What to expect on safari in Rwanda

Rwanda safari expectations start with choosing what to do in Rwanda. Gorilla trekking in Rwanda is the highlight of all safari in this country. Volcanoes National Park is the only home to the mountain gorillas in Rwanda, but 15 gorilla families are currently open for this adventure. You must book a Rwanda gorilla trekking permit to be allowed to attend this adventure.

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Golden monkey trekking in Rwanda is another activity you can do while visiting Rwanda. Golden monkeys are scientifically called Cercopithecus mitis kandti. They live in communities under the leadership of an alpha male. Their charming nature makes it hard to resist visiting them while on a Rwanda safari. You must book a Golden Monkey trekking permit to access these primates.

Chimpanzee trekking in Nyungwe National Park is exciting as you get to be in the company of semi-habituated chimpanzees. Another chimpanzee community lives in Cyamudondo, just on the outskirts of Nyungwe National Park.

Game safaris in Akagera National Park are stunning, although the park is recovering from the rambles of the 1994 Rwanda Genocide. During the game drives in Akagera National Park, you may spot animals like waterbucks, zebras, bushbucks, herds of elephants, cape buffaloes, giraffes, warthogs, and others.

Hiking any of the five Virunga volcanoes in Rwanda is gorgeous as you get to enjoy the scenery of the land of a thousand hills from the top. These mountains include Sabyinyo, Gahinga, Bisoke, Karisimbi, and Muhavura.

Birding in Rwanda is rewarding, with several birds you can spot during the expedition, including Albertine rift endemics. Rwanda hosts over 700 bird species living in different habitats in the country. Some birds you may spot on Rwanda's birding adventure include Handsome Francolin, Shelley's Crimsonwing, Red-throated Alethe, Kivu Ground Thrush, Dusky's Crimsonwing, and Blue Turaco.

What You Expect To Do on Rwanda Safari

Gorilla trekking on Rwanda safari

Gorilla trekking tops the list of Rwanda safari activities, but you must book a gorilla permit in advance. During the peak Rwanda tourism season, the demand for gorilla permits is high, creating scarcity at the last minute. The high Rwanda safari season is June to September and December to January. Securing your Rwanda gorilla permits at least six months to a year in advance is best.

Volcanoes National Park is the only gorilla trekking destination in Rwanda. At the moment, 15 gorilla families are open for this Rwanda adventure. Some gorilla trekking families include Kwitonda, Hirwa, Susa, Umubano, Agashya, and others. A maximum of 8 people are allowed to visit any of these gorilla families per day.

To book the gorilla trekking permits for Rwanda, you can apply for them online or go through a tour operator like Encounter Africa Safaris. At Encounter Africa Safaris, we are one of the few safari companies accredited to check Rwanda gorilla permits from the availability list.

We also help secure other safari amenities supporting this adventure, like accommodation booking, vehicle hire driver guide, and more. We are here to help lift the burden of enjoying and following up on your gorilla safari in Rwanda off your shoulders.

Chimpanzee trekking in Nyungwe National Park Rwanda

Chimpanzees are human's closest relatives in the animal kingdom, with about 98% human DNA. While on Rwanda safari, expect to see the chimpanzees in Nyungwe National Park. The headquarters of this park are at the Uwinka visitor center. They live in a community, and more can be seen in Cyamudondo.

You must have a chimpanzee trekking permit from the Rwanda Development Board to have a chance to do Rwanda chimpanzee trekking, whether in the morning or afternoon. 

Golden Monkey trekking in Volcanoes National Park.

Golden monkeys in Volcanoes National Park are among the few living in the world. You need a golden monkey trekking permit to visit Volcanoes National Park. These charming monkeys may be habituated to be a human presence, but their charming characteristic is never erased. 

Visiting the golden monkeys allows you to enjoy other primates in this forest, like blue monkeys, black and white colobus, vervet monkeys, and others.

Canopy walk over Nyungwe National Park.

The canopy walk over Nyungwe National Park is a one-of-a-kind adventure in Rwanda. This 160-meter-long suspension bridge gives you a breathtaking view of Nyungwe forest and its beautiful canopy. The canopy walk is about 70 meters above the Nyungwe canopy. This, however, is not for the faint-hearted, but you can take this chance to mark memorable life moments on this bridge.

Nature walks in Rwanda.

Different trails within Rwanda's other national parks may allow you to see the fantastic features of these forests. During the nature walk in Nyungwe National Park and taking the Isumo trail, you get to the sparkling Isumo Falls, which are picturesque.

The nature walks in Volcanoes National Park allow you to spot other primates in the forest, like black and white colobus, vervet monkeys, grey-cheeked mangabey, olive baboons, and others.

Dian Fossey grave hike

Dian Fossey is the mountain gorilla hero who dedicated her life to the survival of the mountain. She died on a job in 1985 when unknown assassins brutally massacred her. The existence of mountain gorilla trekking adventures in Uganda, Rwanda, and D.R.Congo is awed by her research and advocacy for their protection.

When you take a hike to the Dian Fossey, you walk in the last footsteps of this mountain gorilla hero as her remains were laid to rest amongst the mountain gorillas that she defended. The hike to Dian Fossey's grave is one of the ways to collect funds for supporting the mountain gorilla research started by this hero in the Karisoke Research Center.

Game Drives in Akagera National Park 

While on safari in Rwanda, you can do a game drive in Akagera National Park. Akagera National Park is still recovering from the effects of the 1994 Rwanda genocide, as most of its wild animals fled for safety while others were killed in the event.

During the game drive in Akagera National Park, you may spot herds of elephants, cape buffaloes, waterbucks, bushbucks, Burchell Zebras, giraffes, herds of elephants, and others. 

The list of birds in Akagera National Park is constantly expanding as more birds are spotted there.

Taking a boat ride on Lake Ihema is the highlight of a visit to Akagera National Park, allowing you to spot several animals and water birds. Enjoy the stunning view of this park with the several highlands that make up its topography.

Rwanda Cultural tour

Rwandese are proud of their culture and are not shy about sharing their uniqueness with the rest of the world. During the Rwanda cultural safari, you may see a range of Rwanda crafts, including paintings, traditional wood carvings, and basketry; the Rwanda National Museum in Butare has the finest ethnographic absorbing display of conventional and subsequent modern development of Rwanda.

While attending a visit to Rwanda, you may have a chance to witness the Intore performance in the villages. These dance moves are accompanied by loudly beaten long drums and traditional instruments like harps. Folk songs accompany these dance moves and are very contiguous, so you may find yourself joining the dancers.

Nyakarimbi is home to unique Rwanda crafts, where you may find the famous cow dung painting Imigongo.

Kigali city tour

Kigali is where Rwanda's heart beats and is the country's commercial city. While on a visit to Rwanda. You may do a Kigali city tour visiting places like Kandt house, commercial buildings, religious centers, genocide memorials like the St Famille church, Gisozi genocide memorial, etc.

Kwita Izina Day on Rwanda safari

In July, the Rwanda Development Board usually hosts the gorilla naming called Kwita Izina. This event is attended by many people worldwide, where mountain gorillas born in that year are given names. This is a significant milestone for the mountain gorilla conservation bodies within Rwanda and the world over, and this is a sign of achievement.

 These days, the Intore dance moves are performed, conservation speeches are given, and much more.

Is Rwanda safe For a safari?

Rwanda is safe for a safari, but you must follow the country's rules, like not carrying drugs or narcotics, as these may cause you to be imprisoned or pay a hefty price.

While on safari in the National Parks of Rwanda, well-trained ranger guides are there to protect the animals, habitats, and visitors. They work jointly with other Rwanda security agencies to keep law and order.

Before walking into the forest to do gorilla, chimpanzee, or golden monkey trekking, you must attend a briefing where you are advised about the dos and don'ts of this experience.

What are the guidelines for Rwanda safaris?

Rwanda safari activities are mainly in the wildlife parks and include trekking, so some of the guidelines include

• In case you are going on a primate safari in Rwanda that is gorilla trekking, golden monkey trekking, or chimpanzee trekking, volunteer to stay behind in case you have a contagious infection like flu, cough, COVID-19 as these primates are susceptible to human diseases, which may lead to there massive death.
• When you find the chimpanzees, mountain gorillas, or golden monkeys, stay in a tight group and do not surround them. They feel ambushed when you cover them.
• Keep a distance of 8 meters when you locate mountain gorillas, chimpanzees, or golden monkeys to prevent chances of passing an infection to them.
• Never use flash photography when locating mountain gorillas, chimpanzees, or golden monkeys, as this scares them.
• Do not sneeze or cough while with the mountain gorillas, chimpanzees, or golden monkeys to protect them from spreading infectious germs to them.
• Burry all fecal materials at least 30 centimeters under and cover well beyond recognition. This is to prevent chances of exhuming them.
• Littering the forest with garbage or indecomposable matter alters the nature of the forest where these primates thrive.
• Please don't spit on vegetation, as this is food for the primates, and you get to contaminate it when you spit on it.
• Provoking the mountain gorillas, chimpanzees, or golden monkeys is forbidden as this may cause them to charge. Do not mimic these primates because you do not know what you are communicating.
• Keep voices low while searching for these primates as they are afraid of strange noise in their surroundings. Avoid sudden movement when you are with these primates to avoid looking suspicious before them.
• If you have to eat or smoke, do it 250 meters away from the mountain gorillas, chimpanzees, or golden monkeys just not to attract them to pick it from you. They are wild animals that must not depend on human food.
• Only one hour is allowed with the mountain gorillas, chimpanzees, and golden monkeys to enable them to go about their day-to-day life. Human presence disrupts the life of these primates.

What to pack for Rwanda Safari?

• Safari waterproof boots to use during the walks to find the mountain gorillas, chimpanzees, or golden monkeys in Rwanda
• A long-sleeved shirt and trousers to protect your body from stinging nettels and other rough surfaces in the jungle.
• Garden gloves to protect your palms from the rough surfaces in the jungle.
• Insect repellant to protect your skin from stinging insects
• Safari hat for protecting your head from buzzing insects.
• Backpack to carry with your safari gear and other items that you hand over to the porter.
• Camera for taking photos and capturing moments to return to later as meeting the mountain gorillas is a once-in-lifetime adventure.
• Raincoat as it falls in the forest anytime without warning
• Additional clothes to change into after the gorilla trek
• A first aid kit with medication can be used in an emergency.
• A sweater or warmers are needed during the early morning or late afternoon. Most Rwanda safari destinations experience cold conditions.
• Extra batteries to change with after one runs low.
• Hard cash to change into local currency in case you wish to make on-ground purchases, as credit cards are not commonly used in Rwanda. This is because of the lengthy process of obtaining money from them.

Contact us to plan your Rwanda safari in advance.