Customized 9 Days Rwanda gorilla trekking and birding safari is a suitable package for you. Enjoy a trek to see Rwanda’s gorillas in Volcanoes National Park and golden monkey trekking plus bird watching in this bamboo forest.
Also, go bird watching in the swampy areas of Akagera national park all in a one combined trip.
Detailed Itinerary
Day 1: Pick up & drive to your hotel
Upon your arrival at Kigali airport, meet your driver guide from our company and go for a brief city tour. Thereafter, transfer to your hotel for overnight.
Day 2: Bird watching in Kigali city – transfer to Volcanoes National Park
In the early morning, have breakfast and transfer to Nyarutarama lake for bird watching. Birds at Nyarutarama lake include Winding Cisticola, Pygmy Kingfisher; Grey capped warbler, Paradise flycatcher, Black egret, Grey Capped Warbler and swifts among others.
The other bird watching sports in Kigali include Nyabarongo wetland and Mount Kigali forest among others. Return to the hotel for lunch, refresh, checkout and drive northwestwards to Volcanoes National Park. Dinner and overnight at your booked lodge.
Day 3: Mountain gorilla trekking
Wakeup early, have breakfast and with your packed lunch transfer to Kinigi headquarters of Volcanoes National park. Register with park rangers and have a simple briefing on the dos and don’ts of gorilla trekking.
The trek to see gorillas last for between 2-6 hours depending on the location of gorillas that day.
You will spend an hour with gorillas to learn their behaviors and enjoy this memorable encounter. Volcanoes National Park has 10 gorilla families which guarantee availability of 80 gorilla permits each day. Overnight stay at the lodge.
Day 4: Golden Monkey trekking/Dian Fossey grave hike
Today, there will be optional golden monkey trekking or Dian Fossey graveyard hike. A trek to see golden monkeys is a lively experience which gives you a chance to interact with these playful endangered primates.
In the same way, a hike to the graveyard of Dian Fossey gives you chance to appreciate the works of this fallen American primatologist (Dian Fossey) who lost her life in the struggle to save gorillas that were at the verge of extinction.
Both experiences start at Kinigi park headquarters preceded by registration and briefing. Overnight at the lodge.
Day 5: Transfer to Akagera National park
Enjoy your morning sleep and have a relaxed morning breakfast at the lodge. Checkout and depart fro Akagera National park in Eastern Rwanda.
Enjoy this scenic drive via Kigali city with spectacular views of Rwanda’s rolling hills, farms, local villages and the Virunga Volcanoes.
You will reach Akagera early in the evening. Check in for dinner and overnight stay.
Day 6: Bird watching in Akagera National park
Have a morning cup of coffee and go for bird watching in the swampy and forested areas of Akagera National Park. The park shelters over 480 bird species some of which are endemic to the albertine region.
Among the birds in Akagera National park include African Fish Eagle, African Harrier Hawk, Africa Jacana, Bateleur, Squacco Heron, Amur Falcon, Booted Eagle, Shoebill, Red Facsed Barbet, Short tailed pipit, Sooty Falco, Crested Barbet, Dimorphic egret, Striped Pipit and Ring necked Francolin among others.
A boat ride at Lake Ihema is a best spot to see birds on the lakeshores until evening.
Day 7: Game viewing & Sport fishing
In the early morning, go for game viewing in the open plains. Game drives give you great views of various wild animals hunting, browsing and grazing in the Park. Akagera National Park has a high concentration of wild animals such as Buffalos, Elephants, Zebras, Giraffes, Waterbucks, Impalas, Warthogs, Hippos, Kobs, L’hoest Gazelles and Topis among others.
Return to the lodge for late breakfast and wait for lunch. In the afternoon, go for the experimental sport fishing on the shores of Lake Ihema. Dinner and overnight stay at the lodge.
Day 8: Morning game drive – transfer to Kigali city.
Go for optional morning game drives and have a relaxed breakfast. Checkout and transfer to Kigali city. Overnight stay at a hotel in Kigali.
Day 9: Departure
After breakfast, go for shopping either at the cultural craft markets for souvenirs or to the modern shopping malls across the city. Thereafter, transfer to Kigali airport for your return flight.
