6 days Rwanda gorilla and wildlife safari
The 6 days Rwanda gorilla and wildlife safari is an interesting safari that will take you to Akagera National Park, a savannah national park which is located in the eastern part of Rwanda. Akagera National Park is a home of different wildlife species including the big five mammals which include lions, leopards, buffaloes, elephants and rhinos, other animals like zebras, giraffes, impalas, waterbucks, topi, oribi, hippos, crocodiles among others which will be viewed during the game drives and boat cruise. The 6 days Rwanda gorilla and wildlife safari will also take you to Volcanoes National Park in north western part of Rwanda where you will be able to engage in a gorilla trekking experience which gives you a chance to spend time with the gorillas and Ibyi’wacu cultural tour where you will be able to interact with the local people.
Highlights of the 6 days Rwanda gorilla and wildlife safari
Day 1: Pick up and transfer to a hotel in Kigali
Day 2: Transfer to Akagera national park-afternoon boat cruise
Day 3: Full day game drive in Akagera National Park
Day 4: Transfer to Volcanoes National Park
Day 5: Gorilla trekking in Volcanoes National Park
Day 6: Departure to Kigali
Detailed Itinerary
Day 1: Pick up and transfer to a hotel in Kigali
Depending on your arrival time at Kigali International Airport on the first day of the safari, you will be welcomed by our driver guide who will brief you about the safari and then go for a city tour where you will be able to visit the Kigali genocide center, Kimironko market among others. After the city tour, you will drive to the lodge for relaxation, dinner and overnight.
Day 2: Transfer to Akagera national park-afternoon boat cruise
On the second day of the 6 days Rwanda gorilla and wildlife safari, your driver guide will pick you up from the hotel to transfer to Akagera National Park with great views on the way. Upon arrival, you will connect to your lodge for lunch.
Afternoon boat cruise
After lunch, you will go for an amazing boat cruise on Lake Ihema where you will be able to view hippos in the water, crocodiles basking on the water banks, view other animals like buffaloes, waterbucks, elephants, giraffes among others drinking water along the shores, water birds like cormorants, fish eagles, kingfishers, hornbills among others. After the boat cruise, you will return to the lodge for dinner and overnight.
Day 3: Full day game drive in Akagera National Park
After an early breakfast on the third day of the 6 days Rwanda gorilla and wildlife safari, your driver guide will pick you up from the lodge to go for a morning game drive in the park where you will be able to view buffaloes, elephants, waterbucks, giraffes, zebras, rhinos, impalas, topi among others grazing in open savannah plains, view predators like lions, leopards, hyenas among others looking for a morning hunt, bird species among others. After the game drive, you will drive back to the lodge for lunch where you will relax at the lodge and later go for an afternoon game drive where you will be able to view other animals and bird species. after the afternoon game drive, you will return to the lodge for an evening relaxation, dinner and overnight.
Day 4: Transfer to Volcanoes National Park
On the fourth day of the 6 days Rwanda gorilla and wildlife safari, you will check out of the lodge and meet up with your driver guide to go for a short morning game drive where you will be able to view some of the animals that you might have missed the previous day. After the game drive, you will drive out of the park and start the journey to Volcanoes National Park in the northwestern region. On the way, you will have an en-route lunch and enjoy stunning views of the rolling hills, farmlands, beautiful scenery, and traditional homesteads among others. Upon arrival in Volcanoes National Park, you will check in at your lodge for evening relaxation, dinner and overnight.
Day 5: Gorilla trekking in Volcanoes National Park and Ibyi’wacu cultural tour
Gorilla trekking
After an early breakfast on the fifth day of the 6 days Rwanda gorilla and wildlife safari, you will carry your lunch box and meet up with your driver guide to transfer to the park headquarters for a briefing about the rules and regulations of gorilla trekking. After the briefing, you will be sub-divided into groups of 8 people where each group will be allocated a habituated gorilla family to trek and an experienced park guide. Gorilla trekking in Volcanoes National Park takes about 30 minutes to 7 hours depending on where the gorillas are located. During trekking, you will be rewarded with views of other primate species, birds, colourful butterflies, and different plant and tree species among others. Once the mountain gorillas are located, you will be allowed to spend one hour with them in their natural habitat which gives you an opportunity to learn more about their behaviors, lifestyle, and habits, watch them feed, play, breastfeed, groom young ones, rest, take photos and record videos.
After the one hour with the mountain gorillas, you will trek back to the starting point where you will meet up with your driver guide and go for an exciting Ibyi’wacu cultural tour in the neighboring communities where you will be able to learn about the local people’s culture, lifestyle, way of living, listen to their ancient stories, taste their local beer, food, enjoy their traditional performances among others. After the cultural tour, you will drive back to the lodge for dinner and overnight.
Day 6: Departure to Kigali
On the last day of the 6 days Rwanda gorilla and wildlife safari, you will have breakfast at leisure, check out of the lodge and meet up with your driver guide to transfer back to Kigali. Upon arrival, you will go for a city tour in case you missed it on the first day of the safari and your driver guide will later drop you off at Kigali International Airport for your departure flight or drop off at any place of advice.
End of 6 days Rwanda gorilla and wildlife safari
Tour includes
- Gorilla trekking permits
- Park entrance fees/game drives
- Boat cruise on Lake Ihema
- Ibyi’wacu cultural tour
- Kigali city tour
- Full-time English speaking driver guide
- Full board accommodation
- Ground transfers (in a 4WD vehicle)
- Vehicle and fuel
- Bottled drinking water
Tour excludes
- International air flight tickets
- Visas
- Optional activities not included on the itinerary
- Life insurance
- Personal expenses like buying souvenirs, crafts, drinks, laundry services, hiring a porter, and tips among others
