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9 Days Rwanda Safari, Gorilla Trekking, Chimpanzee Tracking, Wildlife Viewing, Lake Kivu Boat & Community Tours

9 Days Rwanda Safari – SAFARI OVERVIEW

Your incredible 9 days Rwanda safari is 8 nights/9 days safari in Rwanda tour, offering you a variety of exciting activities, including mountain gorilla trekking in Rwanda, golden monkey tracking, chimpanzee tracking, wildlife game viewing, Lake Kivu boat tour, community village visits, Kigali Genocide Museum tour, and more.

This 9 days Rwanda safari kicks off with a drive from Kigali into the beautiful Akagera National Park. Here, enjoy classic savannah game drives and a relaxing boat cruise on Lake Ihema. Then embark on a very scenic drive southwest to the ancient Nyungwe Forest for chimpanzee tracking and canopy walk adventures, before taking a beach break on beautiful Lake Kivu.

Another beautiful drive will take you to the emerald rainforest of Volcanoes National Park for your unforgettable gorilla trekking adventure. You also track golden monkeys and visit the Iby’Iwacu Cultural Village to experience the local culture. Conclude your 9 days Rwanda safari with the Kigali Genocide Museum Tour.

You can book this trip or customize it to suit your special Rwanda safari tour interests and desires

9 Days Rwanda Safari – PRIME SAFARI ACTIVITIES

Mountain gorilla trekking in Rwanda in Volcanoes National Park
Golden monkey tracking in Volcanoes
Track for Chimpanzees in Nyungwe Forest
Canopy walk tour via a treetop canopy walkway in Nyungwe
Game drives in Akagera National Park
Boat cruise on the tranquil waters of Lake Ihema in Akagera
Comfortable drives through Rwanda’s scenic landscapes
Relax on the beautiful, palm-fringed shores of Lake Kivu
Boat cruise to Lake Kivu’s islands
Stay at comfortable Rwanda safari lodges
Visit Kigali Genocide Memorial Centre
Visit the Iby’Iwacu Cultural Village
Cultural heritage tours to the Ethnographic Museum & King’s Palace

9 Days Rwanda Safari – FEATURED SAFARI DESTINATIONS

Day 1 & 2: Akagera National Park

Day 3 & 4: Nyungwe National Park, Ethnographic Museum & King’s Palace

Day 5: Lake Kivu – Gisenyi

Day 6, 7 & 8: Volcanoes National Park & Iby’Iwacu Cultural Village

Day 9: Kigali Genocide Memorial & Museum

9 Days Rwanda Safari – SAFARI HIGHLIGHTS

Day 1: Arrive at Kigali International Airport & transfer to Akagera National Park.

Day 2: Enjoy a morning game drive & afternoon Lake Ihema boat cruise in Akagera.

Day 3: Drive to Nyungwe Forest. Visit Ethnographic Museum & King’s Palace.

Day 4: Chimpanzee trekking & canopy walk in Nyungwe Forest National Park.

Day 5: Drive to Lake Kivu – Gisenyi beach for relaxation.

Day 6: Boat cruise on Lake Kivu. Drive to Volcanoes National Park in the evening.

Day 7: Do Gorilla trekking in Volcanoes National Park & relax at the lodge.

Day 8: Morning Golden Monkey tracking & afternoon Iby’Iwacu Village tour.

Day 9: Return to Kigali & tour Kigali Genocide Memorial. Transfer to Airport for your departure flight home.

9 Days Rwanda Safari – DETAILED SAFARI ITINERARY

Day 1: Arrive at Kigali International Airport & Transfer to Akagera National Park.

Your 9 days Rwanda safari begins as soon as you land at Kigali Airport. You’ll be welcomed to Rwanda by your safari driver guide.

After loading your luggage into the vehicle, you start making your way to your first destination; the beautiful Akagera National Park. You’ll not have much time to spend in Kigali itself but is a very interesting city nonetheless. Kigali is considered one of the greenest, cleanest, safest, and friendliest of African capitals.

You’ll be driven east through amazing countryside landscapes including the areas of Rwamagana where you have chances of encountering the famous long-horned cows, known as lnyambo. This journey will take about 2 ½ -3 hours.

You’ll arrive, check in at the accommodation, and relax. If you’re interested and have the time, you may take a sunset boat cruise or a night game drive in the park. Akagera is Rwanda’s biggest national park, situated on an area of 1,122km². The park contains a profusion of wildlife including all of Africa’s “big five” animals. Its savannah plains are dotted with swamps and lakes, as well.

The highlight of the Day: – Scenic drive from Kigali to Akagera

Accommodation:-

Luxury: – Ruzizi Tented Lodge/Magashi Camp

Midrange: – Akagera Game Lodge

Budget: – Dereva Hotel

Meal Plan: – Lunch & Dinner

Drive distance & time: – Approx. 135km/2 ½ hours

Activities & Services:-

Pick up from the airport & Transfer to Akagera

Optional Activities:-

Sunset boat cruise
Night game drive

Day 2: Morning Game Drive & Afternoon Lake Ihema Boat Cruise.

The second day of your 9 days Rwanda safari starts with an early breakfast at the lodge. As the sun rises at 6.30 am, begin on a four-hour wildlife drive in the Akagera savannah. It is the finest time of day to see predators, and the sun rising over the plains is an unforgettable sight.

During your drive, look for Black Rhinos, Lions, Leopards, African Buffalos, African Elephants, Masai Giraffes, Plains Zebras, Spotted Hyenas, Oribi, Common Warthogs, Waterbucks, Hippos, Baboons, Topi, Impalas, Waterbucks, Elands, Bushbucks, Roan antelopes, and more.

You then return to the lodge for relaxation and a good lunch. After your meal, take a leisurely boat ride on the tranquil waters of Lake Ihema to see many hippos and large crocodiles. Spot elephants and buffalos, as they gather at the lakeshore to drink and observe plenty of waterbirds; there are almost 500 bird species around the lake.

Retire for relaxation, dinner, and overnight.

The highlight of the Day: – Morning 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
Boat cruise

Optional Activities:-

Night game drive
Sportfishing

Day 3: Drive to Nyungwe Forest National Park. Visit Ethnographic Museum & King’s Palace.

Enjoy a hearty breakfast this morning, check out and say farewell to the great staff in Akagera National Park. Then take a drive towards Nyungwe National Park.

It’s a 5 to 6-hour drive through rolling hills and beautiful scenery en route. You make a stop in Butare for a cultural heritage tour of the Ethnographic Museum, which houses one of Africa’s finest ethnographic collections.

Proceed to Nyanza and explore the traditional king’s palace to learn about the royal style, the smartness, and the authority of pre-colonial Rwanda Kings. Meet the royal cows on the site and the herder who sings to them.

Thereafter, complete your scenic drive to Nyungwe Forest National Park. This is a really incredible forest park, teeming with beautiful birds, flowers, butterflies, and 13 species of primates including Chimpanzees, Olive Baboons, Grey-cheeked Mangabeys, Red-tail monkeys, Angola Colobus monkeys, Owl-faced monkeys, Blue monkeys, Silver monkeys, Vervet monkeys, and L’Hoest’s Monkey.

The highlight of the Day: – Exploring Rwanda’s rich 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 /5-6 hours

Activities & Services:-

Drive to Nyungwe
Tour the Ethnographic Museum
Visit the King’s Palace

Day 4: Chimpanzee Trekking & Canopy Walk In Nyungwe Forest.

On day four of your 9 days Rwanda safari, set off after breakfast to meet the excellent park rangers who will be your guides for the activity. After a briefing at 5.30 am, head to the forest in search of man’s closest relative, and you can enjoy looking for other primates, birds, and animals along the way.

The activity lasts about 2 to 6 hours. If you come across some of the more than 500 chimps who call this forest home, you view them as they munch fruit, swinging in trees, socializing, patrolling, mating, and making hooting calls is an unforgettable experience that you will treasure forever.

You have a full hour to enjoy these precious creatures and you are free to take as many photos as you wish! Return to the lodge for lunch and relaxation.

In the afternoon, take a 2-hour walk via a treetop canopy walkway in Nyungwe National Park. Test your balance resilience as you walk on the 200m extended and shaking bridge suspended 70m over the forest floor. Enjoy incredible endless views of the green forest and wildlife that live in canopies such as monkeys and birds.

The highlight of the Day: – Trekking the fascinating Chimpanzees

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

Day 5: Drive to Lake Kivu Beach (Gisenyi Beach) Along the Congo – Nile Divide Trail.

After a relaxed breakfast, today set off northwards. You’re slowly heading for beautiful Lake Kivu (one of Africa’s Great Lakes), but you have some serious sightseeing en route.

This drive takes about 7 hours through amazing rolling hills, small farming villages, lush tea fields, and banana plantations before descending into the valley to Gisenyi, the town at the north of Lake Kivu. Your driver will take you straight to your beachfront accommodation for relaxation, dinner, and overnight.

The highlight of the Day: – Relaxation on the shores of lovely Lake Kivu

Accommodation:-

Luxury: – Lake Kivu Serena Hotel

Midrange: – Paradise Kivu Resort/Hotel Gorillas Lake Kivu

Budget: – Hotel Paradis Malahide

Meal Plan: – Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Drive distance & time: – 294km/7- 8 hours

Activities & Services:-

Transfer to Lake Kivu

Day 6: Boat Cruise on Lake Kivu. Drive to Volcanoes National Park in the Evening.

Your day six of the 9 days Rwanda safari is dedicated to a recreation boat cruise on Lake Kivu. You’ll explore the lake’s scenic shores and take in the breathtaking views. You’ll tour some of the lake’s islands and learn about the fascinating history and traditional folklore attached to them.

Also, enjoy some excellent birding as lots of water birds can be spotted on the cruise.

Return to your lodge for relaxation and lunch. In the afternoon, embark on a 2-3 hour drive north to the stunning Volcanoes National Park in the volcanic Virunga Mountains. The park is best known as a sanctuary for the region’s rare mountain gorillas and the playful endemic golden monkeys.

The highlight of the Day: – Boat cruise on beautiful Lake Kivu

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: – 110km/2 hour

Activities & Services:-

Boat cruise on Lake Kivu
Transfer to Volcanoes

Optional Activities: –

Kayaking on Lake Kivu

Day 7: Do Gorilla Trekking & Relax At the Lodge.

Wake up early today and have a delightful breakfast.

Then transfer to the park offices at 7 am to meet the expert local ranger guide for gorilla family allocation and briefing. At 8 am, you embark on an unforgettable gorilla trekking in Rwanda in search of the shy and gentle apes of Volcanoes National Park.

Your trek to the gorilla family may take anything from 30 minutes to 7 hours – following your guide through the beautiful forests.

Along the way, you may encounter Golden monkeys, as well as a range of birdlife and other forest dwellers. Once you reach the Gorilla family, you’ll be privileged to spend one hour viewing them as they interact with each other: sleeping, eating, grooming, or playing. It’s a humbling experience to sit amongst our ‘cousins’.

Then, return to your lodge and enjoy a delicious late lunch while reflecting on your magical wildlife experience. Spend the rest of the day at leisure.

The highlight of the Day: – Trekking for wild Gorillas

Accommodation:-

Luxury: – Mountain Gorilla View Lodge/Virunga Lodge/Bisate Lodge

Midrange: – Da Vinci Gorilla Lodge

Budget: – Muhabura Hotel

Meal Plan: – Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Activities & Services: –

Gorilla trekking

Optional Activity: – Visiting the Gorilla Guardians Village

Day 8: Do Golden Monkey Tracking In The Morning & Iby’Iwacu Cultural Village Tour In the Afternoon.

On day eight of 9 days Rwanda safari, trek the playful endemic Golden Monkeys in the bamboo forests of the Volcanoes. These little-known primates offer a chance to track an equally fascinating endangered species.

The Rwanda gorilla trekking to see them is relatively easy and once you locate them, you spend up to one hour observing their charming antics, as they leap from branch to branch. Return to the lodge for some relaxation and lunch. After lunch, visit Iby’Iwacu Village, a replica village of what traditional life was like back in the day for many Rwandans.

You have an opportunity to spectate and participate in many activities: hunting skills, traditional dance, and music, traditional architecture, fashion, food preparation, weaving, local brew preparation, meeting traditional healers, etc. Later in the evening, return to the lodge for relaxation, dinner, and overnight.

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

Activities & Services: –

Golden monkey trekking
Ibyiwacu Village visit

Optional Activities: –

Dian Fossey Hike
Mount Bisoke hike

Day 9: Return To Kigali & Tour Kigali Genocide Memorial. Transfer To Airport For Your Departure Flight Home.

Following a delicious breakfast, your driver-guide will help load all your luggage back into the car and head back to Kigali. Upon arrival visit Kigali Genocide Memorial, an incredible site, documenting the harrowing history of the 1994 Rwandan genocide.

The Museum was created by a joint partnership of the Kigali City Council and the UK-based Aegis Trust. It is extremely moving, challenging, educational, and ultimately inspiring as well as a great place to understand the cause, tragedy and successful rebuilding post-genocide.

It hosts a tour that is transparent and educational but very somber and humbling when guests realize that over 250,000 deceased are buried on the site of the memorial. Thereafter, you’ll be driven to the airport for your return flight home at the end of the remarkable 9 days Rwanda safari.

The highlight of the Day: – Kigali Genocide Memorial Tour

Meal Plan: – Breakfast

Activities & Services: –

Transfer back to Kigali
Visiting Kigali Genocide Memorial
Drop off at the airport

End of the 9 Days Rwanda Safari

9 Days Rwanda Safari − SAFARI INCLUSIONS

Gorilla Permit (for gorilla trekking safaris)
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)

9 Days 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)