Destination: Rwanda
Parks: Akagera National Park, Nyungwe National Park & Volcanoes National Park.
Itinerary at Glance
Day 1: Airport Transfer to Hotel
Day 2: Fly to Akagera National Park
Day 3: Akagera National Park Safari
Day 4: Fly to Nyungwe National Park
Day 5: Chimpanzee Trek at Nyungwe National Park.
Day 6: Canopy walk and waterfalls hike at Nyungwe National Park.
Day 7: Fly to Volcanoes National Park.
Day 8: Gorilla trekking at Volcanoes National Park.
Day 9: Golden Monkey Trek at Volcanoes National Park
Day 10: City tour & departure (Evening flight)
Trip Overview
The art of travelling in luxury has been made easier for you, where you do not need to stress your self-doing the trip arrangement, as all has been well taken care of for you. This 10 days gorilla, golden monkeys and chimpanzee primate viewing with opportunity to encounter wildlife and do a birding experience, is a perfect way to visit and explore all the 3 Rwandan Parks, thus Akagera National Park, Nyungwe National Park and Volcanoes National Park within 10 days. You will have a taste of the most organic meals, with fresh ingredients, pampering yourself on the world’s most known luxury accommodation brand, as you fly over, to shorten your transfers. Travel and feel taken care of, enjoy adventure in a luxury style.
Trip Highlights
- Gorilla trekking
- Golden monkey trekking
- Chimpanzee trekking
- Canopy walk
- Tea tour
- Game drives in Akagera
- Boat ride in Akagera
- Flight tours
- Flight connections
- Cultural experience
- Waterfalls hike
- Kigali city tour
Day 1: Airport Transfer to Hotel
Day Itinerary
Welcome to Kigali – Rwanda. Upon arrival at Kigali international airport, you will go through custom and immigration, and you will be met by our company guide who will warmly welcome you to the Land of a thousand hills that Rwanda is know of, an later drive to your booked hotel accommodation for dinner and overnight stay at The Retreat Hotel, one of the best Five star hotel in Kigali, located in the hearts of the city, at quiet ambience. Meal Plan: Dinner
Day 2, 3: Fly to Akagera National Park.
Day Itinerary
After enjoying your relaxed buffer breakfast at the hotel, you will check out and be transferred to the airport for your flight to Akagera National Park, which is roughly just 32 minutes flight, and you will enjoy a beautiful countryside aerial view of Rwanda, landing in the hearts of Akagera. Akagera National Park is the only savannah park in Rwanda, located in the Eastern park of Rwanda bordering with Tanzania. The park harbors a number of wildlife such as Zebras, Warthogs, giraffes, Topis, Water bucks, and much more including the Big Five. Number of bird species can be sighted as well. You will be welcomed by your guide who will transfer you to your lodge, thus Magashi Tented Camp. One of the newly introduced luxury accommodation in the Akagera, and only tented camp pioneering sustainable and authentic ecotourism in Rwanda, and the only accommodation in the southern part of the park, creating a unique sense of seclusion, comfort, privacy and space, with spacious rooms, seated just adjacent to the showers of Lake Ihema, giving a great chance to spot hippos, crocodiles and number of wildlife from your lodge. Lunch and dinner will be served on time, as you enjoy a luxury retreat. You will have choices of activities to choose from, and do at your own leisure, range from nature walk, Night and day game drive on an open safari land cruiser, with a great overview, plus a wonderful boat trip, where you spot, a number of hippos and crocodiles, including bird life. You will spend two nights in this beautiful accommodation, emerging yourself in one of the most impressive natural environments, with a quiet kind of setting. This place will give you a total setting to relax your mind, as you’re only in contact with the sound of nature. Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Akagera National Park
Bordering Tanzania in eastern Rwanda, Akagera National Park is central Africa’s largest protected wetland and the last refuge for savannah-adapted species in the country. Stretching across a vast expanse of low-lying mountains and savannah plains, the park takes in the rolling highlands, woodlands, swamp-fringed lakes, and wetlands of the Kagera River along the way. Crocodiles and hippos wallow in the park’s watery basins, predator’s prowl through its acacia groves, and elephant, zebra, giraffe, buffalo and other animals roam across its grassy plains. Bursting with a rich biodiversity, the park features a variety of rare species, as well as a plentitude of mammals and hundreds of bird species.
Day 4: Fly to Nyungwe National Park.
Day Itinerary
Today, you will catch up with your next flight to Nyungwe National Park, which is one of the tropical national parks, known as home to primates, harboring over 13 primates species including the great chimpanzees. You will be transferred to the airfield to board off, for Nyungwe, via Kigali airport en route to Nyungwe, which is roughly 1hr & 50 min flight. On arrival, you will find your guide waiting for you, to transfer you to your booked accommodation at One & Only Nyungwe House, belonging to One & Only luxury accommodation brand, known worldwide. The facility was set for a high end market, to give a personalized kind of retreat, to the luxury market. Your sense of discovery has just started to be unveiled, as you explore one of the most visited, Rwanda Park. You can choose to visit the beautiful tea gardens around with your guide, or just relax and enjoy your time in your villa. Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Nyungwe Forest National Park
Situated in southwestern Rwanda, the Nyungwe Forest National Park is known for its exceptional biodiversity and its wide range of endemic species. The park is composed of lush tracts of rainforest set high up on fertile mountain slopes. It is one of Africa’s most ancient forests and the home of Rwanda’s sole remaining chimpanzee population, as well as 85 additional mammal species, 43 reptile species, nearly 300 bird species and over 1000 plant species. Visitors can enjoy spotting colobus monkeys and chimpanzees hiding in the trees, hiking on a well-maintained network of trails passing through lush equatorial rainforest and catching a glimpse of a beautiful array of colourful birdlife. Don’t miss the thrilling Canopy Walk, it is one of its kind in Africa and offers impressive views of the forest.
Day 5: Chimpanzee Trek at Nyungwe National Park.
Day Itinerary
Today, after your early morning cap of African coffee on a buffer kind of setting, you will leave your hotel to experience the natural forest of Nyungwe, well known for having 13 species of primates, and transferred to the park for briefing and chimpanzee trekking. You will be entitled to one hour on finding the chimpanzees. After doing the chimpanzee trek, head for lunch and some short refreshment. In the afternoon, you can participate in one of the lodge complementary activities, of your choice, or just decide to relax at the lodge. Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 6: Waterfalls hike & Canopy Walk at Nyungwe National Park.
Day Itinerary
Today, you will have a romantic breakfast, by the tea garden, and later head for the waterfall hike, at 9 am, where you will enjoy a wonderful hike, exploring the beautiful Nyungwe forest, encountering the birds and other primates, as you visit the waterfalls. You will later return, refresh and have lunch, before heading for a canopy walk in the afternoon. This 70 meters suspended metallic bridge will give you a great overview of Nyungwe forest and on a luck day spot one or two more primates in the forest as you take a roughly 1 and half hours walk on this bridge, that gives you, a cool tree top view and later return in the afternoon for dinner and overnight stay at One & Only Nyungwe House. Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 7: Fly to Volcanoes National Park.
Day Itinerary
On getting done with your buffer breakfast, you will fly to Volcanoes National Park, for an epic stay, and gorilla trekking on the next day. This is roughly a 45 minutes flight that will reward you with a great aerial view of Congo and Lake Kivu. You will be well received by your guides and transfer to One & Only Gorilla Nest Resort. This is one of the most highly demanded luxury lodges, with great international service and a personalized retreat. You will really feel lost in nature, with a great view of the great Virunga volcanoes. The lodge is a destination of its own, as you just admire its setting of the bungalow’s, with fine African art, a natural retreat. You will just enjoy your time for today. Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Volcanoes National Park
Bordering the Democratic Republic of Congo in Rwanda, the Volcanoes National Park is best known as a sanctuary for the region’s rare mountain gorillas. Visitors flock here to experience a face to face encounter with these intriguing creatures. The park is set high on the jungle-covered slopes of the volcanic Virunga Mountains. Highly regulated treks through the reserve allow visitors to spend an hour at a time with these incredible primates in their natural habitat. While the gorilla’s are without a doubt the main drawcard, visitors can also look forward to exploring a network of scenic hiking trails, visiting the tomb of the world-famous Dian Fossey and the Karisoke Research Centre, and enjoying a beautiful day hike to the Crater Lake on Mount Bisoke.
Day 8: Gorilla trekking at Volcanoes National Park.
Day Itinerary
Finally, here comes the day, to get face to face with the gentle gorillas. After your breakfast, your guide will be right there, to pick you up from your lodge, for briefing at the park headquarters’, and you will later set off, for the search in the jungle, to allocate the gorillas. A minimal level of fitness is required, such that you will be in full gear to hike at great energy. In a short while of hiking, you will definitely find the gorillas, and you will have an ample moment of interaction, one on one, eye to eye, and if lucky, shoulder to shoulder with these great apes, as you meet them in their natural setting. The trek can last for 2 – 6 hours, depending on the gorilla movements, and your fitness level. This is always looked at as a one or two lifetime moment, where you come face to face with the gorillas. The experience is magical, I have no words to describe it. An hour will be allocated for you, such that you’re able to stay calm in their presence, take as many photos of your choices, and video clips as well. Later you will descend, and return to your cottages, at One & Only Gorilla Nest, for a self-retreat. This is always the highlight of the trips taken to Rwanda. You have finally ticked off a bucket list of a gorilla encounter dream. Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 9: Golden Monkey Trek at Volcanoes National Park.
Day Itinerary
After your buffer breakfast, you will check out of the lodge, and head off for a golden monkey trekking, with a pre- briefing exercise at the park headquarters’. Just like the gorilla trekking, the golden monkey trek, as well follow the same procedures, however less strenuous like the gorilla trekking. An hour of interaction with the golden monkey will be allocated as well. You will head cultural visit at Iby’ Iwacu gorilla guardian site, for a cultural experience before you drive for lunch. Afternoon at leisure at the resort, or opt for resort complementary activities. Dinner and overnight stay at One & Only Gorilla Nest. Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner.
Day 10: City tour and departure
Day Itinerary
After your morning breakfast, jump into your jeep, and enjoy a wonderful drive to Kigali, then engage into Kigali city tour, visit Kigali genocide memorial, local market and depending on your flight time, you will be transferred to the airport to catchup with your flight back home, patched with great memories of your ample time with us, in Rwanda. We look forward to your next visit, or recommendation to family and friends. We wish you a safe flight, and a great stay. End of service!. Meal Plan: Breakfast & lunch.
This 10 days Luxury safari package includes.
- Transportation in a 4×4 safari vehicle
- Meet and greet service at the airport
- Accommodation and meals as per itinerary
- 1 Gorilla permits ($1500), per person
- 1 Chimpanzee permit, per person
- 1 Golden Monkey permit, per person
- Domestic flight transfers as mentioned
- Waterfalls hike
- Cultural experience
- Drinks during meals and at the resort
- Boat ride at Lake Ihema
- Game drives in Akagera
- Park entrance fee
- Laundry
- Kigali city tour.
- Canopy walk
- Meet & greet services
- Services of English speaking driver/guide
- Bottles of mineral water during safari
- Porter fee while trekking
- Office support services
The 10 days luxury package excludes expenses of personal nature like:
- Visa Fees & flights
- Optional activities
- Tips & gratuities
- Top premium drinks
- International vaccinations
- Health test requirements
- Personal travel Insurance
- Personal shopping bills
- Phone call bills
- Extras while at the hotel
- Items of personal nature
Please contact us for a free detailed quote on the option of your choice. We can tailor a request that suits your interests, and budget, as well as we can change or upgrade the lodge options. Write to us with more details about your safari. Road transfer options can as well be arranged instead of flights.