Sarania Adventure Safaris For Customized East African Safaris

Begin this thrilling 6-day Rwanda Safari and Lake Kivu trip in Kigali City with a visit to historical Museums including the Kigali Genocide Memorial Center, and browse local art and craft at Inema Arts Center. There’s an option of visiting the Gorilla Guardian Village to learn about traditional lifestyle, culture, and support ecotourism, and trekking the endangered mountain gorillas and golden monkeys in Volcanoes National Park. Tick the Big Five Game (Lions, Leopards, Elephants, Cape Buffaloes, and Rhinos) off your bucket list by exploring the country’s only savannah-dominated Protected Area- Akagera National Park. End your trip with a canoeing and island-hopping adventure on Lake Kivu to relax and freshen up.

Brief Itinerary

Day 1: Hotel/Airport Pickup – Transfer to Akagera National Park; evening game drive.

Day 2: Morning game drive through Akagera NP – Boat ride on Lake Ihema.

Day 3: Akagera to Volcanoes National Park transfer.

Day 4: Mountain gorilla trekking in Volcanoes NP- Visit Gorilla Guardian Village.

Day 5: Golden monkey tracking in Volcanoes NP – Transfer to Lake Kivu.

Day 6: Lake Kivu Canoeing and Island tour – Transfer to Kigali for drop off.

Detailed Itinerary

Day 1: Hotel/Airport Pickup – Transfer to Akagera National Park; evening game drive

Have breakfast and trade the Capital City for Rwanda’s largest and only savannah-dominated National Park this morning as you transfer three hours east to Akagera National Park. Try to snag a window seat to look out at the stunning rolling hills adorned with verdant banana, tea, and coffee plantations and picturesque savannah plains and countryside. As you approach your safari destination, the landscape transforms into sprawling savannah plains and deep Valleys, home to a wide array of mammals, including the Big Five Game (lions, leopards, Rhinos, Cape buffaloes, and African bush elephants), Masai giraffes, Topis, Defassa waterbucks, Impalas, Olive baboons, blue monkeys, and vervet monkeys among others. When you arrive, check into your Lodge.

After a refresh at the Lodge, set off on an evening game drive along the wildlife-filled game tracks. Try to spot different wildlife and colorful bird species.

Meals and overnight accommodation at;

• Ruzizi Tented Lodge or Magashi Camp (luxury).
• Mantis Akagera Game Lodge (midrange).
• Karenge Bush Camp (budget).

Meal Plan: Lunch and Dinner.

Travel time: 3 hours.

Activities: Evening game drive.

Day 2: Morning game drive through Akagera NP – Boat ride on Lake Ihema

In the morning, grab a cup of tea/coffee and head for your Akagera National Park adventure. Enjoy a game drive through the southern area of Akagera, an area that is popular for its gently rolling hills, woodlands, lowland swamps, and several water bodies. Your game drive will be filled with sights of Masai giraffes, Defassa waterbucks, Topis, Impalas, Olive baboons, lions, leopards, warthogs, and many other species. Enjoy lunch and siesta at the Lodge.

In the afternoon, go for a wildlife viewing cruise on Lake Ihema, where you should look out for the Nile crocodiles, Hippos, and lots of bird species- Papyrus gonolek, African fish eagles, grey-crowned cranes, and shoebill storks. Spend the rest of the evening relishing the Lodge’s amenities such as the lounge and restaurant, among others.

Meals and overnight accommodation at;

• Ruzizi Tented Lodge or Magashi Camp (luxury).
• Mantis Akagera Game Lodge (midrange).
• Karenge Bush Camp (budget).

Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner.

Activities: Morning game drive and afternoon boat ride.

Day 3: Akagera to Volcanoes National Park transfer

On this day, you will transfer five to six hours for your next safari destination on our 6-day Rwanda Safari and Lake Kivu adventure. The 160-square-kilometer Volcanoes National Park is popular for its incredible mountain gorillas and golden monkey population. When you arrive, you will check into the Lodge, which is close to the National Park.

Freshen up and spend the remainder of the day resting for the next day’s adventure.

Meals and overnight accommodation at;

• Bisate Lodge or Singita Kwitonda Lodge (luxury).
• Da Vinci Gorilla Lodge or Five Volcanoes Boutique Hotel (midrange).
• Muhabura Hotel or Kinigi Guesthouse (budget).

Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner.

Travel time: 5-6 hours.

Day 4: Mountain gorilla trekking in Volcanoes NP- Visit Gorilla Guardian Village

You can’t say you visited Volcanoes National Park without trekking the endangered mountain gorillas in their natural habitat. Meet your safari guide for briefing, followed by the transfer to Kinigi Park Headquarters for a gorilla trekking briefing to go through the dos and don’ts of the adventure. Afterward, you will be driven for 20-30 minutes to the trailhead, then set out down the muddy path through the dense jungle to search for the habituated gorilla family. Gorilla trek durations vary but last between two and six hours, which include one hour of watching and taking photos of them as they go about their daily routines. After this hectic gorilla trek, return to the Lodge for lunch and relaxation.

In the afternoon, you will head to the Gorilla Guardian’s Village, a living Museum that preserves and showcases the exceptional traditional lifestyle of Rwandans. Take a guided walk through the Village to see the thatched roof hut, watch and take part in lively dances, visit the traditional healer, and engage local artisans practicing age-old Arts and Crafts. Also listen to stories about the customs, lifestyle, and rituals of Rwanda’s three ethnic groups to appreciate their rich history and culture.

Meals and overnight accommodation at;

• Bisate Lodge or Singita Kwitonda Lodge (luxury).
• Da Vinci Gorilla Lodge or Five Volcanoes Boutique Hotel (midrange).
• Muhabura Hotel or Kinigi Guesthouse (budget).

Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner.

Activities: Gorilla trekking and a visit to Gorilla Guardian Village.