8 Days Wildlife and Nature Safari in Rwanda

Our staff, a local guide, will meet you at your hotel in the morning and brief you on your trip. To start things off, you will be given a tour of Kigali, Rwanda’s capital city which was named in 1907 by Dr. Richard Kandt, the first colonial resident governor of Rwanda. It is the main administrative and economic centre of Rwanda. Surrounded by lush hills of green, it is the cleanest and safest city in the region. Kigali’s face is her fortune: a dramatic beauty from which its name is derived. There are, however, other contributing factors – it is a city that delights the mind as well as the eye of any visitor and is a city where the past lives comfortably with the present.

On the tour, you will have the opportunity to see the following:

• Visit the 1994 Gisozi Genocide Memorial site.
• Visit an artisan shopping centre to view and purchase local arts and crafts.
• Visit the Kigali Museum and learn the history of Kigali’s and Rwanda’s pre-colonial and colonial period as well as the colonial masters in Rwanda.
• Tour around the city and see, first hand, the post-genocide development and expansion of Kigali.
• Visit Juru Park, one of the highest points in Kigali and enjoy fantastic views of the city and its surrounding hills and countryside.
• In the evening, we can take you to some panoramic view restaurants that are overlooking the entire city of Kigali. As striking at night as it is during the day, one is reminded exactly why Rwanda is known as “the Land of a Thousand Hills”.

Drive to Akagera National Park passing through Rwanda’s phenomenal landscapes and living lifestyles. Check-in at Akagera Game Lodge and after a quick rest at the hotel, continue on with a southern game drive alongside the Lake Ihema circuit.

A variety of animals can be seen, including elephants, giraffes, buffaloes, zebras, hippos, crocodiles and also many other mammals. Known as one of the most scenic savannahs in East Africa, the game drive in Akagera provides you with an opportunity to also view gentle hills blending beautifully with lowland swamps and water bodies.

On this day (depending on time available), we offer you a choice of value-added activities from the following:

•Evening walks around the hotel where you can see various bird species.

• Participate in day-to-day local pastoral lifestyle.
• Presentation on the ecology of the Akagera ecosystem and the conservation efforts, including the coexistent dynamics between the local people and wildlife.

Early morning game drive starts with a spectacular sunrise and early morning bird calls. Enjoy the beautiful scenery and landscape through the northern circuit where you will see hippos, crocodiles and even more wildlife than on the southern lake circuit.

Lake Kivu is one of the Albertine rift valley lakes in Africa and the largest of the fresh water lakes that gleam in the Albertine (Western) rift of the Great Rift Valley. Lake Kivu stands at 1461m (4,790ft) above sea level establishing it as Africa’s highest lake. The northern shore of the lake is often subject to eruptions from nearby Mt. Nyiragongo.

Kibuye is Rwanda’s most attractive of lake ports, nestled in a series of interwoven and undulating hills and offering visitors spectacular views of the lake, its islands and the stunning surrounding countryside. It is considered one of Rwanda’s hidden treasures, with its lush green hills and peaceful breeze

Boat trip to Napoleon Island Peace Island then walk on the islands to see Angolan species bats

After breakfast at the hotel you will take a boat ride to the two islands. The islands introduce you to many wonders of Rwanda; the beautiful scenery and breath-taking landscapes. Visit Nyange genocide memorial school, churches and the earth museum.

You will enjoy morning transfer to Parc National des Volcans via Ngororero with amazing landscapes and local lifestyles. We will stop for lunch at one of the restaurants and then proceed to Volcanoes National Park. Check in at Mountain Gorilla View Lodge which is very close to Virunga massif and volcanic chain.

Early breakfast at 6 am then transfer to the park at 7 am for briefings and grouping. After completing our park formalities, we embark on a once in a life time experience of tracking mountain gorillas.

Once you spot them you are allowed to spend an hour watching the gorillas. This is perhaps one of the most breath-taking wildlife experiences on earth!!! You get so close to these awesome giant primates.

Be back at the base in time for lunch! Some gorilla families however are more elusive and tracking can take a full day, especially when it is wet and muddy. After tracking mountain gorillas and you will take a nature walk or do community based tourism activities. You have lunch at the lodge then transfer back to Kigali for the evening flight.