7 Days Rwanda Safari – Primates Tracking and Boat Cruise
7 Days Rwanda Safari – Primates Tracking and Boat Cruise
Overview
7 Days Rwanda Safari is a comprehensive 7 Days Rwanda Safari itinerary (1 week in Rwanda) that offers Wildlife, Golden Monkey, Chimpanzee, and Gorilla Trekking Plus a Boat Cruise on Lake Ihema. This 7 Days Rwanda Safari is an exploration of Akagera National Park, Nyungwe Forest National Park, and Volcanoes National Park.
A wildlife tour will be undertaken at Akagera National Park with a boat trip on Lake Ihema and a game drive in the savannah plains. Formed of the forest-fringed lakes, rolling plains, papyrus swamps, and savannah plains the park is famed as the most scenic in Africa. From Akagera, you will continue to Volcanoes National Park for Gorilla trekking. Gorilla safaris in Rwanda offer a lifetime experience as trekkers have a chance to share the mountain Gorilla habitat and a maximum of 1 hour in the presence of the gorillas. Nyungwe forest is the best place for Chimpanzee trekking in Rwanda as well as a canopy walk. The canopy walk in Nyungwe is the best in the whole of East Africa.
Highlights
- Arrival at Kigali International Airport and transfer to hotel
- Transfer to Akagera National Park and have an evening boat cruise
- Morning game drive and transfer to Volcanoes National Park
- Gorilla trekking in Volcanoes National Park.
- Golden Monkey trekking in Volcanoes and transfer to Nyungwe Forest.
- Chimpanzee trekking and canopy walk in Nyungwe Forest National Park.
- Return to Kigali International Airport, end of 7 Days Rwanda safari
Detailed Itinerary
Day 1: Arrival at Kigali International Airport and transfer to hotel.
On the first day of your 7 days Rwanda safari, a tour guide will be at Kigali International Airport to pick you up. The guide will easily be identified as she or he will be carrying a placard with your name. After meeting and greeting your local guide will transfer you to a booked lodging facility in Kigali city. You check in, relax, have dinner and spend the night.
Lodging: Serena Hotel Kigali/Hotel Chez Lando/ Iris Guest House
Meal plan: Half board
Day 2: Transfer to Akagera National Park and have an evening boat cruise.
On this first day of your tour, a Rwanda safari guide will pick you up from Kigali either at a hotel or from the airport. After meeting and greeting you then are driven for about 2 h 30 min to Akagera National Park. Arriving in time for lunch, you have a meal and then relax as you wait for a boat cruise. The boat ride on Lake Ihema offers great sightings of hippos and crocodiles in the water. Wildlife like Elephants and buffaloes can be seen on the shores of the lake. After the boat trip, you later transfer to a booked accommodation facility for check-in, dinner, and an overnight stay.
Lodging: Ruziza Tented Camp/Akagera Game Safari Lodge
Meal plan: Full board
Day 3: Morning game drive and transfer to Volcanoes National Park
Early morning you are served breakfast, then undertake a game drive in the scenic savannah plains for about 4 hours depending on the animal sightings and interests. Some of the animals that can be seen include the big five game which are Buffaloes, Rhinos, Elephants, Lions, and Leopards. Other wildlife species include Giraffes, Zebras, hyenas, cape bushbuck, Topis, Oribis, roan antelopes, duikers, impala, cape eland, and many more. After the morning game drive, you have lunch and then transfer to Volcanoes National Park. The drive from Akagera will be through Kigali city and other scenic villages. You will arrive at a booked lodge in Volcanoes National Park in the evening.
Lodging: Mountain Gorilla View Lodge/Gorilla Solution Lodge/Da Vinci Gorilla Lodge
Meal plan: Full board
Day 4: Gorilla trekking in Volcanoes National Park
Following breakfast, your driver-guide picks you up from the lodge for a drive to the park headquarters. Arriving at the park headquarters in Kinigi you first have a briefing on the dos and don’ts of Gorilla trekking in Rwanda by the park warden. By 8:30 am, the park ranger guide will transfer you to the trekking starting point for a gorilla trek. Every 8 individuals take about 2-6 hours in the jungle trekking through the bamboo forest along with armed ranger guides. However, only 1 hour (60 minutes) is spent in the presence of the mountain gorillas.
The trek lasts an unpredictable time depending on the Gorilla group movements but the population in Rwanda is known to move for shorter distances and therefore make it easy to trek. After 1 hour in the presence of a gorilla family, you walk back to the park headquarters where you meet the tour guide for a transfer back to your hotel.
Lodging: Mountain Gorilla View Lodge/Gorilla Solution Lodge/Da Vinci Gorilla Lodge
Meal plan: Full board
Day 5: Golden Monkey trekking in Volcanoes and transfer to Nyungwe Forest
In the morning you will go for Golden Monkey trekking in Volcanoes National Park where they co-exist with the mountain gorillas. Golden monkeys have unique characters and can easily be identified by their color. You must be at the park headquarters as early as 7:00 am for briefing before the trek. There are two troops of golden monkeys in Rwanda with the largest found in Mount Sabinyo it has about 80-100 monkeys and is the most visited in the park. Your driver will drive you back to your hotel for lunch after the trekking. Then drive to Nyungwe Forest National Park. Have dinner and an overnight stay at your booked Hotel
Lodging: Nyungwe Forest Lodge / One & Only Nyungwe Forest House/Nyungwe Top View Hill Hotel/Gisakura Guest House
Meal plan: Full board
Day 6: Chimpanzee trekking and canopy walk in Nyungwe Forest National Park
Early morning you will have breakfast and then drive to the park headquarters for the start of a chimpanzee trekking experience. You walk for some time till you find where the chimps spent their previous night. Chimpanzees can be seen jumping from tree to tree at high speeds while making noise, the speed at which they jump and play around determines how many photos you take and how much time you spend viewing them. After the trek, you return to your trek start point where you meet the driver-guide for a transfer to the hotel for lunch and relaxation. In the evening, you undertake a canopy walk in Nyungwe Forest for about 2 hours. Later on, you return to the hotel for relaxation and dinner.
Lodging: Nyungwe Forest Lodge / One & Only Nyungwe Forest House/Nyungwe Top View Hill Hotel/Gisakura Guest House
Meal plan: Full board
Day 7: Return to Kigali International Airport
On the last day of your trip, you have breakfast at leisure depending on your departure time. Your driver guide will ensure a drive to Kigali International Airport for a departure flight. You can ask your guide for a stop at craft shops in Kigali town in case you would want to purchase anything.
End of 7 Days Rwanda Safari
Includes
- Bottled drinking water
- Fuel and vehicle
- English speaking guide
- Meals
- Accommodation
- Gorilla trekking permit
- Chimpanzee trekking permit
Exclude
- Alcoholic drinks
- Laundry
- Items of a personal nature
- International airfares
- Travel Insurance
- Tips and gratuities
Safari Vacations and Travel Services is a Local tour operator based in Uganda with its head offices in Entebbe. Moreover, Safari Vacations and Travel Services is a business for Ugandan natives. We specialize in life-changing experiences, sustainable tours, and holidays for all East African countries. Also, we are members of the Association of Uganda Tour Operators and with registration from the Uganda Tourism Board. We have a good and long working relationship with the Uganda Wildlife Authority. We are making booking your gorilla permits and gorilla trekking safari easy. Safari Vacations and Travel Services is also high in Trip Advisor reviews.
