This trip will take you through a thrilling 7 days expedition in the land of a thousand hills “Rwanda”. This seven days trip in Rwanda is carefully created for wonderful travellers to allow you to explore while having fun in the region’s most visited lovely destination.
The trip will see you take on gorilla trekking in Volcanoes national park, game drives in Akagera, and canopy walk and chimpanzee trekking in Nyungwe national Park as you take a boat cruise on Lake Kivu. Do all this while interacting with the charming locals.
Day 1: Pick up and Transfer to Volcanoes National Park
After a nutritive breakfast in Kigali where you lodged, you will be picked by your designated driver-guide. He/she will brief you on the tour as you embark on the Volcanoes national park where you will spend four enchanting days. Volcanoes national park is the most popular tourist destination in Rwanda because of its endangered gorillas. It’s found in the northwestern corner of the country. Your journey takes 2 to 3 hours from Kigali to the lodge where you will be staying for your time at the park.
Don’t forget to relish the lovely scenery and rolling landscape of valleys and hills of the Rwandan countryside. Arrival will be in the afternoon to a well-prepared lunch and have a cultural encounter in Iby’iwachu cultural village.
This is a one-stop center where you can experience almost everything connected to the Kinyarwanda culture. From the Hutu, Tutsi and Twa and nothing you will fail to see. After the cultural treat, return to the lodge in the evening for dinner and prepare for the next day.
Day 2: Gorilla trekking
Wake up to a fine breakfast in the African jungle to the sweet songs of the birds in the enchanting thick forest. After proceeding to the park headquarters for a quick briefing on the activity you are going to undertake. This will last for half an hour and covers instructions like keeping a safe distance of 5 meters in front of the gorillas, no littering, and turning off flashlights when capturing photos. It will be done by a professional local guide.
Gorilla trekking in Volcanoes national park entails an easy hike on the lower slopes of different mountains in the park on an interesting search for the gentle apes. Visitors trek through the slippery trails, withstand pesky insects and sunburn to spend one precious hour with the gorillas.
Trekking the gorillas lasts from 1 to 4 hours depending on the movement of allocated gorilla family and pace of the trekkers. After one hour of interacting with the gorillas and taking photos, head back to your lodge for lunch and relax with a swim in the pool, interact with other guests while thinking of the incredible experience with the gorillas.
Day 3: Transfer from Volcanoes National Park to Akagera National Park
Have an early delicious breakfast, check out of your rooms then embark for Akagera National Park. This is the only savannah game park in Rwanda and is situated in the eastern part of the country bordering Tanzania. The park harbors all the big five from Rhinos, lions, elephants, buffaloes and lion the King of the jungle himself. When here be guaranteed to view all this in one safari which beats all tours in most parks.
You will experience the beauty of an African en-route lunch and will arrive at the park in late afternoon. Relax for an hour or so then set out for an evening game drive. This will offer you a chance to view big games like elephants, buffalo, and antelopes lazily grazing in the fading sunset. Also, be on the lookout for any predators that might already be on the move for an early dinner. Return to the lodge for dinner, relaxing and interacting with fellow visitors or family.
Day 4: Morning safari and Evening boat ride
Have breakfast and meet with your guide for a briefing about the morning game drive. Akagera is one of the only handfuls of parks in East Africa where you can view all the African big-five in one vicinity. Be ready for a lifetime safari as you watch the King of the jungle taking down his breakfast, the grazers browsing on the tender shoots while taking in the musical sounds of the birds in the air.
The safari will last for 3 to 4 hours. You head back to the lodge for lunch rest while waiting for the evening boat ride on Lake Ihema. Here you will see more wildlife like elephants taking a drink, one of the largest hippo herds in the region, and several bird species. Finish the day off with an elegant dinner and champagne.
Day 5: Transfer from Akagera to Nyungwe national park
Check out of your lodge and set off for a great journey to Nyungwe national park. This park is located in the southwest of the country and is among the few remaining and with the highest concentration of chimpanzees and other primates within the beautiful rainforest. It borders the 3 countries of Burundi, Rwanda and D.R. Congo.
Chimpanzee trekking is the leading tourist activity of the park and visitors get to spend one full hour with these intriguing creatures. On your way, you will have en-route lunch in Butare city and proceed to the park, reaching later in the evening for check-in and unwind for the next day’s exciting activity.
Day 6: Chimpanzee trekking and canopy walk
After breakfast, you will be briefed about your chimpanzee trek in the luxuriant Nyungwe forest. The briefing entails guidelines on how to conduct yourself while in the park from not littering, keeping together as a group, taking photos without flashes to mention a few. After the briefing, you will go for a primate walk in a quest of the chimpanzees. This is a full-day activity with the fascinating human cousins.
Chimps share more than 98.7% of our DNA making them display lots of traits like humans. They can also effectively use tools like securing food. In the evening, you will have a canopy walk in the prestigious Nyungwe forest. You will be led by experienced guides and park rangers. This bridge is a great spot for taking incredible photos and a breathtaking view of the whole forest while relishing the pure fresh air and picturesque landscape.
Day 7: Transfer back to Kigali and departure
Depending on your departure time, you can have breakfast at leisure before departing for Kigali. Spend some time in the city visiting grand monuments in the city like the Kigali Genocide Memorial center and Kigali city tower. Also purchase some souvenir to remember this wonderful time in Rwanda.
