This 9 Days Rwanda Safari Tour is one of the most unique experiences that you could every book for your Rwanda Holiday. It covers all the 3 National Parks of Rwanda with a luxury lodging experience staying 2 Nights at The Retreat in Kigali, staying at One & Only Gorilla’s Nest Lodge in Volcanoes, 2 Nights at One & Only Nyungwe House plus 2 Nights at Magashi Camp for Wildness Safaris.
Get full immersed up with our 9 days Rwanda safari tour that puts you in contact with nature including a rare meeting with the mountain gorillas and the great chimpanzees and a rare savannah safari experience at the Magashi peninsular inside Akagera National Park. This is one of the best way to experience the country’s by booking this 9 Days Rwanda Safari Tour.
One & Only Gorillas Nest Lodge -Queen Room
Day 1: Arrival Kigali International Airport – The Retreat by Heaven
Rwanda’s capital and biggest city stretches across undulating lush hills surrounded by towering mountains, the largest of which is Mount Kigali, rising 1850 metres above sea level. Kigali is the country’s financial, commercial and cultural hub, served by an international airport and featuring a wide range of accommodation options, restaurants and points of interest, including the Kigali Genocide Centre, an atmospheric market and numerous craft shops. With its interesting architecture, busy streets, meandering boulevards, and green hillsides, Kigali is said to be one of the most attractive cities in Africa and is definitely worth a visit.
Day Itinerary
- Arrival flight time TBA
- Pick up from Kigali International Airport for a 25 minutes transfer to Retreat Heaven Boutique Hotel.
- 1800: Dinner and overnight stay at the hotel.
Overnight: The Retreat by Heaven
Town & Country and The New York Times call The Retreat in Rwanda one of the top new hotels in the world in 2019. The American owners of Heaven Restaurant created The Retreat, a 12-room luxury boutique hotel located on a tree-lined street steps from Kigali City Center and 20 minutes from the airport. 8 new luxury pool villas are under construction and will be open by December 2020.
The Retreat is Kigali’s first eco-friendly resort and features solar electricity, organic toiletries, locally-crafted furniture from a Tanzanian sustainable teak farm, outdoor showers, private terraces, a yoga and meditation room, spa, large heated saltwater swimming pool with jacuzzi and diving rocks, and an open-air fitness center.
Fusion Restaurant and its Swahili-inspired bar, located at The Retreat, offer delicious farm-to-table international cuisine, while Heaven Restaurant (reached through the Retreat’s “Stairway to Heaven”) offers an innovative modern African menu. The Retreat is the perfect choice to host guests for 1 night or several days as it offers innovative, curated cultural experiences and exciting activities in and around Kigali. From public health to hospitality, co-owners Alissa & Josh Ruxin created Heaven Restaurant in 2008 to provide jobs and vocational training in hospitality, to date, Heaven and The Retreat have trained over 1000 Rwandans in hospitality skills. Half Board – Dinner, Bed and Breakfast
Day 2: Kigali – Volcanoes National Park – 9 Days Rwanda Safari Tour
Bordering the Democratic Republic of Congo in Rwanda, the Volcanoes National Park is best known as a sanctuary for the region’s rare mountain gorillas. Visitors flock here to experience a face to face encounter with these intriguing creatures. The park is set high on the jungle-covered slopes of the volcanic Virunga Mountains. Highly regulated treks through the reserve allow visitors to spend an hour at a time with these incredible primates in their natural habitat. While the gorillas are without a doubt the main drawcard, visitors can also look forward to exploring a network of scenic hiking trails, visiting the tomb of the world-famous Dian Fossey and the Karisoke Research Centre, and enjoying a beautiful day hike to the Crater Lake on Mount Bisoke.
Day Itinerary – Part of 9 Days Rwanda Safari Tour
- 0800: Begin your 9 Days Rwanda Safari Tour with a morning breakfast.
- 0900: Transfer to Volcanoes National Park
- 1200: Arrival at One & Only Gorillas Nest Lodge.
- 1300: Lunch for the day and spend the rest of the afternoon on relaxation.
- 1500: The rest of the afternoon is for relaxation around the lodge.
- 1800: Dinner and overnight stay at the One &Only Gorillas Nest Lodge.
Overnight: One&Only Gorilla’s Nest
Located in the foothills of the Virunga Mountains in Rwanda, One&Only Gorilla’s Nest is an excellent option for a nature vacation. The surrounding area offers attractions and activities such as embarking on a safari in the National Park and gorilla spotting in their natural habitat. The hotel features a selection of comfortably furnished rooms and suites to ensure guests enjoy a relaxing and unforgettable stay.
The elegant suites and lodges are decorated in a modern African style and feature beautiful views of the natural surrounding as well as amenities such as minibars, internet access, TVs, dining areas and spacious bathrooms with nature views. At the Nest restaurant, guests can get a taste of delicious Rwandan cuisine made with fresh seasonal ingredients. Guests can also relax with a drink at the bar which serves a variety of beverages.
Basis Full Board – Dinner, Bed, Breakfast and Lunch
Day 3: Gorilla Trekking & Community Visit Volcanoes
Day Itinerary
- 0600: Begin the day with a morning breakfast.
- 0630: Transfer to the park headquarters for gorilla trekking briefing.
- 0800: Start the gorilla trekking in Volcanoes National Park.
- 1200: Estimated time of returning from the jungle.
- 1230: Transfer back to the Lodge.
- 1300: Lunch at the Lodge.
- 1500: Visit to Iby’Iwacu Cultural Village.
- 1800: Dinner and overnight stay at the One &Only Gorillas Nest Lodge.
Activities
Gorilla Trekking Volcanoes National Park
Gorilla Trekking in the Volcanoes National Park offers visitors the unique opportunity of discovering the 10 families of gorillas that live within the national park. Visitors can enjoy a cup of coffee before the trek starts and will be separated into groups of 8 depending on their physical abilities. Each group is guided by a guide and two scouts who are well trained in emergency situations. The amount of time set aside per trek is different depending on where the gorilla family is situated. Some trips may take as little as half an hour and some taking the better part of the day.
Offering an adventurous stay in a traditional rural, Rwandan village that has existed for centuries living with and next to mountain gorillas in Parc National des Volcans. Iby’Iwacu Cultural Village gives you a rare chance to meet local people, in their environment, with a taste of our culture and traditions. The community you visit will genuinely welcome you as a special guest while they proudly present to you aspects of their traditions and beliefs. This will truly be an experience of a lifetime as you home stay with the community and become part of their family
Basis Full Board – Dinner, Bed, Breakfast and Lunch
Day 4: Volcanoes – Nyungwe Forest National Park
Situated in south-western Rwanda, the Nyungwe Forest National Park is known for its exceptional biodiversity and its wide range of endemic species. The park is composed of lush tracts of rainforest set high up on fertile mountain slopes. It is one of Africa’s most ancient forests and the home of Rwanda’s sole remaining chimpanzee population, as well as 85 additional mammal species, 43 reptile species, nearly 300 bird species and over 1000 plant species. Visitors can enjoy spotting Colobus monkeys and chimpanzees hiding in the trees, hiking on a well-maintained network of trails passing through lush equatorial rainforest and catching a glimpse of a beautiful array of colourful birdlife. Don’t miss the thrilling Canopy Walk, it is one of its kind in Africa and offers impressive views of the forest.
Day Itinerary – 9 Days Rwanda Safari Tour
- 0800: Begin the day with a morning breakfast.
- 0830: Prepare for a transfers to Nyungwe Forests.
- 1300: Estimated time to arrive at Nyungwe forests.
- 1330: Take on an early lunch at the Lodge.
- 1600: Take part in the Complimentary Lodge activities.
- 1800: Overnight and dinner at One &Only Nyungwe Lodge.
Overnight: One&Only Nyungwe House
One& Only Nyungwe House is set amongst the rich tea-plantations of Gisakura, In Southwest Rwanda, just south of Lake Kivu on the Burundi border. The property is set on the edge of the iconic Nyungwe National Park, which covers approximately 1020 square kilometers of rainforest, bamboo, and swamps. The accommodations at this lodge provide a sense of tranquility with a fireplace and picturesque private deck. All rooms include breakfast, lunch, and dinner while featuring tea and coffee facilities and an en-suite bathroom with an indoor shower, wilderness-view shower and stand-alone bath.
The One& Only Spa provides relaxing treatments, while the One& Only Gym allows guests space and equipment for a refreshing workout. Additionally, guests can relax in the infinity pool while having a snack and drink and enjoy a meal by the trees with a picnic or at the elegant restaurant.
Basis Full Board – Dinner, Bed, Breakfast and Lunch
Day 5: Chimpanzee & Canopy Walk -Nyungwe Forest National Park
Day Itinerary
- 0500: Begin the day with a morning breakfast.
- 0530: Prepare for transfers to Park headquarters for Chimpanzee trek briefing.
- 0530: Start the Chimpanzee trekking in Nyungwe forests.
- 1230: Estimated time to return from the jungle.
- 1330: Lunch at the Lodge.
- 1500: Start the Canopy walk experience in Nyungwe forests.
- 1800: Overnight and dinner at One &Only Nyungwe Lodge.
Activities – Part of 9 Days Rwanda Safari Tour
Nyungwe Forest National Park Cyamudongo Forest Chimpanzee Trekking
Located within the Nyungwe National Park, the Nyungwe Forest National Park Cyamudongo Forest Chimpanzee Trekking provides visitors with a unique chimpanzee experience. Visitors will follow a path through the lush vegetation to a point where they will be able to witness the chimpanzees acting out their daily activities, such as waking up, eating and socializing within their natural environment.
Canopy Walks Nyungwe Forest
The canopy walk takes place four times a day (8am, 10am, 1pm and 5pm). The experience lasts around 2 hours total, with a 30 minute walk to the bridge, 1 hour on the bridge and a walk back. The forest walkway bridge provides the ideal opportunity to spot Colobus Monkeys and birdlife. At its central point the bridge reaches a height of around (90m).
Basis Full Board – Dinner, Bed, Breakfast and Lunch
Day 6: Nyungwe – The Retreat by Heaven, Kigali
Day Itinerary
- 0800: Begin the day with a morning breakfast.
- 0830: Relaxing and chilling at the hotel.
- 1200: An early lunch at the Lodge.
- 1300: Prepare for a return transfer back to Kigali.
- 1400: Visit the Ethnographic Museum.
- 1730: Estimated time to arrive in Kigali ready.
- 1800: Dinner & Overnight stay at The Retreat Heaven.
Ethnographic Museum Rwanda
Located in Huye, south of Kigali, Ethnographic Museum is one of the six museums that make up the Institute of National Museums of Rwanda. This Museum was built in 1987, and now houses one of Africa’s finest ethnographic collections. Its seven galleries display historical, ethnographic, artistic and archaeological artefacts accompanied by visual aids, giving visitors a rich insight into the culture of Rwandans.
Basis Half Board – Dinner, Bed and Breakfast
Day 7: Kigali – Magashi, Akagera National Park
Akagera National Park
Bordering Tanzania in eastern Rwanda, Akagera National Park is central Africa’s largest protected wetland and the last refuge for savannah-adapted species in the country. Stretching across a vast expanse of low-lying mountains and savannah plains, the park takes in the rolling highlands woodlands, swamp-fringed lakes, and wetlands of the Kagera River along the way. Crocodiles and hippos wallow in the park’s watery basins, predator’s prowl through its acacia groves, and elephant, zebra, giraffe, buffalo and other animals roam across its grassy plains. Bursting with a rich biodiversity, the park features a variety of rare species, as well as a plentitude of mammals and hundreds of bird species.
Day Itinerary – 9 Days Rwanda Safari Tour
- 0830: Begin the day with a morning breakfast.
- 0900: Visit the Kigali Genocide Memorial Centre.
- 1000: Transfer to Akagera National Park to the Northern gate.
- 1230: Arrival at the Akagera National Park.
- 1300: Get in to Magashi Camp Game drive safari vehicles and be transferred to Magashi.
- 1330: Arrival at Magashi Camp and check in.
- 1330: Lunch and afternoon activities by the lodge.
- 1800: Dinner and overnight stay at Magashi Camp.
Overnight: Magashi
Magashi Camp is situated in the productive and phenomenally diverse north-eastern corner of Akagera National Park, overlooking scenic Lake Rwanyakizinga. Akagera comprises some of the most scenic savannah in East Africa – open plains, woodlands, lakes, swamp and grassy low mountains – and is home to one of Africa’s highest hippo densities, large crocodiles, as well as the rare sitatunga and almost 500 species of birds. Teeming with plains game, Akagera also boasts a healthy population of lion which were introduced by African Parks in 2015 after a 20-year absence; black rhino were reintroduced in 2017. Magashi – the only exclusive-use area in Akagera – also harbours a good density of leopard.
INSIDER’S TIP: Our core Purpose in Akagera is to help conserve Rwanda’s last protected savannah ecosystem, and species like black rhino and the rare and elusive shoebill; furthermore, our presence here will contribute towards enabling it to become economically self-sufficient for the first time.
Kigali Genocide Memorial & Museum
Located just outside of Kigali City Centre in the Gasabo district, Kigali Genocide Memorial & Museum was created by a joint partnership of the Kigali City Council and the UK-based Aegis Trust. The centre is an extremely moving, challenging, educational and ultimately inspiring as well as a great place to understand the cause, tragedy and successful rebuilding post-genocide.
The memorial hosts a tour which is transparent and educational but very sombre and humbling when guests realise that over 250,000 deceased are buried on the site of the memorial.
Basis Full Board Plus – Dinner, Bed, Breakfast, Lunch and Activities.
Day 8: Full Day in Akagera National Park – Part of 9 Days Rwanda Safari Tour.
Day Itinerary
- 0630: Begin the day with a morning breakfast.
- 0700: Morning game drive in Akagera National Park and other days activities by the lodge.
- 1400: Boat safari in Akagera on Lake Rwanyakizinga.
- 1800: Dinner and overnight stay at Magashi Camp.
Akagera National Park Game Drive
Lead by a guide, Akagera National Park Game Drive occurs early in the mornings and late in the afternoons. While driving along the park tracks in a 4WD Safari vehicle, passengers will have the chance to spot animals such as hyenas, elephants, various buffalo and lions.
Akagera National Park Evening Boat Cruise
For a stress-free nature experience, tourists can embark on the Akagera National Park Evening Boat Cruise. The cruise will take visitors on an unforgettable journey as the sun sets. The lakes and surrounds offer views of wildlife such as cormorants, hippos and crocodiles. Knowledgeable guides are on hand to answer any questions and point out points of interest along the cruise.
Basis Full Board Plus – Dinner, Bed, Breakfast, Lunch and Activities.
Day 9: Akagera – Kigali – 9 Days Rwanda Safari Tour.
Day Itinerary
- 0800: Begin the day with a morning breakfast.
- 1000: Prepare for a return transfer back to Kigali.
- 1200: Lunch at Magashi Camp.
- 1430/1500: Pick up from the north gate back to Kigali.
- 1500: Transfer to Kigali International Airport.
- 1740: Check in for your outbound flight to your next destination.
Basis Bed and Breakfast & Lunch.
Included in 9 Days Rwanda Safari Tour
- Meet and greet assistance on arrival
- Airport and inter-hotel transfers from day 1 to the last day
- Accommodation at the Retreat Kigali on Half board basis
- All activities as highlighted in the itinerary
- One & Only Nyungwe House includes breakfast, lunch and dinner daily, minibar, non-alcoholic beverages, alcoholic house beverages with meals and two activities per person per day (as defined by the Resort and subject to change without notice).
- One & Only Gorillas Nest includes breakfast, lunch and dinner daily, minibar, non-alcoholic beverages, alcoholic house beverages with meals and two activities per person per day (as defined by the Resort and subject to change without notice).
- Accommodation at Magashi Camp includes: – All meals, All local drinks (excludes premium imported brands and champagne), Laundry, Complimentary in-room welcome massage (**additional massages would be for guests own account), Wireless internet connection in room only, Local Government taxes. In the event of a change in local taxes or the introduction of additional taxes, these rates will be adjusted accordingly
- 1 Gorilla permit per person (this includes briefing at RDB offices, guide, trek – US$ 1500.-)
- 1 Chimp trek permit per person (this includes briefing at RDB offices, guide, trek – US$ 90.-)
- Canopy walk permit per person (this includes briefing at RDB offices, guide, trek – US$ 60.-)
- Exclusive use of a private safari land cruiser 4×4 with WI-FI in receptive areas
- Services of a professional, experienced English speaking driver guide
- Village/ Cultural Visit in Volcanoes
- Bottled mineral water in the vehicle during the tour
- Emergency Medical Evacuation Services
- Our assistance
Excluded from 9 Days Rwanda Safari Tour
- International and domestic airline tickets unless where indicated,
- All extra activities, visits, entrances and extra meals/drinks not mentioned in the itinerary
- entry visa fees,
- optional extras whilst in Kigali
- drinks throughout the trip,
- tips and gratuities,
- Personal expenses such as telephone calls, mini bar, porter-age, travel insurance, etc.