This 5 days Virunga and Akagera national parks safari combine a visit to Akagera national park Rwanda for wildlife viewing and Virunga national park for gorilla trekking. The safari starts from Kigali to Akagera national park then to Virunga national park in DR Congo. This 5 days Virunga and Akagera national park starts and ends in Kigali Rwanda.

5 Days Virunga And Akagera National Parks Safari highlights

Day 1: Transfer to Akagera national park – Afternoon boat cruise

Day 2: Wildlife viewing in Akagera national park and return to Kigali

Day 3: Transfer to Virunga national park

Day 4: Gorilla trekking in Virunga national park and transfer to Gisenyi

Day 5: Lake Kivu and return to Kigali

Detailed itinerary

Day 1: Transfer to Akagera national park – Afternoon boat cruise

Depending on your location in Kigali, a driver guide from Africa adventure vacations will be ready to pick you, brief you about the journey, and transfer you to Akagera national park for your 5 days Virunga and Akagera national parks safari. Driving to Akagera national park will take you 2- 3 hours towards the eastern part of Rwanda. Upon reaching your booked lodge you will have lunch and relax as you wait for the afternoon boat cruise. In the afternoon you will go for a boat safari on lake Ihema the largest lake in the park. During the boat cruise on lake Ihema you will see water animals like hippos and crocodiles, water birds like African fish eagle and shoebill stork and you might get an opportunity of seeing some wild animals like elephants and buffaloes on the lake shores drinking water. After the boat cruise on lake Ihema you will do an evening game drive as you get back to your lodge for dinner and overnight stay.

Meal plan: Lunch and Dinner

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

Day 2: Wildlife viewing in Akagera national park and return to Kigali

After early morning breakfast, our driver-guide will be ready to take you for a morning game drive to encounter wildlife since Akagera national park is the only savannah park in Rwanda where you can spot the big 5 mammals during the game drive. During the game drive in Akagera national park, you will be able to see a lot of wildlife among which include buffaloes, elephants, lions, rhinos, zebras, topis, impalas, cape elands, warthogs, kobs, leopards, and many others grazing and hunting in the park. If you a bird lover you are going to see so many birds since the park hosts over 525 bird species.

After enjoying a game drive, you will get back to your lodge for lunch before starting on your journey back to Kigali city. When you reach Kigali, you will have an evening Kigali city tour where you will get to visit the Kigali genocide memorial where thousands of people who died in the 1994 Rwanda genocide were buried, art galleries for souvenirs, Kirimonko market to interact with local and shopping malls. After the city tour, you will proceed to your booked lodge for dinner and an overnight stay.

Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Accommodation: Kigali Marriott hotel – luxury, Heaven boutique hotel – mid-range, Yambi guesthouse – budget

Day 3: Transfer to Virunga national park

After early morning breakfast on the third day of Virunga and akagera national parks safari you will meet your guide and start your journey to Virunga national park in DR Congo. Upon arrival at the Rwanda DR Congo border, you will be cleared to get a visa then continue to the head offices of Virunga national park to get a gorilla trekking permit. You will then be escorted by the military to your lodge for a check-in and lunch after which you will relax at the lodge waiting for gorilla trekking the next day.

Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Accommodation: Mount Kahuzi Hotel – luxury, Lulimbi Tented Camp – mid-range, Bukima Tented Camp – budget

Day 4: Gorilla trekking in Virunga national park and transfer to Gisenyi

After morning breakfast, get ready with your drinking water and some snacks and your driver-guide will transfer you to Bukima police post for a briefing about gorilla trekking where you will get to learn about the rules and regulations to follow during gorilla trekking. After the briefing, you can hire a porter in case of heavy luggage and join other trekkers in your group and led by a team of armed rangers in search of habituated mountain gorillas in their natural habitats. Finding the mountain gorillas in Virunga national park takes a few minutes to several hours depending on the location of these gorillas. After finding the mountain gorillas you will be given an hour in presence of these giant apes. After trekking, you will get back to your lodge for lunch.

In the evening you will be transferred back to Gisenyi where you will spend your evening on the shores of Lake Kivu enjoying a boat cruise. Later go to your booked lodge for check-in, dinner, and an overnight stay.

Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Accommodation: Lake Kivu, Serena – luxury, Inzonzi Lodge – mid-range, Paradise Malahide – budget

Day 5: Lake Kivu and return to Kigali

You will enjoy a relaxed breakfast at the shores of Lake Kivu on your last day of the safari. You will then have a half-day exploring the biggest freshwater lake in Rwanda. You can have a walk or swim in the lake enjoying the beautiful views of mount nyiragongo and the stunning flora along the lake shores that harbors bird species. After all this, you will return to your lodge for lunch, check out, and get transferred to Kigali the capital city of Rwanda to end your 5 Days Virunga and Akagera national parks Safari.

Meal plan: Breakfast and Lunch

Tour includes

Gorilla trekking permit

Transport

Bottled water

Accommodation

Meals

Park entrance fees

Boat trips

Game drive

Service of an English-speaking driver-guide

All mentioned activities except for the optional ones

Tour Excludes

Extras at the accommodation i.e. drinks, telephone, laundry, etc.

Tips to porters and driver/ guide

Personal expenses

Insurance

Visa

International flight