9 Days Rwanda Gorilla, Chimps & Wildlife Safari: On this 9-day Rwanda Gorilla, Chimps and Wildlife safari, you will encounter true Rwandan culture and tradition, as well as an unforgettable gorilla trekking experience. The trip to Rwanda’s countryside will provide you with stunning views of the country’s beauty, known as the Land of a Thousand Hills. You will wind up your Rwanda safari visit Akagera National Park and get a chance to view savannah wildlife including lions, rhinos, giraffes, elephants, buffalos and antelopes to mention but a few.
Highlights for 9 Days Gorilla, Chimps & Wildlife Safari.
Day 1: Arrival in Kigali
Day 2: Transfer to Volcanoes National Park (approximately 3 hours’ drive)
Day 3: Gorilla Trekking Volcanoes NP Rwanda.
Day 4: Golden Monkey Trekking
Day 5: Transfer to Nyungwe Forest National Park (approximately 5-6 hours’ drive)
Day 6: Chimpanzee tracking and Canopy walk
Day 7: Transfer Back to Kigali
Day 8: Transfer to Akagera National Park and Afternoon Boat Cruise
Day 9: Early morning game drive/Optional Rhino Tracking and transfer to Kigali.
Detailed Itinerary for 9 Days Rwanda Gorilla, Chimps & Wildlife Safari.
Day 1: Arrival in Kigali
Following your arrival, you will be welcomed by our company representative/driver guide and transfer you to your hotel in Kigali. If you wish, you can opt for a short tour of Kigali city where you will visit places like Kigali Genocide Memorial center, Kimironko market, Caplaki craft village, and Nyamirambo Women’s centre among others. Dinner and overnight stay at Step Town Hotel (Budget)/ Milles Des Collines Hotel (Midrange)
Day 2: Transfer to Volcanoes National Park (approximately 3 hours’ drive)
Wake in the morning and have breakfast at leisure from your hotel. You will then meet up with your guide and transfer you to your hotel/lodge in Volcanoes national park arriving Ruhengeri. Have lunch at your lodge and later in the afternoon, you will head out for a cultural tour to ibyi’wacu cultural village. Learn more about the locals in this community and how they have reformed from being poachers to now active participants in the conservation projects to protect mountain gorillas in the park. You will also get to learn more about the unique Rwandan cultures as you tour the village and watch dance and singing performances from the local intore dance troupe. Dinner and overnight stay at Muhabura Hotel (Budget)/ Le Bambou Gorilla Lodge (Midrange)
Day 3: Gorilla Trekking Volcanoes NP Rwanda.
Wakeup to an early morning breakfast and report to the park headquarters for briefing and allocation of Gorilla trekking groups. Later, you will head into the cold and misty forested slopes of Virunga national park for your Gorilla trek.
The trek can be anywhere between 2 to 6 hours depending on the movement of the Gorillas and upon finding them, you will be allowed 1 hour to see and take photos after which you exit the forest.
Meet your driver / guide and transfer back to the lodge. If you feel strong, you may opt for a cultural tour of Musanze Caves. Dinner and overnight stay at Muhabura Hotel (Budget)/Le Bambou Gorilla Lodge (Midrange)
Day 4: Golden Monkey Trekking
Breakfast will be served early and drive back to the park headquarters for briefing and Golden Monkey trekking. The procedure is the same as Gorilla trekking but lasts only 3 to 5 hours and return to the lodge to have lunch and spend the rest of your evening resting at your lodge. Dinner and overnight at Muhabura Hotel (Budget)/Le Bambou Gorilla Lodge (Midrange)
Day 5: Transfer to Nyungwe Forest National Park (approximately 5-6 hours’ drive)
Wake up to a tasty breakfast, check out of your hotel and embark on your transfer to Nyungwe forest national arriving in time for lunch. Spend the rest of your afternoon relaxing at your hotel/lodge. Dinner and overnight stay at Gisakura Guesthouse (Budget)/Nyungwe Top hill view hotel (Midrange)
Day 6: Chimpanzee tracking and Canopy walk
On the 6th day of your 9 Days Rwanda Gorilla, Chimps & Wildlife Safari, Enjoy breakfast and go for briefing before entering the forest, searching for the active and playful fellows in Nyungwe forest. Remember to carry your packed lunch from the lodge/hotel before driving to the park. The Chimpanzees are the easy to spot, as they jump from one tree to another, chattering and laughing. Chimp tracking usually takes about 4 hours. After lunch, you will go on a walking trail that will take you to the Canopy Walk, a swing bridge 50 meters in length that is suspended from large trees. This hike takes about 2 hours to and from the canopy walkway bridge. You will be able to see the amazing rainforest with a bird’s eye view, spotting wildlife moving about below you. Before night fall, you will return to the hotel for dinner as above. You will then exit and connect to your lodge for dinner and overnight at Nyungwe Top Hill View (Midrange)
Day 7: Transfer Back to Kigali
Wake up at leisure and have breakfast at your hotel. You will reconnect with your guide and drive back to Kigali with lunch enroute and a stopover visit to the King’s Palace in Nyanza and national museum in Butare. You can also opt for a coffee tour at Huye mountain coffee cooperative. Upon your arrival in Kigali, you may opt for a tour of Kigali city where you may visit places such as Caplaki craft village, Kimironko market, Kigali Genocide museum, Umusambi crane village to mention but a few. Dinner and overnight at Step Town Hotel (Budget)/ Milles Des Collines Hotel (Midrange)
Day 8: Transfer to Akagera National Park and Afternoon Boat Cruise
You will be met by your driver guide at your agreed location in Kigali to transfer to Akagera national park where you will arrive in time to embark on the late afternoon boat cruise on Lake Ihema where you will see game like hippopotamuses, Crocodiles and many bird species that live around the lake and the surrounding swamps. Dinner and overnight Akagera Game Lodge (Midrange)/ Karenge Bush Camp (Budget).
Day 9: Early morning game drive/Optional Rhino Tracking and transfer to Kigali.
Rise up early and go for a game drive with great anticipation of seeing the different animals which rise early to graze and predators looking for their early morning kill. Alternatively, you can opt for rhino tracking which will give you an opportunity to have close encounters with both white and black rhinos in the park. After the game drive, return to connect with your driver guide to embark on your transfer back to Kigali with lunch enroute. If you didn’t have a city tour on the first day, you may have it on this day before you are dropped off in Kigali or at the airport as you may advise. End of Safari!
