10 Days in Rwanda Safari – SAFARI OVERVIEW
This 10 days in Rwanda safari is a relaxed 10 days safari in Rwanda, offering you a taste of Rwanda’s most popular attractions and activities such as gorilla trekking, chimpanzee tracking, wildlife viewing, Lake Kivu, Kigali city, community village tours, and so much more!
Your 10 days in Rwanda safari will begin with a tour of Kigali city and the Genocide Memorial, where you’ll travel in the history and experience the bloodiest and most recent genocide of humanity. Then visit Nyungwe, one of Africa’s oldest protected mountain rainforests and home to over 500 wild chimps and countless rare monkeys.
After your time in Nyungwe, retreat to Lake Kivu and relax at one of the most beautiful lakes in central Africa. After that, go for an adventurous trek in Volcanoes National Park to see the famous mountain gorillas in their natural habitat. Finally, make your way to Akagera for a chance to spot Lions, Leopards, Giraffes, Zebras, Buffalos, Elephants, Crocodiles, Warthogs, Antelopes, and even Back rhinos.
You can book or customize this 10 days in Rwanda safari to your exact safari interests.
10 Days in Rwanda Safari – PRIME SAFARI ACTIVITIES
- Tour Kigali city’s top attractions & sites
- Gorilla trekking in Volcanoes National Park
- Visit Iby’iwacu Cultural Village for a community experience
- Trek for chimpanzees in Nyungwe Forest National Park
- Experience a Canopy walk via a treetop walkway in Nyungwe Forest
- Waterfall hike in Nyungwe forest
- Relax on the sandy shores of Lake Kivu
- Boat cruise to Lake Kivu’s islands
- Search for the Big 5 on game drives in Akagera National Park
- A sunset boat cruise on the tranquil waters of Lake Ihema in Akagera
- Drive through Rwanda’s gorgeous landscapes
- Stay at comfortable Rwanda safari lodges
- Cultural heritage tour of the Ethnographic Museum & King’s Palace
10 Days in Rwanda Safari – FEATURED SAFARI DESTINATIONS
Day 1: Kigali International Airport
Day 2: Kigali Genocide Memorial Centre & Kigali city
Day 3: Visit Ethnographic Museum & King’s Palace
Day 4: Nyungwe National Park Forest
Day 5,6&7: Lake Kivu (Kibuye) & Volcanoes National Park
Day 8&9: Akagera National Park
Day 10: Kigali City
10 Days in Rwanda Safari – SAFARI HIGHLIGHTS
Day 1: Arrive at Kigali International Airport & transfer to your Hotel
Day 2: Visit the Kigali Genocide Memorial Centre & tour Kigali city
Day 3: Drive to Nyungwe Forest. Visit Ethnographic Museum & King’s Palace
Day 4: Undertake chimpanzees trekking & Canopy walk in Nyungwe Forest
Day 5: Waterfall hike in Nyungwe. Drive to Lake Kivu (Kibuye) for a boat cruise.
Day 6: Relaxation at the shores of Lake Kivu. Transfer to Volcanoes National Park.
Day 7: Gorilla Trekking in Volcanoes. Visit the Gorilla Guardian Cultural Village.
Day 8: Transfer to Akagera National Park. Enjoy a sunset boat cruise
Day 9: Full-day game drive in Akagera National Park
Day 10: Early morning game drive in Akagera. Return to Kigali City.
10 Days in Rwanda Safari – DETAILED SAFARI ITINERARY
Day 1: Arrive at Kigali International Airport. Transfer to your Hotel
Your private guide will meet you at the airport and give you a briefing about Rwanda and this 10 days in Rwanda safari in particular. He will then transfer you to your comfortable accommodation in Kigali for relaxation, dinner, and overnight.
Accommodation:-
Luxury: – Serena Hotel Kigali/Radison blu/Hotel Mille Collines
Midrange: – Hotel Chezlando
Meal Plan: – Dinner
Activities & Services:-
- Pick from the Airport & transfer to a hotel
Day 2: Visit the Kigali Genocide Memorial & Tour Kigali City.
Begin your day two of the 10 days in Rwanda safari with a delightful breakfast before you visit the Kigali Genocide Memorial.
Today, Kigali is one of the greenest, cleanest, safest, and friendliest capital cities in Africa, but, just a few decades ago it was home to one of the most brutal genocides in the history of mankind. The memorial was built to remember the victims and to educate people on the atrocities to ensure that this never happens again. It is an insightful but upsetting experience, so be prepared.
After the memorial tour, take a city drive to see further Kigali city attractions such as the old city, art galleries, craft centers, local marketplaces, and the Nyamirambo area (the most vibrant quarter of the city), etc. You can even opt to have lunch at Hotel des Mille Collines, one of the historic places in Kigali.
Tonight, relax and enjoy your dinner as you prepare for the amazing trip ahead.
The highlight of the Day: – Learning about Rwanda’s tragic history.
Accommodation:-
Luxury: – Serena Hotel Kigali/Radison blu/Hotel Mille Collines
Midrange: – Hotel Chezlando
Meal Plan: – Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Activities & Services:-
- Kigali city tour
Day 3: Drive to Nyungwe National Park. Visit Ethnographic Museum & King’s Palace En-route.
Your day 3 of the 10 days in Rwanda safari begins with breakfast at 7 am. Then travel southwest towards the biggest tropical, montane rainforest in East Africa. This will be a drive of about 5-6 hours, through rolling hills and beautiful scenery.
Along the way, visit the Ethnographic Museum, regarded as the best ethnographic museum in all of East Africa. Proceed to Nyanza, where the famous and majestic Rwandan kings were staying.
Tour the king’s palace and learn about the royal style, the smartness, and the authority of pre-colonial Rwanda. Meet the royal cows on the site and the herder who sings to them as part of the grooming process.
After the palace visit, enjoy delicious lunch and then complete your scenic drive to Nyungwe National Park. This ancient, biodiverse forest is home to a rich array of exotic and rare animals, birds, butterflies, and plants. The stars of the show are the 13 primate species – including chimpanzees – man’s closest living relatives.
The highlight of the Day: – Exploring the rich Rwanda cultural heritage
Accommodation:-
Luxury: – One & Only Nyungwe House/Nyungwe Forest Lodge
Midrange: – Nyungwe Hill Top View Hotel
Budget: – Gisakura Guesthouse
Meal Plan: – Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Drive distance & time: – Approx. 320km or 5-6 hours
Activities & Services:-
- Transfer to Nyungwe
- Visit the Ethnographic Museum & King’s Palace
Day 4: Chimpanzee Tracking & Canopy Walk In Nyungwe Forest.
Have an early breakfast and transfer to the visitor center by 5 am to meet the expert local park guides. After a briefing, embark on the 2-6 hour trek through the dark forest of Nyungwe. Chimpanzees sleep in the trees, and tracking them with an expert guide offers the chance to see our closest living relatives.
You’ll enjoy looking for other primates, birds, and animals along the way. Upon reaching them you’ll be able to spend an hour with them, playing and interacting in their natural habitat – an incredible sight.
Return to the lodge for lunch and relaxation. In the afternoon, go for an adventurous 2-hour canopy walk in Nyungwe Forest. You’ll be challenged by stepping on the 200m extended and shaking bridge suspended above 70 meters. This will be the time to test your balance resilience. From there you’ll have an incredible endless view of Lake Kivu and the green forest which makes this trip very photogenic.
The highlight of the Day: – Tracking wild Chimpanzees on foot
Accommodation:-
Luxury: – Nyungwe Forest Lodge/One & Only Nyungwe House
Midrange: – Nyungwe Hill Top View Hotel
Budget: – Gisakura Guesthouse
Meal Plan: – Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Activities & Services:-
- Chimp trekking
- Canopy walk
Optional Activities:- Tea estate tour/Community visit
Day 5: Undertake A Waterfall Hike In Nyungwe Forest. Transfer To Lake Kivu – Kibuye For A Boat Cruise & Relaxation.
After an early breakfast on day five of your 10 days in Rwanda safari, lace up your hiking shoes, and head out to hike along the waterfall trail. Go slow. Listen to the sounds of the Albertine Rift birds. Your guide shows the medicinal plants and endemic trees along the trail. Your reward for the hike is the stunning Kamiranzovu waterfall. Enjoy the peaceful setting.
Later this morning, take a scenic 3-4 hours drive north to Lake Kivu for relaxation. Known for its beautiful, palm-fringed shores, and warm, safe swimming waters, Lake Kivu is one of Africa’s Great Lakes and a perfect place for relaxation.
In the afternoon, enjoy a boat cruise to explore the area from the water. Cruise past Napoleon’s Island to survey the land from a new perspective. Continue on the ride to find the famous singing fishermen on their all-night mission to catch the popular “Sambaza”. The melodies that synchronize their powerful strokes will stay with you long after you’ve left them. Retire for relaxation, dinner, and overnight.
The highlight of the Day: – Boat cruise on beautiful Lake Kivu
Accommodation:-
Midrange: – Cormoran Lodge
Meal Plan: – Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Drive distance & time: – Approx. 3 hours
Activities & Services:-
- Waterfall hike
- Transfer to Lake Kivu
- Boat cruise
Optional Activities: –
- Kayaking
- Night fishing
Day 6: Relaxation at the Shores of Lake Kivu. Transfer to Volcanoes National Park.
Day six of your 10 days in Rwanda safari is free for relaxing. You can go swimming in the hotel pool, or in the lake itself, have a tour of Kibuye town, or hire a Kayak to visit some of the nearby islands on the lake. You can decide on the day what you’d like to do and your driver will help you with all of your arrangements.
In the evening, embark on a 2-3 hour drive north to Volcanoes National Park, which is the Rwandan section of the Virunga Volcanoes.
These majestic mountains are linked by fertile saddles, formed by lava flows, and are one of the most striking sights in East Africa. Their green-cloaked flanks are the last refuge to 604 of the world’s 1063 endangered mountain gorillas.
The park also hosts the endemic golden monkeys.
The highlight of The Day: – Exploring the ancient Musanze Caves
Accommodation:-
Luxury: – Mountain Gorilla View Lodge/Bisate Lodge/Virunga Lodge
Midrange: – Da Vinci Gorilla Lodge
Budget: – Muhabura Hotel
Meal Plan: – Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Activities & Services:-
- Relaxation on Lake Kivu
- Transfer to Volcanoes NP
Day 7: Gorilla Trekking In Volcanoes NP. Visit the Gorilla Guardian Cultural Village.
After an early breakfast transfer to the park’s headquarters to meet your guides for a briefing. At 8 am, embark on the once-in-a-lifetime gorilla trekking adventure. The Rwanda gorilla trek can take anywhere from 30 mins to 7 hours of trekking through the beautiful mountain forest at relatively high altitudes.
A reasonable level of fitness is definitely recommended.
You’ll be allowed an hour of close contact with the gorillas once you’ve found them. This is one of the most memorable experiences you’re likely to ever have. You’ll be privileged enough to come within mere meters of a family of these rare human-like creatures, observing their family dynamics and getting to learn a bit about each gorilla’s distinct personality in serene silence.
Once your time with the gorillas is done, return to your lodge for lunch. In the afternoon, pay a visit to the beloved Gorilla Guardian Cultural Village, a replica village of what traditional life was like back in the day for many Rwandans. Iby’iwacu means treasures of our home.
The highlight of the Day: – Tracking the fascinating Mountain Gorillas
Accommodation:-
Luxury: – Mountain Gorilla View Lodge/Bisate Lodge/Virunga Lodge
Midrange: – Da Vinci Gorilla Lodge
Budget: – Muhabura Hotel
Meal Plan: – Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Activities & Services: – Gorilla trekking
Day 8: Transfer To Akagera NP & Enjoy A Sunset Boat Cruise.
Day eight of your 10 days in Rwanda safari begins with a relaxed breakfast at the lodge. You then stretch your legs among the brightly colored shops of Musanze ahead of your next drive. Later this morning you’ll start the leisurely 4-5drive northeast. You’ll have a lunch stop in Kigali before continuing to Akagera National Park.
Akagera is the only Rwanda national park with all the Big 5 animals – lion, rhino, leopard, elephant, and buffalo! The park is also the largest protected wetland area in Central Africa. It’s Rwanda’s only refuge for savanna-adapted wildlife. Its savannah plains are dotted with swamps and lakes, as well.
And it is that feature that lies at the heart of this evening’s adventure. Take a sunset boat ride out to hippo territory. Thousands of gigantic animals make their home in Lake Ihema. As the sun sets, spot some of the 490 species of birds that call the park home. Retire for relaxation, dinner, and overnight.
The highlight of the Day: – Sunset boat cruise on Lake Ihema
Accommodation:-
Luxury: – Ruzizi Tented Lodge/Magashi Camp
Midrange: – Akagera Game Lodge
Budget: – Dereva Hotel
Meal Plan: – Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Activities & Services:-
- Transfer to Akagera
- Boat cruise
Optional Activity: – Night game drive
Day 9: Full Game Drive in Akagera National Park
On day nine of the 10 days in Rwanda safari, wake up before sunrise and take a quick breakfast at 6 am. Then go for a full safari drive in Akagera.
Head north towards the Kilala plain in search of the big five. Recent conservation efforts re-introduced both the endangered black rhino and lions to the area. Today, young ones can be spotted alongside their mothers in the striking landscape.
Be on the lookout for zebra, warthogs, baboons, giraffes, topi, elands, and more on the large open plains. Have your camera at the ready but remember to stop and take at the moment too. After completing your exploration of Kilala, enjoy a picnic lunch and slowly drive back to your lodge for relaxation, dinner, and overnight.
The highlight of The Day: – Full day game drive in Akagera
Accommodation:-
Luxury: – Ruzizi Tented Lodge/Magashi Camp
Midrange: – Akagera Game Lodge
Budget: – Dereva Hotel
Meal Plan: – Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Activities & Services:- Game drive
Optional activities: –
- Sportfishing
- Community tour
- Afternoon boat cruise
Day 10: Early Morning Game drive in Akagera. Return to Kigali
After breakfast, start driving from south to north of the park (Kilala Plains) with the chance to see Lion, Elephants, Buffalo, Rhino, Giraffes, Zebras, etc. Exit the park and transfer back to Kigali. Continue to the airport for your return flight home at the end of this remarkable 10 days in Rwanda safari.
The highlight of the Day: – Early morning game drive in Akagera
Meal Plan: – Breakfast
Drive Distance & Time:- 135km/2-3 hours
Activities & Services:-
- Morning game drive
- Transfer back to Kigali
End of the 10 Days in Rwanda Safari
10 Days in Rwanda Safari − SAFARI INCLUSIONS
- Rwanda Gorilla Trekking Safari Permit
- Chimpanzee Permit (for chimpanzee trekking safaris)
- Full Board Accommodation on Safari
- Transportation in either 4X4 Safari Van or 4X4 Safari Land Cruiser all with Pop up roof & AC
- Fuel
- Professional English Speaking driver guide. Any other foreign language speaking guide can be arranged on request.
- Entrance fees to the tourist sites including Protected areas mentioned
- Activity fees of the tourist activities mentioned
- Bottled water while on safari
- Border crossing fees (for cross-border safaris)
10 Days in Rwanda Safari − SAFARI EXCLUSIONS
- General tips for the driver guide, site guides, and service staff at the lodges
- Laundry Services
- Other Beverages/drinks of personal nature like Alcohol
- International Flights (Arranged on request)
- Domestic Flights (Arranged on request)
- Visas
- Optional Activity fees
- Other extras not mentioned in the Itinerary
- Airport Transfer (Arranged on request)
Accommodation in Kigali unless it is part of the Itinerary (Arranged on request)[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]
