5 days Volcanoes and Akagera Safari

Best Time for Gorilla trekking in Rwanda 2022

5 days Volcanoes and Akagera Safari

5 days Volcanoes and Akagera Safari is a short safari tour where a traveler gets a chance to visit the top 2 national parks in Rwanda for an amazing safari tour.

Highlights of the 5 days Volcanoes and Akagera Safari

  • Day 1: Pick up from Kigali and transfer to Akagera National Park
  • Day 2: Game drive and Ihema boat trip
  • Day 3: Cultural tour and Transfer to Volcanoes NP.
  • Day 4: Gorilla trek in Volcanoes National park
  • Day 5: Dian Fossey Museum visit and transfer back to Kigali

Details of the tour

Day 1: Pick up from Kigali and transfer to Akagera National Park

  • Transfer to Akagera: Get in touch with your driver to connect for the start of this 5 days Volcanoes and Akagera Safari. You will meet at around 8 am at the airport or the advised point of pick up and drive north of Rwanda for about 2 and a half hours until you reach the southern gate of the park. You will be welcomed by the pure air of the park. Connect to check in to your lodge and freshen up, have lunch. 
  • Afternoon Game Drive: After lunch set out for an afternoon game drive which gives you the opportunity to view the wildlife of Akagera that is the lions, rhinos, giraffes, elephants and also the several different antelope species. You will spend a maximum of 5 hours on this drive before you set out back to your accommodation before dinner. Have dinner and overnight at the selected lodge of budget. 

Day 2: Game drive and Ihema boat trip

  • Game Drive: This day gives you a second chance to look out for the animals you may have not been able to see the previous evening in the park. After breakfast, meet your driver-guide and be at the starting point by 9 am to enjoy the drive in the several trails of the park. You will meet the early raisers and hunters looking for their day’s meal.
  • Boat Cruise: Have lunch and connect for the boat trip on Lake Ihema. This boat trip lasts 1 hour with a maximum of 11 people on board. You will get to see more of the park on the lake like the aquatic animals like the crocodiles, hippopotami enjoying the waters and the several birds like the African fish eagle and cattle egret. Find your way back to your accommodation with your driver-guide and spend the evening at leisure as you await the last dinner in the park.

Day 3: Cultural tour and Transfer to Volcanoes NP

  • Cultural Tours: Wake up to a very long but eventful day. Have breakfast and connect to have the cultural experience offered by the park, get to interact with the local community around the park and exit the park to connect to Volcanoes national park via Kigali.
  • Transfer to Volcanoes National Park: You will have lunch from Kigali and continue to Ruhengeri town for the night in anticipation for the gorilla trek the following day. Dinner and overnight will be at the selected lodge of accommodation.

Day 4: Gorilla trek in Volcanoes National park

  • Gorilla Trekking: Have a light breakfast and grab your packed lunches and set out to the park headquarters at 7 am to get the morning brief before your trek on what to expect, the do’s and don’ts and also get a chance to book your porter and all the hiking gear you may need. Set out into the forest in search of the gorillas. Trek with the rangers for about 2 to 7 hours according to the location of the gorillas. Once you meet these endangered animals, you will be allowed 1 hour to enjoy their presence and it is in this magical hour that you get to take photos and study the lifestyles of the mountain gorillas in their families as they go about their daily routines. Connect back to your accommodation for a late lunch and spend the evening at leisure. You may take on an optional community visit or cultural tour if you are feeling energetic. Get back to the lodge before the sun sets and have dinner and overnight as the night before.
5 days Volcanoes and Akagera Safari
A herd of elephants walking in a line in Akagera National Park – 5 days Volcanoes and Akagera Safari

Day 5: Dian Fossey Museum visit and transfer back to Kigali

  • Dian Fossey Hike & Departure: After breakfast, set out to your 2-hour drive to Kigali with an enroute Dian Fossey museum visit where you will spend about 2 hours learning about the famous gorilla lady with artifacts that belonged to her along with an impression of the Virunga ranges. This is a thrilling walk through the museum. Connect back to Kigali for lunch and if you have more time you may visit the Kimironko market to purchase some local souvenirs for the people back home and also get to interact with the community. 
  • Drop Off: You will be dropped off at your agreed location in Kigali which will mark the end of your trip.

See also: 5 Days Nyungwe & Akagera Safari

End of the 5 days Volcanoes and Akagera Safari