How To Tour Rwanda On Budget

Rwanda Budget Tours!

The Land of a Thousand is largely a luxurious destination and many wonder how to Tour Rwanda on budget. Rwanda currently tops the list of East African travel destinations thanks to the country’s diverse wildlife. The country is popularly known for mountain gorilla trekking safaris in Volcanoes National Park as people hike the forested mountains to meet one of man’s closest primate species.

Mountain gorilla trekking safaris in Rwanda are however expensive with the gorilla permit alone costing $1500. Not everyone can afford that much even though gorilla trekking is an incredible safari activity. To tour Rwanda on a budget you might have to exclude the most expensive adventures including the gorilla trek. Below are some of the tips you can use when planning to Tour Rwanda on a tight budget.

Choosing A Rwanda Tour Destination

The destinations choice on your Rwanda safari are the major determinants of the money you are to spend. Volcanoes National Park is the most expensive destination in the country if you are to take on gorilla trekking Discovery Journeys. Excluding this park saves as the money you pay for gorilla trekking can be used to explore other destinations for longer stays.

Rwanda destinations that are more affordable compared to Volcanoes National Park include Akagera. Park entrance fees to Akagera National Park cost $100 per day. This is discounted depending on the nights you spend in the park. The $100 per day is a rate for Foreign Non-Residents as East African residents and citizens get a discounted rate.

On paying $100 you get access to the park’s open savannas for game drives featuring the big five mammals. If you tour Rwanda with keen interest to see mountain gorillas try the low season from November to May. During these months the gorilla permits get a 15% discount provided you visit two other parks including the gorilla park. This allows you to explore the country fully as you get to participate in the different adventure activities.

Rwanda Tour Budget-Friendly Activities

The smartest and most direct way to Tour Rwanda on a budget is by opting for budget-friendly safari activities. Rwanda has 4 national parks 3 being for primate safari adventures while one offering open savanna wildlife adventures.

Akagera National Park is Rwanda’s only savanna park with diverse ecosystems including swamp vegetation. The park is home to lions, rhinos, leopards, buffaloes, elands, and some primates, especially baboons and vervet monkeys. Akagera National Park has several lakes with Lake Ihema being the largest and most visited. Lake Ihema is a habitat for marine wildlife and animals that can live on both land and water. While on a boat cruise along Lake Ihema, you get to see hippos, Nile crocodiles, and birds among others.

Rwanda Tour activities in Akagera are affordable ranging from $40 to $150 which is a fair range to any traveler. You can also Tour Rwanda on a budget featuring Nyungwe Forest home to chimpanzees. Rwanda safari tours to Nyungwe feature chimpanzee trekking costing about $250 including park entrance fees and the chimpanzee trek. Other primate treks in Nyungwe cost about $50 which is still affordable. In Volcanoes National Park the most budget-friendly activities include golden monkey trekking, visiting the Musanze caves, and hiking the Virunga Mountains hike.

Accommodation

Accommodation is a game changer in every safari destination. Rwanda being a luxurious destination, has over the years attracted some of the biggest luxurious accommodation brands. They include the One and Only Resorts that manage Nyungwe House and the One and Only Gorilla Nest Lodge. Wilderness Safaris is another big household accommodation name in Rwanda. Wilderness manages Bisate Lodge, Sabyinyo Silverback, and Magashi Camp.

All these camps and lodges charge over $1000 per person per night. These rates are all-inclusive and come along with full board accommodations, wines, and soft drinks excluding a few premium Champagnes.

Staying at any of these luxury facilities is memorable but you can do away with them if you are to tour Rwanda on budget. Rwanda has several budget-friendly lodges and guesthouses in all Rwanda safari destinations. Adventure enthusiasts prefer to see more staying at standard or deluxe accommodation options.

Transportation on a Tour Rwanda Expedition

The transportation means you opt to use on your Rwanda safari tour can also make you spend or save more. Road transport is the common means of transport used in Rwanda. The country has a great road network making it easy to access even the most remote destinations using public means. If you are a backpacker visiting Rwanda you can conveniently hop on public transportation means and start your Rwanda Tour adventure.

For more convenient travel as per your schedule using private transportation would be the best option. The cost of hiring a car in Rwanda varies depending on the type of car and number of people. If you are a solo traveler then using a small 3-seater LandCruiser or Nissan would be affordable.

Big travel groups require a bigger car and here it can be affordable to hire a 5 or 7-seater Land-cruisers or even a coaster.

Rwanda can surely be explored on a budget if the tour is well-planned. Rwanda’s neighboring destinations also offer cheaper safari activities similar to those you can have in Rwanda. Uganda tops that list with gorilla trekking safaris where a gorilla permit only costs $700 for Foreign Non Residents. East African Residents have a $100 discount on the permit while East African Citizens have the most affordable rate at $70. You can therefore visit Uganda for gorilla trekking or Kenya for more savanna and cultural safari experiences.