Best of Rwanda Gorilla Safari in Rwanda is a viable alternative to gorilla trekking in Uganda or Congo which are the other two destinations where trekking can be done.
Guests begin their Best of Rwanda Gorilla Safari in Akagera National Park . Akagera National Park is located in the north east of Rwanda along the border with Tanzania. It is named after the Akagera River that flows along its eastern boundary and feeds into a labyrinth of lakes of which the largest is Lake Ihema. The rolling hills of Acacia and Brachystegia Woodland coupled with scattered grassland and swamp-fringed lakes along the meandering Akagera watercourse combine to create a park of breathtaking scenic beauty.
Akagera National Park featured on the Best of Rwanda Gorilla Safari is located in the north east of Rwanda along the border with Tanzania. It is named after the Akagera River that flows along its eastern boundary and feeds into a labyrinth of lakes of which the largest is Lake Ihema. The rolling hills of Acacia and Brachystegia Woodland coupled with scattered grassland and swamp-fringed lakes along the meandering Akagera watercourse combine to create a park of breathtaking scenic beauty.
Among the safest and friendliest of African capitals, City of Kigali is blessed with a moderate high altitude climate that belies its tropical location, and is conveniently located within three hours’ drive of the main tourist sites. The Rwandan capital provides both a comfortable and welcoming introduction to this land of a thousand hills and an ideal springboard from which to explore this magical country.
Located in the South West corner of Rwanda, Nyungwe National Park is an untouched natural rainforest that is filled with exciting biodiversity. Covering over 1000 square kilomtres, Nyungwe is surely one of the world’s most beautiful and pristine mountain rainforests. It’s believed to be one of Africa’s oldest forests, staying green even through the Ice Age, which explains its diversity.
The fifth day of the Best of Rwanda Gorilla Safari will be spent at Nyungwe Forest National Park.Home to habituated chimpanzees and 12 other primates species (including a 400-strong troop of habituated Ruwenzori Black & White Colobus), it’s also a birder’s paradise with over 300 species, including 16 endemics, and is home to 75 different species of mammal.
This majestic rainforest is filled with nature and wildlife experiences for you to emerge yourself in. Hiking or even biking the beautiful terrain, tracking the famous chimpanzees, experiencing the canopy walk, witnessing beautiful birds, relaxing by waterfalls are just a glimpse of activities that Nyungwe offers. Sounds and views collaborate to create a one-of-a-kind wildlife experience. Exploring through the forest, travellers will witness the lush green mountains and cooling mist in a landscape that won’t be soon forgotten.
The lake covers a total surface area of some 2730 km2 and stands at a height of 1463 m above sea level. Lake Kivu is a shared resource between Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo. The lake bed sits upon a rift valley that is slowly being pulled apart, causing volcanic activity in the area, and making it particularly deep: its maximum depth of 485 m is ranked eighteenth in the world. The lake is surrounded by majestic mountains.
Lake Kivu is a fascinating lake. Lake Kivu is an ancient rift lake. Around 12 000 years B.P., lavas flows from the Virunga volcanoes dammed its former outflow to the Nile. By 9 500 years B.P., Lake Kivu had become a deep lake with an overflow via the Ruzizi River to Lake Tanganyika. The lake became strongly stratified about 5 000 years B.P. when volcanism and hydrothermal activities began.
On day 9 of the Best of Rwanda Gorilla Safari guests will visit Volcanoes National Park. Spanning on a 160sqkm area in the northern part of Rwanda, Volcanoes national park is the oldest national park in Africa. It was initially a small area around Karisimbi, Mikeno and Visoke volcanoes which was gazetted to protect the Mountain gorillas which were facing the threat of extinction as a result of poaching.
Volcanoes national park is home to Mountain Gorilla (Gorilla beringei beringei); golden monkeys (Cercopithecus mitis kandti), Spotted Hyena (Crocuta crocuta), buffaloes (Syncerus caffer), elephants , black-fronted duiker (Cephalophus niger), and bushbuck (Tragelaphus scriptus). The park also harbors 178 bird species including at least 29 endemics to Rwenzori mountains and the Virungas.
Day 11 of the Best of Rwanda Gorilla Safari will be spent at Volcanoes National Park. Volcanoes National Park is located in a small village called Musanze previously well-known as Ruhengeri, which is very accessible by public transport from Gisenyi or Kigali or from the airport. The drive to Volcanoes national park is 2 hrs and hence one can do gorilla tracking on the same day and drive back to Kigali after the trek.
City of Kigali, which started in 1907 as a small colonial outpost with little link to the outside world, is now 100 years old. Today, City of Kigali has come of age-as the capital of Rwanda and made phenomenal strides. It is a city that has not just survived, but has prevailed and has grown into a modern metropolis- a heart of the emerging Rwandan economy and a pride of every Rwandan.
The last day of the Best of Rwanda Gorilla Safari will be spent at Mount Karisimbi. Mount Karisimbi is an inactive volcano in the Virunga Mountains on the border between Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo. At 4,507 metres (14,787 ft), Karisimbi is the highest of the eight major mountains of the mountain range, which is a part of Albertine Rift, the western branch of the East African Rift.
At the end of the Best of Rwanda Gorilla Safari, guests return to Kigali for their departing flight.
| Itinerary Accommodation at a Glance | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Day | Departure Point | Arrival Point | Meal Plan |
| 1 | Kigali |
Akagera National Park |
L,D |
| 2 | Akargera National Park – (Game Drive) |
Akagera National Park |
B, L, D |
| 3 | Akagera National Park |
Kigali |
B, L, D |
| 4 | Kigali |
Nyungwe Forrest National Park |
B, L, D |
| 5 | Nyungwe Forest National Park – (Chimpanzee Trek) |
Nyungwe Forrest National Park |
B, L, D |
| 6 | Nyungwe Forrest National Park – (Colobus Monkey Trek) |
Nyungwe Forrest National Park |
B, L, D |
| 7 | Nyungwe Forest Nationl Park |
Kibuye – Lake Kivu |
B, L, D |
| 8 | Kibuye – Lake Kivu |
Gisenyi – Lake Kivu |
B, L, D |
| 9 | Gisenyi – Lake Kivu |
Volvcanoes National Park |
B, L, D |
| 10 | Volcanoes National Park – (Gorilla Trek) |
Volvcanoes National Park |
B, L |
| 11 | Volcanoes Natioal Park – (Golden Monkey Trek) |
Volvcanoes National Park |
B, L, D |
| 12 | Volcanoes National Park (Dian Fossey Trek) |
Kigali |
B, L |
| 13 | Kigali |
Mt Karisimbi |
B, L, D |
| 14 | Mt Karisimbi | Kigali | B, L |
