Embark on a 14-day self-drive adventure and immerse yourself in the stunning attractions of Rwanda. This tour promises to create lasting memories as you explore the country’s diverse landscapes and rich culture. You will visit Rwanda’s three national parks: Nyungwe, Akagera, and Volcanoes National Park. Your journey will also include stops at Lake Kivu and Kigali City to enhance your experience. Throughout your trip, you’ll have the opportunity to interact with locals, participate in daily activities. Highlights of the safari include gorilla trekking, chimpanzee trekking, and golden monkey trekking—experiences that offer unforgettable lifetime adventures.
In addition to exploring natural wonders, you will visit several museums dedicated to the history of the 1994 Rwandan genocide, gaining insight into this significant part of Rwanda’s past. By the end of the tour, you will leave with a deep appreciation for Rwanda’s attractions and culture, having experienced almost the entire country in just 14 days. This safari is a fantastic way to discover the beauty and history of Rwanda. Request a Quote
Itinerary summary
DAY 1: AIRPORT AND TRANSFER TO HOTEL
DAY 2: SELF-DRIVE FOR FULL DAY KITALI CITY TOUR
DAY 3: SELF-DRIVE TO TRANSFER TO KINIGI – MUSANZE
DAY 4: SELF-DRIVE TO GORILLA TREKKING EXPERIENCE
DAY 5: SELF-DRIVE TO GOLDEN MONKEY TREKKING
DAY 6: SELF-DRIVE TO CANOE RIDE AND TRANSFER TO GISENYI
DAY 7: A DAY WALKING ON THE CONGO NILE
DAY 8: SELF-DRIVE TO NYUNGWE WITH EN ROUTE BOAT RIDE ON LAKE KIVU
DAY 9: SELF-DRIVE TO CANOPY WALK AND AFTERNOON TEA PLANTATION
DAY 10: SELF-DRIVE TO CHIMPANZEE TREKKING ADVENTURE
DAY 11: SELF-DRIVE TO TRANSFER TO KIGALI
DAY 12: WITH A DRIVER FOR A TRANSFER TO AKAGERA NATIONAL PARK
DAY 13: WITH A DRIVER FOR FULL GAME DRIVE IN AKAGERA NATIONAL PARK
Detailed Itinerary.
Day 1: ARRIVAL AND AIRPORT TRANSFER TO HOTEL
Upon arrival at Kigali International Airport and passing through the immigration process, you will be welcomed by your driver guide who will brief you shortly and transfer you to the booked accommodation for dinner and overnight.
Accommodation: Chez Lando Hotel
Meals: Dinner
Day 2: SELF-DRIVE FOR FULL DAY KIGALI CITY TOUR
Your tour starts at 9:00am with an introduction at your hotel. Be handed over the vehicle with a full tank, from there you will head off to the Kigali city for a great day of sightseeing and active adventure. visit the Kigali Genocide Memorial Ground, where over 250000 victims of the 1994 Rwandan genocide, were buried in a mass grave as a respect to their soul. After Kigali Genocide memorial center you will head to visit the Kimironko local market and other suburb of the town
Accommodation: Chez Lando Hotel
Meals: Breakfast and Dinner
Day 3: SELF-DRIVE TO TRANSFER TO KINIGI-MUSANZE
Today after taking your early morning breakfast. with your adventure car, 4 x 4, with travel insurance cover, and full tank of gas, and hand it over to you. You will proceed with a drive to Kinigi -Musanze through the magnificent route, visit Ellen DeGeneres Campus of Diane Fossey before you go back to your booked accommodation and later spend the rest of the afternoon relaxing and preparing for the next day’s trekking. Dinner and overnight stay at the hotel. You have four nights here, on full board.
Accommodation: La Palme Hotel
Meals: Breakfast and Dinner
Day 4: SELF-DRIVE TO GORILLA TREKKING EXPERIENCE
Early morning after breakfast, drive to the park headquarters in Kinigi, then prepare for the gorilla trekking briefing from the park headquarters and thereafter, you will enter the jungle with your packed snacks and drinks to search for the shy mountain gorillas and enjoy their lifestyle in their real home. After meeting the gorillas, you can sit around these great apes for a whole hour watching their social life as you take pictures. On a gorilla safari, a reasonable degree of fitness is required as well as walking shoes, packed food and mineral water, insect repellent, sunscreen and hut. The gorilla tracking experience takes 2 – 6 hours depending on the movements of these primates. After this gorilla tracking experience you will return to your lodge for lunch. In the afternoon, at your leisure at the lodge. Dinner and overnight at the lodge.
Accommodation: La Palme Hotel
Meals: Breakfast and Dinner
Day 5: SELF-DRIVE TO GOLDEN MONKEY TREKKING
Today after your early morning breakfast, at 6:30 am, you will drive to the park’s headquarters with your packed snacks in Office of Tourism in Kinigi where you are briefed by the ranger about the rules and regulations governing golden monkey tracking before you head off to the jungle in search for these shy lovely primates. The golden monkey trek can last from an hour to six hours just like gorilla trekking, however not as hectic as the gorilla trekking, though the trek is strenuous but much rewarding at the end. You will be given an hour with the golden monkey to take as many pictures of your choice and later return from your trek, head for lunch, at the lodge, and spend the afternoon at your leisure. Dinner and overnight stay, at the lodge.
Accommodation: La Palme Hotel
Meals: Breakfast and Dinner
Day 6: SELF-DRIVE TO CANOE RIDE AND TRANSFER TO GISENYI
After your relaxed morning breakfast at the lodge, you will check out of the lodge, head to the Mukungwa River for the canoe ride that will reward you with the great views of the volcano chain and bird watching. Later you will drive to Gisenyi, and Lunch will be on your own arrangement along the day, in a local restaurant. Dinner and overnight stay at the lodge.
Accommodation: Kivu Paradise
Meals: Breakfast and Dinner
Day 7: A DAY WALKING ON THE CONGO NILE
After your early morning breakfast, with a professional guide of the trail, a half day Congo Nile trail , which is walk along the Lake Kivu, the walk on this trail rewards with stunning views of Lake Kivu coastline, seeing the real ways of living for Rwandans while they are cultivating and doing the daily activities and it reward with an exciting way to discover Rwanda. Later head back to your hotel for the relaxation.
Accommodation: Kivu Paradise
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 8: SELF-DRIVE TO NYUNGWE WITH EN ROUTE BOAT RIDE ON LAKE KIVU
After a relaxed breakfast at the lodge, you will check out of the lodge, get to your vehicle, and drive to Kibuye, to your booked accommodation. In the afternoon, you will have a boat trip on Lake Kivu, and visit this beautiful lake, which happens to be the biggest lake in the country, patched with great islands, some with great history. You will visit Napoleon Island as you explore this beautiful lake, which happens to be a birding paradise. You will later return to transfer to Nyungwe National Park.
Accommodation: Maravilla Kivu Resort
Meals: Breakfast and Dinner
Day 9: SELF-DRIVE TO CANOPY WALK AND AFTERNOON TEA PLANTATION
In the morning after your breakfast, you will catch-up with the canopy walk in Nyungwe forest, at the Uwinka reception for a briefing. This 70 meters suspended metallic bridge will give you a great overview of Nyungwe forest and on a lucky day spot one or two more primates in the forest as you take a walk on this breathtaking metallic bridge. After head to tea plantation experience together with locals for harvesting at your lodge.
Accommodation: Maravilla Kivu Resort
Meals: Breakfast and Dinner
Day 10: SELF-DRIVE TO CHIMPANZEE TREKKING ADVENTURE
Today, after your early morning cup of African coffee, you will leave your hotel to experience the natural forest of Nyungwe NP, well known for having 13 species of primates, and transferred to the park for briefing and chimpanzee trekking. You will be entitled to one hour on finding the chimpanzees. Chimps are more mobile compared to the gorillas, and are often on tree tops, so you will have more of a neck stretching and looking around to spot them. You will need to have some physical fitness, as you will have some quite challenging moderate hikes in search for the chimps. The walk is rewarding and enjoyable. After the trek, you will drive back to your lodge, and enjoy the rest of the noon at your own leisure. Dinner and overnight stay, at the lodge.
Accommodation: Maravilla Kivu Resort
Meals: Breakfast, and Dinner
Day 11: SELF-DRIVE TO TRANSFER TO KIGALI
Today after the relaxed breakfast, you shall drive back to Kigali with enroute visits to the Ethnographic museum in Huye and Kings Palace museum in Nyanza. Later you will drive back to Kigali. On arrival in Kigali you will handover back the vehicle with full tank.
Accommodation: Chez Lando Hotel
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 12: WITH A DRIVER FOR A TRANSFER TO AKAGERA
Today, after your early breakfast, you will leave for Akagera national park at 8:00 am, the journey to Akagera national park takes about 2.5 hours depending on the stopovers along the way, with the beautiful unwinding landscape en route to the park, feel free to ask the guide for stopovers to capture some photos. On arrival at the park, we shall proceed to our accommodation after a short game drive and check in and later head for a boat trip on Lake Ihema watch Hippos and crocodiles in the water or by the shores and meet the buffaloes and elephants wallowing by the water banks. Later return to the lodge for dinner and evening stay.
Accommodation: Akagera Game Lodge
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 13: WITH A DRIVER FOR FULL GAME DRIVE IN AKAGERA NATIONAL PARK
After your morning breakfast at the lodge, you will drive to the park reception, pick a guide, and later, you will head off, for a full day guided game drive sightings, and you continue with your animal searching for wildlife in the park. You may take a different route, for more encounters to explore this beautiful park. Picnic lunch will be served during the course of the day. You will return and drop the guide back at the park reception and head back to your lodge and dinner awaits you, at the lodge
Accommodation: Akagera Game Lodge
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 14: WITH A DRIVER FOR MORNING GAME DRIVE AND AFTERNOON TRANSFER TO KIGALI
Today, you will enjoy a morning game drive and boat trip. After breakfast at your lodge, you will head off for an early guided game drive at the southern part of the park, and later transfer to Kigali, and later transfer to the hotel.
No Accommodation
Meals: Breakfast only
Contact us to book this Rwanda safari.
What is included in the 14 Days Self-Drive Explore Rwanda Safari? Request a Quote
Items that are included in the cost of tour price.
- Transportation in a 4×4 safari vehicle on self-drive.
- Accommodation and meals as per itinerary
- 1 Gorilla Permit Per Person
- 1 Golden Monkey permit, per person
- 1 chimpanzee permit, per person
- Canopy walk permit
- Boat ride on Lake Kivu
- Coffee tour
- Local community encounter
- Tea tour
- Visit to King Palace Museum
- Kigali city tour
- Game drives
- Boat ride at Lake Ihema
- Park fees
- A guide for a day game drive
- Office support service
What is not included in the 14 Days Self-Drive Explore Rwanda Safari?
Items that are not included in the cost of tour price.
- Visa Fees
- Lunches where not provided
- Alcoholic drinks
- Porter fees while trekking
- Personal Insurance
- Items of personal nature