14 Days Best of Rwanda Safari

Day 1: Arrive at Kigali International airport

Arrive at Kigali International airport, meet and greet assistance. You will be warmly welcomed by Luxland Africa Vacations representative outside customs and Immigration hall then you will be transferred to your city hotel. Tour briefing will be done at the hotel lobby over a welcome drink.

Overnight at Kigali Serena Hotel (Luxury) or Hotel Des Collins (High end)

Meal Plan: Dinner

Day 2: Transfer to Akagera National Park.

Early morning breakfast, drive to Akagera National Park. It is known for its vast landscape characterized by rolling highlands, wide plains, and swamp-fringed lakes containing incredible biodiversity and rare species. It is the only largest central Africa wetland and savannah national park in Rwanda protecting the BIG 5 including the elephants, buffalos, Rhinos, leopards, and lions, also hyenas, giraffe, zebras, antelopes like bushbucks, Topis, Oribis, water-buck, roan antelope and duiker, klipspringer, impala and world largest antelope – the Cape eland. The afternoon will be spent on the game drive to see the various wild animals which inhabit the Akagera National Park.

Overnight at Magashi Camp / (Luxury) or Akagera Game Lodge (High end)

Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Day 3: Game drive and Boat cruise on Lake Ihema

Early morning game drives on the savannah plains of Akagera exploring and discovering the BIG 5. The park preserves over 12,000 mammals including Lions, Leopards, elephants, Buffaloes, Rhinos and antelopes with over 482 bird species. The afternoon will be spent on the Boat cruise on Lake Ihema known to be the largest lake in Rwanda and it shares its borders with Tanzania. It lies within the marshland of the Kagera River in which it empties via a very short channel with an area of 100 km². It is home to hippopotamuses and crocodiles. It has over 550 species of birds, including remarkable species such as the shoebill (Balaeniceps rex) and the papyrus gonolek (Laniarius mufumbiri). Among the endemic species, there are ibises, jacanas, herons, plovers, sandpipers, malachite kingfishers, hawks and many others. Return to the lodge in the evening for resting and dinner.

Overnight at Magashi Camp / (Luxury) or Akagera Game Lodge (High end)

Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Day 4: Transfer to Volcanoes National Park

After breakfast, drive back to Kigali and visit the remarkable genocide Museum which commemorates the 1994 Rwandan genocide. The remains of over 250,000 people are interred here. It also includes the visitor center for students and others wishing to understand the events leading up to the genocide that occurred in Rwanda in 1994. Later in the afternoon proceed to Volcanoes National Park known to protect the rare Mountain Gorillas and it is characterized by the steep slopes of the different mountain ranges, rich Mosaic  of Montanne ecosystem, open grassland, heath and bamboo forest which have supported the existence of the rare Mountain Gorillas.

Overnight at One & Only Gorilla Nest/ Bisate Lodge/ Virunga Lodge (Luxury) or Five Volcanoes Boutique Hotel (High end)

Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Day 5: Mountain Gorilla tracking in Volcanoes National Park

This is the highlight of your trip in Rwanda, early morning breakfast then proceed to the park headquarters for the gorilla trek briefing, there are 10 Gorilla families in Volcanoes, and so the ranger guides will group you into 8 people to track a specific gorilla family. The Gorilla trek has been approved to be the most exciting experience in the world, so this is where your story begins and upon encountering this Mountain Gorillas, you are entitled to a full hour in the presence of these Gorillas. Experience their way of living, interaction, coupling, feeding as the young ones swing on the tree branches. Later, you will be picked by your guide back to the lodge for leisure and relaxation for the whole evening.

Overnight at One & Only Gorilla Nest/Bisate Lodge/Virunga Lodge (Luxury) or Five Volcanoes Boutique Hotel (High end)

Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Day 6: Golden Monkey trekking & cultural experience.

Today after you warm early morning breakfast, you will be picked by our safari driver guide who will transfer you to the park headquarters for briefing and start off you day golden monkey trekking. Just like the gorilla trekking experience, the same applies to golden monkey trekking though no so hectic like gorilla trekking. You will later return to the lodge for lunch. In the afternoon, ready for a village foot safari, to explore the indigenous local life with a taste of the traditional performance at Iby Iwacu cultural center. Diner and overnight at the hotel.

Overnight at One & Only Gorilla Nest/Bisate Lodge/Virunga Lodge (Luxury) or Five Volcanoes Boutique Hotel (High end)

Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Day 7: Hike Mount Bisoke

Today, after having your morning breakfast, we go hiking, to reach the summit of Mount Bisoke, one of the Virunga volcanoes, which is thrilling and rewarding, as it gives you great view of Virunga mountain ranges as you explore flora and fauna along the way. You will as well have a chance to observe the stunning view of the Crater Lake on top of the volcano. You will later descend back. Dinner and overnight stay at the lodge

Overnight at One & Only Gorilla Nest/Bisate Lodge/Virunga Lodge (Luxury) or Five Volcanoes Boutique Hotel (High end)

Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Day 8: Visit Musanze Caves & Tour to Twin Lakes

After your morning breakfast, you will be transferred to the park head quarters for briefing before you head off, for cave exploration visit, to explore the beautiful caves of Musanze, this can take roughly 2- 3 hours of visit. You will later return for lunch, before you head off to visit the twin lakes, and explore Lake Bulera and Ruhondo. The lakes are patched with a number of bird species. You will later return and drive back to your lodge for dinner and overnight stay.

Overnight at One & Only Gorilla Nest/Bisate Lodge/Virunga Lodge (Luxury) or Five Volcanoes Boutique Hotel (High end)

Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Day 9: Transfer to Gisenyi, Lake Kivu

Today, after having a wonderful breakfast, you will drive back to Gisenyi, with an en route visit to Rosemond Carr house along the way, to hear the beautiful stories of Rose, for her love of the local people, and the country. Visit the beautiful flower gardens and later proceed to Gisenyi to your lodge and catch up with lunch. After lunch, at leisure

Overnight at Lake Kivu Serena Hotel (Luxury) or Paradise Kivu Resort

Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Day 10: Boat Trip on Lake Kivu, Coffee Tour and Transfer to Nyungwe Forest National Park.

After a delightful relaxed breakfast in the morning, you will head for a sun rise boat trip on Lake Kivu, which is roughly a two hours boat trip to explore this beautiful Lake and its numerous islands, you will as well be able to spot a number of birds as well as visit one of the island, you will proceed with the boat to Kimbiri for coffee experience, where you have a crop to cup coffee tour. Later drive to Nyungwe Forest National Park. Nyungwe Forest National Park is the largest forest in Rwanda, also one of the oldest rainforest in Africa covering 1,019 km2 which is characterized by the dense Afromontane forests, bamboo-covered slopes, grasslands and wetlands. It is widely known to host 85 mammal species including the 13 primate species like chimpanzees, Ruwenzori black-and-white colobus and L’Hoest’s monkeys among others.  345 bird species also inhabit here with over 1,100 recorded plant species.

Overnight at One & Only Nyungwe House (Luxury) or Mantis Kivu Marina Bay Hotel (High end)

Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Day 11: Chimpanzee Tracking & Tea Plantation Visit

Today, after your early morning cap of African coffee, you will leave your hotel to experience the natural forest of Nyungwe well known for having 13 species of primates, and transferred to the park for briefing and chimpanzee trekking. You will be entitled to one hour on finding the chimpanzees. After doing the chimpanzee trek, head for lunch before heading for a tea plantation visit to explore the beautiful Gisakura tea plantations, and learn about how tea is grown and harvested to production process, later return in the afternoon for dinner and overnight stay.

Overnight at One & Only Nyungwe House (Luxury) or Mantis Kivu Marina Bay Hotel (High end)

Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Day 12: Waterfalls Hike & Canopy Walk

Today, you will head off to visit the forest for a waterfall hike, where you have chances to talk a cool forest breath hike, and visit a number of waterfalls in the park. Along you can sight some primates and bird species. You will later return for lunch before heading for a canopy walk. This 90 meters suspended metallic bridge will give you a great overview of Nyungwe forest and on a luck day spot one or two more primates in the forest as you take a walk on this bridge and later return in the afternoon for dinner and overnight stay.

Overnight at One & Only Nyungwe House (Luxury) or Mantis Kivu Marina Bay Hotel (High end)

Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Day 13: Transfer to Kigali

Early morning enjoy your buffer breakfast and checkout of the hotel and drive heading to the Kigali, on your way visit the Royal Palace Museum and Ethnographic Museum in Southern Province, this will give you a great history of traditional ways of living among Rwandans and their past way of leadership of Kingship with an en route lunch.  You will reach in the afternoon in Kigali and spend the afternoon at your leisure or if time permits opt to visit Belgium museum and Hotel des Mille Collins with strong history about Rwanda genocide, which featured on the genocide movie.

Overnight at Kigali Serena Hotel (Luxury) or Hotel Des Collins (High end)

Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Day 14: Transfer to Kigali Airport

After breakfast, you will be driven to Kigali international airport for your flight to the next destinations depending on your departure flight time.

Meal Plan: Breakfast.

• Transportation by a 4wd safari vehicle.
• Accommodation and meals as per the itinerary.
• Gorilla permit to be paid and secured in advance ($1500 per person is included).
• Golden Monkey trekking.
• Iby Iwacu cultural experience.
• Hike Mount Bisoke.
• Musanze Cave visit and twin lakes.
• Boat trip on Lake Kivu & Lake Ihema.
• Game drives.
• Coffee tour experience.
• Waterfall hike.
• Tea Plantation visit.
• Park entrance fees.
• Meet and greet service.
• Chimpanzee trekking.
• Canopy walk.
• Museums.
• Genocide Memorial.
• Services on an English speaking Driver/guide.

However, the Safari excludes;

Airfares, Visas or Insurance, Tips to local guides, Porterage or Laundry, Soft or alcoholic, drinks or mineral water (excl. water in the vehicles), Items of a personal nature, any meals not indicated above, any tours not mentioned from the itinerary.