14 Days Rwanda Adventure Safari

14 Days Rwanda Adventure Safari : The 14-day Rwanda Classic Safari offers a comprehensive exploration of Rwanda, including destinations such as Akagera National Park, Rwanda’s only Savannah Wildlife National Park; Nyungwe Forest National Park, Rwanda’s primates park, home to chimpanzees and other wild primates; and Volcanoes National Park, Rwanda’s only destination for mountain gorillas. The main attractions of this 14-day Rwanda Classic Safari include gorilla trekking, chimpanzee trekking, hiking experiences, wildlife viewing, boat trips, bird watching, nature walks, and city tours.

Safari highlights

Day 1: Arrival and transfer to your hotel in Kigali
Day 2, Kigali City Tour
Day 3, Transfer to Nyungwe Forest National Park
Day 4: Forest Nature Walk
Day 5: Chimpanzee trekking
Day 6: Transfer to Kibuye along the shores of Lake Kivu
Day 7, Transfer to Gisenyi
Day 8, Transfer to Ruhengeri
Day 9: Gorilla trekking in Parc National des Volcans
Day 10, Hiking Mountain Bisoke
Day 11: Transfer back to Kigali and to Akagera National Park
Day 12, morning game drive and boat ride on Lake Ihema
Day 13: Nature walk and transfer back to Kigali city
Day 14, Departure

Detailed itinerary

Day 1: Arrival and transfer to your hotel in Kigali

Upon arrival at Kigali International Airport, our safari guide will welcome you and transfer you to Kigali city, where you will be staying. Dinner and overnight stay

Accommodation and meals (full board)

Luxury option: Kigali Marriot Hotel
Mid-range option: Des Mille Collins Hotel
Budget option: Step Town motel

Day 2, Kigali City Tour

After breakfast, meet your guide and connect for a trip to Kigali, visiting the Kigali genocide memorial, Kimoronko market, and other interesting places in Kigali. Enjoy the local Rwandan dishes if you wish. Later in the evening, head back to your lodge for dinner and overnight accommodations.

Day 3, Transfer to Nyungwe Forest National Park

After a morning breakfast, meet up with your guide and transfer to Nyungwe Forest National Park. En route, you will pass through wonderful and magnificent hills and cultivated countryside. Have a stopover at the royal King’s Palace in Nyanza for a cultural description of the history of Rwanda and also visit the Rwanda National Museum.

Proceed and reach Butare town, where you will have lunch, then continue to Nyungwe National Park late afternoon. Upon arrival, you will visit the new visitor’s centre to get more information about the park, such as the number of primate species found in the park, types of bird species and other tourist activities carried out in the park. Proceed to lodge to check-in for dinner and overnight stay.

Accommodation and meals (full board)

Luxury option: Nyungwe House
Mid-range Nyungwe Top Hill View Hotel
Budget option: Gisakura Guesthouse

Day 4: Forest Nature Walk

After having breakfast, you will return to the forest for a forest nature walk, which will enable you to explore the park’s unique tourist features, including waterfalls and orchids in the high-altitude swamps, as well as views of the surrounding areas. Return to the lodge for lunch and spend the rest of the afternoon relaxing or participating in the tea harvest in the neighboring local communities. Dinner and overnight at hotel as above

Day 5: Chimpanzee trekking

After an early morning breakfast, you will report to the park headquarters in Nyungwe Forest for a briefing before embarking on the chimpanzee tracking activity. However, it is advisable to organize a packed lunch and plenty of water prior to this expedition since it can sometimes last over 6 hours, depending on the location of the primates. During the trekking, you will also see other primates, a variety of animals, and birds, like the Rwenzori Turacco and the black and white casqued hornbill. After spending time with the primates, return to your hotel for relaxation, dinner, and Overnight at hotel as above

Day 6: Transfer to Kibuye along the shores of Lake Kivu

You will have breakfast and transfer to Lake Kivu. The lake, known as one of Africa’s great lakes, is the largest freshwater lake situated in the Albertine (Western) rift of the Great Rift Valley. Nestled in a series of interwoven and undulating hills, Kibuye town, one of the country’s most attractive lake ports, offers spectacular views of the lake and its islands, as well as the surrounding countryside.

En route to the lake, you will visit the L’Esperance Orphanage in Kigarama village. You will see how the orphaned children have been helped by donations from different organisations and also from tourists like you. Arrive at your lodge for evening relaxation, dinner, and an overnight stay.

Accommodation and meals (full board)

Luxury option: Moriah Hill Resort
Mid-range option: Cormoran Lodge/Quiet Haven Hotel
Budget option: Macheo Ecolodge

Day 7, Transfer to Gisenyi

After having breakfast, you will continue with your safari to Gisenyi town. This town offers beautiful and excellent views of Lake Kivu, and it’s a great place to relax while enjoying its waterfront and sandy beaches. Upon arrival, you will have lunch and then spend the rest of the afternoon on a boat trip on Lake Kivu. Before nightfall, connect to your hotel for dinner and an overnight stay.

Accommodation and meals (full board)

Luxury option: Lake Kivu Serena Hotel
Mid-range option: Palm Gardens Hotel
Budget option: Paradise Malahide Hotel

Day 8, Transfer to Ruhengeri/Musanze

Wake up to a delicious breakfast and then, after checking out of your hotel, transfer to Ruhengeri/Musanze town. After a 2-3 hour drive, you will arrive at the Iby’Iwacu Cultural Village, where you can engage in a fascinating and interactive exploration of Rwandan traditions, culture, and way of life. After this, you will have lunch, then connect to your hotel for check-in, dinner, and an overnight stay.

Accommodation and meals (full board)

Luxury option: 5 volcanoes Gorilla Lodge/Mountain Gorilla View Lodge
Mid-range option: Le Bambou Gorilla Lodge
Budget option: Hotel Muhabura

Day 9: Gorilla trekking in Volcanoes National Park

Early in the morning, after breakfast, transfer to the park headquarters, where you will receive a briefing from the park officials before you set off for the gorilla tracking. This experience of gorilla tracking is a once-in-a life time adventure. The rangers will lead you deep into the forest in search for the gorillas. Depending on their location, the rangers will guide you up and down the rugged terrain for approximately 2-8 hours until you finally encounter these harmonious creatures, who will entertain you with their performances for approximately 1 hour. Return for lunch at the lodge for dinner and overnight stay at the lodge as above.

14 Days Rwanda Adventure Safari — Gorilla trekking in Volcanoes

Day 10, Hiking Mountain Bisoke

After breakfast at your lodge, you will set out for a one-day hike on Mount Bisoke. This will give you views of the beautiful slopes and also give you a chance to see the forest while on the mountain. Return for dinner and overnight stay at lodge as above.

Day 11: Transfer back to Kigali and to Akagera National Park

After breakfast, you will depart for Kigali for lunch, followed by a transfer to Akagera National Park. En route, you will pass through the country’s phenomenal landscape, which will give you views of the country’s beauty as well as the lifestyle of its people. Upon arrival in the park, you will go for a short southern Lake Ihema game drive. Look out for animals such as elephants, giraffes, buffaloes, zebras, hippos, crocodiles, and many more, like antelopes. Dinner and overnight stay

Accommodation and meals (full board)

Luxury option: Ruzizi Tented Camp
Mid-range option: Akagera Game Lodge
Budget option: Akagera Game Lodge

Day 12, morning game drive and boat ride on Lake Ihema

Early in the morning, after breakfast, you will go for a Northern Circuit game drive to search for animals that you may have missed out on in the previous game drive. The evening game drive did not guarantee the sighting of all the animals.

There are some that are early risers and can only be seen in the morning. Return back to the lodge for a small meal as you wait for lunch. After lunch, you will go for a boat ride on Lake Ihema, which will offer you views of the surrounding areas, hills, and swamps. Expect to see hippos, crocodiles, and more bird species. Return back to the lodge for dinner and overnight stay at lodge as above.

Day 13: Nature walk and transfer back to Kigali city

After breakfast, you will go for a nature walk to search for different bird species before you return to Kigali City for your lunch. Proceed to check-in your hotel and spend the rest of your day at leisure, dinner, and overnight stay.

Accommodation and meals (full board)