This 5 days Rwanda gorilla and wildlife safari takes you to Akagera national park the only savannah park located in the eastern part of Rwanda harboring a wide variety of wildlife animals including the big 5 mammals – lions, leopards, elephants, rhinos and buffaloes, and other animals like the hippos, topis, cape elands, impalas, waterbucks, wild dogs, hyenas, Nile crocodiles, primates such as baboons, monkeys, and many others and these are viewed during the game drive and boat cruise on lake Ihema. From Akagera national park you will connect to volcanoes national park located in the northwestern part of Rwanda where you will have chances to participate in a once-in-a-lifetime experience gorilla trekking activity where you will be given a maximum of an hour to spend with gorillas in their natural environment. After gorilla trekking in volcanoes national park, you will wrap your 5 days Rwanda gorilla and wildlife safari with a visit to twin lakes of Burera and Ruhondo where you will have great views of different bird species, stunning scenery, terraced farmland, fishermen among others.

5 days Rwanda gorilla and wildlife safari highlight

Day 1: Arrival and transfer to Akagera national park

Day 2: Morning game drive and afternoon boat cruise

Day 3: Transfer to volcanoes national park

Day 4: Gorilla trekking in volcanoes national park

Day 5: Twin lakes tour and departure to Kigali

Detailed itinerary

Day 1: Arrival and transfer to Akagera national park

Upon arrival on the first day of your safari, you will be welcomed by an English-speaking driver guide from Africa adventure vacations while will brief you about your 5 days Rwanda gorilla and wildlife safari and thereafter begin your journey to Kigali where you will do a city tour. During the Kigali city tour, you will visit places like the Kigali genocide memorial site where dozens of victims of the 1994 Rwanda genocide were laid to rest, and while at the sent you will have a look at the photos of the victims, listen to audios of what happened. You will visit the largest market in the city Kimironko where you will interact with local vendors selling different items such as food, crafts among others. You will also visit some art galleries where you will buy souvenirs. After the city tour, you will have lunch in one of the restaurants around the city where you will get to taste different dishes in Rwanda and then start on your journey to Akagera national park in the east. The journey from Kigali to Akagera national park takes you 2 – 3 hours driving and upon arrival in the park, you will have a short evening game drive where you will see some of the park animals like giraffes, zebras, impalas, topis, rhinos, buffaloes, elands, waterbucks among others.

Meal plan: Lunch and Dinner

Accommodation: Magashi camp – luxury, Ruzizi tented camp – mid range, Mutumba campsite – budget

Day 2: Morning game drive and afternoon boat cruise

On the second day of your safari, you will wake up to an early morning breakfast after which meet your driver-guide for a morning game drive. During the game drive, you should look out for animals like elephants, lions, impalas, buffaloes, waterbucks, topis, wild pigs, hyenas, leopards, zebras, oribis, primates such as vervet monkeys, olive baboons, blue monkeys, bird species like giant kingfisher, open billed stork, Senegal lapwing, grey crowned cranes, squacco heron among others. After the game drive, you will get back to your accommodation for lunch.

In the afternoon you will drive to Lake Ihema for an amazing boat cruise on Rwanda’s second-largest lake. The boat safari is done in 3 sessions – the morning, day, and sunset with each boat safari taking you 2 to 3 hours. During the boat cruise, you will see animals like elephants, buffaloes, and antelopes drinking water on the lake shores, aquatic animals like Nile crocodiles and crocodiles, aquatic birds like pied and malachite kingfisher, elusive shoebill stork, egrets, open bill storks, fish eagles, cormorants, papyrus gonolek, plovers among others. After an amazing boat cruise, you will drive back to your lodge for evening relaxation, dinner, and overnight stay.

Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Accommodation: Magashi camp – luxury, Ruzizi tented camp – mid range, Mutumba campsite – budget

Day 3: Transfer to volcanoes national park

After morning breakfast, you will check out of your lodge and meet your safari driver to transfer you to the volcanoes national park located in the north western part of Rwanda. On your way to volcanoes you will have en-route lunch and later proceed to the park with great views of the rolling hills, terraced farmlands, landscapes, homesteads, smiling people among others, and upon arrival in the park, you will proceed to the lodge for evening relaxation, dinner, and overnight stay.

Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch and dinner

Accommodation: Five Volcanoes boutique hotel – luxury, Le bamboo gorilla lodge – mid-range, Villa gorilla – budget

Day 4: Gorilla trekking in volcanoes national park

On the 4th day of your safari, you will wake up for an early morning breakfast later get your packed lunch and meet your safari driver for a transfer to the park headquarters Kinigi for a briefing about mountain gorilla trekking. In this session, you will be told about the rules and regulations of gorilla trekking. After the briefing, you will be grouped into 8 people where each group will be allocated a gorilla family and a guide to lead them into the forest. The grouping is done according to age, physical fitness, and personal preferences therefore in case you are not fit you are advised to communicate with your guide in advance so that you are allocated a gorilla family that is easy to trek. Gorilla trekking in volcanoes national park begins at 8:00 am and finding these primates takes you 30 minutes to 7 hours depending on the location of the gorillas and the speed at which you are trekking.

During trekking, you will pass through different vegetation covers where you will come across different birds such as Rwenzori turaco, handsome francolin, archer’s ground robin, red-faced woodland warbler, Rwenzori batis, primates like red-tailed monkeys, olive baboons, black and white colobus monkeys and animals like buffaloes, duikers, bush pigs, elephants among others. Once you meet gorillas you will be allowed to spend a maximum of one hour with the gorilla family in their habitat giving you a chance to learn more about their habits, lifestyle, take photos, and record videos to share with people back home. After an amazing time with mountain gorillas, you will be given a gorilla trekking certificate after meet up with your safari driver for a drive to the lodge for dinner and an overnight stay.

Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch and dinner

Accommodation: Five Volcanoes boutique hotel – luxury, Le bamboo gorilla lodge – mid-range, Villa gorilla – budget

Day 5: Twin lakes tour and departure to Kigali

After morning breakfast on the last day of your safari, you will meet up with your driver-guide to transfer you to Lake Ruhondo and Burera located at the foothills of mountain Sabyingo, Muhabura, Gahinga, and Bisoke. Lake Burera and Ruhondo act as fishing grounds for the neighboring communities and offer beautiful views of the colorful birds, rolling hills, terraced farmlands, great scenery, landscapes while enjoying the cool breeze and taking great photos. After a visit to the twin lakes, you will drive back to the lodge for lunch.

After lunch, you will check out of the lodge and meet up with your safari driver for your journey back to Kigali city or international airport to end your 5 days Rwanda gorilla and wildlife safari

Meal plan: Breakfast and Lunch

Tour includes

Tour includes

Gorilla trekking permit

Twin lakes cultural tour

Park entrance fees

Kigali city tour

Service of the English-speaking guide

Accommodation

Meals

Transportation

Drinking water

Tour excludes 

Air flight tickets

Visa

Insurance

Optional activities not included in the itinerary

Personal expenses