10 Days Best of Rwanda Safari: Looking for the best of Rwanda? Do you wish to see all of the best safari locations in this tiny country? This 10 Days Best of Rwanda safari was designed to show you the best of Rwanda in ten days.
10 Days Rwanda Safari Highlights
Rwanda Gorillas in the Mist Tour
Chimpanzees and Golden monkeys
Rwandan history and culture, including its capital city.
Genocide memorial in Gisozi (showing Rwanda’s grim recent history)
The king’s palace in Nyanza (reminiscent of pre-colonial Rwanda)
The National Museum in Butare Ross Carr’s Flower Farm and Orphanage
Day 1: Welcome to Rwanda!
A Shen Tours and Travel agent will meet you at Kigali Airport and take you to the Hotel des Mille Collines. This hotel is famous for appearing in the terrible film Hotel Rwanda, which is based on genuine events from the Genocide. Which, in case you have never heard of, is a must-see, and you can request a copy. Warning! There will be violence, which is why it is rated 16.
Depending on the time of arrival, an optional city tour of Kigali with a visit to the Genocide Memorial can be arranged. You may also be able to shop through Kigali’s craft markets for ceramics, carvings, batik, weaving, sculpture, musical instruments, leather, and fabrics.
Accommodation: Hotel des Mille Collines Meal Plan: Bed and Breakfast.
Day 2 – Akagera National Park
After a leisurely breakfast, you will head to Akagera National Park. Akagera National Park, located near the Tanzanian border, spans 1122 km² of savannah west of the Kagera River in northeastern Rwanda. The park supports a diverse range of animals, including over 500 distinct bird species. Herds of elephants and buffalo come from the forest to drink at the lakes, and you might see a leopard, a spotted hyena, or even a lion.
Giraffe and zebra roam the savannah, and the park is home to over a dozen different antelope species. You will eat lunch at Rusizi Tented Camp before embarking on a long wildlife drive through Akagera National Park. You will then return to your hotel for some leisure, the ultimate bush experience.
Accommodation: Rusizi Tented Camp. Meal plan: Bed and Breakfast.
Day 3: Boat Safari and Return to Kigali
Breakfast is served early in the morning, followed by a boat safari on the Ihema River to see water birds such as cormorants, fish eagles, and kingfishers. After returning to your accommodation, you will have lunch and then drive to the Bugesera district, south of Kigali, via a magnificent countryside that is rarely frequented by visitors. In the little town of Nyamata, you will visit a Genocide Memorial Church.
You will then return to Kigali and visit the Genocide Memorial in the city centre to learn more about this tragedy in case you missed it on the first day.
Accommodation: Hotel des Mille Collines Meal Plan: Bed and Breakfast.
Day 4 – Nyungwe National Park
Today, you will go to the famous Nyungwe National Park, which is a pristine rainforest and one of the largest in East and Central Africa. The forest is rich in flora and wildlife, including 13 primate species such as Colobus monkeys, Mangabeys, blue monkeys, and, of course, our cousins, chimpanzees. Nyungwe Forest is like a birder’s paradise. With little more than 300 recorded bird species, 26 of which are endemic, it is one of Africa’s most important – albeit poorly known – bird-watching sites.
You’ll make a budget-friendly lunch stop before continuing on your journey. The afternoon canopy hike takes place above a huge gorge that cuts across the vast forest. The trek lasts around 1½ hours and passes through gorgeous greenery and animal habitats. You may spot blue monkeys and rare birds in the highest levels of the forest canopy. In the evening, you will check into your individual cottage at Nyungwe Forest Lodge. This premium lodge is among the best in Rwanda. The big villas with beautiful views will make you feel right at home.
Nyungwe Forest Lodge offers full-board meals.
Day 5: Chimpanzee Tracking
Following an early morning breakfast, you will head to the monkey tracking path in either the Cyamudongo or Uwinka regions. This thrilling up-close contact with a human’s closest kin will stay with you forever. After the chimp tracking, you can relax at the resort or participate in an optional activity. Take a walk along one of the paths, learn more about the park at the information centre, or immerse yourself in the culture.
Nyungwe Forest Lodge offers full-board meals.
Day 6: Waterfall hike, Optional activity
If you missed it earlier, you can either go on a Canopy Walk or stay at your resort and unwind by going for a pool. In the afternoon, you will go on a waterfall walk. This walk takes between 3 and 6 hours round trip, depending on how often you stop to sightsee and whether you choose to drive a bit further or walk from the offices. The initial section of the trail largely follows the road to the vehicle park before entering the forest.
You must cross several creeks before making a steep slope to the base of the little, pleasant waterfall. Monkeys are regularly seen along the journey, and the steep slopes offer great views into the canopy.After the trail, you’ll return to Nyungwe Forest Lodge for dinner and relaxation.
Nyungwe Forest Lodge offers full-board meals.
Day 7: Lake Kivu
After breakfast, relax and take use of your lodge’s lovely amenities and surroundings. After lunch, you will go to Kibuye on Lake Kivu’s eastern banks, where you can see the Ndaba Falls or go for a tour around town. In the late afternoon, rent a boat and explore a few islands. This activity is at your own expense. Later, you can go to the semi-luxury Cormoran Lodge, which is located on the banks of Lake Kivu.
Accommodation: Cormoran Lodge.
Food Plan: Bed and Breakfast
Day 8: Volcanoes National Park
Today, after breakfast, you will drive northeast to Musanze, which is near the Virunga Volcano range. The Musanze caves in Rwanda, which date back 65 million years, are located in a volcanic zone where lava flow strata created the Albertine Rift Valley. The caves are easy to walk for 2 kilometres and feature spectacular views of cascading lights from the surface, unusual rock formations and a bat population. You will have lunch in this town at your own cost, then proceed to Volcanoes.
The lovely twin lakes of Burera and Ruhondo are located in Ruhengeri, on the way to Volcanoes. Lakes Burera and Ruhondo, located closer to the gorillas’ habitat, are true beauties that should not be missed.The twin lakes area is extremely picturesque, with steep and highly farmed hills around the virgin dark blue waters. They provide breathtaking views of all of the Virunga Volcanoes. You will next arrive at your lodge for the night, which is located near the national park’s entrance and has a wonderful view of the Virunga Volcanos.
Accommodation: Mountain Gorilla View Lodge.
Meal Plan: Full Board
Day 9: Gorilla Tracking
You leave the lodge early in the morning and drive into the park for about 30 minutes to the office. The head ranger will divide you into groups based on your interests and fitness. From the office, your driver/guide will drive you as near to the starting site of your tracking as possible. You will monitor gorillas from one of the habituated groups that can tolerate the presence of humans for a short period of time each day.
Prepare for an amazing adventure through forested hills, tangled vines, bushes, and bamboo until you reach the gorillas. Your guide will point out evidence of previous gorilla activity, including as excrement, nests, and chewed bamboo shoots. Tracking gorillas can take anywhere from half an hour to eight hours! Once located, you will have a maximum of one hour with the gorillas. Meeting a mountain gorilla is a profoundly moving and humbling event. This is an incredible and exclusive opportunity to get up close and personal with Rwanda’s own ‘Gorillas in the Mist’.
Accommodation: Mountain Gorilla View Lodge.
Meal Plan: Full Board
Day 10: Departure
Today, after a leisurely breakfast, your driver/guide will transport you back to Kigali in time to catch your flight home. Sadly, this is where you say goodbye to Rwanda.
End of 10 Days Best of Rwanda Safari
