5 days Akagera national park and Volcanoes national park
5 days Akagera national park and Volcanoes national park : Take on a 5 days Akagera national park and Volcanoes national park in Rwanda for a Rwanda tour giving you an opportunity to visit the wildlife park of Rwanda and the home of the world’s last remaining mountain gorillas.
The Akagera national park is a home to the big 5 animals and you will be able to see these on this Rwanda safari and more animals that are smaller yet exciting. Get to drive along the giraffes and the antelopes that are a common sighting in the park. Boat Cruise on Lake Ihema for a chance to spot the water life of Akagera national park.
The Volcanoes national park is the smallest national park of Rwanda but is the home of the mountain gorillas. This safari package gives you a chance to visit this park that is a 2 to 3 hour road transfer from Kigali the capital city of Rwanda.
Trip highlights
- Day 1: Leave Kigali for Akagera national park
- Day 2: Day Game drive and evening boat ride
- Day 3: Community tour and transfer to Volcanoes national park
- Day 4: Mountain gorilla trekking and cultural center visit
- Day 5: Transfer back to Kigali
Trip description
Day 1: Leave Kigali for Akagera national park
Right after receiving your test results back and you are ready to start your safari, your driver guide will be waiting to pick you up from your hotel in Kigali and provide a simple briefing. After the briefing, you will gather your belongings and head out to the south of Rwanda.
You will have your first stopover at the Kigali Genocide memorial grounds for an insight on the 1994 Rwanda genocide and after connect to the Kimironko market. You will have lunch and connect further to the Akagera national park. You will arrive in time for check in at your hotel and settle in as you wait for dinner to be served.
You will have dinner and spend a night in Akagera national park
Hotel options in Akagera national park
- Akagera Game lodge for budget
- Karenge Bush camp for midrange
- Rusizi tented camp for luxury
Day 2: Day Game drive and evening boat ride
Wake up ready for this exciting day. You will have breakfast and after head out to the savannah plains for a game drive. You will enjoy about 4 hours with the wildlife of the Akagera national park. You will see the giraffes, lions, rhinos, buffaloes, leopards, and other wildlife like the impalas. After your game drive, you will return to your lodge to let the sun cool down and have lunch at the lodge.
After lunch, you will connect to the Lake Ihema for an afternoon boat trip for a chance to see the water life of Akagera national park and the birds. This Lake Ihema boat trip is a great chance to do some birding and watch the hippos wallowing in the waters and also see the crocodiles.
You will end your Lake Ihema boat trip with a sunset view before you head back to your hotel for dinner and another night stay.
Day 3: Community tour and transfer to Volcanoes national park
Wake up on a more leisurely note for breakfast at the hotel. You will check out of the hotel and head to the community for an experience with the local community that stays around the park. You will spend some quality time in the community sharing lifestyles and after connect to Kigali for lunch.
Right after lunch, you will drive further to the Volcanoes national park. You will drive about 3 hours or less before you reach your accommodation in Volcanoes national park. You will check in and dinner will be served. You will spend your first night in the Volcanoes national park.
Hotel options in Volcanoes national park
- Hotel Muhabura for budget option
- Le Bambou Gorilla lodge for midrange option
- 5 Volcanoes gorilla lodge for luxury option
Day 4: Mountain gorilla trekking and cultural center visit
Have breakfast at your hotel and after connect with your driver guide to drive to the Volcanoes national park headquarters for your pre gorilla trekking morning briefing. You will hire all you may need for the trek and follow your ranger guide into the forest. You will hike about 2 hours all depending on how far the mountain gorillas are into the forest.
Once you meet your mountain gorilla family of the day, you will enjoy an hour taking photos and videos of them and after exit the forest. Your next stop will be the hotel for lunch. You will drive back to the Iby’iwachu cultural center for the cultural experience in Rwanda. There is a group of organized Rwandan individuals ready to take you on this experience. Before it gets dark, you will connect back to your hotel for dinner and another will be spent in the Volcanoes national park.
Day 5: Transfer back to Kigali
This is the last day of your safari. You will wake up ready to end your trip. Have breakfast at your hotel and check out of your hotel headed for Kigali. You may take on some time to pass by the Dian Fossey fund memorial in case you have time. Connect further to Kigali for drop off at your hotel or at the Kigali International airport for your flight back home as you will advise your driver guide.
Trip quote to include:
- Full time fueled safari vehicle
- English/ French speaking driver guide
- Accommodation as described in the itinerary
- Meals as described in the itinerary
- Activity permits
- Park entrance fees
- Bottled water throughout the trip
Trip quote to exclude:
- PCR tests
- Flights
- Visa fees
- Items of personal nature like laundry, airtime, insurance, tips and porter fees
