The 5-day Rwanda wildlife safari offers a combination of primate and Big 5 game encounters guided by Superfine Safaris. The 5-day safari mainly focuses on gorilla trekking and golden monkey tracking in Volcanoes National Park. The trip includes a game viewing experience in Akagera National Park where you stand a chance to find all the Big 5 game members. The five-day Rwanda wildlife safari is designed in a sense that your trip starts with a visit to Akagera National Park then continues to Volcanoes National Park and ends again in Kigali City.

Brief Itinerary

Day 1: Pick up –Transfer to Akagera National Park –Evening Game drive

Day 2: Morning Game drive – Boat ride on Lake Ihema

Day 3: Transfer to Volcanoes National Park

Day 4: Mountain Gorilla trekking -Visit Iby’Iwacu Cultural Village  

Day 5: Golden Monkey tracking – Transfer to Kigali for drop off

Detailed Itinerary

Day 1: Pick up –Transfer to Akagera National Park –Evening Game drive

After having a hefty breakfast, you will be picked up by a professional driver guide. Expect to depart from your hotel and explore some of the nearby historical sites like Kigali genocide site, craft shops and other nearby sites in the city.

Have an early lunch break and later drive to Akagera National Park. Akagera lies in the Eastern Province of Rwanda and is only 2.5 hours’ drive from the heart of Kigali. Upon getting to Akagera National Park, you will check in the pre-booked lodge.

Today’s evening will involve exploring Akagera’s diverse wildlife, especially nocturnal species. The evening game drive introduces you to habitats where you will encounter lots of nocturnal species for you to observe as they become active. Return from a game drive and relax at the lodge.

Overnight at;

• Budget: Dereva Hotel in Akagera.
• Midrange: Akagera Rhino Lodge/Akagera Game Lodge
• Luxury: Magashi Tented Camp/Rusizi Tented Camp

Meals: Lunch and Dinner

Travel time: 2.5 hours.

Day 2: Morning Game drive – Boat ride on Lake Ihema

Embark on early morning game drive in a 4×4 safari car with an expert. Explore the iconic game tracks of Akagera National Park. During a game drive, you will have great encounter of the Big 5 game (elephants, cape buffaloes, lions, leopards, and rhinos), zebras, and Maasai giraffes. Diversity of antelopes also await for you to encounter including impalas, klipspringers, waterbucks, bush bucks, roan antelopes, and others. Lots of interesting birds will be spotted and don’t miss the general spectacular plains of Akagera.

After the game drive, you will get back to the lodge for relaxation and also enjoy lunch. Later, you will proceed with the launch/boat cruise. A boat cruise excursion takes you along the scenic Lake Ihema. It is during the Lake Ihema when you get a chance to spot the hippos, crocodiles, and aquatic birds. Later, you will get back to the lodge to chill and retire for the night.

Overnight at;

• Budget: Dereva Hotel in Akagera.
• Midrange: Akagera Rhino Lodge/Akagera Game Lodge
• Luxury: Magashi Tented Camp/Rusizi Tented Camp

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Day 3: Transfer to Volcanoes National Park

Get yourself a hot cup of tea/coffee and after, proceed with a road trip to Volcanoes National Park. Volcanoes Park is found in the Northwestern end of Rwanda and is where 30% of the world’s mountain gorillas reside. These apes share the same habitat with golden monkeys plus over 200 species of birds. Upon arrival at Volcanoes National Park, you will check in your respective gorilla safari lodges.

Overnight at;

• Budget: Kinigi Guesthouse or Muhabura Hotel
• Midrange: Da Vinci Gorilla Lodge or Five Volcanoes Boutique Hotel
• Luxury: Virunga Lodge or Bisate Lodge

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner

Day 4: Mountain Gorilla trekking -Visit Iby’Iwacu Cultural Village

Enjoy a sumptuous breakfast and after, leave your accommodation with the right gear packed including energy giving snacks/packed lunch plus drinking water. Assemble at Kinigi where you will meet the park official to take you through the details of gorilla trekking guidelines. The park official is responsible of allocating the park ranger guides to visitors and expect to begin your gorilla trekking adventure at around 8:00 am.

The normal trekking takes about 2-6 hours but covers an hour for up close and personal encounter with a group of mountain gorillas. Expect to have a close observation of how mountain gorillas behave, take pictures, and videos. After a close interaction with a group of mountain gorillas, you will return to the lodge to chill.

Leave the lodge once again to explore the Iby’Iwacu Cultural Village. A visit to Iby’Iwacu village, get a chance to have a close interaction with the Rwandan people, learn more about cultures and traditions. Today’s visit to Iby’Iwacu also comes with amazing dances and music performances.

Overnight at;

• Budget: Kinigi Guesthouse or Muhabura Hotel
• Midrange: Da Vinci Gorilla Lodge or Five Volcanoes Boutique Hotel
• Luxury: Virunga Lodge or Bisate Lodge

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner

Day 5: Golden Monkey tracking – Transfer to Kigali for drop off

After you have enjoyed a heavy breakfast, expect to join the rest of the primate trekkers at Kinigi where briefing will be done. Once the park ranger guide is allocated to you, expect to begin the search for golden monkeys. This is likely to run for 2-5 hours but varies depending on the location of golden monkeys and your walking speed.

When you get done taking pictures and observing how golden monkeys behave, you will return to check out of the lodge. At Kigali, expect to be dropped off to the hotel/airport which marks the end of 5 Days Rwanda wildlife safari.

End of safari

Inclusions

• Airport transfers.
•  
• Travel by car.
• Golden monkey & gorilla permits.
• Services of an English-speaking guide/driver.
• Accommodation and meals.
• The park entry fees.
• A bottled drinking water
•  

Exclusions

• Extra accommodation.
• Laundry services.
•  
• All hotel fees before/after the trip.
• All the optional activities.
• Cost on telephone.
• Travel Insurance
• Shopping bills
• Airfares or international airfares
• Visas

Passports