Rwanda Budget Safari Itinerary

day 3-4: akagera national park

Alluring, breathtakingly beautiful, inspiring, stunning, tranquil, and resilient: wilderness vacationers use these adjectives and more to describe not just Akagera National Park, but also the wonderful spirit of the country in which it is found, Rwanda. Situated along the northeastern border with Tanzania, It was founded in 1934 and includes savannah, montane and swamp habitats the reserve covers an area of more than 2500 square kilometers, or close to 10% of the total area of the country. Today, however, it encompasses only 1122 square kilometers. The park is named for the Kagera River, which runs along the eastern border of the park and spreads its life-giving waters through it, feeding Lake Ihema and Lake Shakani thus keeping the land fertile.

At the time of the park’s inception, intrepid travelers marveled at the incredible diversity of wildlife it hosted, including the Big Five of Africa. Its landscape reflects the diversity of the multifaceted wilderness of Rwanda, which includes sprawling golden grass savannahs, rolling hills, lakes nestled within lush forests of acacia and brachystegia, and wetlands filled with papyrus reeds, the largest wetland area under protection in central Africa. Today, safari visitors touring this region are once again able to view Rwanda’s splendor and beauty with a visit to Akagera.

day 5-6: nyungwe national park

The Nyungwe Forest (/nj-ʌŋ-ɡwɛ/) is located in southwestern Rwanda, on the border with Burundi, where it is contiguous with the Kibira National Park to the south, and Lake Kivu and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the west. The Nyungwe rainforest is probably the best preserved montane rainforest in Africa. It is located in the watershed between the basin of the river Congo to the west and the basin of the river Nile to the east. From the east side of the Nyungwe forest comes also one of the branches of the Nile sources.

Nyungwe National Park was established in 2004 and covers an area of approximately 1,019 km² (393 sq mi) of rainforest, bamboo, grassland, swamps, and bogs. The nearest town is Cyangugu, 54 km (34 mi) to the west. Mount Bigugu (2,921 m (9,583 ft)) is located within the park borders. In October 2020, the Rwanda Development Board signed an agreement with African Parks to assume management of Nyungwe National Park for an initial 20 years.^[2]

The Nyungwe forest has a wide diversity of animal species, making it a priority for conservation in Africa. The forest is situated in a region in which several large-scale biogeographical zones meet and the variety of terrestrial biomes provides a great span of microhabitats for many different species of plants and animals.

The park contains 13 primate species (25% of Africa’s total), 275 bird species, 1068 plant species, 85 mammal species, 32 amphibian and 38 reptile species. Many of these animals are restricted-range species that are only found in the Albertine Rift montane forests ecoregion in Africa. In fact, the number of endemic species found here is greater than in any other forest in the Albertine Rift Mountains that has been surveyed. The forest, which reaches its maximum altitude of 3000 meters above sea level, is of particular interest for the presence of colonies of chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) and Angola colobus (Colobus angolensis), the latter now extinct in Angola for the intense hunt to which they were subjected.^[3]

The stunningly beautiful Nyungwe National Park is situated in the southwestern corner of Rwanda and is part of the Albertine Rift eco-region, making it a great part of your wilderness primate vacation in Africa. Its mid-elevation forests are among the last of their kind on the African continent as well as important conservation sites. They host a high concentration of endemic flora and fauna, within an incredibly diverse biome. Travel through the 970 square kilometers of this woodland reserve and you will be introduced to some of the 310 avian species present here – a field day for avid birdwatchers in Rwanda. You may be lucky enough to spot white-headed wood hoopoes, paradise flycatchers, purple-breasted sunbirds, Ruwenzori turacos, and red-collared mountain babblers, to name just a few.

The mountain forests serve as a catchment area, supplying 70 percent of Rwanda’s water. The highest mountain, Mount Bigugu, serves as the southernmost source of the mighty Nile River. Runoffs from these forests on the east side eventually flow into the Nile, while those on the west feed another great African river, the Congo. Discerning holidaymakers often compare Nyungwe Park to Eden, since it has such an abundance of smaller fauna, including 13 species of primates, but no large and dangerous predators (read more on best time to visit). You can spend long hours exploring the forests by following the varied trails that run through them. The expert guides that accompany you will offer up their specialized knowledge about the trees—some 240 species— and 1068 documented varieties of plants, among them an unbelievable 140 types of gorgeous orchids.

Hiding away in the undergrowth are small mammals, insects, 120 species of colorful butterflies, reptiles, amphibians, and tiny invertebrates. The forest ranger will show you how to spot them in the camouflage that they use to hide from danger. Look up, way up, in the trees and you may spot some of the many apes and monkeys that Nyungwe National Forest is famous for. The blue monkey, Rwandan black and white colobus monkeys, owl-faced monkey, and perhaps even the golden monkey can be seen here. You can also keep an eye out for chimpanzees and other primates as you tour the forest. While the chimps are used to human presence, they tend to remain in the higher trees, and your guide will ask you to approach their habitat with care

day 7: volcanoes national park

Volcanoes National Park is a national park in northwestern Rwanda. It covers 160 km² (62 sq mi) of rainforest and encompasses five of the eight volcanoes in the Virunga Mountains, namely Karisimbi, Bisoke, Muhabura, Gahinga and Sabyinyo. It borders Virunga National Park in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Mgahinga Gorilla National Park in Uganda. It is home to the mountain gorilla and the golden monkey, and was the base for the primatologist Dian Fossey.

In the heart of the mighty African continent is a distinctive, natural utopia shared by three countries: Rwanda, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Uganda. Each nation has placed its part of this region under preservation by creating wilderness parks. In Rwanda, this kaleidoscope of natural beauty is protected as Volcanoes National Park, or Parc National des Volcans, a 160-square-kilometer reserve that includes evergreen and bamboo forest, tropical rainforest and partial grasslands, valleys, serene lakes, craggy volcanoes, and farmed foothills.

If you have the opportunity to trek through the park during your adventure vacation in Rwanda, you will see evidence of the strong volcanic activity in ages past, which left behind eight volcanic peaks, five of which lie within the borders of the country on the northwest.

The mountains, covered with lush forests, tower up to 15,000 feet and are inhabited by rare primates and other creatures, including more than 178 species of birds. The rainforests on their slopes are home to the endangered mountain gorillas, which often travel between the three countries in the quest for eatables. Gorillas are known to feed mainly on soft bamboo shoots, wild celery, stinging nettles, and wild fruit.

Like-minded tourists who hope to see these rare primates in their native habitat can explore this tranquil, Eden-like world by following the many trails that wind through Volcanoes Park. Each of the trails allows you to experience a different facet of the forest reserve. With a permit and the help of an expert tracker, hike to meet one of the famed gorilla families and spend time watching them as they forage for food or groom one another.

day 8-9 : musanze

Poised to become one of Rwanda’s major cities, Musanze’s strategic location in the foothills of the Virunga Massif is attractive to tourism, business and agriculture, with notably fertile land in the surrounding region.

Set at an altitude of 1,850m, the city is a convenient base for gorilla tracking, with the Kinigi headquarters 13km away. For those keen to stay closer to the edge of the Volcanoes National Park, there are various boutique lodges along its fringes with spectacular views and a more rural setting.

Musanze is a hassle-free and buzzing city, with plenty of choice for eating out, ATMs to withdraw cash, vibrant nightlife, markets and artisanal trades.

Ruhengeri, also known as Musanze or Muhoza, is the third largest city in Rwanda and the capital of Musanze District in the Northern Province of Rwanda. The city has a population of 135,000 as of the 2022 census.^[1]

day 10: Lake kivu

Lake Kivu is one of the African Great Lakes.^[2] It lies on the border between the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Rwanda, and is in the Albertine Rift, the western branch of the East African Rift. Lake Kivu empties into the Ruzizi River, which flows southwards into Lake Tanganyika.

Lake Kivu is crocodile free, hippo free and bilharzia free. The water in lake Kivu has a cool temperature so it is perfect for those who want to jump and relax in the lake to cool down.  

The lake is dotted with beaches along the lakeshores with fine sands and mild sun to enjoy after having a great swim in the lake.

day 11: gishwati-mukura national park

Rwanda’s fourth national park, Gishwati Mukura is made up of two separate forests – the larger Gishwati and small Mukura, forming a total of 34 square kilometres plus a buffer zone.

The forests sit on the ridge which divides the Congo and Nile water catchment areas, along the incredibly biodiverse Albertine Rift in the west of the country. It is made up of 60 species of tree, including indigenous hardwoods and bamboo.

Gishwati is home to a group of 20 chimpanzees which live alongside golden monkeys, L’Hoest’s and Blue Monkeys. Birds are well represented too, 232 species have been seen at Gishwati and 163 at Mukura, among them Albertine Rift Endemic species and forest specialists.

Activities in the park started in 2019 and include a guided nature hike, guided chimp and monkey tracking, bird watching and a visit to the waterfalls.

Gishwati Forest is a forest in the north-western part of Rwanda, not far from Lake Kivu. It is part of Gishwati–Mukura National Park. The area’s forests were largely intact in 1978, and substantial forest cover still remained in 1986.^[2] During the Rwandan genocide, wave after wave of refugees arrived in Gishwati Forest and began clearing it, often for subsistence farming. By 2001, only a small circular patch of native forest remained, 1,500 acres (6.1 km²) of the forest’s original 250,000.^[2] In addition to tremendous loss of biodiversity, the region experiences soil erosion and degradation and landslides.^[2]Reforestation efforts in the past few years have increased the remnant native forest to about 2,500 acres (10 km²).^[2] Large tea estates occupy the central and northern parts of the reserve.^[2]