Embark on a luxurious 10 day journey through Rwanda’s stunning landscapes. Start in Kigali, with a warm welcome and top-tier accommodations. Explore the rainforests of Nyungwe, where you’ll trek with chimpanzees amidst lush greenery.
Next, head to Volcanoes National Park to meet the majestic mountain gorillas. Enjoy unique cultural experiences and engage with local conservation efforts. The adventure ends in Akagera National Park, home to the Big Five, where you’ll stay at a luxurious tented camp. The safari will uncover Rwanda’s spectacular natural wonders that will offer you exciting and memorable experiences especially the enchanting gorilla trekking and golden monkey tracking in Volcanoes National Park as well as the charming chimpanzee tracking and canopy walk in Nyungwe Forest NP as well as the Big Five encounter in Akagera National Park beyond the safari time, it takes you on the shorelines of lake Kivu to catch the magical sunsets over the islands.
Detailed itinerary
Day 1: Pick Up and Transfer to Akagera National Park
Upon arrival at the airport, you will be welcomed by our Nyumbu Beyond Journeys safari-guide, who will brief you about the safari. You’ll go for a Kigali city tour, exploring the Kigali genocide site and local markets. Afterward, you will have your lunch and then drive to Akagera in Eastern Rwanda and check in at the Lodge, relax, and prepare for the next day’s activities.
Day 2: Akagera National Park Exploration
You will wake up early morning, have breakfast, and then go for a sunrise game drive. This will give you a glimpse of the herbivores actively grazing against the sunrise. The game drive in Akagera is an incredible activity that offers breathtaking views of the African Big Five —elephants, lions, rhinos, buffaloes, and leopards as well as other animals such as giraffes, and antelopes, birds which create a memorable experience of a lifetime.
In the afternoon, you’ll have a launch or boat cruise along Lake Ihema that gives a spectacular view of crocodiles, a school of hippos, water birds, and other species of wildlife which will fill you with the essence of nature. Then, you will get back to the lodge, relax, and have dinner and later an overnight stay.
Day 3: Transfer to Volcanoes National Park
After breakfast, you will check out of your lodge and meet your guide. Then, you’ll embark on a 5-hour journey through green rolling hills and spectacular landscapes to Volcanoes National Park, a paradise to the Majestic Mountain Gorillas. You will check in at the lodge.
Day 4: Gorilla Trekking in Volcanoes National Park
After an early morning breakfast, you will transfer to the park headquarters at Kinigi for a briefing about mountain gorilla trekking from the park warden and rangers.
Along with your trekking gear, drinking water, and a packed lunch, you will embark on the captivating gorilla trekking in the jungle forests of the Volcanoes National Park, which may take 1–7 hours to search for awesome primates depending on their movement. On encountering the giant primates, you will have a rewarding and exciting magical hour to learn and watch the charming gorillas as they interact, play, mate, feed, build nests, and groom each other.
Meeting the closest relatives of human beings is an adrenaline-pumping activity that offers a once-in-a-lifetime experience. After that, you’ll be back at the hotel.
Day 5: Golden Monkey Tracking and Cultural Experience
After an early morning breakfast, you will transfer to the park headquarters for a briefing from the park warden about the endangered golden monkey tracking. Afterward, you will connect tracking trails leading into the bamboo forest searching for the rare golden monkeys, which will take you 1-4 hours. Looking left and right, east and west, you will have ecstatic views of other primates like the red-tailed monkey, vervet monkeys, black and white monkeys, as well as colorful birds, among others. On meeting the endangered golden monkeys, you will have one charming hour to watch and study these monkeys as they interact, play, feed, and groom each other.
In the evening, you will immerse yourself in the customs, traditions, and cultures of the surrounding community at Iby’Iwacu Cultural Village. You’ll interact with local people with their authentic cultures and behavioral patterns, such as traditional cattle milking, arts and crafts, local beer brewing, and honey harvesting. After that, you’ll be back at the hotel.
Day 6: Dian Fossey Gravesite Hike
After breakfast, you will go for an adrenaline-pumping hike to Dian Fossey’s gravesite for about 2-4 hours. Dain Fossey was an American primatologist known for extensive study of the mountain gorillas. This trek gives insight into Dian Fossey and her legacy on gorilla conservation. Afterward, you will return for relaxation and an overnight stay in the Hotel.
Day 7: Transfer to Lake Kivu
You will enjoy a delicious breakfast, check out of the lodge, and leave Volcanoes National Park for Lake Kivu. You will arrive at Lake Kivu early and have lunch at the lodge. Then, you will relax at the lake with a fresh breeze, vistas, and white sand bathing. Overnight Stay at Kivu Serena Hotel.
Day 8: Drive from Lake Kivu to Nyungwe National Park
After enjoying a delicious breakfast, you will go for a boat ride along Lake Kivu, which will give scenic views of the hippos, crocodiles, birds, as well as other wild animals at the banks of the lake. Later, you will embark on the 4-hour journey to Nyungwe National Park, which shelters 13 primate species. You will check in at Nyungwe Hilltop View Hotel for one hour at the hotel.
Day 9: Chimpanzee Tracking and Canopy Walk Adventure
You’ll enjoy breakfast in the morning and then gather at Uwinka Reception for a briefing about chimpanzee tracking rules. After the briefing, you will meet the park ranger and guides who will take you on a trek for 1–4 hours in the forest to meet chimpanzees, which are normally spotted as they jump from one tree to another, chattering and laughing. On finding the awe-inspiring primates, you’ll spend an hour taking pictures and videos of the life-changing experience.
In the afternoon, you will go on a walking trail that will take you to the Canopy Walk— a swinging bridge 50m in length that is suspended from bird trees. You will be able to see the captivating rainforest with a bird’s eye view, spotting wildlife moving about below you.
Then, you’ll return to the lodge for dinner and an overnight stay.
Day 10: Transfer Back to Kigali
After having your breakfast, you will take a 6-hours’ drive through beautiful landscapes, farmlands, local markets communities, and towns. Then, you’ll go to Kigali and connect to the airport for departure.
