15 Days Best of Rwanda Tour Safari

The 15 Days Best of Rwanda tour Safari explores the renowned Volcanoes National Park, home to mountain gorillas and golden monkeys.

15 Days Best of Rwanda Tour Safari

The 15 Days Best of Rwanda tour Safari explores the renowned Volcanoes National Park, home to mountain gorillas and golden monkeys. Bordering Congo and Uganda, the park encompasses 4,507m-tall Mt. Karisimbi and 4 other forested volcanoes. And Kigali, the nation’s sprawling capital that has a vibrant restaurant and nightlife scene.

Safari highlights,

• Gorilla tracking
• Chimpanzee tracking
• City tour
• Beautiful views
• hiking

DAY 1: Arrival in Kigali

Arrival at Kigali Airport and thereafter you will be met by the company representative heading straight to your place of overnight stay. 

DAY 2: City tour Kigali

Breakfast and then spend this day acclimatization and getting to know the city. Sights for the day Kigali Memorial Centre, Museum of Natural History then have lunch. After lunch transfer to Bugesera in the afternoon to visit the reconciliation village, Nyamata and Ntarama genocide churches. Return to hotel for relaxation.

DAY 3: Kigali – Butare

Breakfast and then head to Butare the second largest city of Rwanda and is regarded as the intellectual city of Rwanda. You will visit the National Museum, introduction to Rwanda’s kingdoms, and discovery of colonial architecture, enjoy traditional dancers from the museum or the national university. Explore Nyanza – the former Mwami’s palace (King’s palace), and the seat of the feudal monarchy. The palace has been reconstructed to its 19th century state.

DAY 4: Butare – Nyungwe Forest National Park

After breakfast we calmly transfer to the south of the country with a (lunch) stop in Butare. Here we will visit the National Museum, which houses one of the finest collections in East Africa. In the afternoon we continue to Nyungwe Forest. This protected area is a birders paradise and known for its 13 species of primates.

DAY 5: Nyungwe Forest National Park

A full day in the tropical rainforest of Nyungwe Forest National Park. In the morning we will go for an exciting primate walk in search of the habituated chimpanzees.

DAY 6: Canopy walk / Water fall trail / Birding watching

After early morning breakfast, we return to the safari park, this time for a nature walk, a visit to Kamiranzovu waterfall trail – Kamiranzovu is the largest wetland in the forest comprising of lush, forested mountains, and it resembles a giant caldera and drains through a dramatic gap between two peaks. Through that gap, water flows about 3 km, to form Kamiranzovu Waterfall, then onward to Lake Kivu, Lake Tanganyika, the Congo River and finally to the Atlantic Ocean OR Birdwatching nature walk – The forest has over 280 bird species and over 100 various types of colorful butterflies. After lunch have a canopy walk above a steep and deep valley stretching across the massive forest. The platform is 50 meters above ground level and 90 meters long. It allows tourists to view butterflies, birds and blue monkeys that dwell in the upper levels of the forest. The forest has 13 rare primate species, the world’s largest ever recorded arboreal troop of black/white colobus monkeys, and nearly 300 species of birds and 154 types of orchids.

DAY 7: Nyungwe Forest National Park – Lake Kivu

From Nyungwe we continue to Gisenyi the largest port on the Rwandan shore of Lake Kivu. Have a relaxed lunch and thereafter enjoy the view from your hotel.

DAY 8: Lake Kivu

Relaxed breakfast and then head for a boat ride on the lake, while exploring the small islands and rich birdlife. After lunch head for the local market or wander through the leafy streets admiring the old colonial buildings.

DAY 9: Lake Kivu – Volcanoes National Park

After a calm breakfast we proceed to one of the most beautiful safari parks of the country: Volcanoes National Park. It is the area with rich montaine ecosystems, from bamboo forest to open grassland and swamps.

DAY 10: Volcanoes National Park – Gorilla Trekking

Today you will have the opportunity to spend some time with the endangered mountain gorillas. You will make a beautiful hike through the green landscape and hills of the Virunga Volcanoes. Spend a magical hour with these amazing creatures while your guide will explain more about the family and their behaviour.

Return the lodge in the (early) afternoon for relaxing and enjoying the breathtaking view.

DAY 11: Golden Monkey Hiking OR Dian Fossey

Originally thought to be a subspecies of the blue monkey, this playful and gregarious primate is now classified as a species in its own right and with a single known viable population in the Virungas; this is one of Africa’s rarest primates. The monkeys can often be found playing and feeding in the rich bamboo forests where tourist can expect a close encounter with these beautiful animals OR visiting Dian Fossey project- this takes a 3 -4 hours activity to the grave yard where several of Dian Fossey’s favorite gorillas were buried and Dian Fossey is also buried near the graves of her beloved gorillas. The clients can have a look at the facility- labs, research centre and meet the researchers plus staff who work on the dian fossey project. After any of these activities, this will see you return to your hotel for a late lunch relaxing into the evening as you enjoy the beautiful views of the backdrop of the three Volcanic mountains here, dinner and overnight.

DAY 12: Volcanoes National Park – Akagera National Park

Early morning breakfast and then head for the low-lying undulating plains of Akagera National Park the home to elephant, buffalo, giraffe and zebras, more than a dozen types of antelope species, and elusive lions and leopards, you with a stopover in Kigali for early lunch before proceeding to Akagera arriving for an evening game drive thereafter heading to your lodge for a cool relaxed evening, dinner and overnight your chosen accomodation.

DAY 13: Akagera National Park

Have breakfast and then enjoy a game drive experience in search of animals like the:  elephant, giraffe, hippo, zebra, and crocodiles.  After lunch head for a boat cruise on Lake Ihema for 2.5 hours, look out for crocodiles and hippos and over 40 water bird species, this is also the best way to view the park’s abundant waterbirds including breeding colonies of noisy and cormorants and open-bill storks.

DAY 14: Akagera National Park

Relaxed breakfast in the morning and afternoon. Later in the evening, you will have a night game drive in the park in search of nocturnal animals.

DAY 15: Akagera National Park – Kigali

Breakfast and then head back to Kigali town arriving in time for lunch and thereafter continue to the Airport for your international flight back home.