This 7 Days Akagera Wildlife and Nyungwe Chimpanzee Trekking Safari will give you a chance to view wildlife in Akagera National Park which is Rwanda’s only savannah national park. During this safari, you will also get to do chimpanzee trekking in Nyungwe Forest National Park and embark on hike along the canopy walkway bridge and also visit Gisakura Tea Estate.
Highlights for 7 Days Akagera Wildlife and Nyungwe Chimpanzee Trekking Safari
Day 1: Pick Up from Kigali and Transfer to Akagera National Park
Day 2: Game Drive and Ihema Boat Trip
Day 3: Full Day Game Drives
Day 4: Transfer to Nyungwe Forest National Park
Day 5: Chimpanzee Trek and Canopy Walk
Day 6: Waterfall Hike and Visit Gisakura Tea Estate
Day 7: Transfer Back to Kigali
Detailed Itinerary for 7 Days Akagera Wildlife and Nyungwe Chimpanzee Trekking Safari
DAY 1: PICK UP FROM KIGALI AND TRANSFER TO AKAGERA NATIONAL PARK
At an agreed location of your choice, get in touch with your driver to connect for the start of this 7 days Akagera Wildlife and Nyungwe Chimpanzee Trekking Safari. You will meet at around 8 am at the airport or the advised point of pick up and drive north of Rwanda for about 2 and a half hours until you reach the southern gate of the park. You will be welcomed by the pure air of the park. Connect to check in to your lodge and freshen up, have lunch. After lunch participate in the Afternoon Game Drive which gives you the opportunity to view the wildlife of Akagera that is the lions, rhinos, giraffes, elephants and also the several different antelope species.
Head back to your lodge or camp for dinner and overnight.
DAY 2: GAME DRIVE AND IHEMA BOAT TRIP
After an early morning breakfast at your hotel, day gives you a second chance to look out for the animals you may have not been able to see the previous evening in the park. After breakfast, meet your driver-guide and be at the starting point by 9 am to enjoy the drive in the several trails of the park. You will meet the early raisers and hunters looking for their day’s meal. Have lunch and connect for the boat cruise on Lake Ihema. This boat trip lasts 1 hour with a maximum of 11 people on board. You will get to see more of the park on the lake like the aquatic animals like the crocodiles, hippopotami enjoying the waters and the several birds like the African fish eagle and cattle egret. Find your way back to your accommodation with your driver-guide and spend the evening at leisure as you await the last dinner in the park.
DAY 3: FULL DAY GAME DRIVES
Rise up early and go for a game drive with great anticipation of seeing the different animals which rise early to graze and predators looking for their early morning kill. After the game drive, return to connect with your driver guide and drive back to your lodge for lunch. Later in the afternoon you will embark in the evening game drives and get to watch a number of wildlife species that you might have missed out during the morning game drives which will give you clear views of the early risers in the park like the elephants, rhinos, oribi and many other rewarding attractions. in the evening game drives you will get the chance to watch a number of carnivores hunting for their prey as you watch a number of herbivores heading back to their hiding spots.
Retire back to your lodge or camp for dinner and overnight stay.
DAY 4: TRANSFER TO NYUNGWE FOREST NATIONAL PARK
Have breakfast and meet your driver guide. You will then embark on approximately a 6-8 hours’ drive to Nyungwe forest national park, passing through Rwanda’s beautiful countryside. You will have lunch enroute and arrive at your lodge in the evening. Check in at your lodge or hotel and later have dinner and overnight stay.
DAY 5: CHIMPANZEE TREK AND CANOPY WALK
Enjoy breakfast and go for briefing before entering the forest, searching for the active and playful fellows in Nyungwe forest. The Chimpanzees are the easy to spot, as they jump from one tree to another, chattering and laughing. Chimpanzee tracking usually takes about 3-6 hours or more depending on where the chimpanzees are located.
You will then return to your accommodation for lunch. After lunch, you will go on a walking trail that will take you to the Canopy Walk, a swing bridge 50 meters in length that is suspended from large trees. You will be able to see the amazing rainforest with a bird’s eye view, spotting wildlife moving about below you. Before night fall, you will return to the hotel for dinner and overnight at your lodge or hotel as above
DAY 6: WATERFALL HIKE AND VISIT GISAKURA TEA ESTATE
After having breakfast on the sixth day of your 7 Days Rwanda Safari, you will embark on the forest Nature walk with in the park which will enable you to explore the Park’s unique tourist features including waterfalls and orchids in the high altitude swamps. Return to the lodge for lunch and later head out for tea harvesting tour at Gisakura tea estate and learn about the production processes. Dinner and overnight at your lodge/hotel.
DAY 7: TRANSFER BACK TO KIGALI
This will be a more leisurely drive back to Kigali with the visits enroute that you may have missed that is the King’s palace, Butare museum and have lunch enroute to Kigali for drop off. This day you may opt to include an optional city tour in Kigali if you may have some time to spare. Drop off will be at Kigali international Airport or as you will advise.
End of 7 Days Akagera Wildlife and Nyungwe Chimpanzee Trekking Safari
