12 days Kahuzi Biega national park, Nyungwe forest national park, Volcanoes national park and Akagera national park

Trip Summary

12 days Kahuzi Biega national park, Nyungwe forest national park, Volcanoes national park and Akagera national park : Take on a 12 days safari in Rwanda the south of the DRC Congo visiting the lowland gorillas in the Kahuzi Biega national park and also visit the Tshibati waterfalls, connect to the Nyungwe forest national park for the chimpanzee trekking and to experience the 9 meter long canopy bridge. You will have a break at the Lake Kivu to rejuvenate and enjoy one of Africa’s deepest lakes and connect to the renowned Volcanoes national park for a mountain gorilla trekking and a cultural experience.

You will conclude this Congo safari with a visit to the wildlife park of Rwanda that is Akagera national park with game drives and a boat trip on the Lake Ihema.

Trip Highlights

Day 1: Day in Kigali
Day 2: Connect to Bukavu- Kahuzi Biega national park
Day 3: Lowland gorilla trekking in Kahuzi Biega national park
Day 4: Tshibati waterfall hike
Day 5: Drive to Nyungwe forest national park
Day 6: Chimpanzee trekking and Canopy walk in Nyungwe forest national park
Day 7: Transfer to Kivu
Day 8: Drive to Volcanoes for cultural tour
Day 9: Mountain gorilla trekking in Volcanoes national park
Day 10: Drive to Akagera national park
Day 11: Game drive and afternoon boat trip
Day 12: Morning game drive and drive back to Kigali Rwanda

Trip Description

Day 1: Day in Kigali

Meet up with your driver guide at your communicated place of pick up and exchange pleasantries. You will get ready for your Kigali city tour where you will visit the Kigali Genocide Memorial grounds for a brief history in the events of the 1994 Kigali genocide.

Connect to a restaurant in Kigali for lunch and get to have a Rwandan dish and after lunch head out to the Kimironko market where you will get to interact with the Rwandan people and also buy some art crafts for souvenir. Drive back to your hotel for dinner and night stay in Kigali.

Hotel options in Kigali

Step Town Motel for budget option
Des Milles Colline hotel for midrange option
Serena Kigali for luxury option

Day 2: Connect to Bukavu- Kahuzi Biega national park

Wake up for breakfast at your hotel and prepare to check out of your hotel. Leave Kigali for Bukavu and this is a 7 to 8 hour road transfer so you will be expected to start this transfer very early. You will have an enroute lunch and continue to cross from the Rusizi border.

Arrive at your hotel in Bukavu and check in and settle in as you wait for dinner to be served.

Hotel options in Bukavu

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

Day 3: Lowland gorilla trekking in Kahuzi Biega national park

After having breakfast, meet your driver guide to drive to the Kahuzi Biega national park where you will receive your briefing ahead of the gorilla trekking. You will receive a briefing from the ranger guides and after follow them into the forest.

12 days Kahuzi Biega national park, Nyungwe forest national park, Volcanoes national park and Akagera national park — Lowland Gorillas in Kahuzi

Hike for about an hour until you meet the gorillas and enjoy your one hour with them. Return to your hotel for a late lunch and spend your evening at leisure as you wait for dinner and your last night in the park.

Day 4: Tshibati waterfall hike

Have a leisurely breakfast and later head out to the Tshibati waterfalls of the Kahuzi Biega national park. The Tshibati waterfalls trail is one of the most adventurous in the park as you will get to spot the 3 waterfalls and also get a chance to spot the chimpanzees and other primates like the monkeys on a great day.

Return to your lodge for lunch and later in the evening you may go for a community visit to interact with the people living around the park. Return to your lodge for dinner and spend your last night in Bukavu.

Day 5: Drive to Nyungwe forest national park

Wake up at leisure and have breakfast at your lodge and later return to Rwanda via the Rusizi border. You will drive for about 2 hours before you reach your hotel in the Nyungwe forest national park.

Check in and settle in as you wait for lunch to be served. You may take on an optional tea plantation visit later in the evening and get back to your hotel to spend your first night in Nyungwe forest.

Hotel options in Nyungwe forest national park

Gisakura Visitor center for budget
Nyungwe Top hill view hotel for midrange
One and Only Nyungwe house for luxury

Day 6: Chimpanzee trekking and Canopy walk in Nyungwe forest national park

By 5 am, you and your driver guide will be at the Uwinka reception where the chimpanzee trekking starts. You will enter the forest on one of the trails famous for chimpanzees and spot them swinging from one tree branch to another.

After the chimpanzee trekking, you will drive back to the hotel for a late breakfast and wait for the sun to calm down abit. Have lunch and return to the park for your afternoon canopy walk in the Nyungwe forest. Return to your hotel for dinner and overnight stay.

Day 7: Transfer to Kivu

Have breakfast and after leave Nyungwe headed north to the Lake Kivu-Gisenyi. You will drive about 3 hours and be welcomed by the cool lake breeze and connect to your hotel in Gisenyi for lunch. After lunch, you may take on a boat trip on the Lake Kivu or spend the day relaxing at the lake enjoying the view of the Virunga Mountains in the back as a beautiful backdrop.

Return to your hotel for dinner and spend the night in Gisenyi

Hotels in Gisenyi

Paradise Malahide for budget
The Palm Beach hotel for midrange
Lake Kivu Serena lodge for luxury

Day 8: Drive to Volcanoes for cultural tour

Enjoy the beautiful morning in Gisenyi and have breakfast at the leisurely note, check out of your hotel and set out on your transfer to Volcanoes national park. You will drive about an hour until you reach your hotel in time for check in and lunch.

In the evening, you may take on a cultural visit to the Iby’iwachu Cultural center where you will get a taste of the Rwandan culture and also get to take part in some of the traditions like dancing and cooking. Return to your hotel for dinner and spend the night in Volcanoes national park.

Hotels in Volcanoes national park

Bisate lodge for luxury
Le Bambou Gorilla lodge for midrange
Fatima hotel for budget

Day 9: Mountain gorilla trekking in Volcanoes national park

As soon as you are done with breakfast, you will head out to the park headquarters where you will receive the activity briefing and head into the forest in search of the mountain gorillas. You will search for about 2 hours or less before you meet your gorilla family of the day.

Spend an hour with the mountain gorillas and exit the park to have lunch and spend the rest of the day at leisure at your hotel. Dinner will be served and you will spend your second night in Volcanoes national park.

Day 10: Drive to Akagera national park

Leave Volcanoes national park headed for the Akagera national park via Kigali. This is a 6 to 7 hour road transfer with a brief stopover at the Dian Fossey Fund Museum where you get to learn more about Dian Fossey and her work and also enjoy the 5D representation of the Virunga mountains.

Have lunch in Kigali and continue to the Akagera national park before the gates close and head out to the hotel for check in and in time for dinner and spend a night in the park.

Hotel options in Akagera national park

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

Day 11: Game drive and afternoon boat trip

Have breakfast and head out to the park for a morning game drive for a chance to spot the 5 big animals in Akagera national park. Get to spot the lions, leopards, rhinos, the elephants, the buffaloes and the smaller game like the antelopes, wild pigs to mention but a few. Return to your lodge for lunch as you wait for the day to calm down.

You will later connect to the Lake Ihema for a boat cruise where you will spot the hippos and crocodiles and some bird species. Get back to your hotel and enjoy dinner and spend the night in the Akagera.

Day 12: Morning game drive and drive back to Kigali Rwanda

Have a brief morning drive after breakfast and checking out of your hotel headed back to Kigali. You will get to spot more of the wildlife shortly before you exit the park. You will drive back to Kigali and be dropped off at your preferred location in Kigali. You may take on the Kigali city tour on this day too.

End of safari