6 Days Rwanda Safari Tour
This 6 Days Rwanda Safari Tour is one of the best ways to explore the country’s most sought-after destinations. The trip takes you to see the varied wildlife of Akagera National Park, as well as the endangered mountain gorillas of Volcanoes National Park.
You will also visit the scenic Lake Kivu, taking in its beautiful views. Along the way, enjoy game drives, boat safaris, and a memorable gorilla trekking experience.
Highlights: 6 Days Rwanda Safari Tour
Day 1: Pick-Up from Kigali, Transfer to Akagera National Park
Day 2: Morning Game Drive and Ihema Boat Cruise
Day 3: Cultural Tour, Transfer to Volcanoes National Park
Day 4: Gorilla Trekking, Visit to the Karisoke Research Center
Day 5: Transfer to Lake Kivu, Afternoon Boat Cruise
Day 6: Optional Coffee Tour, Departure
Detailed Itinerary: 6 Days Rwanda Safari Tour
Day 1: Pick-Up from Kigali, Transfer to Akagera National Park
You will meet your safari guide at your hotel in Kigali at around 8 a.m. and drive north for roughly two and a half hours until you reach the park’s southern gate, where you will be welcomed by its clean, fresh air. Check in at your lodge, freshen up, and enjoy lunch.
After lunch, set out on an afternoon game drive, giving you the chance to see Akagera’s wildlife, including lion, rhino, giraffe, elephant, and a variety of antelope species. The drive lasts up to five hours, after which you will return to your accommodation ahead of dinner. Dinner and overnight stay at Akagera Game Lodge (Mid-Range).
Day 2: Morning Game Drive and Ihema Boat Cruise
This day gives you a second chance to spot wildlife you may have missed the previous evening. After breakfast, meet your driver-guide and set off by 9 a.m. to explore the park’s various trails, catching the early risers and predators still searching for their morning meal.
Enjoy lunch, then set off on a boat trip on Lake Ihema. The trip lasts about an hour, with a maximum of eleven passengers on board, and offers the chance to see aquatic wildlife such as crocodile and hippo, along with birds such as the African fish eagle and cattle egret.
Return to your accommodation with your driver-guide and spend the evening at leisure ahead of your final dinner in the park.
Day 3: Cultural Tour, Transfer to Volcanoes National Park
Wake up to a long but eventful day. After breakfast, enjoy the cultural experience offered by the park, interacting with the local community and visiting a farm tour where you can see the Inyambo cattle. Afterward, exit the park and continue to Volcanoes National Park, with lunch en route. Dinner and overnight stay at Tiloreza Volcanoes Eco Lodge.
Day 4: Gorilla Trekking, Visit to the Karisoke Research Center
Enjoy breakfast early at your lodge before your guide drives you to the park headquarters for a briefing from Rwanda Development Board officials at 7 a.m. After the briefing, set off on your gorilla trek in search of the gorillas, which can take two to six hours or more, depending on the group’s location. Gorilla trekking in Volcanoes National Park is a genuine once-in-a-lifetime adventure. Once you locate a gorilla family, you will be allowed an hour in their company.
In the afternoon, after lunch, head out to the Karisoke Research Center, where you will have the chance to visit the Dian Fossey Museum and learn more about her work and contribution to gorilla conservation in Volcanoes National Park. Return for dinner and an overnight stay, as above.
Day 5: Transfer to Lake Kivu, Afternoon Boat Cruise
After breakfast, your guide will drive you to Gisenyi town on the shores of Lake Kivu. After lunch at the lodge, head out for an afternoon boat cruise on the lake. Enjoy scenic views and a relaxing time along the shore as you take in the breeze.
Accommodation: Lake Kivu Gorilla Lodge
Day 6: Optional Coffee Tour, Departure
After breakfast at your lodge, relax at the lodge or join an optional coffee tour. Afterward, transfer back to Kigali, enjoying lunch en route. Continue to your hotel of stay in Kigali, where your safari guide will drop you off, bringing the safari to an end.
Price Includes
- Gorilla permit
- Boat cruise fees
- 4×4 safari vehicle and fuel
- Full-time English-speaking guide/driver
- All accommodation as indicated in the itinerary
- All meals at the hotel
- Bottled drinking water while on safari
Price Excludes
- Flights
- Visa fees
- Personal expenses such as telephone calls, email, laundry, and beverages or meals not indicated in the itinerary
- Tips, porterage, and wait-staff gratuity
- Anything else not included in the itinerary
