6 Days Rwanda Safari Tour – DETAILED SAFARI ITINERARY.

Day 1 of 6 Days Rwanda Gorilla Safari: Do Morning Kigali city tour & transfer to Volcanoes National Park.

After breakfast, embark on a morning city encounter. On this half-day tour, the options range from visiting the Gisozi genocide memorial to the presidential palace museum where the remains of presidential plane FALCON 50 lay in pieces, the craft centers, Natural History Museum among other attractions. You will rest for lunch after which you will embark on the transfer to Volcanoes National Park 116km about 3 hours’ drive from Kigali city. The drive en route will expose you to magical scenic views of the land of a thousand hills before arriving in Volcanoes in the evening for overnight.

Accommodation: Mount Gorilla View Hotel (Upmarket/luxury), La palme Hotel (Midrange/standard) or Muhabura Hotel (Budget/basic).

Day 2 of 6 Days Rwanda Gorilla Safari: Do Gorilla tracking

Wake up very early for breakfast such that by 8:00 am, you are already at the park headquarters –Kinigi for briefing and eventual gorilla trekking experience. During this session, you are allocated to a gorilla family to track, and if with a special case, rangers can be consulted for special arrangements. You will head off to the volcanic lush vegetation in search of gorillas. The trek is quite thrilling as you go through amazing landscapes amidst bird sights and another wildlife crossing including monkeys, wild pigs, and if lucky wild elephants. The trek takes 2 – 8 hours as gorillas are unpredictable thus packed lunch is required. The jungle sounds will accompany you up to that long waited moment of direct contact with gorillas. You will see them as they forage, play, socialize, and sometimes charge. The state of wonder that will engulf your heart could leave your camera film with no space for other encounters. The full one hour is enough to optimize this experience after which you will retreat to the starting point to drive to your lodge for relaxation. If time permits, you can go for a caves walk in the evening to wonder about the structure of these natural houses or you can opt to visit the Iby’ iwachu cultural village to encounter the culture of the Banyarwanda.

Accommodation: You will have dinner and overnight at your previous lodge.

Day 3 of 6 Days Rwanda Gorilla Safari: Hike Dian Fossey hike & transfer to Lake Kivu.

After breakfast, embark on the hike to Dian Fossey center to pay tribute to one of the gorilla conservationists the world is proud to have had. This American Primatologist championed the conservation of these critically endangered mountain gorillas. The Karisoke center is located at a raised landscape thus involves a relative hike but less strenuous. The grave of the Silverback digit is also seen at this center. The activity takes 3 – 4 hours. You will come back to the lodge for lunch after which you will embark on the transfer to Lake Kivu – Gisenyi 110km about 2 hours’ drive. Upon arrival, you can do an evening boat cruise or relax at Lake Kivu beaches.

Accommodation: Lake Kivu Serena Hotel (Upmarket/ luxury), Hotel Gorillas Lake Kivu / View Palm Resort (Midrange/standard) or Paladise Malahide (Budget/Basic).

Day 4 of 6 Days Rwanda Gorilla Safari: Drive to Nyungwe National Park

After breakfast, embark on the drive to Nyungwe forest National Park 294km about 6 – 7 hours’ drive. You will pass the green hillsides of western Rwanda with a lunch stop en route. Driving most of this journey along Lake Kivu is one of those enjoyable things on this safari. Arrive in the afternoon for relaxation and overnight.

Accommodation: Nyungwe Forest Lodge (Upmarket/Luxury), Nyungwe Hill Top View Hotel (Midrange/Basic) or Gisakura Guest House (Budget/Basic).

Day 5 of 6 Days Rwanda Gorilla Safari: Chimps tracking & Nyungwe canopy walk

After breakfast, embark on the Chimpanzee trekking experience that starts at 08:00 am. You will set off to the montane forest of Nyungwe which is praised to be among those few forests that survived the last ice age in search of man’s close relative – the common chimpanzee. The 2 -5 hours trek is very interesting as it involves passing through the jungle, hiking steep landscapes, and descending on the same terrain amidst bird sights and other wildlife including monkeys. Upon encountering Chimpanzees, you will marvel at their intelligent tactics, how they gather fruit, swing in tree branches, socialize, and their general characteristics for one full hour. After this, you will return to the lodge for relaxation. In the afternoon, you will embark on the rewarding Nyungwe canopy walk that takes you through the views of the Nyungwe forest canopy that is filled with birds and primate species like monkeys. The 90m long and 40m high Nyungwe canopy is an exciting adventure to undertake on Rwanda safari.

Accommodation: You will have dinner and overnight at your previous lodge.

Day 6 of 6 Days Rwanda Gorilla Safari: Transfer to Kigali city.

After breakfast, embark on the drive to Kigali city 268km about 6 hours’ drive excluding stops en route. You will stop en route in Butare for lunch and visit the Nyanza palace and Butare Ethnographic museum after which you continue on your drive to Kigali city.

End of the 6 Days Rwanda Safari Tour.