Overview
10 days Rwanda wildlife and gorilla trekking experience is a purely Rwanda trip that is aimed at bringing you closer to the understanding of wildlife, culture, gorilla trekking experience and chimpanzee trekking in Nyungwe national park. In the span of 10 days, you will be able to have an encounter with Africa’s Big 5 which are packed in Akagera national park, gorilla trekking experience and golden monkey tracking experience in Volcanoes national park. On the other hand, you can combine Rwanda wildlife adventure with gorilla trekking in Bwindi impenetrable national park in Uganda depending on your choice, however, this itinerary is focusing on Rwanda national parks.
Day by Day Program
Day 1: Arrival and transfer to hotel in Kigali
Upon arrival, our company representative will be ready to receive from Kigali International Airport, he will greet you, take you through the itinerary and then transfer you to your booked hotel, you will check in and enjoy a feel of Kigali.
Day 2: Transfer to Volcanoes National Park
After a lazy breakfast, you will check out of the lodge, meet your driver guide and transfer to Volcanoes national park which is located in the northwestern part of Rwanda. You will drive for about 3hours, arrive in your quiet lodge in Volcanoes national park, check in, have lunch, relax and enjoy the ambiance surrounding the lodge.
Day 3: Gorilla Trekking and Gorilla Guardian Village
On this day, you will wake up very early in the morning at around 6:30am since this is a morning activity, enjoy a scrumptious breakfast, meet your driver guide and transfer to the park headquarters at Kinigi guest information center. You will be briefed about gorilla trekking experience, be assigned a gorilla trekking family and thereafter head to the off the beaten paths of Volcanoes national park with a ranger guide who will help you to locate the gorilla family, the ranger guide will be answering all your questions concerning gorillas and other wildlife in Volcanoes. After an encounter with the gorillas, you will have 1hour in their presence, taking pictures and videos, keenly seeing how they associate, how they plan their day. In the silent misty canopies, you will be entertained by birds chirping in the tree tops and birders have an added advantage here. You will later return to the lodge, freshen up, relax and in the evening engage in the cultural experience where you will visit gorilla guardian village also known as Ibyi’wacu. This is where Rwandan culture is exhibited, you will learn about the tradition of Rwanda, engage in dancing and thereafter, you will retire to the lodge for dinner and overnight stay.
Day 4: Check out and transfer to Lake Kivu
This is another day for you to wake up on a lazy breakfast with memories of the gorillas, reflecting on the catchy moment you had. You will check out of the lodge at leisure after a scrumptious breakfast and transfer to Lake Kivu for yet another experience of the beach life. You will arrive in the afternoon hours, check in your booked hotel, have lunch and then in the evening you will enjoy a boat cruise on Lake Kivu. You can engage in fishing on Lake Kivu, have an interaction with the locals, and keeping in mind that, your catch from the lake can be prepared as your dinner at the hotel.
Day 5: Check out and transfer to Nyungwe Forest National Park
On this day, you will arise in the morning on a delicious breakfast, check out of the lodge and transfer to Nyungwe forest national park. This is the only park in Rwanda where you can comfortably meet the chimpanzees and other 12 primate species. You will arrive in the park with a lot of encounters of monkeys and baboons on your way. You will connect to your lodge, check in, have lunch and relax. You have an option of doing a canopy walk or stay relaxed at the lodge.
Day 6: Chimpanzee Trekking
This is another day of exceptional adventure, you will wake up on a mouthwatering breakfast, meet your driver guide and head to Uwinka reception center where you will be briefed about chimpanzee trekking experience. This is the main information center located in the central Nyungwe. You will assigned a ranger guide and the troupe to track, and head to the thick forests where you will be inhaling carbon free air, in a silent forest for a targeted experience, you will find the chimpanzees in their nests, track their way of life, take pictures and videos, learn about their social life. Expect to spend 1hour in their presence and then return to the lodge with yet another feeling of having an encounter with chimpanzees.
Day 7: Check out and transfer to Kigali
On a lazy day, you will arise in the morning, catch a delicious breakfast, check out of the lodge and head back to Kigali. On your way, you will surely feel excited seeing the running hills of Rwanda and indeed you will know why it is called the land of a thousand hills. Connect to your lodge in Kigali, check in, have lunch and relax.
Day 8: Kigali City tour and transfer to Akagera National Park
Another beautiful day is here, where you will wake up in the morning and do Kigali city tour. You will visit Genocide memorial center, visit different markets like Kimironko market, visit the former King’s Palace, have lunch and exit the city to Akagera national park in the northeastern Rwanda. You will arrive in the evening hours, head to the booked lodge, check in, and have dinner and a peaceful night.
Day 9: Game drive in Akagera National Park and Boat Cruise
Another day of adventure is here, arise in the morning, grab a cup of coffee, meet your driver guide and head to the park headquarters where you will register, get a ranger guide and head to the jungle. You will have an encounter with buffaloes, lions, leopards, elephants and rhinos and these 5 species form Africa’s big 5 animals. Obviously there are other animals to encounter on your game drive for example giraffes, zebras, hyenas, among others, you will return to the lodge have lunch and get for an evening game drive on Lake Ihema.
Day 10: Check out and departure
On the last leg of your safari, you will have a lazy breakfast, check out of the lodge, meet your driver guide and transfer back to Kigali. You will have an en-route lunch after which your driver guide will transfer you to the Airport thus marking the end of your trip.
