A 7 days mountain gorilla tour in Rwanda features as one of the moderate African safari holiday that gives you an opportunity to discover the Rwanda in depth. Your 7 days safari comprises of wildlife sighting, primate trekking especially the chimpanzees and the mountain gorillas, recreation and culture as well as history of Rwanda. It involves exploring Akagera National Park, the Butare and Nyanza for thrilling culture and heritage, the Nyungwe forest national park for amazing chimpanzee tracking and canopy walk, Lake Kivu for recreation, the Volcanoes National Park for mountain gorilla trekking and the Musanze caves.
Trip Highlights
- Day 1: Depart to Akagera National Park
- Day 2: Game drive in the morning and in the afternoon take a boat cruise along Lake Ihema
- Day 3: Depart to Nyungwe Forest National Park
- Day 4: Chimpanzee tracking and canopy walk
- Day 5: Transfer to Lake Kivu along the Congo Nile trail
- Day 6: Transfer to Musanze for cave exploration
- Day 7: Gorilla tracking and return to Kigali
Full Itinerary
Day 1: Depart from Kigali to Akagera National Park
After your breakfast at the hotel where you spent a night, you will be picked by one of our experienced and well trained driver guides ready to set off for Akagera National Park East of Rwanda about 135 kilometers approximately 2 and half hours’ drive while you catch a glimpse of the natural wonders of this nation especially the amazing Inyambo cows in Rwamagana prior arriving at the lodge of your choice for rest, dinner and overnight stayat:
- Luxury Accommodation: Ruzizi Tented Lodge
- Midrange Accommodation: Akagera Game Lodge
- Budget Accommodation: Dereva Hotel.
Meal Plan: HB
Day 2: Game drive in the morning and an afternoon boat ride on Lake Ihema
Following breakfast in the morning, you will set off for your early morning game drive along the diverse and stunning landscapes of Akagera that offers the spectacular wildlife safaris in Rwanda. While on a game drive, expect to view the Maasai giraffes, buffaloes, impala, elephants, water buck, leopards, lions, reedbuck, roan antelope, eland, oribi and many more. The drive can be about four hours and after you return to your respective lodge for rest and lunch.
In the afternoon, you again set off for a boat ride on Lake Ihema which features as one of the spectacular water bodies in the protected area and the second largest in the country. This gives you a chance to enjoy the refreshing waters of Lake Ihema, the papyrus that inhabit several gonolek and shoe bill storks as well as several hippos and crocodiles and many more. After, return to the lodge for rest, dinner and retire for the night at the lodge where you spent your previous night.
Meal Plan: FB
Day 3: Depart to Nyungwe Forest National Park
Breakfast in the morning and after, you will set off to Nyungwe Forest National Park one of the primate capitals in East Africa. The park is located about 320 kilometers which is approximately five hours’ drive Southwest of Rwanda. While on the way, catch a glimpse of the stunning rolling hills prior making a stopover at Butare to visit the Butare National Museum which is also termed as the ethnographic museum which comes with several artifacts which make up over 100000 describing Rwanda’s background, heritage and history.
After, continue to the Nyanza palace the royal court of the 2 kings of Rwanda; King Musinga and his successor King Rudahigwa that comes with the stunning architectural hut, the traditional Inyambo cows and the items which the Kings at the time used. After, continue to the Nyungwe Forest National Park where you will spend a night at:
- Luxury Accommodation: Nyungwe Forest Lodge
- Midrange Accommodation: Nyungwe Hill Top View Hotel
- Budget Accommodation: Gisakura Guesthouse for budget travelers.
Meal Plan: FB
Day 4: Chimpanzee tracking and canopy walk
Following breakfast in the morning, you will transfer to Nyungwe Forest National Park headquarters for briefing from the park officials on the general behavior while in the forest tracking the chimpanzees. You will set off for the real adventure at 8:00am to Nyungwe forest where more than 13 primates call it their home, and also over 310 avian species, 75 species of mammals and several butterflies.
Your experience ranges from two to three hours and only one hour of a face to face encounter is given to you to explore their behavior in general and also take as many photos as you can. Return to the lodge for rest as you wait for lunch where you will again collect around Uwinka visitor center for amazing and thrilling canopy walk in the afternoon. This is a two hour walk through Africa’s oldest protected area as you look out for some incredible primates, butterflies and bird species. Thereafter, return to the lodge for rest and overnight at your previous lodge.
Meal Plan: FB
Day 5: Depart to Lake Kivu
You will have breakfast in the morning and after head towards Lake Kivu about 294 kilometers along the Congo Nile trail that marks the geographical division between the water catchment point for River Nile and the Congo River. Your safari rewards you with spectacular views of Lake Kivu, the stunning resort towns especially the Kibuye and Cyangugu and lastly the Gisenyi. You will then relax in the evening at the beaches prior spending a night at:
- Luxury Accommodation: Lake Kivu Serena Hotel
- Midrange Accommodation: Hotel Gorillas Lake Kivu
- Budget Accommodation: Paradise Malahide for budget.
Meal Plan: FB
Day 6: Transfer to Musanze-Volcanoes National Park
Following breakfast in the morning, you will set off for Musanze about 110 kilometers where you will go for cave exploration of about 2 hours walking through a two kilometer cave which dates 65 million years ago. The musanze caves have about 31 entrances and they are credited for Rwandan history. After, you check in your lodge for rest and night at:
- Luxury Accommodation: Mount Gorilla View Lodge
- Midrange Accommodation: Hotel la Palme
- Budget Accommodation: Muhabura Hotel.
Meal Plan: FB.
Day 7: Mountain gorilla tracking in Volcanoes National Park and drive back to Kigali
After breakfast in your respective lodge, you will set off to Kinigi park headquarters for an early morning briefing at 7:30am. You will have an early morning cultural entertainment from Kinyarwanda dances and after you are assigned a gorilla group to track in a group of eight members, you will set off to the forest with a guide. The trek takes about 1 to 8 hours depending on your physical wellness, location of these apes and nature of the altitude. You will have an hour of magical encounter and after, you will be transferred back to Kigali Airport for your Flight back Home.
END OF TOUR
What is Included.
- Game drive fees
- Boat ride fees
- Musanze cave exploration fees
- Gorilla tracking permit
- Transport (Tour vehicle, driver guide, fuel)
- Full board accommodation for 6 nights plus all meals
- Bottle of water
- Chimpanzee trekking permit
- Canopy walk
- Other within the itinerary
Safari exclusion
- Tips for guides, waitress, waiter, driver guide
- Any activities and accommodation not included in the itinerary
- Visa fees
- Phone bills, personal laundry and other personal expenses
- Alcoholic drinks
- Personal insurance
- Extra activities outside the itinerary