6 Days Idyllic Safaris and Gorilla Encounters
Marvel at the open plains, woodlands and swampy areas of Akagera National Park that Lions, elephants and all the other animals call home on this 6 days safari. End your safari deep in the montane forest of Rwanda for an unforgettable experience of being in the presence of the rarest and largest primate on the planet.
- Overview
- Itinerary
- Price
- Before You Go
Itinerary at a Glance
Arrival
Kigali City tour and transfer to Akagera National Park
Game drive and a boat ride
Scenic Tour and Fly to Volcanoes National Park
Gorilla trekking
Departure
Arrival
On your arrival at Kigali International Airport, you will be met by our meet and greet team who will assist you with your luggage. You’ll be transferred to Serena Hotel one of the city’s premier five-star hotel. In case you don’t want to dinner at your hotel, let know and we take you to one of our fancy restaurant.
Kigali City tour and transfer to Akagera National Park
Over the last two decades, Rwanda’s lush, hilly capital has developed into a vibrant cosmopolitan destination, teeming with art, culture, and cuisine. Plus, the attractive urban center is one of the cleanest and safest cities in all of Africa. Sip bold, sustainable java at Question Coffee Café and venture to where the first modern building (Kandt house Museum) was built, which laid the foundations for Rwanda’s capital city; Kigali. Pay an emotional visit to the Genocide Memorial Site and learn how the country has dealt with its past and recovered to stand today as a testament to humankind’s resilience. The memorial serves as the final resting place for more than 250,000 victims of the genocide. Next, journey through bustling neighborhoods for an authentic taste of Kigali life and go for a lunch buffet. Later, you’ll be transferred to Akagera National Park, covering 1122 sq. km. Estimated distance is 2-3 hours’ drive via the fascinating landscape of Rwanda. The diversity of habitats is unique including complex network of lakes and channels, marshes, savannah and rolling hills to make a spectacular scenery. You will quickly find the majestic panoramas sweeping from white thorn acacia to papyrus rising out of the vast savanna supporting the likes of elephants, zebra, buffalo, and approximately 500 different bird species. Proceed to the lodge to unwind before heading out into the park for a night game drive. During the night game drive in AKagera National Park, the bushes are different with reflection of the star and moon, seeing the eyes of the animals reflect the car light gold. End your day in the superb Magashi tented suite overlooking Lake Rwanyakizinga .
Game drive and a boat ride
You will have an early morning breakfast followed by a day game drive, As the sun sets fire to the savannah, you’ll have the chance to view more animals around the park include lions, elephants, giraffes, leopards, zebras, hippos, some antelope enthusiastic in the morning ambiance among many others with your guide coming in hand to give you all the details of the fauna you will have spotted plus their ways of life and later drive back to the lodge. Take a sunset boat ride on the lake, unwind as you enjoy a sundowner before another incredible dinner at Magash Camp.
Scenic Tour and Fly to Volcanoes National Park
This being your last day in the park, you will have to a leisurely breakfast and later an amazing wildlife experience. You will go for a scenic tour of Akagera National Park. You will spot the lions, giraffes, zebras, from up above the sky! After one hour scenic safari, fly to Musanze Airstrip. Meet your drive and proceed to the Lodge. Check in at Bisate Lodge and immerse in the luxury of the camp. In the evening, amble around Bisate’s vegetable garden or visit the local reforestation nursery to plant a tree, and enjoy an excellent selection of birding and nature walks, either with a guide or by yourself.
Gorilla trekking
After an early breakfast, drive from the lodge to Kinigi Headquarters where you will register for the gorilla trekking. Once you’ve been divided into parties of 8, assigned a gorilla family. You’ll have a briefing from the park guide; you will be driven to the trailhead where you will start the walk to reach your mountain gorilla group. Your experienced trackers use their knowledge of the gorillas’ habits to locate their whereabouts. Upon sighting the gorillas, you stay with them for a magical hour, admire the behavior of the gorillas as they go about their daily lives feeding, youngster playing and picking open fruit and throwing it through the air, resting and raising their young. Occasionally one, often a playful youngster, will approach you with curiosity, sometimes coming so close that you’ll have to move away. At that moment, the world seems to come alive, and your view of the natural world is changed to include creatures humans have so feared for thousands of years. Afterward, drive back to the lodge for a highly specialized massages that will leave you feeling refreshed, renewed and at one with yourself.
Departure
After breakfast, relax at the lodge with the breathtaking view of the volcanoes. After lunch, fly to Kigali and connect with your flight back home.
Prices are in USD, per person, based on double occupancy
Tour Includes
Tour Excludes
Getting here
Airlines servicing Kigali International Airport are: RwandAir, Kenya Airways, Ethiopian Airlines, Brussels Airlines, KLM, Qatar Airways and Turkish Airlines. Scheduled helicopter transfers within Rwanda are available through Akagera Aviation.
Passport and visas
Applicants should have a valid passport or another acceptable travel document. The document must have a validity of at least six months on the day of entry into Rwanda. As of 1st January 2018, nationals of all countries receive a visa on arrival at Kigali International Airport and all land borders. Visas can be applied for before departure, by submitting an application online, with the option to pay online or upon arrival.
Vaccinations
Travelers should ensure they are up to date with vaccinations, following the advice of their local healthcare provider. A certificate of yellow fever vaccination is required. At least 8 weeks before your trip, check the latest country-specific health advice from the National Travel Health Network and Centre (NaTHNaC) on the TravelHealthPro website. https://travelhealthpro.org.uk/country/187/rwanda, each country-specific page has information on vaccine recommendations, any current health risks or outbreaks, and factsheets with information on staying healthy abroad.
The greatest health risks in Rwanda are accidents and malaria. Much of Rwanda lies at too high an elevation for malaria to be a major concern, but the disease is present and prophylactic drugs are recommended. Travellers should seek professional medical advice on taking anti-malarial medicines and take precautions to avoid mosquito bites, especially between dawn and dusk.
COVID-19 Requirements
All travellers must provide printed, documented proof of a negative COVID-19 RT-PCR test, taken within 72 hours of boarding your flight to Rwanda, immediately upon arrival.
Note: The negative RT-PCR test result will be the only type accepted. Other tests, such as Rapid Diagnostics Test (RDTs), are not accepted.
All travellers are required to complete and submit a “Rwanda Passenger Locator Form” to assist in contact tracing. To access this form, please https://travel.rbc.gov.rw/travel/.
You must provide printed, documented proof of a negative COVID-19 RT-PCR test each time they visit Volcanoes and Nyungwe National Parks. Rapid Diagnosis Test (RDTs) is accepted for check-in at any hotel or lodge and in Akagera National park
Note: all passengers arriving from or have traveled to India and Uganda in last 7 days are required to complete 7 days in mandatory quarantine upon arrival at the designated hotels. Please visit https://rbc.gov.rw/index.php?id=188 for an up-to-date list of approved. This quarantine requirement does not apply to transit passengers.
Note: COVID rules and regulations are subject to change from time to time. Get in touch with us for accurate new rules before travel.
Climate
Fractionally south of the Equator and with much of the country lying at altitude, Rwanda enjoys an agreeable tropical highland climate. Peak temperatures rarely exceed 30°C (86°F) in the daytime or drop below 15°C (59°F) at night. Akagera is generally the warmest and the Virunga Mountains the coolest and the average daily temperature in Kigali is 21°C (70°F). There are two rainy seasons in a year, from mid-February to May and mid-September to mid-December. The dry season, from June to mid-September, sees light cloud cover and occasional light rainfall. The roads and paths tend to be easier to navigate in this period
Money
The Rwandan franc (Rfw) is the principal currency, although US dollars are widely accepted. Expect to pay for local services in cash, in Rwandan francs. Dollar series of 2006 below are note accepted in national park and for exchange they have a lesser exchange value together with smaller notes below 50$. A growing number of places accept credit and debit cards, with Visa being more widely accepted than Mastercard. It’s best to check when making a booking. Cash can be exchanged at banks and private forex bureaux (bureau de change) but Both are closed on Sundays and public holidays. ATMs can be found in Kigali and nearly all major cities. It may be impossible to exchange traveler’s cheques away from the capital. Western Union facilities are common.
Electricity: 230v 50Hz
Time: GMT + 2:00
Telephone: International telephone code +250
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