10 days Rwanda safari

10 days Rwanda safari : Take on a 10 days Rwanda safari to explore the three national parks of Rwanda that is Volcanoes national park, Nyungwe forest national park and the Akagera national park. You will start from Volcanoes national park with a mountain gorilla trekking and a golden monkey trekking, take a breather at the Lake Kivu, continue further to Nyungwe forest national park and end the trip with a visit to the Akagera national park

This is an ideal safari for those who have enough time in the country and would like to explore all corners of Rwanda.

Trip Highlights

Day 1: Quarantine/ Free day
Day 2: Kigali city tour and transfer to Volcanoes national park
Day 3: Mountain gorilla trekking in Volcanoes national park
Day 4: Golden monkey trekking in Volcanoes national park
Day 5: Transfer to Gisenyi- Lake Kivu
Day 6: Transfer to Nyungwe forest national park for an afternoon canopy walk
Day 7: Chimpanzee trekking and tea plantation visit
Day 8: Transfer to Akagera national park via Kigali
Day 9: Day Game drive and afternoon boat trip
Day 10: Second game drive and transfer to Kigali

Trip Description

Day 1: Quarantine/ Free day

Upon arrival at the Kigali International airport, your driver guide will be stationed at arrivals waiting to welcome you and transfer you to your hotel where you will take your covid-19 test and wait for the test results. These PCR Test results take about 24 hours or less to be returned.

You will enjoy your stay in your rooms with room service for all meals.

Hotel options in Kigali

Marriot Hotel by Protea Kigali for luxury option
Des Milles Colline hotel for midrange option
Ubumwe hotel for budget option

Day 2: Kigali city tour and transfer to Volcanoes national park

Once you have confirmed that you are ready to start the safari, your driver guide will meet you and you will have a small briefing ahead of your Rwanda safari. You will drive to the Kigali Genocide Memorial grounds for your first stop on the city tour and after connect to the Ihema arts center to see the local and contemporary art works and can purchase some for souvenir.

You will have lunch in Kigali and head out further to Volcanoes national park where you will arrive in time to check in and settle in as dinner is prepared. You will spend your first night in Volcanoes national park.

Hotel options in Volcanoes national park

Virunga lodge for luxury
Da Vinci gorilla lodge for midrange
Fatima hotel for budget

Day 3: Mountain gorilla trekking in Volcanoes national park

One of your great days on the Rwanda primate safari is the mountain gorilla trekking experience. You will have breakfast and head out early enough for the briefing ahead of your gorilla trek. You will be assigned rangers and gorilla families and head out for the search. You will search for about 2 hours until you find the mountain gorillas. You may take as many photos and videos in the allocated 1 hour.

10 days Rwanda safari — Gorilla Trekking in Volcanoes

Make your way out of the forest led by the ranger guide and get back to your hotel for lunch. As the sun cools down, you will drive to the Iby’iwachu cultural center for a treat of the Rwandan culture. Enjoy the center and make sure you are back to your hotel for dinner and second night.

Day 4: Golden monkey trekking in Volcanoes national park

Right after having breakfast, you will drive back to the park headquarters for the briefing ahead of the golden monkey trekking. You will enter the forest in search for these golden monkeys, a rare sighting yet an endemic species for the region. These are playful creatures so expect to get blurry photos so better to enjoy the moment when you spot one.

Return to your lodge for a late lunch after the trek and spend the rest of the day at leisure as you wait for dinner to be served and spend another night in the hotel of the previous night.

Day 5: Transfer to Gisenyi- Lake Kivu

Have a leisurely breakfast at your hotel and prepare your belongings to set out for your next destination- Lake Kivu. Lake Kivu is a volcanic lake that is located on the border of Rwanda and the Democratic republic of Congo in the Albertine rift. This is a 1 hour transfer from Volcanoes national park. You will arrive at the lake ahead of lunch and enjoy the beach shores as you wait for lunch to be served.

You may take on a boat trip to one of the islands of the lake and back. You will check in at your hotel in Gisenyi.

Hotel options in Gisenyi

Paradise Malahide for budget option
Le Palme Beach hotel for midrange option
Lake Kivu serena hotel for luxury option

Day 6: Transfer to Nyungwe forest national park for an afternoon canopy walk

Wake up in the beautiful Gisenyi at your hotel and enjoy a tasty breakfast served. Check out of your hotel and head out to Nyungwe forest via Kibuye. You may stop for lunch at Kibuye and continue further for your canopy walk in Nyungwe forest national park.

This canopy walk is a 160 meter long and 70 meter high bridge which gives you a view of the Nyungwe forest from above and is a great birding point. After the canopy walk, you will transfer to your hotel for the night.

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 7: Chimpanzee trekking and tea plantation visit

Be at the Uwinka reception for your pre chimpanzee trekking briefing in Nyungwe forest. You will enter the forest in search of these playful creatures. You will be able to hear the echoes of their sounds from the starting point until you exit the park.

You will return to your hotel for lunch and later in the evening connect to the Gisakura Tea plantation for a visit and explore the processing of tea. Return to your hotel before the night fall and enjoy your dinner. Spend a second night in the Nyungwe forest.

Day 8: Transfer to Akagera national park via Kigali

Wake up in the cold misty Nyungwe forest, enjoy your breakfast and gather your belongings to check out of the hotel. You will drive back north headed for Kigali and you will enjoy enroute visits of the Butare Museum and the Nyanza King’s palace with an enroute lunch in Butare or Kigali.

Drive further to Akagera arriving in the early evening hours ready to check into your accommodation in Akagera where you will spend the next nights.

Hotel options in Akagera national park

Akagera Game lodge for budget
Karenge Bush camp for midrange
Rusizi Tented lodge for luxury

Day 9: Day Game drive and afternoon boat trip

Right after breakfast at your hotel, you will drive for your game drive in Akagera national park and get to see the wildlife of this park. You will see the Big 5 animals like the lions, leopards, rhinos, buffaloes and also spot some giraffes and antelopes. After your game drive, you may return to your lodge to let the sun go down and have lunch.

After lunch, connect to the Lake Ihema with your driver guide for your boat trip for a chance to spot the aquatic life of the Akagera park that is the hippos and the crocodiles. You can do some birding on this boat trip. Return to your lodge to prepare for dinner and spend another night in Akagera national park.

Day 10: Second game drive and drive back to Kigali

After having breakfast, you will check out of your hotel and head to the park for a second chance to spot the animals that you may have missed on the last game drive and after head out to Kigali for drop off. If you are interested, you may take on a Kigali city tour if you were not able to do it the first day.

End of Trip

Trip quote to include

Full time tour vehicle
English/ French speaking driver guide
Accommodation of choice
Activity permits
Park entrance fees
Boat trip
Pick up and drop off
Bottled water

Trip quote to exclude

Flights
Visa fees
Optional activities and items of personal need like laundry, alcohol
PCR tests