10-Day Rwanda Safari – Gorillas, Chimps & Wildlife Adventure

This 10-day Rwanda safari is a custom trip that takes you to Rwanda’s open plains and rainforests. It gives you a chance to make memories that will last a long time.

The safari stays fully within Rwanda and begins and ends in Kigali. The main highlights include mountain gorilla trekking in Volcanoes National Park, chimpanzee trekking and the canopy walk in Nyungwe Forest, game drives and boat rides in Akagera National Park, and learning about Rwanda’s history and culture.

You will also enjoy traditional dance performances during the trip.

10-Day Rwanda Safari Highlights

• Day 1: Arrival at Kigali International Airport & Transfer to Hotel
• Day 2: Drive to Nyungwe Forest National Park
• Day 3: Chimpanzee Trekking & Canopy Walk in Nyungwe Forest
• Day 4: Guided Forest Walk in Nyungwe Forest
• Day 5: Drive to Kibuye, Lake Kivu
• Day 6: Canoe Ride on Lake Kivu & Drive to Volcanoes National Park
• Day 7: Gorilla Trekking in Volcanoes National Park
• Day 8: Golden Monkey Trekking or Dian Fossey Grave Hike, Then Drive to Akagera
• Day 9: Game Drive & Boat Ride on Lake Ihema
• Day 10: Morning Game Drive & Return to Kigali

Detailed 10-Day Rwanda Safari Itinerary

Day 1: Arrival at Kigali International Airport & Transfer to Hotel

Get your visa on arrival at Kigali International Airport. Your private driver will meet you and transfer you to your hotel in Kigali.

Depending on your arrival time, you may take a short city tour to visit the Genocide Memorial, craft markets, or simply relax at the hotel after your flight.

Day 2: Drive to Nyungwe Forest National Park

After breakfast, meet your driver for a 5 to 6-hour drive to Nyungwe Forest. On the way, stop at the King’s Palace Museum in Nyanza, then continue to Butare for lunch and a visit to the Ethnographic Museum.

You will also see tea farms along the way before checking in at your lodge for dinner and overnight.

Day 3: Chimpanzee Trekking & Canopy Walk in Nyungwe Forest

Have an early breakfast and go to the park headquarters for a briefing. Then start your trek with a ranger and guide to find a group of chimpanzees.

The trek can take from 30 minutes to 4 hours. Once you find them, you will spend one hour watching them groom, feed, call, and rest.

After lunch, go for the canopy walk. This hanging bridge is 160 meters long and 45 meters above the ground. It gives you a good view of the forest and a chance to see birds, monkeys, and butterflies.

Return to the lodge in the evening.

Day 4: Guided Forest Walk in Nyungwe Forest

Nyungwe is home to over 75 kinds of mammals, 12 kinds of primates, more than 300 tree species, 300 bird species, and 200 kinds of butterflies.

Today, take a guided walk on one of the park’s 13 walking trails. It’s a good way to see rivers, waterfalls, and forest life. Have a picnic lunch and return to your lodge for dinner and overnight.

Day 5: Drive to Kibuye, Lake Kivu

After breakfast, drive to Kibuye, a quiet town by Lake Kivu. Enjoy views of green valleys and farms along the way. Have lunch at a hotel or lodge near the lake.

In the afternoon, you can take a boat ride to visit islands on the lake or swim in its clean waters. You can also take a guided walk in the nearby community. Your visit continues the next day.

Day 6: Canoe Ride on Lake Kivu & Drive to Volcanoes National Park

After breakfast, enjoy a canoe ride to visit fishing villages and meet people who live on the lake’s islands. After lunch, drive to Volcanoes National Park, where you will stay for the next two nights.

Day 7: Gorilla Trekking in Volcanoes National Park

After an early breakfast, go to the park headquarters in Kinigi for registration and a briefing. This is one of the main highlights of your trip.

You will be assigned a gorilla group and driven to the starting point of your trek.

Carry water, good hiking shoes, a walking stick, a rain jacket, a camera, and a waterproof bag. The trek can take 2 to 6 hours, depending on where the gorillas are.

Once you find them, you will spend one hour watching them eat, play, groom each other, and rest.

After the trek, return to your lodge to relax. Later, visit the Gorilla Guardian Village to learn about local culture. Return to the lodge for dinner and overnight.

Day 8: Golden Monkey Trekking or Dian Fossey Grave Hike, Then Drive to Akagera

After breakfast, choose to trek golden monkeys or hike to Dian Fossey’s grave. Both are interesting experiences.

After the activity, check out of the lodge and drive to Kigali for lunch in Ruhengeri.

Then continue to Akagera National Park, about two hours from Kigali.

Day 9: Game Drive & Boat Ride on Lake Ihema

In the morning, take a game drive in the northern part of Akagera National Park. Look out for animals like buffaloes, rhinos, elephants, leopards, lions, giraffes, zebras, antelopes, and more.

While sightings are not promised, the chances are good.

In the afternoon, enjoy a boat ride on Lake Ihema to see hippos, crocodiles, and water birds. You might also see elephants, buffaloes, or antelopes near the lake.

Day 10: Morning Game Drive & Return to Kigali

After breakfast, take one last game drive in the southern part of Akagera. This area is also home to many animals and birds.

After the drive, return to Kigali for drop-off at your hotel or the airport.

End of 10-Day Rwanda Safari.

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