5 days Rwanda gorillas and Akagera wildlife safari

This 5 days Rwanda gorillas and Akagera wildlife safari will give you the ultimate gorilla experience and a rewarding safari experience. Rwanda is popular for the gorilla tracking adventure but not many people know that Rwanda can also give a wonderful African safari experience. On this 5 day Rwanda trip you will go on a safari trip to Akagera National Park to watch lots of wild animals and enjoy beautiful scenery. You will then head to Volcanoes National Park for a memorable gorilla trekking adventure in the misty jungles of the Virunga mountains.

Tour itinerary:

Day 1 – pick up and transfer to Akagera National Park, short game drive and boat safari

You will set off from Kigali at 7.30am and depart for Akagera National Park in the east of Rwanda. On arrival you will do a game drive to spot some animals before continuing to check into your lodge. Later in the afternoon you shall do the boat trip on Lake Ihema which is the biggest lake in the park. You will get to see lots of water animals and birds. Crocodiles and Hippos are a common sight.

Optional activity:

night game drive: From 6pm for about 2.5 hours you can do a night safari to see the nocturnal wildlife.

Accommodation to choose from:

Midrange – Akagera game lodge

Upmarket – Ruzizi Tented Lodge

Luxury – Magashi Camp

Day 2 – morning game drive and afternoon at leisure

Today you shall do a game drive in the morning and explore other parts of the park to increase on your animal sightings and enjoy the beautiful scenery.

Afternoon at leisure

Day 3 – full game drive and transfer to Volcanoes National Park

You shall have early breakfast and set off at 6.00am for a full game drive through the park. You will go through several habitats and watch a number of wildlife. The 6 hour game drive starts in the south of the park at the lodge and winds up in the north of the park in the Kilala plains which provide the best animal sightings in the beautiful open plains. You will exit the park by noon and head to Volcanoes National Park in the north of Rwanda.

Accommodation options to choose from:

Budget – La Locanda

Midrange – Le Bamboo Gorilla Lodge

Upmarket – Five Volcanoes Lodge/TheBishop’s House

Luxury – Sabyinyo Silverback Lodge/Virunga Lodge

Day 4 – Gorilla tracking in the Virungas

You will rise up early and have breakfast by 6.30am and report to the park office in Kinigi for allocation of the gorilla group and briefing on gorilla tracking etiquette. Thereafter you shall transfer to the base of the of the Virunga mountains set off for the gorilla trekking adventure for the ultimate gorilla experience!

After the gorilla trek you shall spend the rest of the day at leisure

Day 5 – Transfer to Kigali

After breakfast you shall transfer back to Kigali

Optional activities:

In the morning you can do one of the following activities before going to Kigali

golden monkey tracking in Volcanoes N.P: the golden monkeys are strikingly beautiful monkeys and are unique to the Virunga mountains living in bamboo forests in the base of the mountains. They are overshadowed by the popular gorillas but they offer an exciting encounter and wonderful photography.
Gorilla Guardians Village cultural tour: You will visit the cultural village where the locals, many of whom are former poachers in the Volcanoes National Park, will show the different Rwanda cultures and traditions. This is a 1 hour tour
Mukungwa River canoe trip: This canoe adventure is a 3 – 4 hours trip and offers the best chance to explore the lush countryside, enjoy the scenic landscape and get an insight into the lives of the local people.