9 Days Exciting Birdwatching, Wildlife Safari, and Primates Tracking Tour in Rwanda

Day 1: Kigali

On arrival at Kigali International Airport (KGL), you will be met by Birding and Educational Tours' driver / guide and be transferred to your hotel in Kigali, for dinner and overnight.

• Accommodation: Chez Lando Hotel

Day 2: Kigali - Akagera National Park

You will leave Kigali at 6:00 a.m. to be at Akagera National Park at 8:00 a.m.. You will have a morning game drive to see elephants and buffaloes until lunch time and the tour will resume at 3:00 p.m.. At 5:30 p.m., you will go for a night game until 8:30 p.m. where you can see leopard, hyena, and the species of birds such as square-tailed nightjars. You will have dinner at the Akagera Game Lodge.

• Accommodation: Akagera Game Lodge

Day 3: Akagera National Park

You will start your birding around the Akagera Game Lodge to try red-faced barbet then you will continue game drive until lunch time. At 3:00 p.m., you will have a brief birding on lake circuit. Then, at 4:30 p.m., you will experience sunset boat and you can easily see roosts of cormorants, darters, egrets, and herds of hippopotamus and many crocodiles. You will have dinner at the Akagera Game Lodge.

• Accommodation: Akagera Game Lodge

Day 4: Akagera National Park - Kigali

With the packed lunch, you will have your birding and game drive along lake circuit where you can see different animals such as topi, elephants, zebra, roan antelope, lion, and many bird species such as the crested barbet and Hildebrandt’s francolin. In the afternoon, you will drive back to Kigali. You will have dinner at the Chez Lando Hotel.

• Accommodation: Chez Lando Hotel

Day 5: Kigali - Nyungwe National Park

Nyungwe National Park is a home to about 300 bird species among which 27 are endemic to the Albertine Rift Region including the quasi endemic to Nyungwe National Park, the red-collared mountain babbler.

You will leave Kigali at 6:00 a.m. and arrive at the national park around 11:00 a.m.. After lunch, you will have an afternoon birding and you can easily see some Albertine Rift endemics such as Rwenzori Turaco, yellow-eyed black flycatcher and, charismatic species like great-blue turaco. Overnight is at the Emeraude Kivu Resort.

• Accommodation: Emeraude Kivu Resort

Day 6: Nyungwe National Park

After an early breakfast, you start morning birding around Uwinka reception and you can see stripe-breasted tit, Rwenzori batis, regal sunbird, and etc. At midday, you will stop for refreshment or lunch and resume birding at 2:00 p.m. until 5:30 p.m. Overnight is at the Emeraude Kivu Resort.

• Accommodation: Emeraude Kivu Resort

Day 7: Nyungwe National Park - Musanze

You will have the morning birding at waterfall trail to try and find Cabanis’s greenbul and after lunch, you will drive to Musanze. Accommodation and dinner are at the Gorillas Hotel.

• Accommodation: Gorillas Hotel

Day 8: Musanze

You will track mountain gorillas and on the afternoon, you will relax and/or have an afternoon brief birding around Lake Ruhondo for general waterbirds. Accommodation and dinner are at the Gorillas Hotel.

• Accommodation: Gorillas Hotel

Day 9: Musanze - Kigali

After breakfast, you will head back to Kigali. After lunch, you will visit the market for souvenirs before you will be send to the airport.

On the last day of the safari tour, you will visit the local market for souvenirs.

Akagera National Park

The Akagera National Park (ANP) is located in the East of Rwanda, in less than two-hour drive of Kigali city, along the border within Tanzania. The altitude varies between 1300 and 1825 meters above the sea level with the highest point at Mount Mutumba (1,825 meters).

The topography of the park is characterized by rolling sandstone hills in the west, cut in places by deep, narrow valleys. The vegetation of the park is extremely varied and, indeed, has been described as the most heterogeneous savannah ecosystem and habitat in the region with open savannas, flood-plain vegetation, swamps and lakes, and river valley.

Nyungwe National Park

It is a park extending for 1,000 square kilometers across the majestic hills of south east of Rwanda, one-hour drive from Butare City. Nyungwe National Park is the largest block of mountain forest in East or Central Africa, and one of the most ancient, dating back before the last Ice Age.

A uniquely rich center of floral diversity, the forest has more than 200 different types of tree, and a myriad of flowering plants including the other-worldly giant lobelia and a host of colourful orchids.

During this safari tour, your daily breakfast, lunch, and dinner will be provided for you by Birding and Educational Tours Ltd. On the fourth day of tour, you will have packed lunch as you go for your birding and game drive.

Cultural and historical tours

Rwanda is a nation of sophisticated cultural and artistic history. Rwanda swirls instinctively to centuries-old rhythms of drums, song, dancing, and oral poetry. Music is ubiquitous. You will go to the villages where you can find spontaneous traditional performances or make a date with the Intore Dance Troupe, founded several centuries ago to entertain the royal court.

The Intore are a dramatic spectacle, far removed from the often-lame tribal dancing offered to tourists in other parts of Africa. You can also share the memorable experiences with local communities like preparation of local beers, share local dishes, entertain with local dancers, traditional marriage, and buy local handcrafts.

Weekend recreational birding

Birding and Educational Tours LTD organizes the special weekend walks (Saturday and Sunday) around Kigali city and out of the city (if members wish) with the purpose of bird-watching and exploration of Kigali City. Citizens, members of diplomats, students, visitors to Rwanda are most welcome to this guided walk.

• 1 sunset boat trip
• 2 primate tracking sessions at Musanze
• 3 game drives in Akagera National Park
• 7 bird watching sessions in Nyungwe National Park
• A visit to the market for souvenirs
• Kigali International Airport (KGL) roundtrip transfers
• Daily breakfast, lunch, and dinner
• 8 nights' accommodation
• All park fees

• Expenses of personal nature
• Souvenirs
• Gifts
• Hotel amenities like laundry
• Drinks (out of one soft drink on meal)
• Tips and other gratuities that are not included in the tour price

Recommended Airports

• A reservation requires a deposit of 50% of the total price.
• The deposit is non-refundable, if the booking is cancelled.
• The rest of the payment should be paid on arrival.