4 days Rwanda wildlife and lowland gorilla safari takes you to strictly two National Parks namely Kahuzi Beiga National Park in Democratic Republic of Congo and Akagera National Park in Rwanda. Kahuzi Beiga National Park is located on the western bank of Lake Kivu within Bukavu town where eastern lowland gorillas can be encountered making it the perfect destination for lowland gorilla trekking. At Akagera National Park, you will have an ultimate East African wildlife encounter as you enjoy the adventurous boat cruise on Lake Ihema as well as a game drive in the Park’s savannah plains.
Day 1: Arrival and transfer to Kahuzi Beiga National Park
You will arrive at Kigali international airport to be met and picked up by a professional driver guide from Glory summit tours and travel to embark on your 6 to 7 hours’ drive to Kahuzi Beiga National Park in Democratic Republic of Congo. You will have a stop-over for your lunch en-route before proceeding to Bukavu town via Cyangungu boarder as you enjoy the scenic beauty of Lake Kivu and its surroundings. Arrival will be in the late evening to check in at your pre-arranged lodge for dinner and an overnight.
Day 2: Lowland gorilla trekking and back to Kigali
Wakeup very early in the morning for your breakfast and have your lunch packed to be driven to the Park headquarters for a briefing about the dos and don’ts of lowland gorilla trekking. You will then be allocated the gorilla family you will go trekking after which ranger guides will lead you into the forests to locate the gorillas in their natural habitat. Having located the gorilla family, you will spend a maximum period of one hour as you closely watch them go by their routine duties which is so exciting and wondrous. Return back to the lodge to checkout and catch your drive back to Kigali for your overnight and dinner at a reserved hotel.
Day 3: Transfer to Akagera National Park – afternoon boat cruise
Your day starts with a scrumptious breakfast and checkout to embark on your drive to Akagera National Park. Before you set your feet out of the city, you will make visits to some genocide memorial sites such as the Gisozi memorial, Kandt House museum and many more to have an insight of what transpired during Rwanda’s 1994 genocide and Her culture. You will the proceed arriving at Akagera in the afternoon to check-in at your reserved lodge and later have lunch. After lunch you will proceed to Lake Ihema to have the most exciting and adventurous activity as you sail through schools of hippopotamuses while you spot vast of animals along the shores quench their thirst and wallow to lower their temperatures. Retire off the cruise to return to your lodge for dinner and an overnight.
Day 4: Morning game drive and departure
Wakeup so early to have your breakfast and hit the Park’s savannah plains for wildlife viewing where you will have the opportunity to encounter the big five namely lions, elephants, buffaloes, rhinos and leopards as well as other mammals like giraffes, impalas, topis, duikers, roan antelopes, waterbucks, klipspringers to mention but a few. Various bird species will be spotted as well for example open billed stork, egrets, African darter, Senegal lapwings, hammerkop, widow bird, Rwenzori batis, pied crow, cormorants and many more. You will retire off the game drive at exactly 11:30am to return to the lodge for an early lunch. You will then checkout and be driven to Kigali international airport to catch your flight back home.
