12 Days Rwanda Classic safari
12 Days Rwanda Classic safari : The Rwanda classic safari of 12 days is a trip around Rwanda to various tourism destinations like Akagera National Park, Volcanoes lake kivu and Nyungwe National Park. The 12 days safari will grant you the chance to participate in various activities at this tourism sites and also get to see the attractions at these locations. You will also get to tour Kigali city on this safari leaving with a lot of wonderful experiences and findings.
Safari highlights
Day 1 : Pick up from Kigali airport for a city tour and transfer to a hotel in Kigali
Day 2 : Transfer to Volcanoes National Park
Day 3 : Gorilla trekking
Day 4 : Hike to Dian Fossey Tomb and nature walk
Day 5 : Golden monkey trekking and touring the twin lakes of burera and ruhondo
Day 6 : Hike to Mount Bisoke
Day 7 : Transfer to Akagera National Park for an evening game drive
Day 8 : Morning game drive and a boat cruise at lake Ihema
Day 9 : Visit to Iby’iwacu and transfer to Nyungwe National Park
Day 10 : Chimpanzee trekking and a canopy walk
Day 11 : Transfer to lake kivu for a boat cruise
Day 12: Coffee tour and transfer to a hotel in Kigali
Detailed itinerary
Day 1 : Pick up from Kigali airport for a city tour and transfer to a hotel in Kigali
You will link up with the guide at Kigali Airport and you will embark on the city tour in Kigali and you will visit various places like Kigali genocide memorial, kandt house museum and Kimironko market with an enroute lunch and after in the evening you will get a hotel within Kigali to spend the night. At the hotel you will be offered dinner before you sleep.
Day 2 : Transfer to Volcanoes National Park
On day 2 you will have breakfast at the hotel in Kigali and you will then leave the hotel with the guide for a visit to Rwanda art museum that has a lot of beautiful paintings to offer to the visitors who come to thus place. You will see various paintings portraying different information about Rwanda and there after you will get your lunch at a hotel and later proceed to Volcanoes National Park
At the park, you will get a lodge to sleep for the night and the dinner will be availed to you there.
Accommodation at volcanoes national park
Luxury : One and only gorillas nest
Budget : Hotel Muhabura
Midrange : Sambora kinigi lodge
Day 3 : Gorilla trekking
On day 3 of the safari, you we will head fir briefing and then you go for a gorilla trek with the ranger guide who will assist you in finding the gorillas. You will stay with the gorillas for only and hours and you get to share memories and after you will head back to the lodge after the long trek to find the gorillas. You will have lunch and spend the rest of the day at lodge and after you will have dinner and head to sleep.
Day 4 : Hike to Dian Fossey Tomb and nature walk
At 8am, you will have breakfast and after briefing you will hike to Dian Fossey Tomb and you will get to see where the American primatologist Dian Fossey was laid to rest. You will also see the grave of digit her beloved gorilla. You will also get educated about the achievements that Dian Fossey made and the history of the gorillas. You will then head to the lodge for lunch and after head to the next activity.
You will first go for briefing and then you head for nature walk around the park which will expose you to the various ecosystems in the park and after you will be driven back to where you will sleep.
Day 5 : Golden monkey trekking and touring the twin lakes of burera and ruhondo
As per day 5, you will have breakfast and you head with the guide to get the do’s and don’ts while carrying out a golden monkey trek. You will then embark on your journey to find the golden monkeys that will take you several hours to find them depending on their location. You will spend an hour with them after finding them and the guide will be responsible to answer your questions about these primates. You will take pictures of them and then a guide will transfer to the lodge for a short break. You will have lunch and then you will head back to the park headquarters.
At the park headquarters, you will receive guidelines and then you will head for a tour at the twin lakes of burera and ruhondo where you will see a number of wildlife and various attractive landscapes that are eye catching. You will then retire to the lodge for your dinner and an overnight stay.
Day 6 : Hike to Mount Bisoke
A 6 hour hike to Mount bisoke will be conducted after you have had breakfast at the lodge. You will ascend to the summit of mount bisoke with several encounters with bird species and animals and the hike to the summit will take approximately 4 hours. You will see the neighboring mountains while at the summit of Mount bisoke and you after descend for 2 hours back to your set off location. You thereafter have lunch at the lodge and relax till dinner time and after dinner you will retire to bed.
Day 7 : Transfer to Akagera National Park for an evening game drive
In the morning you will have breakfast and head to Akagera National Park. You will settle into a lodge at Akagera National park and get to relax. You will be served lunch in the afternoon and again you spend the rest of the time viewing the surroundings at the lodge. In the evening, you will be briefed and you embark on a game drive that will start at around 6:30am. You may spend about 2 to 3 hours on this game drive and you will be able to see carnivores like the lions, leopards, hyenas and many more. You will then head to the lodge for dinner and an overnight stay.
Accommodations at Akagera National Park
Luxury : Akagera game lodge
Budget : Karenge bush camp
Midrange : Magashi safari camp
Day 8 : Morning game drive and a boat cruise at lake Ihema
Once you get done with breakfast in the morning, you will get to the headquarters to be briefed and then you will go for a game drive in Akagera National Park with a guide. You will spot various animals and birds as you drive around. It will take you about 5 hours and after you will retire to the lodge for lunch.
At 2:30pm, you will be briefed and you head for a boar cruise at lake Ihema that will be done for about an hours and you will get the chance to see the hippos and crocodiles while on the boat ride plus other ecosystems. After, you will retire to the lodge and rest. Later in the day, you will be served dinner and you head to bed.
Day 9 : Visit to Iby’iwacu and transfer to Nyungwe National Park
On day 9, you will have a visit to Iby’iwacu cultural center after having breakfast and checking out of the lodge at Akagera National Park and you will get the knowledge. You awareness about the Rwandese culture and traditions while at iby’iwacu cultural center. You will be guided around this place and you will get the opportunity to see the Rwandese dance their traditional dance. After you will head to s hotel for lunch and later get transferred to Nyungwe National Park.
Accommodations in Nyungwe National Park
Luxury : One and only Nyungwe house
Budget : Gisakura guest house
Midrange : Nyungwe top view hill hotel
Day 10 : Chimpanzee trekking and a canopy walk
A chimpanzee trek will be conducted on day 10 of the safari. The chimpanzee trek takes you to Nyungwe forest with a ranger guide who will direct you on the routes to take. You will spend 1 hour with the chimpanzees after several hours of searching for them. You will get to know about their behaviors from the guides and you will take pictures before heading back to the lodge for your lunch.
After lunch and resting, you will be taken for briefing and then you engage in a 2 hours canopy to the bridge of approximately 70m high and 160m long that will offer you amazing views of the park. You will then retire to the lodge, relax have dinner and sleep.
Day 11 : Transfer to lake kivu for a boat cruise
On day 11, you will be transferred to lake kivu after your breakfast at the hotel in Nyungwe National Park. You will check into a hotel upon arrival and later in the afternoon you will have a lunch meal. You will then have a boat cruise at lake kivu after receiving guidelines from the guide. You will see various ecosystems at this lake and after you will retire to the lodge for dinner and rest
Accommodations at lake kivu
- Lake Kivu Serena
- Gorillas lake kivu hotel
- Cormoran lodge
Day 12: Coffee tour and transfer to a hotel in Kigali
On day 12, you will have breakfast and head for a coffee tour after briefing. You will set off from Gisenyi for a boat trip to nyamirundi island where you will conduct the coffee tour and you will get knowledge about the coffee making process. After the coffee tour, you will have lunch at the hotel and the a guide will transfer you back to the hotel in Kigali.
End of 12 Days Rwanda Classic safari
12 Days Rwanda Classic safari includes
- Bottled drinking water
- Park entry fees
- English speaking driver guide
- 4WD safari vehicle
- Accommodation
- Meals
- Gorilla trekking permit
- Golden monkey trekking permit
- Chimpanzee trekking permit
12 Days Rwanda Classic safari excludes
- Personal needs
- Visa fees
- Air fare
- Personal insurance
- Tips
