16 Days Rwanda Primate & Wildlife Safari.
16 Days Rwanda Primate & Wildlife Safari : Want to Explore Rwanda’s wildlife and primates in one tour package, this 16 Days Rwanda Primate & Wildlife Safari tour package will provide you with a very affordable package that you can book and enjoy the amazing national parks in Rwanda. This 16 days Rwanda safari will give the opportunity to trek gorillas, chimpanzees, and view other wildlife species like the Big 5 mammals.
Highlights of the 16 Days Rwanda Primate & Wildlife Safari.
Day 1: Pickup from Kigali and City Tour.
Day 2: Transfer to Akagera National Park.
Day 3: Morning Game Drive and Evening Boat Cruise.
Day 4: Transfer Nyungwe National Park via Butare.
Day 5: Chimpanzee Trekking & Canopy Walk.
Day 6: Hike to Isumo Waterfalls.
Day 7: Transfer to Lake Kivu via Kibuye.
Day 8: Visit the L’Esperance Children’s Orphanage and Village.
Day 9: Transfer to Gisenyi.
Day 10: Transfer to Volcanoes National Park.
Day 11: Gorilla Trekking and Iby’iwacu Community visit.
Day 12: Hike to Dian Fossey Gravesite and visit to Karisoke Research Center.
Day 13: Tour Musanze Caves
Day 14: Golden Monkey Trekking
Day 15: Transfer to Back to Kigali and Visit Umusambi Crane Village.
Day 16:Departure.
Detailed Itinerary for 16 Days Rwanda Primate & Wildlife Safari.
Day 1: Pickup from Kigali and City Tour.
Welcome to Rwanda! Today marks the first day of your 16 Days Rwanda Primate & Wildlife Safari. Upon your arrival at Kigali International Airport, you will be picked up by your safari guide from Explore Rwanda Tours and transferred to Kigali City.
Kigali City Tour: You will take a tour of Kigali City where you will get to visit interesting sites like; Kigali Genocide Memorial Site, Camp Kigali, Caplaki Craft village, Nyamirambo Women’s Centre, and Kimironko market to mention but a few. Have Lunch and head to your hotel in Kigali city for dinner and an overnight stay at Golf Hills Residence (Budget)/ Kigali City Blue Hotel (Mid-range)/ Kigali Serena Hotel (Luxury).
Day 2: Transfer to Akagera National Park.
Transfer to Akagera: Start your second day with an early morning breakfast served at your hotel. Meet up with your guide and proceed with your transfer to Akagera National Park. It takes about a 2½ hours’ drive from Kigali to Akagera national park. This national park is the only savannah national park in Rwanda, and also the only safari park in the country where you have the chance to spot the Big Five animals. You will be ushered into the park by the beautiful lush green landscape and stunning wildlife species in the park. Akagera national park is home to over 8,000 large animals and more than 750 bird species. Upon your arrival in the national park, check into your lodge and relax for the rest of the evening. Dinner and accommodation at Magashi Safari Camp (Budget)/ Akagera Game Lodge (Mid-range)/ Akagera Game Lodge (Luxury).
Day 3: Morning Game Drive and Evening Boat Cruise.
Morning Game Drive: Have your breakfast early in the morning and head out for a morning game drive. Get to explore the beautiful savanna and landscape in the park. You will also have the opportunity to see wildlife animals in the park like; elephants, buffalos, lions, leopards, rhinos, waterbucks to mention but a few.
Evening Boat Cruise: You will return back to your lodge for lunch, rest for a short while and later embark on an evening boat cruise on Lake Ihema. While on your boat cruise, you will get to see the splendid wildlife at the park like; Nile Crocodiles, Hippos and some water birds like; the marabou stork, herons and the African fish eagle. After your boat cruise, you can opt to go guided nature walk and explore the marvelous flora and fauna species that Akagera National Park has to offer.
Return back to your lodge for dinner and a good night’s sleep.
Day 4: Transfer Nyungwe National Park via Butare.
Transfer to Nyungwe: Have breakfast at your lodge and check out and proceed with your transfer to Nyungwe National Park via Butare. You will have a stopover at the Royal King’s Palace in Nyanza for a short tour of the palace, have lunch and continue with your drive to Nyungwe Forest National Park. The drive from Akagera to Nyungwe national park is quite long and will take you an entire day of travelling to Nyungwe. Upon your arrival in Nyungwe National Park, Check into your lodge/hotel for dinner and accommodation at Gisakura Guesthouse (Budget and Mid-range)/ Nyungwe One & Only House (Luxury).
Day 5: Chimpanzee Trekking and Canopy Walk.
Chimpanzee Trekking: This day marks one of the highlights of your 12 day Rwanda safari. Have an early breakfast and then head to the Park’s headquarters in Uwinka where you will be briefed by the park’s head ranger and placed in trekking groups of 8 members per group. Chimpanzee trekking in Nyungwe forest national park begins at exactly 8am, so endeavor to keep time and make sure you are at the Uwinka center by 7am.
Nyungwe Forest National Park is home to approximately 80 habituated chimpanzees. While tracking chimps in the forest, you might as well spot other primate species such as; the black and white colobus monkey, red-tailed monkey, golden monkey and other monkey species. You will have your packed lunch after your chimp trekking activity or return to your hotel for lunch and good rest. Later in the evening, you can opt to go on a cultural encounter to one of the nearby villages. While there, you will get to learn more about the Rwandan culture interact with the local people, get to see their daily lifestyles and even enjoy performances from the local dance groups.
Canopy Walkway: After your chimpanzee trekking activity, you will embark on a hiking expedition to the canopy walkway. The canopy walkway is characterized by a 160 meter long bridge which is suspended to 70 meters high. The hike to Nyungwe’s canopy walkway takes two hours and hikers can enjoy sighting lots of birds and primate species such as monkeys. Later head back to your lodge/hotel for dinner and an overnight stay.
Day 6: Hike to Isumo Waterfalls & Visit Gisakura Tea Estate.
Hike to Isumo waterfalls: Have breakfast at your lodge and later head out for a guided hiking expedition to Isumo waterfalls in Nyungwe Forest national park. The Isumo waterfall trail is a favorite hiking trail amongst hikers in the national park. It takes about 4 hours to complete the 10.6 kilometer long circuit. This trail passes through tea plantations and Nyungwe forest leading to the popular Isumo water falls. Visitors hiking this trail can on a good day sight various primate and bird species.
Visit Gisakura Tea Estate: Later in the evening, you can head to Gisakura Tea estate. Here, you will be taken through the process of tea growing, harvesting, processing and packaging. You will even get to taste the delicious taste of the final product.
Return back to your lodge for dinner and overnight.
Day 7: Transfer to Lake Kivu via Kibuye.
Transfer to Lake Kivu: After having breakfast at your lodge/Guesthouse, proceed with your transfer to Lake Kivu via Kibuye. Lake Kivu is one of the great lakes in Africa, and it is also the largest fresh water lakes that lie within the Albertine Rift Valley. You will have lunch enroute. Once you get to Kibuye town, you will get to visit Lake Kivu and take a boat ride on the lake. Get to explore the stunning birdlife around the lake and its surrounding areas. While on the boat cruise, you will get to see some of the spectacular bird species around like; the yellow- billed kites, common waxbill and cardinal wood pecker among others. You will also get to visit the peace island of Amahoro and Napoleon Island which is well known for its bat caves.
After your short boat ride experience on Lake Kivu, drive to your designated hotel in Kibuye town for dinner and an overnight stay at Lake Kivu Serena Hotel.
Day 8: Visit the L’Esperance Children’s Orphanage and Village.
Visit the L’Esperance Children’s Orphanage and Village: Have a relaxed breakfast at your hotel and later meet up with your guide who will transfer you to the Children’s orphanage at L’Esperance. You will spend a great part of the day with the lovely children at the orphanage and while at it, you can make a small donation to the orphanage. Return to your hotel for lunch and relax for the rest of the evening.
Day 9: Transfer to Gisenyi.
Transfer to Gisenyi: Wake up early in the morning and have breakfast at your hotel. Check out of your hotel and proceed with your transfer to Gisenyi. You will get to explore Gisenyi town which also offers stunning views of Lake Kivu. The town also has beautiful white sandy beaches which you can visit as well. Get to visit Gisenyi hot springs which are located along the eastern shore of Lake Kivu, about 2 kilometers from the Bralirwa brewery. Alternatively, you can embark on a community tour of the town, visit local artisans in the area, as well as local women groups.
Later drive to your hotel in Gisenyi town for dinner and accommodation at Lake Kivu Serena Hotel/ Palm Gardens Hotel/ Gorilla Lake Kivu Hotel.
Day 10: Transfer to Volcanoes National Park.
Transfer to Volcanoes: Wake up at your desired time today morning and have breakfast at your hotel. Check out of your lodge and proceed with your transfer to Volcanoes National Park. It takes about 1 hour to drive from Gisenyi to Volcanoes national park.
Guided Nature Walk: Upon your arrival in Volcanoes National Park, you will sign into the visitors’ book in Kinigi, the park’s headquarters. You will be given a park guide who will take you on a guided nature walk in the park. There are lots of interesting attractions in the park such as primate species like vervet monkeys, red-tailed monkeys, and golden monkeys to mention but a few. You can also spot lots of bird species in the park such as the Rwenzori Turaco, Archer’s ground robin, Rwenzori batis and the Collared Apalis among others.
Later drive to your lodge for dinner and accommodation at Kinigi Guesthouse/ Virunga Lodge/ One & Only Gorilla’s Nest.
Day 11: Gorilla Trekking and Iby’iwacu Community visit.
Gorilla Trekking: Have your breakfast early in the morning and proceed to the park’s headquarters in Kinigi; where you will be briefed and place in groups of 8 members each. Your gorilla trekking safari will commence at 8am, therefore it is important to always keep time. Usually, tracking gorilla groups can take between 2-8 hours with an hour of direct contact with the gorillas once they have been located. Hiking through the forest might prove to be a bit cumbersome and thus calls for one to be physical and mentally fit for the vigorous activity. Also remember to come with a good pair of hiking boots and a raincoat, in case it rains while you are in the forest.
Iby’iwacu Community visit: After your gorilla trekking, you will have your packed lunch and later proceed to Iby’iwacu cultural village where you will been taken through the interesting cultural history of the people of Rwanda. While there, you will have a short peek into the day-to-day lifestyle of the locals, get to check out their traditional handcrafts and also watch dance performances from the local dance and drummer’s troupe.
Later head back to your lodge for dinner and an overnight stay.
Day 12: Hike to Dian Fossey Gravesite and visit to Karisoke Research Center.
Hike Dian Fossey Gravesite: Have breakfast from your lodge, grab your packed lunch and head out for a guided hike to Dian Fossey Gravesite. Dian Fossey was a well-known American primatologist and gorilla conservationist. She is famous for her scientific research that she carried out on mountain gorilla groups in both Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo. During her stay in Rwanda, Dian actively participated in conservation projects, strongly opposing poaching of gorillas and other wildlife animals. In December 1985, Fossey was found dead in her cabin at a remote campsite in Rwanda. She was buried next to her favorite gorilla, ‘Digit’ and ten other mountain gorillas that died in Volcanoes national park. The hike to Dian’s tomb starts at the park headquarters in Kinigi at exactly 7am. The hike involves a 10-15 minute stroll to the park’s border and then you will hike through the lush green forests, taking about 1 to 3 hours depending on your hiking pace and physical condition. You will then descend the steep mountain taking about 1 to 2 hours before finally coming to Dian Fossey’s Campsite. The Campsite is found at an altitude of about 3,000 meters above sea level.
Visit Karisoke Research Center: A hike to Dian Fossey’s tomb will also see you taking a tour of the Karisoke Research center, where Fossey carried out most of her research work along with her team of researchers.
Later return to your lodge for dinner and relaxation.
Day 13: Tour Musanze Caves.
Tour Musanze Caves: Today you will get a chance to explore some caves in Musanze town. Musanze caves were opened to the general public and tourists in 2013 by the Rwanda Development Board. The lushly and green rocked caves run for about 2km and are home to cave bats. These caves were created as a result of volcanic eruption about 65 million years ago. You will be given a pair of gloves, keen caps, gum boots, a face mask, helmet and head cap with a touch to enhance your visibility when exploring the caves. You will learn about the history of these caves and their cultural significance to Rwanda’s historical past.
Later return to your lodge for lunch and relax for the rest of the evening.
Day 14: Golden Monkey Trekking
Golden Monkey Tracking: Wake up early in the morning and have breakfast at your lodge. Your guide/driver will then drive you to the park’s headquarters in Kinigi where you will begin your tracking activity from. You will trek through the bamboo forests in search of the rare golden monkeys, which are endemic to the Virunga Massif. Trekking through the forests in search for these spectacular primates can take between six to eight hours or more, depending on the location of the monkeys. You will be given only one hour to spend in the midst of the golden monkeys once they have been located.
Later head back to your lodge where you will have lunch and relax for the rest of the evening. Dinner and overnight at same lodge as previous night.
Day 15: Transfer Back to Kigali and Visit Umusambi Crane Village.
Transfer back to Kigali & Visit Umusambi Crane Village: Have a relaxed breakfast at your lodge in the morning. Transfer back to Kigali city where you will visit Umusambi crane village which is the only sanctuary for the grey crested crane in Rwanda. The crane village is a permanent residence for about 50 grey crested cranes which have been rescued from captivity.
Day 16: Transfer to Kigali Airport & Departure.
Transfer to Kigali airport & Departure: Depending on the time of your flight departure, have your guide/driver drop you off at Kigali International Airport where you will check-in and board your return flight back home. End of Tour.
