14 Days Best of Rwanda safari
14 days Best of Rwanda safari starts from Kigali and ends in Kigali taking travelers into three different national parks whilst sighting out lots of wildlife. There are different activities carried out with in this 14 days Rwanda safari including Gorilla trekking, Golden monkey trekking, chimpanzee trekking, canopy walk, hiking Bisoke, canopy walk, game drive, and boat cruise among others. This 14 days best of Rwanda includes 14 days and 13 nights in the land of a thousand hills and the parks explored include Nyungwe forest national park, Volcanoes national Park, and Akagera National park.
Highlights of 14 days best of Rwanda safari
- Day 1: Arrival and Transfer to Kigali for a brief city tour
- Day 2: Transfer from Kigali City to Nyungwe Forest National park
- Day 3: Chimpanzee Trekking in Nyungwe national park, Rwanda
- Day 4: Forest walks in Nyungwe forest
- Day 5: Canopy walk in Nyungwe forest
- Day 6: Transfer to Kibuye
- Day 7: Transfer from Kibuye to Gisenyi
- Day 8: Transfer to Ruhengeri
- Day 9: Gorilla trekking
- Day 10: Golden monkey trekking
- Day 11: Bisoke hike
- Day 12: Transfer to Akagera National park
- Day 13: Morning Game drive and evening boat cruise on Lake Ihema
- Day 14: Transfer to Kigali for departure
Detailed Itinerary for the Rwanda safari
Day 1: Arrival and Transfer to Kigali for a brief city tour
- Arrival: On this day 1 of 14 days best of Rwanda safari, you are expected to arrive at Kigali International airport, you will be picked up by pour company driver and transferred to Kigali city. Have a briefing during the drive and check-in at any hotel in Kigali and enjoy your lunch.
- Kigali city tour: After lunch, have an evening city tour where you will visit the Kigali Genocide memorial sites, visit the museum and then return to the lodge for dinner and overnight stay.
- Meal plan: Lunch and dinner
Day 2: Transfer from Kigali City to Nyungwe Forest National park
- Transfer to Nyungwe: On day 2 of 14 days best of Rwanda safari, you’re expected to wake up early in the morning, enjoy your breakfast and embark on the journey to the Nyungwe forest national park. A drive to Nyungwe forest national park is approximately 3 hours’ drive via Butare. Have a visit to the palace, visit the museum, and have an enroute lunch before proceeding to the lodges for check-in, have dinner and overnight sleep.
- Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner.
- Accommodation: Nyungwe Top hill view lodge
Day 3: Chimpanzee Trekking in Nyungwe national park, Rwanda
- Chimpanzee trekking: On day 3 of 14 days best of Rwanda safari, wake up very early for break first and have your packed lunch before meeting your driver for a ride to the park headquarters or a brief meeting about the do’s and don’ts while in presence of these primates. After the briefing, you will be allocated a guide and armed ranger and off to the forest to start the journey of trekking these mighty primates in their natural habitats. This activity takes about 30minutes to 6 hours in Cyamudongo forest. Keep in mind that after getting around to the chimpanzees, you will be allowed just one of interaction and photo taking. Once you are done with trekking, return to the lodge for dinner and overnight stay
- Meal plan: Breakfast, parked Lunch and Dinner
- Accommodation: Nyungwe Top hill view lodge
Day 4: Forest walks in Nyungwe forest
- Waterfall trail: on day 4 of 14 days best of Rwanda safari, you will wake up in the morning, enjoy breakfast and off to the forest you head for a forest walk in a well-designated trail. Nyungwe forest has lots of hiking trails each designated to last for a particular period of time. This water fall trail enables travelers to sight out different water birds, some primates, mammals among others in the forest. After the water fall trail, return to the lodge for relaxation and wait for dinner.
- Note: in case you need some other activity after the Waterfall trail, I recommend a coffee plantation tour (Optional).
- Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner
- Accommodation: Nyungwe Top hill view lodge
Day 5: Canopy walk in Nyungwe forest
- Canopy walk: On day 5 of 14 days best of Rwanda safari, you will take your breakfast and head off for a canopy walk in Nyungwe forest. The walks takes roughly 160m walk at an elevation of 50 m high canopy. The canopy walk starts from Uwinka receptions offering the best sighting of some primate species including Golden monkeys, chimpanzees, L’Hoests monkey, Baboons, Vervet monkey, Grey-cheeked, and different bird species such as Crimsonwings Ruwenzori Batis, Handsome Francolin, montane Double Collared Sun, Dwarf Honey guide, several mammals such as duikers, bush pigs, Golden cats among others.
- Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
- Accommodation: Nyungwe Top hill view lodge
Day 6: Transfer to Kibuye
- Boat cruise: On day 6 of 14 days best of Rwanda safari, you will wake up early in the morning, enjoy your breakfast, check out of the lodge and meet with your driver for a ride to Kibuye with a visit to genocide memorial site before proceeding to Lake Kivu for an afternoon cruise and beach relaxation. Then check-in at any lodge in Kibuye for dinner and overnight stay.
- Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner
Day 7: Transfer from Kibuye to Gisenyi
- Transfer to Gisenyi: On day 7 of 14 days best of Rwanda, you will wake up at the lodge in Kibuye and have your breakfast served, then check out of the lodge to meet to embark on the journey to Gisenyi which is approximately 5 hours’ drive. You will enjoy your enroute lunch and have an evening in Gisenyi. Check-in at your lodge in Gisenyi for dinner and overnight stay.
- Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner.
- Accommodation: Paradise Malahide Deluxe
Day 8: Transfer to Ruhengeri
- Transfer to Ruhengeri: On day 8 of 14 days best of Rwanda safari, enjoy your relaxed breakfast, have a brief tour in Gisenyi and enjoy your lunch. After lunch check out of the lodge and start the journey towards Volcanoes national park where you will arrive late in the evening, check-in at the lodge for dinner and overnight.
- Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner.
- Accommodation: Da Vinci /Le Bambu Gorilla lodge – Midrange
Day 9: Gorilla trekking
- Gorilla trekking: On day 9 of 14 days best of Rwanda safari, on this day expect to wake up early in the morning, take breakfast and park your lunch box to meet with the driver and head to the park headquarters for a briefing before proceeding into the jungle for a breath taking gorilla trekking in Volcanoes national park. After trekking, return to the lodge for dinner and overnight stay.
- Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner
- Accommodation: Da Vinci /Le Bambu Gorilla lodge – Midrange
Day 10: Golden monkey trekking
- Golden monkey trekking: On day 10 of 14 days best of Rwanda, you will arise in the morning for breakfast, pack your lunch box again and meet with your driver for a ride to the park head offices for short briefing about the golden monkeys and then head into the forest to start the trek where you will spend some time with the most beautiful and cheerful primates. After trekking Golden monkeys, return to the lodge and freshen up then have an evening visit to the twin lakes of Bulera and Ruhondo then return to the lodge for dinner and overnight.
- Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner.
- Accommodation: Da Vinci /Le Bambu Gorilla lodge – Midrange
Day 11: Bisoke hike
- Bisoke hike: On day 11 of 14 days best or Rwanda safaris, wake up in the morning enjoy your breakfast and drive to the park head office for a briefing about Bisoke hike before setting off for a training but fascinating adventure of climbing Bisoke volcanic mountain. After the hike return to the lodge, for dinner and overnight
- Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner
- Accommodation: Da Vinci /Le Bambu Gorilla lodge – Midrange
Or on this day, you may opt for a hive to Diana Fossey’s tombs situated on Karisoke research center.
Day 12: Transfer to Akagera National park
- Transfer to Akagera national park: On 12 of 14 days best of Rwanda safari, wake up on a relaxed breakfast, then check out of the lodge and meet with your driver for a ride to Akagera national park a home to several wildlife species including mammals and birds situated in the eastern part of Rwanda. Upon arrival, check-in at the lodge within the park and head for an evening game drive. After the drive head to the lodge for dinner and overnight stay.
- Meal plan: Breakfast, enroute lunch and Dinner.
- Accommodation: Akagera Game lodge
Day 13: Morning Game drive and evening boat cruise on Lake Ihema
- Morning game drive: on day 13 of 14 days best of Rwanda safari, you will wake up early in the morning take breakfast and meet the driver for an early morning game drive for possibilities of siting out different wildlife species such as elephants, buffalos, giraffes, zebras, and different nocturnal mammals before they return to their hideouts such as lions, serval, leopards, warthogs among others. You will also be in a position to spot lots of bird species that call Akagera their home and even the migratory birds.
- Afternoon boat cruise: After the game drive, return to the lodge for lunch and drive to Lake Ihema for a fascinating boat cruise spotting lots of hippos and crocodiles plus the water birds and lots of mammals along the shores of the lake. Return to the lodge for dinner and overnight.
- Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner
- Accommodation: Akagera Game drive
Day 14: Transfer to Kigali for departures
- Transfer to Kigali: on day 14 of 14 days best of Rwanda safari, you will wake up on a relaxed breakfast at your lodge, take your time to pack everything very well, then check out of the lodge and meet with your driver to embark on a journey to Kigali. You will have an enroute lunch and proceed to the airport for departures.
- Meal plan: Breakfast and Enroute Lunch
End of 14 Days Best of Rwanda safari
This 14 days best of Rwanda include
- Park entrance
- Gorilla trekking permit
- Chimpanzee permit
- Golden monkey trekking
- Bisoke hike permit
- All activities included in the itinerary
- Accommodation for 13 nights
- A 4×4 safari vehicle
- All meals as per Itinerary
- An English speaking guide
- Enough bottled drinking water
14 days best of Rwanda safari excludes;
- Visa fee
- Flights to and from Kigali International airport
- Life insurance
- Domestic flights
- Personal expenses including airtime and email services
- All other drinks other than water
- Laundry
- Tips
- Porter
Conclusion: This 14 days best of Rwanda is one of the most fascinating activities where travelers are in a position to encounter different primate species, mammal species, and bird species among others. Book your safari today with us and experience the unbeaten fortnight Rwanda safari in the land of a thousand hills.