Get Closer to Gorillas & Volcanoes On This Adventurous Rwanda Safari

Author: Priyanka Saxena on Mar 15,2024

Rwanda is a home to wild mountain gorillas. Travelers seeking for real gorilla trekking, land to Rwanda and get the most out of their safari. If planning a Rwanda safari is next on your checklist, do let us help. This 8-day Rwanda Safari itinerary is tailored to fill your expedition with excitement and adventure. Go deeper into the forest, follow the footprints of Gorillas, spot golden monkeys, be a part of the iconic Intore dance ceremony, and much more on your Rwanda Safari. 

 

Trip Highlights

Trek into the depths of Volcano National park and spot the wild mountain gorillas

Summit the postcard-perfect Bisoke Volcano, and enjoy being at the top of the mountains.

Look for golden monkeys in the forest and revel by the first move they make after seeing you

Spend four days cycling and kayaking the Congo Nile Trail, a beautiful stretch of rural Rwanda along the shores of Lake Kivu

Get connected to the local culture on a four-day expedition, including the rare chance to see an Intore dance ceremony

 

Places Visited:

Volcanoes National Park, Mount Bisoke, Bisoke Crater Lakes, Lake Kivu, Congo Nile Trail,

A tour at a glance

Tour Price

Our private tours typically range from $500 - $1000 per person/per night depending on chosen hotels and room categories, vehicles used, types of tours, flight cost, time of year and other factors. Make an inquiry for a customized trip quote.

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Detailed Itinerary

Day 1: Spend the first night in the forest

A drive from Kigali to Volcano National Park will make you see the unseen landscape of Africa. While descending down in Kigali, you will find that it is a home to more than 1000 hills. If this does not grab your attention, the remoteness and intensity of the Volcano National park will surely do. The roads that you will be traveling will be one of the unseen roads of Africa that western eyes havent seen until after Germany declared it was their colony. Enjoy all this while driving to the park and check into your lodge in the evening. Sit back and relax in your room while enjoying the view of mist floating around the forest.

Day 2: A day full of adventure: Gorilla trekking at Volcano National Park

Volcano National Park is, no doubt, famous for its thrilling gorilla trekking but it is not the only thing to enjoy there. At the beginning of your trekking, the first thing that you will encounter with will be the elephants. These giant wilds will cross your way right at the beginning of your trek. While you are following the footprints of Gorillas, elephants herds of varied size will grab your attention making you go wow for them. You might be following the footprints but the gorillas may not. 
They will come right in front of you without getting aware of your presence. You will be assigned to troops based on your fitness levels, with older travelers usually trekking to the gorillas closest to the trailhead. We have only 1,000 mountain gorillas left with us. One glance from them will quickly respect the seven-meter proximity rule. So, utilize this trek better by capturing incredible gorilla trekking pictures on your camera. Return to the lodge and prepare yourself for tomorrow.

Day 3: Ascending the meadow slopes of Bisoke Volcano

You might feel tired after yesterdays trek but the enchanting forest and coming trek will make you crave for more and more. On todays trek, you will following a narrow trail, with the guides, who sometimes clear overhanging branches away with their machetes. After spending two hours in the forest, you will be ready to ascend the meadow slopes of Bisoke Volcano. It is not the highest of the parks volcanoes, but it is the most iconic one. On top of it, you will get to see a dazzling view of the land of the gorillas, such a thick canopy of complementary green colors.

Day 4: Spotting golden monkeys and overnight stay on Lake Kivu

This would be the shortest trek of this Rwanda safari. You will be greeted by blue faces and soft golden fur, along with curious grins and peculiar frowns. Watch them doing activities and return to the lodge for lunch. After lunch, take a drive to the shores of Lake Kivu. This cute little town is the starting point of the Congo Nile Trail, and you will spend the night, resting your legs before exploring the town.

Day 5-8: Gisenyi to Kibuye; Do exciting things at a leisurely pace

A magnificent trail that runs the eastern length of Lake Kivu will become the next thrilling zone of your Rwanda safari. This trail connects rural villages and ascending across the green hills. The roads are less traveled and the paths are too narrow to be used without a vehicle. You might spot cows and goats roaming around the villages. There are some parts, where you may get a chance to ride across lush green fields, beneath the shade of coconut palms. Enjoy the typical cycling tour from Gisenyi to Kibuye for three days. Make an expedition, combining cycling and kayaking, and connect with a remote and unseen land that is rarely witnessed by foreigners. Let the villagers greet you with huge smiles, making the experience more happening. Witness the Intore dance ceremony and revelry the beats of drums and moves of dancers. Arrive in Kibuye on day eight and spend the final night of the expedition at a lodge on the lakeshore, returning from the rural land to some more modern Western luxuries.

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