15 Days Best of Rwanda Safari Tour
Overview
Embark on a journey to experience the most of Rwanda’s diverse attractions on our exclusive 15 Days Best of Rwanda Safari. This tour includes a range of thrilling wilderness experiences such as mountain gorilla trekking/tracking, golden monkey tracking, chimpanzee tracking, game drives, boat cruise, cultural experiences and more.
The 15 Days Best of Rwanda Safari offers an incredible combination of wildlife encounters in the savanna grassland and tropical rainforests. On this captivating trip itinerary, expect to spend 2 weeks plus one day, and accompanying you will be an experienced safari guide/expert.
On this African tour in Rwanda, expect to explore the unusual destinations including Nyungwe Forest National Park, Akagera National Park, Volcanoes National Park, Kigali, Lake Kivu and Iby’Iwacu Village.
Each of the Rwanda destinations you will be visiting guarantees you exceptional experiences. In Akagera National Park, a big 5 game destination, expect to enjoy game drive and boat cruise.
Chimpanzee tracking, colobus tracking and canopy walks will be enjoyed in Nyungwe Forest National Park which is a home to 13 primates. Volcanoes National Park will be visited for unforgettable mountain gorilla trekking adventures.
This trip also allows you to visit other tourist sites such as the King’s palace, Lake Kivu, Iby’Iwacu cultural village and more. This is a long tour taking you 15 days, 14 nights in comfortable accommodation facilities.
Details of the 15 Days Best of Rwanda Safari Tour
Day 1: Arrival for your 15 Days Best of Rwanda Safari
You will meet your driver at Kigali International Airport (KGL) for pick up and transfer to the hotel. Insight into your 15 days best of Rwanda safari will be provided by your tour leader and this will be at your respective hotels. The rest of the evening includes relaxation, dinner and overnight stay.
Accommodation
- Budget/Midrange: Hotel Chezlando/Heaven Boutique
- Luxury/Upmarket: Serena Hotel Kigali/Radison Blu
Day 2: Akagera National Tour in Rwanda
Meet your driver guide for transfer to Akagera National Park where you will enjoy a game viewing tour. First, you will begin with the Kigali city tour and today, your focus will be visiting Kigali/Gisozi genocide memorial. The Kigali/Gisozi memorial provides insight into the Rwandan genocide that took place in 1994 in a period of 100 days where nearly a million lives were lost. You will also visit local markets plus other historical sites and after, have lunch then continue to Akagera N. Park in Eastern Rwanda.
Drive through Akagera National Park as you connect to your lodge. While driving through the park, enjoy the sight of the park’s diverse wildlife including elephants, buffaloes, birds and others.
Accommodation
- Budget: Dereva Hotel
- Midrange: Akagera Game Lodge
- Luxury: Magashi Tented Camp/Ruzizi Tented Camp
Day 3: Game Drive, Boat Cruise expedition in Akagera National Park
A game drive early in the morning for 2-3 hours and you will be exploring diversity of animal species. Akagera National Park is endowed with wildlife and being the only savanna park, you will encounter wildlife such as buffaloes, elephants, rhinos, leopards, lions and antelopes, plus birds.
Lunch will be offered when you return to the lodge and in the afternoon, drive to Lake Ihema for the 2pm boat cruise. During the boat tour, expected sightings include hippos, crocodiles and aquatic birds.
Accommodation
- Budget: Dereva Hotel
- Midrange: Akagera Game Lodge
- Luxury: Magashi Tented Camp/Ruzizi Tented Camp
Day 4: Kigali
After breakfast, leave Akagera NP for Kigali and you will be exiting with a morning game drive. This is to allow you to see more wildlife in the park including the list of those you missed the previous day. Have enough time to relax at the hotel while you wait to connect to Nyungwe Forest NP the following day.
Accommodation
- Budget/Midrange: Hotel Chezlando/Heaven Boutique
- Luxury/Upmarket: Serena Hotel Kigali/Radison Blu
Day 5: Nyungwe Forest National Park expedition
After breakfast, you will be picked up at a hotel and drive to Nyungwe Forest National Park 6-7 hours’ drive. En-route expected stopover points include National Museum, and lunch in a hotel in Butare/Huye. Drive to Nyungwe Forest NP for relaxation and spend a night in a comfortable lodge.
Accommodation
- Budget: Gisakura Guesthouse
- Midrange- Nyungwe Hill Top View Hotel
- Luxury: One & Only Nyungwe House/Nyungwe Forest Lodge
Day 6: Chimpanzee tracking & canopy walking experience
After a hefty breakfast, transfer to Uwinka/Cyamudongo reception for briefing about chimpanzee trekking rules. At 8:00am, you will be accompanied by the park guide to see, explore chimpanzees and return after photography.
On a chimpanzee trek, more than chimpanzees should be expected to see since Nyungwe Forest shelters over 13 primates including baboons, colobus monkeys, 310 bird species and floral species.
After enjoyable lunch, you will set off for an afternoon canopy walk. This takes you through a suspended canopy walkway and you will be seeing some birds, primates and forest canopy view.
Accommodation
- Budget: Gisakura Guesthouse
- Midrange- Nyungwe Hill Top View Hotel
- Luxury: One & Only Nyungwe House/Nyungwe Forest Lodge
Day 7: Colobus monkey tracking & Gishwati Mukura
Have breakfast, after, leave for your colobus monkey tracking experience. Enjoy the sight of colobus monkeys and other primates, take pictures then retreat and you will proceed to Gishwati-Mukura National Park.
Accommodation
- Gishwati Lodge
Day 8: Gishwati-Mukura Primate Walk & Volcanoes National Park
Wake up early, and you will transfer to Gishwati-Mukura National Park for briefing and to be allocated a park guide. You will begin your primate walk in the morning and expect to encounter a variety of primates including l’hoest, colobus monkeys, chimps, baboons and other species of animals. After tracking primates and having enough rest you will be transferred to Volcanoes National Park.
Accommodation
- Budget: Kinigi Guesthouse
- Midrange: La Palm/Five Volcanoes
- Luxury: Bisate/Mountain Gorilla View Lodge
Day 9: Gorilla trekking
After breakfast, proceed to Kinigi for briefing about guidelines for gorilla trekking in Volcanoes National Park. This is where 12 habituated gorilla families live and you will be assigned to only one to visit today in a group of eight clients.
Tracking session lasts for 2-6 hours, inclusive of one hour of a face-to-face encounter. Photography and exploring how the endangered mountain gorillas behave is guaranteed during the one hour of a close encounter.
Once you return, you will settle for lunch and relax in the lodge. In the evening, there will be an evening cultural walk to Iby’Iwacu cultural village. Experience Rwanda’s unique cultures, dances and music performance, etc.
Accommodation
- Budget: Kinigi Guesthouse
- Midrange: La Palm/Five Volcanoes
- Luxury: Bisate/Mountain Gorilla View Lodge
Day 10: Golden monkeys
Enjoy a hefty breakfast, after, visit golden monkeys and your primate adventure starts at 8:00am at Kinigi offices. Expect to spend 2-4 hours with a guarantee of one hour of a close encounter with golden monkeys, after, walk back to the lodge for relaxation.
Accommodation
- Budget: Kinigi Guesthouse
- Midrange: La Palm/Five Volcanoes
- Luxury: Bisate/Mountain Gorilla View Lodge
Day 11: Dian Fossey hike
After breakfast, head off for the Dian Fossey hike about 3 hours or more depending on your speed of trekking. Here you will be exploring more about Dian Fossey and her gorilla conservation/protection legacy. Retreat from Dian Fossey adventure, settle at the lodge and relax.
Accommodation
- Budget: Kinigi Guesthouse
- Midrange: La Palm/Five Volcanoes
- Luxury: Bisate/Mountain Gorilla View Lodge
Day 12: Lake Kivu
Enjoy breakfast, after, drive to Lake Kivu. This is one of Rwanda’s iconic sites and the best relaxation place after gorilla trekking in Rwanda/Volcanoes NP. This is located about 82km and you will be transferred to a hotel to have a relaxed afternoon and evening at Lake Kivu Serena Hotel/Gorillas Lake Kivu Hotel.
Day 13: Boat ride
A hefty breakfast early morning, after set off for an exciting Lake Kivu boat ride on Rwandan side. After, you will have a long day of relaxation at the lake shores/hotel while viewing the lake. Retire for the night at Lake Kivu Serena Hotel.
Day 14: Return to Kigali
Drive from Lake Kivu to Kigali city. Embark on city tour in Kigali or just have a relaxed day in your hotel, do some shopping as you wait to take a flight back home the following day.
Accommodation
- Budget/Midrange: Hotel Chezlando/Heaven Boutique
- Luxury/Upmarket: Serena Hotel Kigali/Radison Blu
Day 15: Depart -End of 15 Days Best of Rwanda Safari Tour
Enjoy a delicious breakfast and after, check out then transfer to Kigali International Airport for departure. Today marks the end of your unforgettable 15 days best of Rwanda safari.
End of 15 Days Best of Rwanda Safari
15 Days Best of Rwanda Safari Includes
- Gorilla & chimp permit
- Game viewing
- Cultural encounter
- All trip activities
- Bottled water
15 Days Best of Safari Excludes
- Tips
- Laundry
- Cigarettes
- Insurance