After this 8‑day Rwanda gorilla safari, you’ll be able to recount anecdotes about mountain gorillas. The tour ends with a deep understanding of the lifestyle, environment, and traits of mountain gorillas—the biggest ape species on earth. You may see and hear gorillas, watch mothers care for their young, listen to silverback lead the troop, and see what a mountain gorilla’s habitat looks like. This package also includes a boat excursion and game drive in Akagera National Park, a tour to Musanze Cave, and a walking tour of Kigali. Within eight days, discover the best of local cuisine, cultural entertainment, a gorilla encounter, and hospitality in Rwanda. Pickup and delivery take place in Kigali, Rwanda.
Day1: Arrive and tour Kigali City
To welcome and introduce you into the most stunning Kigali city, our driver guide will greet you at the airport today. One of the most picturesque towns on the African continent, Kigali boasts a range of historical and cultural landmarks. The Genocide Memorial site, where the victims of the 1994 Rwandan ethnic violence were buried and mourned, local craft shops where travelers can purchase certain trip-related necessities, and more are among the attractions to see. After eating lunch somewhere in town, you’ll drive to your lodge to wind down from the day’s events. Dinnertime and bedtime are at sunset.
Day2: Kigali to Volcanoes National park-Musanze Cave exploration
Enjoy a great breakfast at the lodge to start the day, and then go to Volcanoes National Park to see the critically endangered mountain gorillas. The park is situated in the northern region of the nation, at the base of the massive Virunga mountain range, which stretches over the nations of Uganda, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Rwanda. The trip lasts for roughly two to three hours and offers views of gorgeous landscapes and cityscapes. Driving and checking in at the lodge are your next steps. You next get an hour to explore Musanze Cave, where you will wander through it and take in the magic of the night. Dinner and a sound sleep bring the workday to a close.
Day3: Gorilla Trekking
You will begin your day at dawn with an early breakfast meal at the lodge and then embark on a fulfilling one to six-hour trek with the gorillas. The activity is preceded by a pre-trek briefing by an experienced ranger guide, who will go through the dos and don’ts of trekking, the gorillas’ way of life, and assign a gorilla group that you will trail for one to eight hours. Gorilla hiking is enjoyable yet difficult. You can see monkeys, birds, unusual plant species, mountain slopes, and more in the forest in addition to gorillas. You will spend an hour viewing, taking pictures, and learning about mountain gorillas after you find them.
Lunch will be at the Forest. After Gorilla trekking, you will return to the lodge for refreshment, dinner and overnight.
Day4: Gorilla Habituation Tour
After breakfast, you’ll go to the park headquarters for a pre-tour briefing before spending 4 hours with the gorillas, where you may snap pictures, observe, and learn more about mountain gorillas’ daily lives. Making gorillas accustomed to human presence is called “gorilla habituation.” Following the briefing, you will spend four hours with them, feeding them while taking pictures and making notes about their lives and stories. You are free to approach them closer, observe, and learn about their behaviors. You will be led by knowledgeable park ranger guides who will walk you through these apes’ daily lives. You will return to the lodge for refreshments, dinner, and overnight after your time with the gorillas.
Day5: Depert for Akagera National park
After a delicious breakfast at the lodge, set out for Akagera National Park. The drive there takes around four hours and offers beautiful views of the surrounding countryside and spectacular landscape. A drive to Remember is underway! After arriving at the lodge in or near the park, you’ll have a delicious lunch, then you may relax or take part in any other optional activities like a cultural tour or nature walk in the evening. Dinner and overnight stay.
Day6: Full day game drive
After a delectable breakfast at the lodge, head out into the wilderness for the first game drive of the day, which will be followed by lunch. Spend the remainder of the evening hunting after that, expecting to see hunters emerge from their hiding places to go on a hunt. Multiple antelope species, warthogs, leopards, giraffes, several antelope species, buffaloes, elephants, and more are among the numerous animals to keep an eye out for. At dusk, the day concludes as you head back to the Lodge for dinner and bed.
Day7: Birdwatching and boat cruise
After breakfast, you will visit the popular bird-spotting locations in the park to learn how to recognize the many birds by their names, characteristics, and sounds. Over 480 distinctive bird species, both endemic and non-endemic, may be found in Akagera National Park. The vast list of birds on the checklist, along with others like the red-faced barbet, marabou stork, cormorants, African fish eagle, herons, ganolex, open stork bill, swamp flycatcher, Falco naumanni, and more, comprise the birds you might see during the one to three-hour trip. Following your birding excursion, you will return to the resort for lunch before taking a boat trip at Twin Lake in the evening. While on the cruise, you may enjoy fish while also spotting hippos, crocodiles, and other animals. After dinner and overnight, call it a day.
Day8: Deperture
You will depart for the Kigali international airport or Kigali city after eating breakfast, the first meal of the day. When you get in Kigali, you can choose to go on a safari or visit the King’s Palace to learn more about the country’s past.
End of safari