7 days Rwanda safari with Gishwati Mukura national park

7 days Rwanda safari with Gishwati Mukura national park : Take on a 7 days Rwanda safari with a visit to Gishwati Mukura national park. Start the safari with a visit to the Volcanoes national park to do a mountain gorilla trekking and get to visit the Iby’iwachu cultural center for a cultural treat.

The Gishwati Mukura national park is a 2 hour road transfer from Kigali the capital city of Rwanda but if you prefer a flight, you may book a chartered flight from Kigali to the park that is a 30 minute flight by Akagera aviation. It is about 30 minutes away from the Volcanoes national park so you can visit both parks while in the area.

The Gishwati Mukura national park is sitted on an area of 34 square kilometers and this park is comprised of two rain forests these are the Gishwati forest and the Mukura forest. The Gishwati forest is located in the northern part and the Mukura forest is found in the south. Visitors of this national park can book a chimpanzee trekking activity or trek other primates. The Gishwati Mukura national park is a home to six other primate species.

Take some time to enjoy the Lake Kivu at the beginning of the safari, relax at the sandy beaches and also visit the Pfunda tea estate to learn the process of making tea from scratch to consumption.

Conclude your safari with a visit to the wildlife park of Rwanda, the Akagera national park. Get to spot the different wildlife like the rhinos, lions, leopards, hyenas, elephants, giraffes, antelopes and many others.

Trip highlights

Day 1: Connect to Volcanoes national park
Day 2: Mountain gorilla trekking in Volcanoes national park
Day 3: Connect to Lake Kivu
Day 4: Chimpanzee trekking in Gishwati Mukura national park
Day 5: Transfer to Akagera national park
Day 6: Day Game drive and afternoon boat cruise
Day 7: Connect to Kigali

Trip description

Day 1: Connect to Volcanoes national park

The moment you receive your test results and are ready to head out to the Volcanoes national park, your driver guide will be waiting at your communicated pick up place and you will be briefed on the next few days.

You will head out to your first stopover at the Dian Fossey fund memorial for a visit. Get to enjoy the 3D representation of the Virunga Mountains. Connect to check in at your hotel and have lunch. You will spend the rest of the day at leisure as you settle in at your hotel. Dinner will be served and you will spend your first night in Volcanoes national park.

Hotel options in Volcanoes national park

Virunga lodge for luxury option
Da Vinci gorilla lodge for midrange option
Kinigi Guest house for budget option

Day 2: Mountain gorilla trekking in Volcanoes national park

Wake up to a very eventful day. Enjoy an early breakfast and meet your driver guide who will be waiting to transfer you to the park reception where the pre trekking briefing is given. You will be assigned the gorilla family of the day and there after enter the forest in search of the mountain gorillas.

7 days Rwanda safari with Gishwati Mukura national park — Gorilla Trekking in Volcanoes

You will meet your gorilla family of the day and enjoy the 1 hour in their presence. After the mountain gorilla trek, you will connect to your hotel for a late lunch. When the sun has cooled down, you will connect to the Iby’iwachu cultural center for a cultural tour and enjoy some Rwandan culture. Get back to your accommodation before it becomes dark.

Enjoy your dinner and your second night in Volcanoes national park as the night before

Day 3: Connect to Lake Kivu

Wake up ready to transfer to your next destination. Breakfast will be served and you will prepare your belongings to check out of your hotel. Your driver guide will there after drive you to your next destination-Gisenyi. This is a 1 hour road transfer arriving in Gisenyi in the afternoon hours in time for lunch.

You will enjoy lunch by the lake shores and have an optional boat trip if you are interested or spend the afternoon swimming, dipping your feet in water as you read a book. Connect to check into your Gisenyi hotel in time. Dinner will be served and you will spend the night in Gisenyi.

Hotel options in Gisenyi

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

Day 4: Chimpanzee trekking in Gishwati Mukura national park

You will grab a quick and early breakfast at your hotel and meet your driver guide to head out to the Gishwati Mukura national park. The transfer from Gisenyi to the park reception is 30 minutes road transfer. Arrive at the briefing point and get assigned a ranger guide for the chimpanzee trekking and enter the forest.

You will hear and see these playful creatures swinging from one tree branch to another while in the forest and enjoy them. Exit the forest after this experience and head back to your hotel for a tasty lunch. The rest of the day may be spent at leisure or you will take off sometime and have an optional visit to the Pfunda tea estate.

Get back to your hotel in Gisenyi in time for dinner and spend another night in Gisenyi.

Day 5: Transfer to Akagera national park

You will meet your driver guide right after breakfast ready to leave Gisenyi for Akagera national park. This is a 5 hour road transfer. You will connect via Musanze and stop in Kigali for lunch at a contemporary restaurant.

Continue further to Akagera national park arriving in the late afternoon hours. You will drive to your hotel to check in and settle in as you wait for dinner to be served. You will after spend your first night in the park.

Hotel options in Akagera National park

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

Day 6: Day Game drive and afternoon boat cruise

Wake up for breakfast at the hotel and later head out for your wildlife experience in the Akagera national park. You will drive around the park spotting the different wildlife like the rhinos, lions, leopards, hyenas, elephants, giraffes, antelopes and many others. Mid-morning after the game drive, you will connect back to your hotel to relax and wait for the sun to cool down.

Lunch will be served and after you are ready, you will head out to the Lake Ihema for the afternoon boat trip. Get to enjoy big numbers of the hippopotamus wallowing in the water and spot the crocodiles basking on the Lake shores. Return to the hotel in time for dinner and spend another night in Akagera national park.

Day 7: Connect to Kigali

Wake up and prepare to check out of your hotel. You will have breakfast and after meet your driver guide who will be waiting to head out for a second chance in the savannah plains of Akagera national park. You will get to spot more of the wildlife a second time or those you might have missed out on the previous day.

You along with your driver guide will head out after the game drive to exit the park and head back to Kigali. You will enjoy a Kigali city tour visiting the Kigali Genocide memorial grounds for an insight on the 1994 civil war and after end your Rwanda safari with a visit to the Kimironko market for a chance to get some souvenirs locally produced by the local Rwandan people and interact with a few local people.

You will be dropped off at your preferred location in Kigali.

End of safari

Trip quote to include

Tourist vehicle with fuel
English/ French speaking guide
Accommodation of choice
Meals
Bottled water
Activity permits
Park entrance fees
Pick up and drop off

Trip quote to exclude

Visa fees
Flights
PCR tests
Items of personal nature and optional activities.