Day 1: Kigali to Nyungwe Forest and Canopy Birding.
Depart Kigali at 5:00 AM for a scenic 5-hour drive to Nyungwe National Park. Head straight to the Uwinka Center to bird the Igishigishigi trail and step onto the suspension Canopy Walkway to spot high-canopy specialists at eye level, to see Great Blue Turaco, Ruwenzori Turaco, Regal Sunbird, Purple-breasted Sunbird, and Bar-tailed Trogon. Dinner and overnight stay.
Day 2: High-Altitude Forest and Transfer to Kigali.
Spend a morning tracking forest-interior endemics along the high-altitude trails or the dense Kamiranzovu Swamp trail to see Red-collared Mountain Babbler, Grauer’s Swamp Warbler, Albertine Boubou, Handsome Francolin, and Archer’s Robin-Chat. After an early lunch, start on the drive back to Kigali for an overnight stay to position yourself for the east. Dinner and overnight stay.
Day 3: Kigali to Akagera National Park and Southern Wetlands.
After breakfast, drive 2.5 hours east to Akagera National Park. Spend the afternoon birding the acacia woodlands and start on a targeted boat safari on Lake Ihema to scout the papyrus swamp edges for rare waterbirds, to see Red-faced Barbet, African Finfoot, Papyrus Gonolek, Lesser Jacana, White-winged Swamp Warbler, and the elusive Shoebill Stork. Dinner and overnight.
Day 4: Departure.
Drive south-to-north birding drive through Akagera’s open grasslands and the Kilala Plains to see Ruaha Chat, Tabora Cisticola, Souuza’s Shrike, Bateleur, Martial Eagle, and Crested Barbet. Exit through the northern gate by mid-afternoon and drive back to Kigali for your evening flight home.
Day 1: Kigali to Nyungwe Forest and Canopy Birding.
Day 2: High-Altitude Forest and Transfer to Kigali.
Day 3: Kigali to Akagera National Park and Southern Wetlands.
Day 4: Departure.
Combining Nyungwe (west) and Akagera (east) in just 4 days requires significant road travel. You will spend around 5 hours driving on Day 1, 5 hours on Day 2, and about 2.5 hours each on Days 3 and 4. To maximize your time looking through binoculars instead of windshields, pre-arrange early morning departures (5:00 AM) with your driver.
Bring high-quality lightweight rain gear and sturdy waterproof hiking boots for Nyungwe, but pack shorts, a wide-brimmed sun hat, and high-SPF sunscreen for Akagera.
Day 1 and 2 in Nyungwe require active mountain hiking on steep, muddy, and slippery terrain where you must look up into dense forest canopies. Day 3 and 4 in Akagera are primarily vehicle-based game drives and boat safaris. Ensure you have a reasonable baseline of physical fitness and good walking sticks for the forest leg.
