This 6 days Rwanda wildlife safari is a five nights and six days wildlife safari in Rwanda tour, offering you amazing wildlife viewing, golden monkey tracking, Dian Fossey tomb hike, Musanze Cave exploration, beautiful scenery viewing, and Kigali City & Genocide Memorial tour.
Starting and ending in Kigali, this 6 days wildlife safari in Rwanda is the perfect way of experience for someone not interested in a pricey Rwanda gorilla trekking tour.
You’ll track the unique Golden monkeys and trek to the Dian Fossey Grave site in Volcanoes National Park. You’ll then tour Kigali city, explore its colorful markets, learn about the devastating Rwandan genocide at the Kigali Genocide Memorial Centre and discover life in this clean, safe, and modern capital of Rwanda.
End your 6 days Rwanda safari in Akagera National Park, which boasts of having all the famous Africa’s “big five” animals: – Rhino, Lion, Leopard, Elephant, and Buffalos.
Day 1 & 2: Volcanoes National Park & Musanze Caves
Day 3: Kigali City
Day 4 & 5: Kigali Genocide Memorial & Akagera National Park
Day 6: Departure
Day 1: Transfer to Volcanoes National Park & explore Musanze Caves
Day 2: Trek To Dian Fossey’s Grave & Relax at your lodge
Day 3: Morning Golden Monkey tracking & drive back to Kigali
Day 4: Visit Kigali Genocide Memorial & tour Kigali city. Connect to Akagera National Park.
Day 5: Enjoy a morning game drive & afternoon boat cruise in Akagera NP.
Day 6: Early morning game drive in Akagera. Return to Kigali
Day 1: Drive To Volcanoes National Park & Tour the Musanze Caves
After breakfast at your place of stay in Kigali or upon arrival at Kigali International Airport, you’ll start your 6 days Rwanda wildlife safari.
You’ll take a 2-3 hour drive northwest through Rwanda’s beautiful, terraced hillsides towards the stunning Volcanoes National Park. Covering 160km2, the park is best known as a sanctuary for the region’s rare mountain gorillas.
It also hosts the endemic Golden monkeys and is the location where the Great American primatologist, Dian Fossey, spent 18 years of her life studying and protecting the magnificent gorilla families – a lifetime of work that would inspire the popular Hollywood Movie, Gorillas in the Mist.
On arrival, explore Musanze Cave, a historic cave that was formed about 65 million years ago by the lava flow from Sabyinyo and Bisoke volcanoes. The cave features 31 entrances and stretches 2 kilometers inside. After the caves tour, continue to your lodge for relaxation, dinner, and overnight.
The highlight of the day: – Musanze Caves Exploration
Accommodation:-
Luxury: – Mountain Gorilla View Lodge/Virunga Lodge/Bisate Lodge
Midrange: – Da Vinci Gorilla Lodge
Budget: – Muhabura Hotel
Meal Plan: – Lunch & Dinner
Drive distance & time: – 116km/2-3 hours
Activities & Services: –
Optional Activities:
Day 2: Dian Fossey Hike in Volcanoes National Park & Relaxation
Day two of your 6 days Rwanda wildlife safari is dedicated to the Dian Fossey hike. Enjoy a delicious breakfast at 6 am and then transfer to the park headquarters to meet your experienced local guides for a briefing at 7 am.
After the briefing, take a scenic hike to Dian Fossey’s grave site at 3000 meters. The hike is steep in places and takes 3-4 hours, but offers another opportunity to spot Forest hogs, buffalo, elephants, duiker, birds, golden monkeys, and even gorillas as you enjoy the breathtaking natural beauty of this Rwandan reserve.
Also, your guide will give plenty of information on Dian Fossey and her work in saving the critically endangered Mountain Gorilla from extinction.
On reaching the site, you’ll be able to see the ruins of her house and of course pay a visit to her grave. Lying next to her is the grave of her favorite gorilla, Digit, along with 20 other gorillas killed by poachers. After this moving experience, trek back to the start of the trail and return to your lodge. Spend the rest of the day at leisure.
The highlight of the Day: – Insight into Dian Fossey’s life & work
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: –
Optional Activities:-
Day 3: Track Golden Monkeys in Volcanoes & Drive Back To Kigali
After an early breakfast on day three of your 6 days Rwanda wildlife safari, transfer to the park headquarters for yet another amazing adventure – tracking Golden Monkeys.
These beautiful playful monkeys are endangered and endemic to the Virunga Mountains and their vibrant colors, energetic demeanor, and sizeable groups of up to 100 individuals are indeed a sight to behold.
The trek to see them takes 1-3 hours and starts with a briefing from an excellent local park guide at 7 am. On finding the golden monkeys, you spend one hour watching closely these little monkeys as they leap from branch to branch.
After seeing the unique golden monkeys, set off south to Kigali. Your drive to Kigali takes about 3 hours through the scenic hills of Rwanda, stopping to admire the views along the way. Arrive in Kigali and check into our accommodation where you have lunch, dinner, and unwind for the evening.
The highlight of The Day: – Tracking rare Golden Monkeys
Accommodation:-
Luxury: – Mountain Gorilla View Lodge/Bisate Lodge/Virunga Lodge
Midrange: – Da Vinci Gorilla Lodge
Budget: – Muhabura Hotel
Meal Plan: – Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Drive distance & time: – Approx. 116km/2-3 hours
Activities & Services: –
Optional Activities: –
Day 4: Visit Kigali Genocide Memorial & Tour Kigali City. Connect To Akagera National Park
Your day four of the 6 days wildlife safari in Rwanda begins with a delightful breakfast at the hotel. Then visit the Kigali Genocide Memorial Centre at Gisozi.
Kigali is today one of the greenest, cleanest, safest, and friendliest capital cities in Africa, however, only 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 visit, go on a city drive to explore other Kigali attractions such as the old city, art galleries, craft centers, local marketplaces, etc. From there, settle for lunch, before embarking on a scenic 2½ drive east to Akagera National Park. Arrive at your lodge in the evening for relaxation, dinner, and overnight.
If you’re interested and have the time, you can enjoy a night game drive. Akagera is Rwanda’s largest national park, boasting a profusion of wildlife including all the famous Africa’s “big five” animals. The park is very scenic, with a string of lakes
The highlight of the Day: – the Kigali Genocide Memorial tour
Accommodation:-
Luxury: – Ruzizi Tented Lodge/Magashi Camp
Midrange: – Akagera Game Lodge
Budget: – Dereva Hotel
Meal Plan: – Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Drive Distance & Time: – Approx. 135km/2 ½ hours
Activities & Services:-
Optional Activities: – Night game drive
Day 5: Morning Game Drive & Afternoon Boat Cruise in Akagera
Enjoy breakfast at 6 am and go for a 3-4 hour Rwanda wildlife safari game drive in the Akagera savannah as the sun comes up.
This is the best time of day to see predators, and the sunrise over the plains is an unforgettable sight.
During the game drive, search for Lions, Rhinos, Leopards, Elephants, Buffalo, Hyenas, and others who graze freely in the park. Giraffes are a popular site as well as Zebras, Warthogs, Waterbucks, Roan Antelopes, Elands, Topis, and Impalas.
Return to the lodge for lunch and some free time to relax. In the afternoon, enjoy a leisurely boat cruise on the tranquil waters of Lake Ihema, watching for the many hippos and large crocodiles.
Spot elephants and buffalo, as they gather at the lakeshore to drink water. Keep an eye out for a variety of birds; there are nearly 500 species around the lake and its surrounding wetlands. Retire for relaxation, dinner, and overnight.
The highlight of the Day: – Akagera morning safari drive
Accommodation:-
Luxury: – Ruzizi Tented Lodge/Magashi Camp
Midrange: – Akagera Game Lodge
Budget: – Dereva Hotel
Meal Plan: – Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Activities & Services:-
Optional Activities: – Sportfishing
Day 6: Early morning game drive in Akagera. Return to Kigali
After breakfast, enjoy your final safari drive in Akagera in the early hours when animals are most active. Look for giraffes, impalas, baboons, Zebras, leopards, waterbucks, bushbucks, and lions. Later that morning, depart through the northern edge of the park and drive back to Kigali. Continue to the airport for your return flight home at the end of the exciting 6 days Rwanda wildlife safari.
The highlight of the Day: – Morning game drive in Akagera
Meal Plan: – Breakfast
Drive Distance & Time: – 135km/2 ½ hour
Activities & Services: –
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