14 Days Rwanda Safari Tour – Overview

The 14 Days Rwanda safari is a comprehensive safari in Rwanda tour that incorporates scenery, wildlife, primates (gorillas, chimpanzees and colobus monkeys), recreation water encounters, volcano climbing, culture scenery viewing, and much more.

The 12 days safari to Rwanda takes you through Akagera National Park which is the largest protected area in Rwanda known for its lowland lying savannah combretum that supports a great deal of wildlife.

It includes the Butare and Nyanza area with its culture and heritage encounters including the King’s palace, the Nyungwe Forest National Park which is the largest montane forest in East Africa with its chimpanzee trekking, colobus monkey tracking, and Nyungwe canopy walks,

You will relax at the recreational water encounters on Lake Kivu, gorilla trekking, Dian Fossey hike, Karisimbi Volcano climbing, and Twin Lakes walk in the Volcanoes National Park.

The Rwanda safari also incorporates various genocide sites to enable you to have an image of what transpired in Rwanda during the 1994 horror.

14 Days Safari in Rwanda Tour- Highlights

Day 1: Arrive in Kigali

Day 2: Transfer to Akagera National Park & do a boat cruise

Day 3: Do a game drive & transfer to Butare

Day 4: Encounter Butare (Nyanza palace, Ethnographic Museum & Murambi genocide memorial site)

Day 5: Transfer to Nyungwe Forest National Park & do a nature walk

Day 6: Do Chimpanzee trekking & community tour

Day 7: Do colobus monkey tracking & Nyungwe canopy walk

Day 8: Transfer to Lake Kivu (Gisenyi area)

Day 9: Encounter Lake Kivu & transfer to Volcanoes National Park (visit Iby’wachu cultural village in the evening)

Day 10: Do gorilla trekking & nature walk to Lakes Ruhondo and Bulera.

Day 11 & 12: Climb Karisimbi Volcano

Day 13: Hike Dian Fossey center & transfer to Kigali

Day 14: Visit the Gisozi genocide memorial, Remera Heroes Cemetery & entire Kigali city tour

The 14 Days Rwanda Tour – Detailed Itinerary

Day 1: Arrive in Kigali

Arrive in Rwanda through its main gateway where you will find the guide waiting for you. You will be transferred to your respective hotel for dinner and overnight.

Accommodation: Kigali Serena Hotel (Luxury/upmarket), Hotel Chez Lando (Midrange/standard) or Discover Rwanda Youth hostel (Budget/basic).

Day 2: Transfer to Akagera National Park And Do Boat Cruise

After breakfast, embark on a transfer to Akagera National Park – the largest Savannah Park in Rwanda 130km about 2.5 hours’ drive from Kigali city.

You will have lunch from the park and embark on the boat cruise on Lake Ihema in the afternoon where you will be able to spot water birds, Hippos, and Nile crocodiles among other species.

Accommodation: Ruzizi Tented Camp (Luxury/upmarket), Akagera game lodge (Midrange/standard) or Dereva Hotel (Budget/basic).

Day 3: Do Game Drive And Transfer to Butare

Wake up for an early morning game drive to catch up with early risers and nocturnal getting back to their hiding places before dawn.

You will be exposed to a range of wildlife including; giraffes, elephants, buffalo, zebra, and a range of antelope.

Return to the lodge for relaxation from 11:00 am till lunchtime. In the afternoon, you will embark on the transfer to Butare 247km about 4 hours drive to the south of Rwanda arriving in the evening for dinner and overnight.

Accommodation: Barthos Hotel (Upmarket/Luxury), Hotel Faucon (Midrange/Standard) or Shalom Guest House (Budget/Basic).

Day 4: Encounter Butare (Nyanza Palace, Ethnographic Museum & Murambi Genocide Memorial Site)

After breakfast, embark on the encounter of Butare with its range of heritage attractions. Visit the Butare National Museum also known as the ethnographic museum which is the largest in Rwanda with over 100,000 artifacts featuring Rwanda’s past.

You will also visit the Murambi genocide memorial to pay tribute to thousands of Rwandese who were killed in cold blood as a result of the bloody genocide considered one of the catastrophic events that man and the entire world encountered in 1994.

In the afternoon, you will pay a visit to the Nyanza palace which is the palace of Rwanda Kings including King Musinga and his successor King Rudahigwa.

The palace has unique huts crafted in typical traditional Rwandan architecture while the Inyambo long-horned cows will impress you not only because of their beauty but also their parade.

Attend the traditional performances of the Banyarwanda in the evening. Retire for overnight.

Accommodation: You will spend an overnight at your previous lodge.

Day 5: Transfer to Nyungwe Forest National Park And Do a Nature Walk

After breakfast, embark on the transfer to Nyungwe Forest National Park which is the largest montane forest in the whole of East Africa which is 155km approximately 3 hours’ drive from Butare.

The drive exposes you to the scenic sights of Rwanda’s hillsides. You will arrive early for lunch after which you will take nature walks in the forest along its designated trails that range from colored trails to Mount Bigugu trail which will allow you to explore the natural setting of this mountainous forest environment. Retire for dinner and overnight.

Accommodation: Nyungwe Forest Lodge (Luxury/Upmarket), Nyungwe Hill Top Hotel (Midrange/ Standard) or Gisakura Guest House (Budget/Basic).

Day 6: Do Chimpanzee Trekking & Community Tour

Wake up for an early breakfast before embarking on the Chimpanzee tour at 08:00 am. It will be a half-day activity seeing Chimps feed, play, and hunt before returning to the lodge.

In the evening, you will take a community tour to the adjacent community tea plantations and explore the traditions of Rwandese including impressive music dance drama, and handicrafts.

Accommodation: You will have dinner and overnight at your lodge.

Day 7: Do Colobus Monkey Tracking & Nyungwe Canopy Walk

After breakfast, embark on the colobus monkey trek to encounter the largest grouping of colobus monkeys in Africa.

You will be mesmerized by their black and white skin color and their enormous numbers as they swing through the branches of this ancient forest of Nyungwe.

The experience is quite rewarding and will create memories on this Rwanda safari. Other monkey species like Vervet and Lhoest monkeys can be spotted.

Return to the lodge for lunch and relaxation and in the afternoon you will do the canopy walk, the first of its kind in East Africa where you will be able to spot a range of species swinging in the tree-top branches mostly primates and a variety of birds.

Accommodation: Spend an overnight at your previous lodge.

Day 8: Transfer to Lake Kivu (Gisenyi Area)

After breakfast, embark on the transfer to Lake Kivu (Gisenyi area) driving through impressive scenic landscapes marked by Rwandan hillsides and the views of Lake Kivu as it stretches from Cyangungu in the south through Kibuye eventually to Gisenyi.

You will have a lunch stop in Kibuye and continue to arrive in Gisenyi in the afternoon for relaxation and overnight.

Accommodation: Lake Kivu Serena Hotel (Upmarket/luxury), Palm Beach (Budget/basic) or Hotel Gorillas Lake Kivu (Midrange/standard).

Day 9: Encounter Lake Kivu And Transfer to Volcanoes National Park (visit Iby’wachu Cultural Village in The Evening)

You have a whole day at Kivu Lake enjoying a range of activities that you can choose from including; boat cruise, fishing, cycling, hiking, water sports such as Kayaking, catamaran, Jet Ski and win surfing.

In the afternoon, you will transfer to Volcanoes National Park and visit the Iby’wachu cultural village en route to have an encounter with the traditions of Rwanda exploring their architecture, way of life, music dance drama, and handicrafts among others. Continue to your respective lodge for dinner and overnight.

Accommodation: Lapalme Hotel (Midrange/standard), Muhabura Hotel (Budget/basic) or Mountain Gorilla View Hotel (Luxury/upmarket).

Day 10: Do Gorilla Trekking and A Nature Walk to Lakes Ruhondo and Bulera.

Wake up as early as possible to have breakfast before converging at the Park Headquarters at Kinigi at 08:00 am for briefing and eventual commencement of the gorilla trekking encounter.

The activity of trekking can take 2 – 8 hours thus it is important to carry with you packed lunch. One hour will be allocated to you to interact physically with the gorillas and photos and questions are allowed during this historical encounter.

Return to the lodge after trekking for relaxation and in the evening you will take a nature walk to the lakes of Ruhondo and Bulera and the impressive Russumo Falls. You can also opt for a boat cruise on Lake Ruhondo. Retire for overnight.

Accommodation: Spend a night at your previous lodge.

Day 11 & 12: Climb Karisimbi Volcano

Embark on the two-day climbing encounter on Mount Karisimbi which is the highest of the eight volcanoes that comprise the Virunga massif. Karisimbi is 4,507m above sea level and it takes two days round trip.

You climb to a considerable height on day one about 3,000m and then on day two, you summit it and then descend back to the starting point. Its summit offers impressive views of the adjacent and distant areas of Uganda, DRC, and Rwanda.

Accommodation: Lapalme Hotel (Midrange/standard), Muhabura Hotel (Budget/basic) or Mountain Gorilla View Hotel (Luxury/upmarket).

Day 13: Hike Dian Fossey Center And Transfer to Kigali

Visit Karisoke Research Center after breakfast to witness the attempts of the leading gorilla conservationist – Dian Fossey an American Primatologist.

During this visit, you will also visit her grave and that of Digit – her admirable silverback after which you will return to the lodge for lunch and eventual departure for Kigali City 116km about 3 hours drive. Arrive in the evening for overnight.

Accommodation: Kigali Serena Hotel (Upmarket/luxury), Discover Rwanda Youth Hostel (Budget/basic) or Hotel Chez Lando (Midrange/budget).

Day 14: Visit Gisozi Genocide Memorial, Remera Heroes Cemetery & Entire Kigali City Tour

After breakfast, undertake a Kigali city tour visiting the Gisozi/Kigali memorial genocide site, Nyamata church, Hotel Des Mille Collines, downtown Kigali, Presidential Palace Museum, and craft centers before retiring to prepare for your departure in the afternoon.

End of The 14 Days Rwanda Safari Tour

Getting There