7 days Akagera national park, Nyungwe forest national park and Kahuzi Biega national park

Trip summary:

7 days Akagera national park, Nyungwe forest national park and Kahuzi Biega national park : Take on a 7 day experience in Rwanda and the eastern part of the Democratic republic of Congo. This safari gives you a chance to visit the attractions of the region. Get to visit the Akagera national park for a wildlife experience. Get to trek the chimpanzees and go on a canopy walk in the Nyungwe forest national park. Conclude your trip with a visit to the Kahuzi Biega national park for a chance to trek the lowland gorillas.

Get to visit the savannah park of Rwanda that is the Akagera national park, the chimpanzee hub of Rwanda that is the Nyungwe forest national park and conclude your safari in the Kahuzi Biega national park of the DR Congo.

Trip highlights

Day 1: Transfer to Akagera national park from Kigali for Lake Ihema boat trip
Day 2: Day Game drive and Evening game drive
Day 3: Full day transfer to Nyungwe forest national park
Day 4: Chimpanzee trekking and canopy walk in Nyungwe forest national park
Day 5: Transfer to Kahuzi Biega national park
Day 6: Lowland gorilla trekking in Kahuzi Biega national park
Day 7: Transfer back to Kigali via Nyungwe forest

Trip description

Day 1: Transfer to Akagera national park from Kigali for Lake Ihema boat trip

Your driver guide will find you at your hotel ready for pick up to start your 9 day safari. You will receive a briefing and head out to the Akagera national park for your experience in the savannah lands.

You will drive north of Rwanda headed to the Akagera national park through community land and reach at the Akagera national park gates in time to connect for lunch at your hotel. You will check in and have lunch at your hotel and later in the afternoon head out for a boat cruise on the Lake Ihema. You will get to enjoy 1 hour on the waters spotting the aquatic life of the park like the hippos and the crocodiles. Return to your lodge for dinner and spend your first night in Akagera.

7 days Akagera national park, Nyungwe forest national park and Kahuzi Biega national park

Hotel options in Akagera national park

Akagera Game lodge for budget
Karenge Bush camp for midrange
Ruzizi tented camp for luxury

Day 2: Day Game drive and Evening game drive`

You will get up early ready to explore this savannah park. The Akagera national park is a home to the Big 5 animals and you will get to visit these animals on your game drives in the Akagera national park. Get to see the lions, leopards, rhinos, elephants, buffaloes, giraffes and the smaller game like the antelopes, the kobs, impalas, elands.

You will take on a morning game drive to catch the early risers and later in the evening, you will head back to the savannah plains for a second chance to spot the animals you may have missed earlier and also catch the nocturnal animals. Be sure to carry a pair of night vision binoculars for the night game drives.

Head back to your hotel in time for dinner and spend another night in Akagera national park Rwanda.

Day 3: Full day transfer to Nyungwe forest national park

At the break of dawn, you will be up ready for breakfast and ready to head out to your next destination. You will drive south via Butare headed to the Nyungwe forest. This is a 6 hour road transfer where you will have an enroute Butare museum visits and enroute lunch.

Arrive at your hotel in time for check in. Settle in as you wait for dinner to be served and spend your first night in Nyungwe forest national park.

Hotel options in Nyungwe forest national park

Gisakura visitor center for budget option
Nyungwe top hill view hotel for midrange option
One and only Nyungwe house for luxury option

Day 4: Chimpanzee trekking and canopy walk in Nyungwe forest national park

By 5 am, your driver guide will be ready to drive you to the Gisakura reception for your chimpanzee trek. You will join the team headed into the forest in search for the chimpanzees. You will hear the chimpanzee sounds right from the reception and you will see them swing from one tree branch to another so trying to get a photo may be tougher than the mountain gorillas.

After the chimpanzee trekking, you will head back to the hotel for a late breakfast and wait for the sun to calm down and after lunch, head back to the park for the canopy walk experience in the Nyungwe forest. You will be able to view the forest from above. Return to the hotel for dinner and spend another night in Nyungwe forest.

Day 5: Transfer to Kahuzi Biega national park

Have breakfast and pack your luggage ready to head out to cross into the Democratic Republic of Congo via the Rusizi border headed to the Kahuzi Biega national park. You will drive about an hour to reach the Rusizi border, check in with the immigrations office and drive further to Bukavu town.

You will connect to your hotel to check in and have lunch. Spend the rest of the day at leisure and have dinner served at your hotel.

Hotel options in Bukavu- Kahuzi Biega national park

Hotel Elizabeth for budget option
Panorama hotel for midrange option
Orchid Safari lodge for luxury option

Day 6: Lowland gorilla trekking in Kahuzi Biega national park

Right after breakfast, you will drive to the Kahuzi Biega national park for the briefing ahead of your lowland gorilla trekking. You will arrive at the park headquarters, have the briefing and enter the forest in search of the lowland gorillas.

You will meet the lowland gorillas in a shorter time compared to the mountain gorillas. Enjoy an hour in their presence at a 6 meter distance. After the experience, you will drive back to your hotel for a late lunch and the rest of the day will be spent at the lodge. Dinner will be served and you will spend another night in Bukavu.

Day 7: Transfer back to Kigali via Nyungwe forest

Breakfast at your hotel will be served and you will enjoy your last meal in Bukavu. Check out of your hotel and embark on your direct transfer back to Kigali. You will drive 7 to 8 hours via the Nyungwe forest and have an enroute lunch in Butare continue further north of Rwanda to arrive back in Kigali in the late evening hours.

Trip quote to include

Full time safari vehicle with fuel
English/ French speaking driver guide
Accommodation
Meals (breakfast, lunch and dinner)
Activities and permits as described in the itinerary
On ground transfers
DR Congo tourist visa

Trip quote to exclude

International flights
PCR Covid tests and designated hotel fees
Personal needs like laundry, gratuities, porter fees, insurance or medicines etc