Rwanda Safari Experiences are some of the best Discovery Journeys adventures in East Africa. Rwanda is a small landlocked country in the region. It neighbors Uganda to the north, DRC to the west, Tanzania to the East and Burundi to South. Despite its small size, Rwanda is diverse in terms of wildlife and safari experiences.
The country is among Africa’s fastest growing economies and also a leading safari destination. It positioned itself as a luxury safari destination and has over the years attracted some of the most high-end safari lodge and camp investments. On Rwanda Safari Experiences, you get to visit some of the leading safari destinations for the ultimate African adventures.
Below are our top recommended Rwanda Safari Experiences you can be part of this coming month.
Nyungwe Birding Safari Experiences
Nyungwe is a forested national park located in the southwestern part of the country. The park was inscribed a UNESCO World Heritage Site because of its wildlife diversity and need for sustainability. It is home to 13 primates including chimpanzees, colobus monkeys, L’hoest monkeys and blue monkeys among others.
Nyungwe is Rwanda’s Most Important Birding Area with over 300 bird species including the Albertine Rift Valley endemics. Notable birds you can see a Nyungwe Birding safari experiences including the Great Blue Turaco, Rwenzori Turaco, Regal Sunbird and Black Saw-wing.
Birding safaris are doable throughout but the best experiences are had from November to May. This is when birds are most vocal and can easily be spotted in a forested area like Nyungwe. Migratory birds are present in the area during this time and you therefore stand more chances of seeing more species. The dry season months from June to September are great too as there are minimal rainfall disturbances during the birding adventure.
Mountain Gorilla Trekking
Gorilla Trekking is the top and most recommended of all Rwanda Safari Experiences. This is done in Volcanoes National Park that is located in northwestern Rwanda. Volcanoes National Park is among the four national Parks on the planet where you can see the rare mountain gorillas. The others including Bwindi Impenetrable, Mgahinga Gorilla Park and Virunga National Park.
Virunga National Park is situated in DRC and is currently closed because of insecurity issues. The other three parks are however open and Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park is among the most reliable gorilla trekking destinations. It has the highest gorilla population in the Virunga massif with 12 fully habituated gorilla families. These are open for tourism with a provision of 8 gorilla permits per day. Rwanda being a bucket list destination for many, gorilla permits get fully booked a couple months in advance and it is highly recommended to book your safari in time to avoid missing out.
Our Rwanda gorilla tour packages to Volcanoes National Park are customized starting from a one day excursion. For those interested in filming and making documentaries, you can book for a gorilla filming package that is exclusive and gives enough time gorillas. The double gorilla trek can also work for those who prefer to learn more and would need more than the one hour with the gorillas.
Akagera Big Five Safari Tours
Akagera National Park is the only savanna national park in Rwanda. It is located in the eastern part and is home to all the Big Five mammals and several other safari animals. Akagera is among Rwanda’s conservation successes as most of its wildlife have been restored thanks to the great conservation efforts.
Some of the park land was de-gazetted and given to the Rwandan people who had returned from exile after the 1994 genocide against the Tustsi. Many wildlife species had gone extinct given the human wildlife conflict and high levels of poaching especially when Rwanda was politically unstable. With the restored peace and stability, the government of Rwanda started a conservation and wildlife sustainability journey. This saw the reintroduction of several wildlife species in the park including lions and Rhinos.
Akagera currently has a reasonable lion population, leopards, elephants, buffaloes and both black and white rhinos. Other safari animals present include zebras, the Topi, giraffes, elands and many other small antelope species, These are often seen on game drives and other Rwanda Safari expeditions in the park. Hot air balloon safaris were also introduced and these offer panoramic views of the parks wildlife. Akagera safaris are remarkable and Must do Rwanda Safari Experiences.
Gishwati Mukura Primate Safari experiences
Gishwati Mukura National Park is an important Rwanda safari ecosystem. It is Rwanda’s smallest and fourth National Park covering a land area of 34 square kilometers. The park is an important water catchment area in Rwanda and also very diverse in terms of wildlife species.
Gishwati Mukura is Rwanda’s second important chimpanzee trekking destination after Nyungwe. It is home to a community of over 20 chimpanzees. These live alongside other primates including golden monkeys, blue monkeys and L’hoest monkeys among others. This makes the park one of the best destinations for Rwanda Safari Experiences featuring primates.
Birding safari experiences are doable and rewarding in Gishwati Mukura forest. There are over 350 bird species that are easily spotted while on guided nature walks or birding excursions in the park. There are well developed hiking trails in the park that you can follow while on journeys of Discovery there. Gishwati Mukura National Park can be visited independently or alongside other national park for the best Rwanda Safari Experiences.
Lake Kivu Safari Tours
Lake Kivu is Rwanda’s largest water body located along its western border with the Democratic Republic of Congo. It covers a land area of 2,700 square kilometers and it is among destinations with adventurous Rwanda Safari Experiences. Rwanda safari tours to Lake Kivu are mainly for relaxation and adventure. They feature a visit to the Islands, Kayaking, and an experience with the singing fishermen.
The Singing Fishermen experience is done in the Gisenyi area as you directly interact with the local fishermen as they take you through the fishing experience.
Lake Kivu has well developed beaches and resorts where you can choose to relax and enjoy the view. The lakes acts as a breaking point for Rwanda Discovery Journeys between Nyungwe Forest and Volcanoes National Park. It can also be visited independently for those seeking simple Rwanda Tour getaways.
Rwanda’s small size gives it an advantage of easy accessibility when compared to other featured destinations like Kenya and Tanzania. We nonetheless less customize all our adventures to these destinations for exclusive safari experiences. Contact Us now to book your ultimate Discovery Journey.
