This safari will take you to Rwanda for gorilla tracking in Volcanoes National Park, the park is located in the northern part of Rwanda in Ruhengeri Musanze district and later you will proceed to Akagera national park in the eastern part of Rwanda a home to a wide biodiversity of animal species.
Day 1: Transfer to Volcanoes National Park
Upon your arrival at Kigali international airport, you will be met by our tour guide/driver who will brief you about the safari and later drive you to the northwards through Rwandan countryside to Ruhengeri town on the foothill of the Virunga Volcanoes. Volcanoes national park is the oldest national park in Africa, created in 1925. It’s a home to the few remaining mountain gorillas in the world. If you arrive in Kigali in time our safari guide will take you for a Kigali city tour before you proceed to the park, places to visit include the genocide memorial site in Gisozi and handicraft market. Dinner and an overnight stay at Gorilla View lodge, Sabyinyo silver back lodge (Luxury) or Gorilla’s Nest lodge (Midrange) Kinigi gust house (budget)
Day 2: Gorilla tracking in volcanoes national park
After breakfast, you will be driven to the park headquarters to receive short briefings from the park wardens/senior ranger guide about the dos and don’ts while with the gorillas and also get you assigned to a gorilla family and a ranger guide. After the ranger guide will drive you to the trail head where you will start the walk through the rain forest with lively birds and butterflies. You will also be able to spot forest elephants, forest buffalos, golden monkeys, porcupine and red fronted duikers. Your trek is unpredictable, however it can go from 1 to 8 hours to reach the gorillas as meeting them depends on which group you have been assigned to and also where they spent their last night from. Once you have found the gorillas, you are strictly allowed only an hour with them while observing them as well as taking photos and videos, learn about the gorilla behaviors from the guide and watch them interact with each other. After this wonderful and memorable activity retreat to the lodge, and if you have energy you can go for an optional community walk and meet the local people who live near the park Dinner and an overnight stay at Gorilla View lodge, Sabyinyo silver back lodge (Luxury) or Gorilla’s Nest lodge (Midrange) Kinigi gust house (budget)
Akagera_national_park_boat_cruise
Day 3: Transfer to Akagera National Park
After breakfast at the lodge, you will be drive to Akagera National Park which is located in Eastern part of Rwanda along the border with Tanzania approximately 5-6 hours’ drive from volcanoes national park. You will stop at any interesting places along the way with lunch en-route. On arrival you will relax at the lodge, if the evening is free, you may go for an optional game drive for an opportunity to spot various species of games that reside at the park, games expected to see include elephants, leopards, giraffes, Buffalos, hippos, spotted hyenas, and various bird species. After came back to the lodge for Dinner and overnight at: Budget: Akagera Game Lodge, Shakani Campsite, Mutamba Campsite, Muyumba Campsite, mid- range Akagera Game Lodge, Umbrella Pine or Dereva Hotel, luxury: Akagera Game Lodge
Day 4: Game drive and Boat cruise
After breakfast you will go for an early morning game drive for an opportunity to spot more animals that you might have missed during the evening game drive such as zebras, spotted hyenas, leopards, buffalos, hippos, elephants and many more. Return to the lodge for mid morning breakfast and wait for lunch. Then in the afternoon, you will go for a boat cruise on the Lake Ihema for more chance to spot various species of animals like school of hippos, crocodiles and many water birds like papyrus gonolek, shoebill storks, African fish eagle and a variety of reptiles. Dinner and overnight at: Budget: Akagera Game Lodge, Shakani Campsite, Mutamba Campsite, Muyumba Campsite, mid- range Akagera Game Lodge, Umbrella Pine or Dereva Hotel, luxury: Akagera Game Lodge
Game drive in Akagera National Park
Day 5: Transfer to Kigali
After breakfast at the lodge, you will relax and thereafter you will drive to Kigali City, if you missed the first Kigali city tour visit some of the interesting places like the genocide museum and the local markets among many others if time allows. Have lunch in one of the hotels in Kigali and later you will be driven to the airport to catch your flight back home.
END OF SAFARI
