The Best of Rwanda Gorilla & Wildlife Safari

Met on arrival at Kigali International Airport, by our representative and transfer to Kigali Serena Hotel where you have been booked on a bed and breakfast basis for the night.

Ideally located on one of Kigali's most charming boulevards, the five-star Kigali Serena Hotel is built around a polished granite atrium, which showcases the very best of Rwandese cultural art.
Overnight at Kigali Serena Hotel

Breakfast in the Hotel.
After a pre-safari briefing and introduction to your dedicated Safari Driver Guide, depart for a City Tour of Kigali including visit to the Gisozi Genocide Memorial sites, the Richard Kandt Museum and local markets.

After the tour, drive on a scenic drive west wards to Ruhengeri, the base for Gorilla trekking at the Parc National des Volcans. The town itself, located only 25km from the Uganda border, is relatively small with about 350,000 people. The constant flow of humanity is quite remarkable. The town has great views of the surrounding volcanoes. People are very friendly here and although a former Belgian colony (and thus French speaking), many people speak English here.

All meals and overnight at Mountain Gorilla View Lodge

Early breakfast at your lodge.

06:30 hrs Transfer to the Volcanoes National Park HQs for registration, pre-Gorilla Trek briefing allocation to your trekking group. Once the trekkers are put into groups, each groups Lead Guide briefs the trekkers of the trekking procedures as well as the do’s and don’ts while in the presence of gorillas. After the briefing, trekkers return to their respective vehicles for the drive up the mountain to the starting point. Trekking can take from two to six or more hours if the gorillas move before the park rangers locate them the next morning. The guides stop frequently to allow trekkers a chance to rest and take photos along the way.

IMPORTANT - Hikers must be prepared to walk for up to 6 hours a day. • Hikers must bring along their own personal hiking gear.

Lunch at the lodge

Afternoon time/weather permitting, visit the twin lakes of Burera and Ruhondo.

After breakfast in the Lodge/camp, check-out and drive to Akagera National Park to arrive in the early afternoon in time for lunch followed by an afternoon at leisure.

15:30hrs Depart for an evening game drive in the park. Akagera National Park is Central Africa’s largest protected wetland, the last remaining refuge for savannah-adapted species in Rwanda, and the country’s only Big Five Park: lion, leopard, elephant, rhino and buffalo. Other game in the park include zebra, giraffe, spotted hyena, side stripped jackals, hippopotamus among others. Of primates’ family, olive baboons and vervet monkeys are a common sight in Akagera and over 480 bird species!

Return to the lodge/camp in time to refresh for dinner.
Dinner and overnight at Akagera Game Lodge or Ruzizi Tented Camp

Full day in the park with morning and afternoon game viewing drives.

In the afternoon, you may opt for a Boat Ride on Lake Ihema. An opportunity to see hippos and huge Nile crocodiles and the rare shoebill stork among over 480 bird species.

All meals and overnight at Akagera Game Lodge or Ruzizi Tented Camp

Breakfast in the Lodge. Later drive to Kigali arriving in the early afternoon. Optional farewell Lunch at Kigali Serena Hotel compliments of Afio Mai Africa Safaris. Later transfer to the airport for your homebound flight (reporting time to the airport is 2 to 3 hours prior to departure time).

Please note that once you confirm the itinerary, the Gorilla Permits are non-refundable and non - changeable. Correct passport details including passport numbers are required to issue permits. Permits are $1,500 per person, per trek.
The Great Apes Encounters!!