Countries: Rwanda and DR Congo
Destinations: Kigali, Akagera National Park, Nyungwe National Park, Volcanoes National Park, and Kahuzi Biega National Park.
Itinerary at Glance
Day 1: Arrival
Day 2: Transfer to Akagera National Park.
Day 3: Boat ride & game drive at Akagera
Day 4: Akagera full day game drive
Day 5: Transfer to Nyungwe for canopy
Day 6: Chimpanzee trek & transfer to DRC
Day 7: Low Land Gorilla trek at Kahuzi Biega National Park
Day 8: Transfer to Volcanoes National Park
Day 9: Gorilla Trek at Volcanoes National Park
Day 10: Golden Monkey Trek and transfer to Kigali (evening flight)
Overview.
10 Days Rwanda Mountain Gorillas and DR Congo Lowland Gorillas adventure safari, will wrap up the best of Rwanda Safari and DR Congo Safari, blending you, all way through Rwanda and DR Congo major attractions, where you will be discovering and exploring the hidden secrets within these two countries, from the only savannah park of Akagera National Park fueling you with majestic game drive and boat cruise at Lake Ihema, venturing in the jungles of Nyungwe National Park, one of the largest dense tropical rainforest, hiking up the canopy, not leaving behind a trek to see the chimpanzee, before you cross over to DRC, for the low land gorilla trekking in Kahuzi Bienga National Park, later return as you seek a cool sea breeze at Lake Kivu for a boat ride, the proceed to Volcanoes National Park, undertake gorillas trekking and as well as trek the golden monkeys, before you get an illusion and taste of the cultural insight, and of course, come face to face with the shy primates, our immediate relatives, as our safari highlight.
Trip Highlights
- Mount Gorilla trekking
- Low land Gorilla trekking
- Golden monkey trekking
- Chimpanzee trekking
- Game drives at Akagera
- Canopy walk
- Boat ride on Lake Kivu
- Boat ride on Lake Ihema
- Wildlife experience
- Cultural experience
- Kigali city tour
Day 1: Welcome to Rwanda!
Upon arrival at Kigali international airport, you will go through customs 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 known for, and later drive to your booked hotel accommodation. Dinner and overnight at the hotel.
Overnight stay at: Hotel des Mille Collins
Meals: Bed & breakfast
Day 2: Transfer to Akagera. Travel time +3 hours
Day Itinerary
Today, after your relaxed morning breakfast at your hotel, you will be picked by your safari guide and leave for Akagera national park, the journey to Akagera national park takes about 2.3 hours depending on the stopovers along the way, with the beautiful unwinding landscape en route to the park, feel free to ask the guide for stopovers to capture some photos. On arrival at the park, we shall register at the park offices and later proceed to our accommodation with a short game drive and check in for lunch. We order lunch and after lunch, you opt to relax at your lodge, or opt to head for brief game drive for game viewing. You will later return in the evening for relaxation. In the evening, you will go for a night game drive, to explore the park and try to sight some nocturnal, search for some wildlife for roughly 2 – 3 hours. Later return to the lodge for dinner and evening stay.
Overnight stay at: Ruzizi Tented Camp
Meal Plan: Breakfast, lunch & dinner
Day 3: Morning game drive & afternoon boat cruise
Day Itinerary
After an early morning breakfast at 6:00 am and leave for an early morning game drive in Akagera national park to catch up with late hunters and early risers. We will be searching for the big mammals like Elephants, Giraffes, Buffaloes, several Antelope species, and recently the re-introduced Lions and Rhinos. The park is a varied habitat for wildlife and a number of bird species with over 500 bird species in the park making it a birding paradise. You will later return to the lodge for lunch. After lunch, we head for a boat trip on Lake Ihema watch Hippos and crocodiles in the water or by the shores and meet the buffaloes and elephants wallowing by the water banks. Later return to the lodge for dinner and evening stay.
Overnight stay at: Ruzizi Tented Camp
Meal Plan: Breakfast, lunch & dinner
Day 4: Full day game drive & transfer back to Kigali
Day Itinerary
After an early morning breakfast at 6:00 am and leave for an early morning game drive in Akagera national park to catch up with late hunters and early risers. We will be searching for the big mammals like Elephants, Giraffes, Buffaloes, several Antelope species, and recently the re-introduced Lions and Rhinos. The park is a varied habitat for wildlife and a number of bird species with over 500 bird species in the park making it a birding paradise. You will have a picnic lunch. After lunch, proceed with your game drive for more search of abundant wildlife within this great park in the northern part of the park. Later drive back to Kigali, to your booked hotel for dinner and evening stay at the lodge.
Overnight stay at: Hotel des Mille Collins
Meal Plan: Breakfast, lunch & dinner
Day 5: Transfer to Nyungwe National Park. Travel time +5 hours
Day Itinerary
Early morning enjoy your buffer breakfast and checkout of the hotel and drive heading to the western province, on your way visit the Royal Palace Museum in Southern Province, this will give you a great history of traditional ways of living among Rwandans and their past way of leadership of Kingship with an en route lunch. You will reach in the afternoon at Nyungwe national park heading for a canopy walk. This 70 meters suspended metallic bridge will give you a great overview of Nyungwe forest and on a lucky day spot one or two more primates in the forest as you take a walk on this bridge and later return in the afternoon for dinner and overnight stay. .
Overnight stay at: Nyungwe Top View Lodge
Meal Plan: Breakfast, lunch & dinner
Day 6: Chimpanzee tracking & transfer to Congo
Day Itinerary
Today, after your early morning cup of African coffee, you will leave your hotel to experience the natural forest of Nyungwe, well known for having 13 species of primates, and be transferred to the park for briefing and later you will head off into the Nyungwe forest for chimpanzee trekking. You will be entitled to one hour on finding the chimpanzees. After doing the chimpanzee trek, return and transfer for lunch in Rusizi in a local restaurant, before we proceed to Rubavu border prost, where we shall undergo immigration process, get DRC visa and you cross over to DR Congo through Rubavo border to your booked lodge for dinner and overnight stay.
Kahuzi Biega National Park
Located in the southeastern part of DR Congo, 30 km away from Bukavu, which is a border post between Rwanda and DR Congo, Kahuzi – Biega National Park is the only national park in DR Congo where visitors have the opportunity to track the famous eastern lowland gorillas in their natural habitat. The park was established in 1970, with the main aim to conserve the lowland Eastern gorillas, which are the major attraction of the park. The park has two fully habituated gorillas that are the major source of attraction. The park covers an area of 6000 km 2 and protects a mountain forest in eastern DRC, which is the most densely populated region of the country. The park is named after the two spectacular extinct volcanoes which dominate its high altitude sector, Mont Kahuzi (3,308m) and Mont Biega (2,790m). Kahuzi Biega National Park is a Safe destination that is managed by Wildlife Conservation Society. The eastern lowland gorilla—also known as Grauer’s gorilla—is the largest of the four gorilla subspecies. It is distinguished from other gorillas by its stocky body, large hands and short muzzle. Despite its size, eastern lowland gorillas subsist mainly on fruit and other herbaceous materials, just like other gorilla subspecies.
Overnight at: Orchid Safari Club
Meal Plan: Breakfast, lunch & dinner
Day 7: Low Land Gorilla trekking at Kahuzi Biega National Park
Day Itinerary
After a delightful breakfast in the morning, you will head for your first briefing at the park headquarters’, where you will as well get the registration, and pick up your assigned ranger guides and drive off to the park trekking starting point. You will later head off with your ranger guide, who will share with you a lot of information about Kahuzi Biega National Park. Upon sighting the gorillas, you will be allowed an ample 1 hour, to watch the gorillas, take video’s and photos of your choices under the guidance of your ranger guide. You will later return to your booked accommodation for refreshment, later have lunch and spend the afternoon at leisure. Dinner and overnight at the lodge.
Overnight at: Orchid Safari Club
Meal Plan: Breakfast, lunch & dinner
Day 8: Transfer to Musanze. Travel time +5hrs
Day Itinerary
Today after taking your early morning breakfast, you will meet with your driver guide, share a short briefing as usual, and transfer over to Rwanda through Bukavu border and head off to Karongi, where you will visit Lake Kivu, for a boat trip. You will head for a sunrise boat trip on Lake Kivu, which is roughly a two hours boat trip to explore this beautiful Lake and its numerous islands, you will as well be able to spot a number of bird species as well as visit one of the islands called the Napoleon Island. You will engage on a nature walk hike on the Island as you explore the bat caves. You will later return and proceed with your drive to Musanze with en route lunch in Gisenyi. Reach in the afternoon, and spend the evening at leisure or optional visit to Ellen DeGeneres campus of Diane Fossey.
Volcanoes National Park
Bordering the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda 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, making it the most famous park in Rwanda. 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 gorillas 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. You can as well as opt for trekking the shy golden monkeys or head for a canoe ride on the twin lakes. The beautiful Buhanga Eco Park, still remains virgin and open to visitors, where you get more cultural insight in regards to leadership and kingship of Rwanda.
Overnight stay at: Ingagi Park View Lodge.
Meal Plan: Breakfast, lunch and dinner
Day 9: Gorilla Trekking Experience and cultural experience
Day Itinerary
It’s the kick of the bucket-list, a lifetime show comes in early today.
Early morning breakfast at the lodge, and at 6:30 am, your guide will be ready outside waiting to transfer you to Kinigi, the park headquarters, where registrations, group allocation and briefing takes place. Shortly after reaching the park headquarters, you will prepare for the gorilla trek briefing from the park officials, before you drive off to the gorilla trekking point and thereafter enter the jungle to search for the shy mountain gorillas and enjoy their lifestyle in their real home. After meeting the gorillas, you can sit around these great apes for a whole hour gazing into their big round eyes. On a gorilla safari, a reasonable degree of fitness is required as well as walking shoes, packed food and mineral water, insect repellent, sunscreen and hut. The gorilla tracking experience takes half or whole day depending on the movement of these primates. After this gorilla tracking experience in Rwanda, you will have informative memorable experience in life.
In the afternoon, ready for a village foot safari, to explore the indigenous local life with a taste of the traditional performance at Iby Iwacu cultural center. Dinner and overnight at the hotel.
Overnight stay at: Ingagi Park View Lodge.
Meal Plan: Breakfast, lunch and dinner
Day 10: Golden Monkey trekking & transfer to Kigali for departure.
Day Itinerary
Today after your warm early morning breakfast, you will be picked by our safari driver guide who will transfer you to the park headquarters for briefing and start off you day golden monkey trekking. Just like the gorilla trekking experience, the same applies to golden monkey trekking though not so hectic like gorilla trekking. You will later return to the lodge for lunch. Later, transfer to Kigali, and later drive to visit the Kigali genocide memorial grounds, which honors the memory of the more than one million Rwandans killed in 1994 through education and peace-building. You will be able to watch and listen to some video clips from some of the survivors’ of the incident. If time permits, visit the local markets and craft shops, before heading to the airport to catch up with your onward flight. End of service!
Meal Plan: Breakfast & lunch.
This safari package includes.
- Transportation in a 4×4 safari vehicle with a pop up roof
- Accommodation and meals as per itinerary
- 1 Gorilla permit ($ 1500), per person
- 1 low land gorilla permit (500$) per person
- 1 Golden Monkey permit, per person
- 1 chimpanzee permit, per person
- Canopy walk
- Museums visit
- En-route lunches
- Game drives at Akagera
- Boat ride at Lake Ihema
- Cultural visit
- Boat ride on Lake Kivu
- Park entrance fees
- Kigali city tour
- Services of English speaking driver/guide
- Bottles of mineral water
- Fun and other excursions as mentioned in the itinerary.
The package excludes expenses of personal nature like:
- Visa Fees & flights
- Optional activities
- Tips & gratuities
- laundry
- Alcoholic drinks
- International vaccinations
- Health test requirements
- Porter fees while trekking
- 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.