7 Days Rwanda Safari: Safari Highlights

Day 1 of the 7 Days Rwanda Safari: Arrive in Rwanda (Kigali International Airport) & transfer to Akagera National Park

Day 2 of the 7 Days Rwanda Safari: Undertake a game drive/wild game viewing in the morning and Lake Ihema boat cruise in the afternoon

Day 3 of the 7 Days Rwanda Safari. Tour the Ethnographic Museum and the King’s Palace in Butare and Nyanza respectively

Day 4 of the 7 Days Rwanda Safari: Undertake morning chimpanzee trekking and Nyungwe Canopy walk in the afternoon

Day 5 of the 7 Days Rwanda Safari: Undertake a whole day drive to Volcanoes National Park – Rwanda’s gorilla trekking haven

Day 6 of the 7 Days Rwanda Safari: Undertake gorilla trekking experience & afternoon exploration to Musanze Caves.

Day 7 of the 7 Days Rwanda Safari: Transfer to Kigali City and depart

 7 Days Rwanda Safari: Detailed Safari Itinerary. 

Day 1 of the 7 Days Rwanda Safari: Arrive in Rwanda (Kigali International Airport) & transfer to Akagera National Park

Arrive at Rwanda’s Kigali International Airport where you will meet your safari guide who will give you a brief about the destination Rwanda and the safari in particular after which you embark on the transfer to Akagera National Park 135km around 2 ½ drive passing through amazing countryside landscapes including the areas of Rwamagana where you have chances of encountering the in Yambo cows. You arrive in Akagera National Park in the evening for relaxation, dinner, and overnight.

Accommodation: Upmarket / Luxury: Ruzizi Tented Lodge, Midrange / Standard:  Akagera Game Lodge, Budget / Basic:  Dereva Hotel, Wild Camping

Day 2 of the 7 Days Rwanda Safari: Undertake a game drive / wild game viewing in the morning and Lake Ihema boat cruise in the afternoon

lake-ihema-boatcruise safari rwanda

After a morning cup of coffee, embark on the thrilling game drive encounter in the savannah landscapes of Akagera National Park. The Akagera National Park features a range of wild game including elephants, Masai giraffes, buffaloes, Impala, waterbucks, bushbucks, Oribi, eland, reedbuck, roan antelope, lions, leopards among other wild game are present in the park and might be encountered on the game drive. You retreat from 3 – 4-hour encounter and get to the lodge for relaxation and lunch after which you connect to Lake Ihema for an afternoon boat cruise. Lake Ihema is the second largest lake in Rwanda inhabited by Hippos and Nile crocodiles and counts of birds. Thus the boat cruise on this lake presents a memorable encounter on the Rwanda safari. Retire for relaxation, dinner and overnight.

Accommodation: Upmarket / Luxury: Ruzizi Tented Lodge, Midrange / Standard:  Akagera Game Lodge, Budget / Basic:  Dereva Hotel, Wild Camping

Day 3 of the 7 Days Rwanda Safari: Tour the Ethnographic Museum and the King’s Palace in Butare and Nyanza respectively

7 days Rwanda Gorilla Safari Chimpanzee Trekking Tour Rwanda

After breakfast, embark on the transfer to Nyungwe Forest National Park in the southwest of Rwanda 320km about 5 hours’ drive. You drive through impressive countryside landscapes of Rwanda before making a stop in Butare to visit the Ethnographic Museum with over 100,000 artifacts detailing the history and heritage of Rwanda. From the ethnographic Museum, you proceed to visit the King’s Palace at Nyanza where the two Kings of Rwanda King Musinga and King Rudahigwa stayed. The palace features a traditional hut that depicts the exact design to time of the Kingship and the Inyambo cows with their beautiful long-horned cows. Retreat from the activities and continue to Nyungwe Forest National Park for relaxation, dinner, and overnight.

Accommodation: Upmarket / Luxury: Nyungwe Forest Lodge, Midrange / Standard: Nyungwe Hill Top View Hotel, Budget / Basic: Gisakura Guesthouse, Wild Camping

Day 4 of the 7 Days Rwanda Safari: Undertake morning chimpanzee trekking and Nyungwe Canopy walk in the afternoon

7 days Rwanda Gorilla Safari Chimpanzee Trekking Tour Rwanda

After breakfast, connect to the Park headquarters for briefing at 8 am local time before heading to the forest in search of common Chimpanzees. The forest of Nyungwe is considered the largest montane forest in the region and is a rich habitat to 310 Species of birds, over 75 mammal Species, 13 Species of Primates of which common Chimpanzees are among along with counts of butterflies, impressive trees, and beautiful orchids. The chimp trek tends to last 2 – 5 hours inclusive of one-hour direct encounter with the chimps as you see them munch fruit, roll themselves on tree branches, socialize, patrol, copulate among other interesting aspects that will lure you to make full utilization of your Camera space. Retreat from the activity and connect to the lodge for relaxation and lunch. In the afternoon, you connect at Uwinka Visitor Center to embark on the afternoon Nyungwe canopy walk. The two-hour walk on top of the forest canopy offers you impressive views of the forest and the species that thrive in it including primates and birds. Retreat from the activity and connect to the lodge for relaxation, dinner, and overnight.

Accommodation: Upmarket / Luxury: Nyungwe Forest Lodge, Midrange / Standard: Nyungwe Hill Top View Hotel, Budget / Basic: Gisakura Guesthouse, Wild Camping

Day 5 of the 7 Days Rwanda Safari: Undertake a whole day drive to Volcanoes National Park – Rwanda’s gorilla trekking haven

Embark on the transfer to Volcanoes National Park 338km driving along with the impressive views of Lake Kivu and the Congo Nile divide. The undulating hills of Rwanda covered with lush green and extensive human settlement along with other crop gardens and cattle farms will keep your eyes occupied for the whole drive. Arrive in Volcanoes in the evening for relaxation, dinner, and overnight.

Accommodation: Upmarket / Luxury: Mount Gorilla View Lodge, Midrange / Standard: Hotel La Palme, Budget / Basic: Muhabura Hotel, Camping

Day 6 of the 7 Days Rwanda Safari: Undertake gorilla trekking experience & afternoon exploration to Musanze Caves.

7 days Rwanda Gorilla Safari Chimpanzee Trekking Tour Rwanda

After breakfast, connect to the park headquarters at Kinigi to undertake a mountain gorilla trekking experience. You arrive at the headquarters and if it’s earlier than 8 am, you attend the traditional performances of the Banyarwanda demonstrating they’re magical into dance. The hot Rwandan coffee is available at the site where you can take a cup and gain warmth amidst the mountain coldness. At 8 am, the gorilla families are allocated and you attend a briefing in your respective gorilla groups after which you connect to the respective trailhead to start the trekking. The search for the gorillas is a lifetime adventure where man begins the quest to reunite with his long lost cousin since their ancestors parted ways millions of years ago. The magical bird songs, the sounds of the forest, the sights of lush plants, and amazing scenery combine to make the track to the gorillas a memorable one. The moment with the gorillas is far beyond the ordinary and it neutralizes long treks through challenging landscapes that you might have encountered. Encounter the gorillas as they forage and thrive comfortably in natural habitats. You are free to take as many photos as possible and interact with gorillas directly while maintaining the 7m distance. Retreat from the encounter and return to the lodge for short relaxation. In the afternoon, you embark on the Musanze Caves exploration where you explore the ancient Caves of Musanze 2km long dating back to 65million years ago when the lava basalt was flowing out from Volcanoes of Bisoke and Sabyinyo. The Caves with 31 entrances were used as hiding grounds in times of war in pre-colonial Africa. Retreat from the activity and return to the lodge for relaxation, dinner, and overnight.

Accommodation: Upmarket / Luxury: Mount Gorilla View Lodge, Midrange / Standard: Hotel La Palme, Budget / Basic: Muhabura Hotel, Camping

Day 7 of the 7 Days Rwanda Safari: Transfer to Kigali City and Depart

After breakfast, embark on the transfer to Kigali 116km about 2 – 3 hours’ drive passing through the beautiful Rwandan hillside landscapes that have earned it a dub as the land of a thousand hills. If you arrive in Kigali early before your check-in time, you can take the time to visit the Kigali genocide memorial to gain a clear picture of what actually transpired in the 1994 genocide. From the museum, you connect to the Airport for flight departure.

END of the 7 days Rwanda Safari, Gorilla Trekking, Chimpanzee Trekking, Wildlife Viewing, Kigali City & Genocide Museum Tour.