6 Days Akagera & Volcanoes Safari
Welcome to the spectacular 6 Days Akagera & Volcanoes Safari. A chance to discover wildlife and primates like mountain gorillas. Explore the true highlights of Rwanda, home to 30% of the remaining 1063 endangered mountain gorillas. The main safari activities to enjoy on this 6 Days Akagera & Volcanoes safari include game drives, boat cruises, hot air balloon experiences, bird watching, and mountain gorilla trekking. You will have 4 days/3 nights in Akagera and 2 days in Volcanoes National Park. Now that you have an idea about the 6 Days Akagera & Volcanoes Safari, read the detailed Itinerary below.
Day 1: Arrival & airport pick-up transfer to Akagera National Park
You will connect to Rwanda through Kigali Airport. Meet with your tour driver guide for transfer to Akagera National Park, accessible about a 2.5-hour drive from Kigali. This is a largely a savanna protected area lying in the Eastern Province of Rwanda next to the Tanzania border.
Day 2: Explore Akagera & its wildlife
Leave your accommodation property for a long 2-3 hours guided game drive via Akagera National Park. On a game drive, the animals to encounter include leopards, lions, buffalo, giraffes, zebras, elephants, bushbucks, waterbucks, rhinos, klipspringers, duikers, topis, elands, Uganda kobs, bushbucks, and more. Most of the Akagera NP wildlife will be spotted as they roam in the vast acacia-dotted area.
The 2-3 hours game drive will end once you return to the lodge for lunch. In the afternoon, a different activity will be done which is a boat/launch cruise. A launch cruise excursion in Akagera will be done along Lake Ihema, the main habitat for large numbers of hippos, crocodiles, and aquatic birds.
Day 3: Balloon tour to enjoy aerial game view, game drive & community visit
Get up early and set off for a hot air balloon trip which includes a bush breakfast in Akagera. Plenty of early risers including the big game will be spotted during this aerial game viewing tour. After the short balloon tour, catch up with your driver guide for a normal game drive through the park and take a different game track from the previous day. Retreat from the wildlife game drive, have lunch, and later continue to any of the communities near the park for a cultural tour.
Day 4: Exit with a morning game drive & transfer to Volcanoes National Park
Before you head off to Volcanoes National Park, embark on an exciting guided game drive through Akagera. Continue with your road trip to the Northern Province, where gorilla trekking will be done the following day.
Day 5: Gorilla trekking in the jungles of Volcanoes National Park
After breakfast, your tour leader will transfer you to Kinigi for a briefing about gorilla trekking rules. Volcanoes NP’s actual trek to see mountain gorillas starts at 8:00 am. All guests will be led by an experienced guide. The hike lasts for 2-6 hours, including one hour of watching the daily behavior of gorillas. In Volcanoes N/Park alone, 12 habituated families are ready for tracking. Each habituated gorilla family is visited by a maximum of 8 guests per day.
Day 6: Return to Kigali – Departure
You will be picked up by a driver guide at the gorilla safari lodge, and you will begin your road trip back to Kigali 2-3 hour drive. There will be a Kigali city tour before you transfer to the airport/hotel. The city tour includes visiting the Gisozi memorial center, Kimironko market in Kigali, and craft centers. This will mark the end of your 6 Days Akagera & Volcanoes Safari.
