Speedbird Safaris

GORILLA TRACKING IN VIRUNGA NATIONAL PARK
6 Days /5 nights Safari.

Day 1:
Arrival Then Transfer to Virungas National Park
Upon your arrival at Kanombe airport, transfer to the hotel for refreshment and lunch. Time permitting; you will enjoy a city tour with stops at the genocide memorial sites and other places of interest. Later, transfer to Virunga National Park, for dinner and overnight at the Volcanoes Lodge/Kinigi Guest House.

Day 2:
Park National Des Volcans
After early breakfast, drive to the park for a briefing on the gorilla sanctuary. The whole day dedicated to trekking, as it's unpredictable how many hours it may take to reach a group of gorillas. It's advisable to carry packed lunch, which can be arranged with your hotel the night before. For conservation purposes, time spent with the gorillas is only one hour and it is advisable to carry only non-flash cameras. After seeing the gorillas, return to Volcanoes Lodge for Luxury OR Kinigi Guest House if Budget, dinner and overnight there.

Day 3:
To Akagera National Park
Drive to Akagera National Park for an afternoon or evening game drive, where you will see many night birds and animals. After this, check in for dinner and overnight at the hotel if Luxury and if Budget then option is Guesthouse or Camping.

Day 4:
Akagera- Nyungwe Forest National Park
After an early breakfast, you go for a morning game drive for a close encounter with animals such as zebras, several antelope species and giraffes. Later drive out of the park, stopping for lunch at Kigali town and continuing to Nyungwe Forest. This forest boasts many primate species like the wild chimpanzees, red-tailed monkeys, black and white colobus monkeys and many others. Therefore, a night walk this evening in search of the shy forest dwellers is rewarding and worthwhile. Dinner and overnight at the Hotel if Luxury and if Budget then option is Guesthouse or Camping.

Day 5:
Nyungwe Forest National Park
After breakfast, there will be a primate walk in search of the primates mentioned above. This is a whole day activity accompanied by park rangers and trained guides. Dinner and overnight at the Hotel if Luxury and if Budget then Option is Camping.

Day 6:
Departure
Early drive from Nyungwe lunch in Kigali and afternoon leave for the airport in plenty of time for your flight.

WILDLIFE SAFARIS

Day 1: Arrival
you will arrive at Kanombe International Airport; you will meet the guide who will transfer you to the Hotel where you will have dinner and overnight. Overnight at Akagera Game Lodge BB

Day 2: Game viewing Safari (Akagera Park)
Before breakfast, you will have an early morning game drive and have a chance to see animals like Butchell's Zebra, lions, elephants, topi etc and over 425 species of birds including the shoe billed stock, African jacana, sacred ibis goliath heron etc. In the afternoon, you will drive to Kigali and arrive in time for dinner. Overnight at Hotel Chezlando/Hotel Gorillas

Day 3: Drive to Nyungwe Forest
Early morning after breakfast you will drive to Nyungwe National park. You will have lunch En-route or get to your place of accommodation in time for lunch. Check in at Gisakura Guest House and then go for an afternoon primate walk in the forest. You may have chance to see the colubus monkeys and birds including the Rwenzori turaco. Dinner and overnight at Gisakura Guest House.

Day 4: Chimpanzee tracking safari
Early morning before breakfast at around 4:00 am, you will enter Nyungwe forest and search for Chimpanzee. You will have a chance to see some of these close relatives to man, see how they feed and play with each other and then return to the lodge for late breakfast and lunch. After drive to Ruhengeri. Dinner and overnight at Muhabura Lodge (BB) or Mountain Gorilla View Lodge (FB)

Day 5: Gorilla Tracking (Safari Volcanoes NP)
Wake up early morning and drive to Ruhengeri for an encounter with the gorillas. En route you will be able to see the pyrethrum plantations and on arrival at Ruhengeri, the guide will pick you up and proceed to Parc national de Volcans the home to the rare mountain gorillas. You will take a hike up to the bamboo forest to spend a magical hour in the company of the gorillas and then return to the lodge for lunch. After lunch drive to Kigali. Dinner and Overnight at Hotel Chezlando/Hotel Gorillas

Day 6: Kigali City tour
Following breakfast, you will have a city tour. Visit the city and curio markets, and then have lunch. In the afternoon, you will transfer to the airport and catch your flight back home.
END OF RWANDA WILDLIFE SAFARI

GORRILLA TREK
Day 1: Arrival
On arrival to Kigali, you will meet and greet. Transfer to the hotel and check in. Incase time allows, you will have a city tour and visit different places in Kigali. You will have lunch and then return to the hotel for dinner and overnight.

Day 2: Transfer to Volcanoes National Park
After breakfast you will take up the journey to Volcanoes National Park
Overnight: Gorillas Nest Lodge FB

Day 3: More Gorilla tracking
You will have a second day Gorilla trek. Then return for lunch at the lodge before proceeding back Kigali. Overnight at Intercontinental Kigali FB

Day 4: Lake Kivu
After breakfast, you will have a morning boat ride on the lake. You will have a chance to see bird species and different water animals on the lake shore.
Overnight: Kivu Sun Hotel (FB)

Day 5: Departure
After breakfast, transfer to the airport for a flight back home.

ITINERARY FOR THE RWANDA GORILLA TRIP
Day 1: Arrival.
You will be met on arrival at airport and then transfer to Kigali. You will get briefed about your safari and after lunch, depart for Akagera. Go for an evening game drive and have a chance to look at some animals before they get back to their habitants. Overnight and dinner at Akagera Lodge (FB).

Day 2: Game drives.
Game drives in the park or a canoe ride on Lake Ihema to see the large number of hippo, the huge Nile crocodile and birds. Overnight and dinner at Akagera Lodge (FB).

Day 3: Travel to Kinigi
Early start for Kinigi. The journey north goes through the beautiful terraced hillsides that show much of Rwanda's landscape, gradually climbing to the base of the awesome volcanoes, sometimes with as many as five peaks visible. You will have late lunch on arrival at PNV. Overnight at Volcanoes Virunga Lodge (FB).

Day 4: Gorilla Tracking.
Go gorilla tracking in Park National des Volcans. Tracking the gorillas through the light mountain forest of the Virunga is a wonderful experience. If you are lucky you can get to see the gorillas, spend time with the gorillas (takes about I hour), and be back at the lodge in time for a late lunch! Some gorilla families however are more elusive, and tracking can take a full day, especially when it is wet and muddy. Overnight and dinner at Volcanoes Virunga Lodge (FB).

Day 5: Golden Monkeys
Visit the golden monkeys or drive to Gisenyi, visit Ross Carr's orphanage and Lake Kivu or climb the Visoke/Muhavura volcanoes, or trek to Dian Fossey's grave, or visit the local school, community projects or walk to Lake Bulera. Overnight at Volcanoes Virunga Lodge (FB).

Day 7: Drive to Nyungwe.
Early start for Nyungwe. Visit the old palace in Nyanza. Drive past green hills of tea and the vast Nyungwe Forest. Overnight at ORTPN Rest house (FB).

Day 8: Forest Walk.
Go on an escorted walk in search of the large groups of Colobus monkeys and birds including the Rwenzori turaco. Or go chimp tracking and have picnic lunch. Return late afternoon. Overnight at ORTPN Rest house (FB).

Day 8: Forest Walk
Guided nature walk in the forest or go chimp tracking. Overnight and dinner at ORTPN Rest House (FB)

Day 9: Depart for Kigali
Leave for Kigali. If time allows go for a tour of the city including a visit to the market, a pottery project, handicraft shops, the Franco-Rwandan cultural centre and a genocide memorial. Transfer to the airport (HB)
END OF THE RWANDA GORILLA TRIP

Bird watching
Day 1: Travel to Nyungwe Forest National Park
You will be briefed about your safari and then drive to Nyungwe Forest National Park. Visit the old palace in Nyanza and drive past green hills of tea and the vast Nyungwe Forest. Overnight and dinner at ORTPN Rest house (FB)/Gisakura Guest house.

Day 2:
Forest Walk
Go on a guided walk in search of the large groups of Colobus monkeys and birds including the Rwenzori turaco or go chimp tracking. You will have Picnic lunch while in the park and return in the late afternoon. Overnight and dinner ORTPN Rest house (FB) /Gisakura Guest house.

Day 3:
Chimpanzee Tracking
You will have a guided nature walk in the forest or go chimp tracking. Dinner and overnight at ORTPN Rest House (FB) /Gisakura Guest house.

Day 4:
Return to Kigali
Return to Kigali. En-route, you will visit the cultural museum in Butare. Transfer to airport for your onward flight.
END OF THE TOUR IN RWANDA