Nyungwe & Akagera National Park Safari
Overview
Safari Overview
This 5-day safari is designed for travellers who want to experience Rwanda’s best wildlife contrasts in a short time — combining the primate-rich rainforests of Nyungwe with the savannah plains and game drives of Akagera National Park. Track chimpanzees deep in an ancient rainforest, walk among the treetops on the famous canopy walkway, and spot the Big Five on classic game drives and a relaxing boat safari.
Safari Highlights
- Guided Kigali city tour and Genocide Memorial
- Scenic drives through Rwanda’s rolling countryside and tea plantations
- Chimpanzee trekking in Nyungwe Forest National Park
- Canopy walk above Nyungwe’s ancient rainforest
- Big Five game drives in Akagera National Park
- Boat safari on Lake Ihema
Included/Exclude
- Airport pick-up and drop-off
- Private 4x4 safari vehicle with English-speaking driver-guide
- All ground transport and fuel
- Accommodation as per itinerary (luxury, midrange, or budget)
- Meals as indicated
- Bottled drinking water during transfers and safari activities
- All park entry fees for Nyungwe and Akagera National Parks
- Chimpanzee trekking permit (one per person)
- Nyungwe Forest canopy walk permit
- Game drives in Akagera National Park
- Boat safari on Lake Ihema
- Kigali city tour
- International flights
- Rwanda visa fees
- Travel insurance
- Tips and gratuities
- Personal expenses (laundry, souvenirs, extra drinks)
- Optional activities not specified
- Additional hotel nights before or after the safari
Tour Plan
Arrive at Kigali International Airport where your driver-guide will meet you for a warm welcome and briefing. If time allows, take a short Kigali city tour, including a visit to the Kigali Genocide Memorial. Then begin your scenic drive southwest through Rwanda’s lush hills and tea plantations to Nyungwe Forest National Park. Arrive at your lodge by late afternoon, check in, and enjoy dinner surrounded by misty rainforest.
Accommodation: One & Only Nyungwe House / Nyungwe Top View Hill Hotel / Gisakura Guesthouse (Budget)
Meal Plan: Dinner
Wake up early for breakfast and head to the park headquarters for a briefing before your chimpanzee trek. Follow experienced trackers deep into Nyungwe’s ancient rainforest, listening for the calls of wild chimps echoing through the canopy. Spend an exciting hour watching them swing through the trees and interact with each other. Return to the lodge for lunch and some rest. In the afternoon, enjoy East Africa’s only canopy walkway — a 60-meter-high suspended bridge offering panoramic views of the forest and a chance to spot birds and monkeys from above. Dinner and overnight at your lodge.
Accommodation: One & Only Nyungwe House / Nyungwe Top View Hill Hotel / Gisakura Guesthouse (Budget)
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
After breakfast, check out and depart for Akagera National Park. This scenic drive takes you northeast, passing rural villages, terraced hillsides, and local markets. Stop for lunch en route and enjoy photo stops along the way. Arrive at Akagera’s southern gate in the afternoon and check in at your lodge overlooking the park’s savannah and lakes. Dinner and overnight at your lodge.
Accommodation: Ruzizi Tented Lodge / Akagera Game Lodge / Dereva Hotel (Budget)
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
After an early breakfast, head out for a full-day game drive across Akagera’s diverse landscapes. Drive through open plains, woodland, and wetland habitats while searching for elephants, buffaloes, giraffes, zebras, lions, rhinos, leopards, and a wide variety of antelope species and birds. A picnic lunch will be served at a scenic spot in the park. Return to the lodge in the afternoon to relax and enjoy dinner overlooking the park’s savannah.
Accommodation: Ruzizi Tented Lodge / Akagera Game Lodge / Dereva Hotel (Budget)
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
After breakfast, enjoy a peaceful boat safari on Lake Ihema — Akagera’s largest lake — where you’ll see hippos, crocodiles, and abundant water birds like African fish eagles and kingfishers. Return to the lodge for check-out and drive back to Kigali (approximately 2.5–3 hours). Time permitting, stop for last-minute souvenir shopping. Your driver-guide will drop you at Kigali International Airport for your onward flight, marking the end of your memorable Rwanda safari.
Meal Plan: Breakfast
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