16 Days Rwanda Classic Safari
Our 16 days Rwanda Classic Safari is an unforgettable journey through one of Africa’s most beautiful and diverse countries. Known as the “Land of a Thousand Hills,” Rwanda offers breathtaking landscapes, rare wildlife encounters, vibrant culture, and warm hospitality.
Highlights for 16 Days Rwanda Classic Safari
Day 1: Arrival and transfer to your hotel in Kigali
Day 2: Transfer to Nyungwe Forest National Park
Day 3: Chimpanzee trekking and Canopy Walk
Day 4: Forest Nature Walk
Day 5: Transfer to Gisenyi town along the shores of Lake Kivu- Evening Boat Cruise
Day 6: Coffee Tour at Kinunu Washing Station
Day 7: Transfer to Ruhengeri
Day 8: Gorilla trekking in Parc National des Volcans
Day 9: Golden Monkey tracking
Day 10: Hiking Mountain Bisoke
Day 11: Visit Karisoke Center and Ellen DeGeneres Campus for Dian Fossey Fund
Day 12: Transfer back to Kigali and to Akagera National Park
Day 13: Full Day Game Drive
Day 14: Morning game drive and Boat ride on Lake Ihema
Day 15: Nature walk and transfer back to Kigali city
Day 16: Departure
Detailed Itinerary for 16 Days Rwanda Classic Safari
Day 1: Arrival and transfer to your hotel in Kigali
Upon arrival at Kigali International Airport, our guide will welcome you and transfer you to Kigali city. Depending on the time of your arrival, you will go on a short city tour within Kigali and visit the Genocide Memorial Site. Dinner and overnight stay at your hotel in Kigali.
Day 2: Transfer to Nyungwe Forest National Park
After a morning breakfast on the second day of your 16 Days Rwanda Classic Safari, you will transfer to Nyungwe Forest National Park. En route, you will pass through wonderful and magnificent hills and cultivated countryside.
Have a stopover at the royal King’s Palace in Nyanza for a cultural description of the history of Rwanda. Continue and visit the cultural museum at Rwesero. Proceed and reach Butare town, where you will have lunch. After lunch, you will visit the Rwanda National Museum for a tour around the site.
Proceed and reach the Park late afternoon. Upon arrival, you will visit the new Visitor’s Interpretive Centre to give you more information about the park, such as the number of primate species found in the park, types of bird species, and other tourist activities carried out within the Park. Dinner and overnight at your hotel.
Day 3: Chimpanzee trekking and Canopy Walk
Enjoy breakfast and go for a briefing about the endangered chimpanzees before entering the forest in search of the active and playful fellows in Nyungwe forest. The Chimpanzees are much easier to spot as they jump from one tree to another, chattering and laughing. Chimpanzee tracking usually takes about 3 hours. On finding them, spend an hour taking pictures and videos. You will then return to your accommodation for lunch.
After your lunch, you will then proceed to the canopy walk- a swing bridge 50 meters in length that is suspended from large trees. You will be able to see the amazing rainforest with a bird’s eye view, spotting wildlife moving about below you.
Later, drive to your lodge/ hotel for dinner and overnight.
Day 4: Forest Nature Walk
After having breakfast on the fourth day of your 16 Days Rwanda Classic Safari, you will embark on the forest Nature walk within the park, which will enable you to explore the Park’s unique tourist features, including waterfalls and orchids in the high-altitude swamps. Return to the lodge for lunch and spend the rest of the afternoon relaxing, or participate in the tea harvesting in the neighboring local communities, or visit a tea factory and learn about the production processes. Dinner and overnight at a lodge above.
Day 5: Transfer to Gisenyi town along the shores of Lake Kivu- Evening Boat Cruise
On the fifth day of your 16 Days Rwanda Classic Safari, you will have an early morning breakfast, then transfer to Lake Kivu. The lake is one of the great lakes in Africa and is the largest of the freshwater lakes that gleam in the Albertine (Western) rift of the Great Rift Valley. On the shores, there is the Gisenyi town, which is one of the country’s most attractive lake ports, nestled in a series of interwoven and undulating hills, and will offer you spectacular views of the lake and its islands, plus the surrounding countryside.
Arrive in time to check into your lodge/hotel and have lunch. You will then later head out for an evening boat cruise on Lake Kivu, which takes approximately 1 hour.
Day 6: Coffee Tour at Kinunu Washing Station
Having your day with breakfast at your hotel before heading out for a coffee tour at Kinunu washing station. Get a chance to dive into Rwanda’s coffee-making process from the farm to your cup. Do feel to put your taste buds to the test by sipping a cup of hot coffee. You can purchase a bag or two for you and your loved ones as a souvenir. Retire back to your hotel or resort for dinner and spend your evening at leisure.
Day 7: Transfer to Ruhengeri
Breakfast will be served early this day on the seventh day of your 15 Days Rwanda Safari, and then after, you will check out from your Hotel and later transfer to Ruhengeri. En route, you will visit the Ibyi’wacu Cultural Village, where you may have a wonderful and interactive experience about the Rwandan traditions, culture, and way of life. After this, you will continue to the Park in the late evening. Dinner will be served at your lodge.
Day 8: Gorilla trekking in Parc National des Volcans
The eighth day of this 16 Days Rwanda Classic Safari highlights a gorilla trekking activity. Early in the morning, after breakfast and a briefing from the ORTPN officials, set off for the gorilla tracking. This experience of gorilla tracking is a once in a life time adventure. The rangers will lead you deep into the forest in search of the Gorillas. You will move up and down the rugged terrain until you finally meet these harmonious creatures that will entertain you with performances for about 1 hour. The activity in Rwanda can take 3-5 hours since the gorillas move up and down.
This is an awesome and exciting moment. Return for dinner and overnight stay as lodge above.
Day 9: Golden Monkey tracking
After breakfast on the ninth day of your 16 Days Rwanda Classic Safari, you will go for golden monkey tracking. This activity also takes like 2-3 hours in the Virunga forest. Later return to your lodge for an early lunch and transfer back to Kigali city, arriving in the afternoon. Take a city walk in the evening around Ruhengeri. Dinner and overnight stay as lodge above.
Day 10: Hiking Mountain Bisoke
The tenth day of this 16 Days Rwanda Classic Safari highlights a physical challenge. After breakfast at your Lodge, you will set out for a one-day hike on Mount Bisoke. This will give you views of the beautiful slopes and also give you a chance to see the forest while on the mountain. Return for dinner and overnight stay as lodge above.
Day 11: Visit Karisoke Center and Ellen DeGeneres Campus for Dian Fossey Fund
After having breakfast at your lodge, meet up with your guide and drive to Karisoke center, where you will the Dian Fossey Museum and also see where the late Dian Fossey was buried. Later, you will also visit the newly opened Ellen DeGeneres Campus for Dian Fossey Fund and take a tour of the campus, classrooms, student facilities, museum, and others. Return to your lodge for lunch and spend the rest of your afternoon relaxing at your lodge. Dinner and overnight stay same as above.
Day 12: Transfer back to Kigali and to Akagera National Park
After breakfast on the twelfth day of your 16 Days Rwanda Classic Safari, you will depart for Kigali for lunch and later transfer to Akagera National Park.
En route, you will pass through the country’s phenomenal landscape, which will give you views of the country’s beauty and also the lifestyle of its people. Upon arrival in the park, you will go for a short southern Lake Ihema game drive. Look out for animals such as elephants, giraffes, buffalo, zebras, hippos, crocodiles, and many more, like Antelopes. Dinner and overnight at your lodge inside Akagera park.
Day 13: Full Day Game Drive
Start your day early in the morning with breakfast at your lodge. Head out to the park for a full day of game viewing. Explore the northern part of Akagera National Park, which has a wide variety of wildlife, including the Big Five like lions, rhinoceros, elephants, cape buffalo, and leopard. Other wildlife animals to look out for during your game drives include: the Sitatunga, zebras, giraffes, antelopes, warthogs, and many more. You will have a break for lunch at your lodge, and later in the evening, dinner will be served after you return from your evening game drive.
Day 14: Morning game drive and Boat ride on Lake Ihema
On this day of your 16 Days Rwanda Classic Safari, highlights more activities in Akagera National Park. Early in the morning, after breakfast, you will go for a Northern circuit game drive to search for animals that you may have missed out on in the previous game drive. It was not a guarantee that all the animals could be seen on the evening game drive.
Some are early risers and can only be seen in the morning. Return to the lodge for a small rest as you wait for lunch. After lunch, you will go for a boat ride on Lake Ihema, which will offer you views of the surrounding areas, hills, and swamps. Expect to see Hippos, crocodiles, and more bird species. Return to the lodge for dinner and an overnight stay at the lodge above
Day 15: Nature walk and transfer back to Kigali city
Early morning after breakfast on the second last day of your 16 Days Rwanda Classic Safari, you will go for a nature walk to search for different bird species. Return to the lodge for your packed lunch and return to Kigali city, where you will have dinner and an overnight stay at your hotel.
Day 16: Departure
Depending on your time of departure, you will be transferred to the Airport for your flight back home.
