Overview

6 Days of travel into Akagera National Park in Eastern Rwanda, Central Africa’s largest protected wetland and the last remaining refuge for savannah-adapted species in Rwanda.

Arrive into Kigali for one night, next two nights drive to Akagera National Park, then a pass through Musanze to Volcanoes National Park for two nights before returning by road to Kigali and to your outbound flight.

Trip Highlights

The counter-poaching canine units help and Africa Parks overhauled law enforcement has helped to secure Akagera National Park and no one high-value species has been lost to poaching since 2010.
The environmental education programme has more than 2,000 schoolchildren along with teachers and local leaders visit Akagera National Park yearly.
Wildlife population has flourished with over 11,000 large mammals counted in a 2021 aerial survey, including a 20% increase of elephants since 2019, 4,000 buffaloes and lion population of 37.
Phinda Reserve in South Africa 30 Southern white rhinos were successfully translocated in 2021 to Akagera, the largest single rhino translocation to date.
Lake Ihema rich in biodiversity, hippos and crocodiles call this lake home and the rare and critically endangered Bizarre shoebill stork.

Day 1 :

Arrival – Kigali

Met on arrival at the Kigali International Airport by our partners in Rwanda, you will be transferred to The Retreat a 20min drive away, this 20-room luxury boutique hotel created by the American owners of Heaven, designed by Italian architects, brought to life by an extraordinary team of Rwandan builders and technicians. This will be your overnight stay. Once assisted to check-in, you have the afternoon at leisure, dinner and overnight at the Hotel. Meals: Breakfast & dinner. Overnight at the Retreat.

Day 2 :

Kigali – Akagera National Park

07h30: After breakfast at the Retreat, check out and proceed to Kigali Genocide Memorial on a guided tour, maybe one of the city’s best known landmark. Here you get the history leading up to the genocide in Rwanda, and explains other genocides around the world. It includes poignant displays of victims’ photographs and belongings, bringing the realities of the atrocities to life, playing a vital role in educating Rwanda’s new and future generations about the genocide. 10h30: Set off for Akagera National Park, on arrival at the park headquarters for a brief introduction to your park guide, game drive en-route to the lodge. Transfer to your lodge in time for check-in and lunch. Depart for an afternoon game drive in the park, returning to the lodge before sunset. Meals: lunch, dinner and overnight at Ruzizi Tented Lodge

Day 3 :

Full Day Akagera National Park

Today after your breakfast, you will go for a boat excursion on Lake Ihema (10h00 to 11h00). Lining the lakes are some of the continent’s densest concentrations of water birds, while the connecting marshes are the haunt of the endangered and exquisite papyrus gonolek, bizarre shoebill stork. Proceed on a game drive before returning to the lodge of lunch. After lunch you will go for a late game viewing drive providing an opportunity to view the gentle hills blending beautifully with lowland swamps and water bodies. Home for a number of animals like elephant buffalo, Giraffe, Zebra, a number of antelopes, the secretive bushbuck, the ungainly Tessebe, and the world’s largest antelope – the statuesque Cape Eland. Return to the lodge before sunset for dinner and overnight stay. (it is possible to have a picnic lunch instead of having a hot lunch at the lodge) Meals: breakfast, lunch, dinner. Overnight at Ruzizi Tented Lodge.

Day 4 :

Akagera National Park – Volcanoes National Park

Breakfast at the lodge followed by a check-out before setting off to Kigali a 2hr 44min away, with a stop of lunch at the Khana Khazana Restaurant or Chez Robert as you proceed onto Musanze 105kms drive (3hr 16min) onto Volcanoes National Park. Arrive at the Bisate Lodge late afternoon in the natural amphitheater of an eroded volcanic cone – in Kinyarwanda. Assisted check-in with welcome drinks(non-alcoholic). Dinner and overnight at the Lodge. Meals: breakfast, lunch, dinner. Overnight at Bisate Lodge

Day 5 :

Volcanoes National Park

Early breakfast at this six sublime en-suite forest villas, designed as an homage to Rwandan royalty, overlook unforgettable vistas over brooding Bisoke, Karisimbi and Mikeno volcanoes. Drive to the park headquarters in time for the Gorilla Trek briefing scheduled for 07h00, the guided walk begins at 08h00. The oldest known mountain gorilla in the world ever studied was in Rwanda. A gorilla family is led by a silverback, who maintains order in the family and decides all activities within their troop. Troops include several younger males, adult and juvenile females and infants. The silverback schedules feeding trips, resting time and travel and father the majority of the young in the group. Return to the hotel in time for lunch, after a siesta, you will have an exclusive Gorilla Guardians Village visit. An adventure to a traditional rural Rwandan village that has existed for centuries living with and next to mountain gorillas at Parc National des Volcans. Here you be presented with aspects of their traditions and beliefs. Return to the lodge in the evening. Dinner at the Lodge. Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner. Overnight at Bisate Lodge

Day 6 :

Volcanoes National Park – Kigali

Breakfast at the lodge, check-out mid-morning for a drive back to Kigali, lunch at the Pili Pili Restaurant. Should you have time, a visit to the Haute Baso shop for unique art pieces and crafts If time permits, visit the Haute Baso shop, where they have unique art pieces and crafts that could be of interest before your transfer to Kigali International Airport. Our partners’ driver will bid you farewell as you proceed to check-in for your outbound flight.