Nature Walk
Forest Nature Walk: After having breakfast, you will embark on the forest Nature walk with in the park which will enable you to explore the Park’s unique tourist features including waterfalls and orchids in the high altitude swamps. Return to the lodge for lunch and spend the rest of the afternoon relaxing or Participate in the tea harvesting in the neighboring local communities or Visit a tea factory and learn about the production processes. Dinner and overnight at Gisakura Guesthouse/Nyungwe Top Hill View Hotel
Day 5: Transfer to Kibuye along the shores of Lake Kivu
Transfer to Kibuye: Have an early morning breakfast then transfer to Lake Kivu. The lake is one of the great lakes in Africa and is the largest of the fresh water lakes that gleam in the Albertine (Western) rift of the Great Rift Valley. On the shores there is the Kibuye town which is one of the country’s most attractive of lake ports, nestled in a series of interwoven and undulating hills and will offer you spectacular views of the lake and its islands plus the surrounding countryside.
En route to the Lake, you will Visit the L’Esperance Orphanage in Kigarama village. You will see how the orphaned children have been helped by donations from different organizations and also from tourists like you. Arrive at your lodge for evening relaxation, dinner and overnight stay at Cormoran Lodge
Day 6: Transfer to Gisenyi
Transfer to Gisenyi: After having breakfast, you will continue with your safari to Gisenyi town. This offers beautiful and excellent views of Lake Kivu and it’s a great place to relax while feeling its waterfront and sandy beaches. Upon arrival, you will have lunch and then spend the rest of the afternoon relaxing or visit the host springs which will help you learn more about the formation of the Virunga Volcanic Mountains. Alternatively you can also visit the local projects in the area and interact with project members or visit the local artisans and a local women’s weaving association. Overnight in Gisenyi town at Paradise Malahide
Day 7: Transfer to Volcanoes National Park.
Transfer to Volcanoes: Breakfast will be served early this day on the seventh day of your 13 Days Rwanda Safari and then after, you will check out from your Hotel and later transfer to Ruhengeri. En route you will visit the Iby’iwacu Cultural Village where you may have a wonderful and interactive experience about the Rwandan traditions, culture and way of life. After this you will continue to the Park reaching in the late evening. Dinner and overnight at Le Bambou Gorilla Lodge
Day 8: Gorilla trekking in Parc National Des Volcans
Gorilla Trekking: Early in the morning after breakfast and a briefing from the ORTPN officials, set off for the gorilla tracking. This experience of gorilla tracking is a once in a life time adventure. The rangers will lead you deep into the forest in search for the Gorillas. You will move up and down the rugged terrain until you finally meet these harmonious creatures that will entertain you with performances for about 1 hour. The activity in Rwanda can take 3-5 hours since the gorillas move up and down.
This is an awesome and exciting moment. En route there are a lot of chimpanzees and other types of the primates such as the monkeys, birds and so more. Return for lunch at the Lodge and in the afternoon, visit the Karisoke research center and the graves of Diane Fossey a woman who was murdered because she was protecting these endangered mountain Gorillas. Return for dinner and overnight stay at Le Bambou Gorilla Lodge
Day 9: Golden Monkey tracking
Golden Monkey Tracking: After breakfast, you will go for golden monkey tracking. This activity also takes like 2-3 hours in the Virunga forest. Later return back to your lodge for early lunch and transfer back to Kigali city reaching in the afternoon. Take a city walk in the evening around Ruhengeri. Dinner and overnight stay at Le Bambou Gorilla Lodge
Day 10: Hiking Mountain Bisoke
Hiking Mount Bisoke: After breakfast at your Lodge, you will set out for a one day hike on Mount Bisoke. This will give you views of the beautiful slopes and also get a chance to see the forest while on the mountain. Return for dinner and overnight stay at Le Bambou Gorilla Lodge
Day 11: Transfer back to Kigali and to Akagera National Park
After breakfast, you will depart for Kigali for lunch and also a short city tour to the Gisozi Genocide Memorial site. You will later transfer to Akagera national Park. En route you will pass through the country’s phenomenal landscape which will give you views of the country’s beauty and also the life style of its people. Upon arrival in the park, you will go for a short southern Lake Ihema game drive. Look out for animals such as elephants, giraffes, buffaloes, zebras, hippos, crocodiles and many more like Antelopes. Dinner and overnight at Akagera Game Lodge
Day 12: Morning game drive and Boat ride on Lake Ihema
Morning Game Drive: Early in the morning after breakfast, you will go for a Northern circuit game drive to search for animals that you may have missed out in the previous game drive. It was not a guarantee that all the animals can be seen in the evening game drive.
Afternoon Boat Cruise: There are some that are early risers and can only be seen in the morning. Return back to the lodge for a small relation as you wait for lunch. After lunch, you will go for a boat ride on Lake Ihema which will offer you with views of the surrounding areas, hills and swamps. Expect to see Hippos, crocodiles and more bird species. Return back to the lodge for dinner and overnight stay at Akagera Game Lodge as above
Day 13: Nature walk and Transfer back to Kigali city
Nature Walk: Early morning after breakfast, you will go for a nature walk to search for different bird species. Guided nature walks in Akagera national park usually take 1-2 hours and are filled with a lot of sightseeing opportunities and amazing wildlife encounters.
Transfer Back to Kigali: Have lunch and drive to Kigali city. Depending on your time of departure, you will be transferred to the Airport for your flight back home or your hotel in Kigali as you will advise. End of Rwanda safari Tour.
