Experience the ultimate Rwanda adventure with our comprehensive 8-day safari that showcases the country's extraordinary diversity of landscapes, wildlife, and cultural experiences. This carefully crafted journey takes you through all of Rwanda's major attractions, from the savanna plains of Akagera and the mountain rainforests of Nyungwe to the stunning shores of Lake Kivu and the misty volcanoes of Virunga.
Begin in Akagera National Park, where recent conservation efforts have restored this ecosystem to its former glory, with thriving populations of elephants, lions, rhinos, and more. Then venture to Nyungwe Forest National Park, one of Africa's oldest rainforests, for chimpanzee tracking and a walk on the famous canopy walkway suspended above the forest floor.
Relax on the shores of Lake Kivu, one of Africa's great lakes, before culminating your journey with the ultimate wildlife experience – tracking endangered mountain gorillas in Volcanoes National Park. Throughout the safari, you'll be accompanied by expert guides who provide insights into Rwanda's remarkable wildlife, landscapes, and cultural heritage.
| Number of People | Price Per Person |
|---|---|
| 1 person | $6,442 |
| 2 Pax | $5,302 |
| 3 Pax | $4,955 |
| 4 Pax | $4,782 |
| 5 Pax | $4,678 |
| 6 Pax | $4,609 |
| 7 Pax | $4,559 |
Note: Gorilla permit fee of $1,500 and chimpanzee tracking permit of $100 per person are included in the above prices.
Upon your arrival at Kigali International Airport, you'll be warmly welcomed by your guide who will accompany you throughout your Rwanda adventure. Transfer to your hotel in Rwanda's clean and modern capital city.
Depending on your arrival time, you may have the opportunity for a brief orientation tour of Kigali, including a visit to the Kigali Genocide Memorial, a powerful and moving tribute to the 1994 genocide victims and an important introduction to Rwanda's history and remarkable journey of reconciliation.
Dinner at your hotel or at a recommended local restaurant. During dinner, your guide will brief you on the exciting journey ahead and answer any questions you may have about your Rwanda safari.
Overnight: Accommodation in Kigali
Meals: Dinner (depending on arrival time)
After an early breakfast, depart Kigali for Akagera National Park, Rwanda's only savanna park and home to the "Big Five." The approximately 2.5-hour drive takes you through rural Rwanda, with its terraced hillsides and small villages, before the landscape gradually flattens as you approach the park.
Arrive at Akagera in time for lunch at your accommodation. After settling in, embark on your first game drive in the northern section of the park. Akagera is a remarkable conservation success story – after being nearly depleted of wildlife following the 1994 genocide, it has been revitalized through careful management, with lions reintroduced in 2015 and black rhinos in 2017. During your game drive, look for elephants, buffaloes, giraffes, zebras, antelopes, and potentially lions and rhinos.
Return to your lodge for dinner and overnight. Listen to the sounds of the African wilderness as you relax at your accommodation inside or near the park.
Overnight: Accommodation in or near Akagera National Park
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Rise early for a morning game drive when wildlife is typically most active. Akagera's varied landscape includes woodland, grassland, swamps, and lakes, providing diverse habitats for numerous species. Your guide will help you spot wildlife and explain the park's ecology and successful conservation story.
Return to your accommodation for lunch and a brief rest during the heat of the day.
Experience one of Akagera's highlights – a boat safari on Lake Ihema, the largest of the park's seven lakes. This two-hour boat trip offers excellent opportunities to view hippos, crocodiles, and abundant waterbirds up close. The lakeshore is also frequented by elephants, buffaloes, and various antelope species coming to drink.
After the boat safari, enjoy a sunset game drive as you return to your lodge. This time of day often provides beautiful lighting for photography and the chance to spot nocturnal creatures beginning their activities. Return to your accommodation for dinner and your second night in Akagera.
Overnight: Accommodation in or near Akagera National Park
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
After breakfast, check out and begin the journey to Nyungwe Forest National Park in southwestern Rwanda. This is a longer drive (approximately 6-7 hours), but it takes you through some of Rwanda's most beautiful landscapes, including scenic routes along Lake Kivu. Your driver will make stops at points of interest along the way.
Stop in Butare (Huye) to visit the Ethnographic Museum, Rwanda's most celebrated museum, which offers fascinating insights into Rwanda's cultural heritage. Enjoy lunch at a local restaurant in Butare before continuing to Nyungwe.
Arrive at your accommodation near Nyungwe Forest in the late afternoon. Nyungwe is one of Africa's oldest rainforests, with a remarkable biodiversity including 13 primate species, over 300 bird species, and hundreds of plant species including numerous orchids. After check-in, receive a briefing about tomorrow's chimpanzee tracking adventure. Dinner and overnight at your lodge.
Overnight: Accommodation in or near Nyungwe Forest National Park
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Wake before dawn for an early breakfast before transferring to the park headquarters for a briefing at 5:00 AM. Then begin your trek into the forest with park rangers to track one of Nyungwe's habituated chimpanzee groups. The trek duration varies depending on the chimps' location but usually ranges from 2-5 hours. The terrain can be challenging, with steep, sometimes muddy trails through dense forest.
When you locate the chimpanzees, you'll have one hour to observe them in their natural habitat. Watch as they feed, play, groom, and move through the forest canopy. While chimpanzees are the highlight, you may also encounter other primates such as Angolan black and white colobus monkeys, grey-cheeked mangabeys, and various monkey species.
Return to your accommodation for lunch and a brief rest. In the afternoon, experience the Canopy Walkway, suspended 60 meters above the forest floor. This 160-meter bridge offers a unique perspective of the forest from the treetops, with possibilities for spotting birds and monkeys at eye level in the canopy. The walkway also provides stunning views over the vast forest and surrounding landscapes.
Return to your accommodation for dinner and overnight, with time to reflect on the day's primate encounters and canopy adventure.
Overnight: Accommodation in or near Nyungwe Forest National Park
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
After breakfast, check out and begin the scenic journey to Lake Kivu, one of Africa's Great Lakes. The drive along the lake offers spectacular views as you head north toward Rubavu (formerly Gisenyi), a pleasant beach town on the lake's northern shore. The journey takes approximately 4-5 hours, with stops along the way at scenic viewpoints.
Arrive in Rubavu for lunch at your hotel. After check-in, enjoy a relaxing afternoon at Lake Kivu. Options include a boat excursion on the lake, swimming (Lake Kivu is one of the few lakes in Africa free from bilharzia and crocodiles), kayaking, or simply relaxing on the beach. The lake is surrounded by terraced hills and offers beautiful views, particularly as the sun begins to set.
Dinner at your hotel or at a local restaurant along the lakeshore. Lake Kivu offers a welcome respite midway through your safari journey, providing a chance to relax in a beautiful setting before the adventure continues.
Overnight: Accommodation in Rubavu
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Enjoy a leisurely breakfast at your hotel overlooking Lake Kivu. Spend the morning further exploring Rubavu, perhaps visiting a local market or taking a final stroll along the lakeshore.
After an early lunch, begin the relatively short drive (approximately 1.5-2 hours) to Volcanoes National Park, home to the endangered mountain gorillas. The landscape becomes increasingly dramatic as you approach the park, with the conical peaks of the Virunga volcanoes creating a stunning backdrop.
Arrive at your accommodation near Volcanoes National Park. Depending on arrival time, you might visit a local community project such as the Iby'Iwacu Cultural Village, where former poachers now work in conservation and tourism. This visit provides insights into local customs and traditional lifestyle while supporting community development.
Receive a briefing about tomorrow's gorilla trekking experience, including what to expect, proper gorilla viewing etiquette, and photography guidelines. Dinner at your accommodation with time to prepare for the early start and physical activity of tomorrow's gorilla trek. Your packed lunch will be prepared for you to carry.
Overnight: Accommodation near Volcanoes National Park
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Rise early for breakfast before transferring to the park headquarters at Kinigi for a 7:00 AM briefing by park rangers. During this briefing, you'll learn about gorilla behavior and be assigned to one of the habituated gorilla families based on your fitness level. There are several gorilla groups in the park, each with its own unique characters and history.
After the briefing, drive to your designated trailhead to begin your trek into the forest with guides and rangers. The trek duration varies depending on your assigned gorilla family's location, ranging from 1-5 hours through sometimes challenging terrain. The anticipation builds as trackers communicate the gorillas' location to your guide.
Once you locate the gorilla family, you'll have a magical hour in their presence. Watch as they feed, play, groom each other, and care for their young. Witness the impressive silverback males, protective mothers, playful juveniles, and curious infants in their natural environment. This intimate encounter with our closest living relatives is often described as one of the most profound wildlife experiences possible.
After your hour with the gorillas, trek back to the trailhead where your vehicle awaits. The return hike is often filled with excitement and discussion about the incredible encounter you've just experienced. Have lunch before beginning the approximately 2-2.5 hour drive back to Kigali.
Depending on your departure flight schedule, you'll either be transferred directly to Kigali International Airport or to a day room/hotel in Kigali where you can freshen up before your flight. If time permits, you might have the opportunity for some souvenir shopping at local craft markets.
This concludes your comprehensive 8-day Rwanda safari. You'll depart with unforgettable memories of Rwanda's remarkable wildlife, landscapes, and people.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Located in eastern Rwanda along the border with Tanzania, Akagera National Park covers approximately 1,122 square kilometers of savanna, woodlands, lakes, and swamps. It represents the northernmost extension of the savanna ecosystem typical of eastern and southern Africa.
The park is named after the Akagera River that flows along its eastern boundary, feeding into several lakes, the largest being Lake Ihema. This diverse landscape supports a wide variety of wildlife, including recently reintroduced lions (2015) and black rhinos (2017), making it once again home to the "Big Five" after years of conservation efforts.
Located in southwestern Rwanda, Nyungwe Forest National Park protects one of Africa's oldest and largest high-altitude rainforests. Covering approximately 1,020 square kilometers, the forest is renowned for its exceptional biodiversity, including 13 primate species, over 300 bird species, and countless plant species.
The park's varied altitude (1,600-2,950 meters) creates diverse habitats, from dense forests to bamboo stands, swamps, and high-altitude meadows. Nyungwe is also a crucial water catchment area for Rwanda, with numerous rivers originating from its forests. The park's canopy walkway, suspended 60 meters above the forest floor, offers visitors a unique perspective of this ancient ecosystem.
Lake Kivu is one of Africa's Great Lakes, situated on the border between Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo. In Rwanda, the lake stretches along the western border, with several towns located on its shores, including Rubavu (formerly Gisenyi) in the north and Rusizi in the south.
Covering a total area of 2,700 square kilometers, Lake Kivu is one of the world's few "exploding lakes," containing large amounts of dissolved methane gas. Despite this unusual characteristic, the lake is safe for swimming and water activities, as it's free from both crocodiles and the parasites that cause bilharzia.
The lake is surrounded by terraced hills and small fishing villages, creating a picturesque landscape. Rubavu, where you'll stay during this tour, offers beaches, water sports, and beautiful sunsets over the lake.
Located in northwestern Rwanda, Volcanoes National Park (Parc National des Volcans) protects the Rwandan portion of the Virunga Mountains, a range of extinct and active volcanoes that straddle the borders of Rwanda, Uganda, and the Democratic Republic of Congo. The park covers an area of approximately 160 square kilometers.
The park is home to five of the eight volcanoes in the Virunga range: Karisimbi, Bisoke, Muhabura, Gahinga, and Sabyinyo. These mountains range in altitude from 2,300 to 4,507 meters (Mount Karisimbi being the highest) and create diverse habitats including bamboo forests, meadows, marshes, and heath zones at various elevations.
Volcanoes National Park is most famous for its population of mountain gorillas, but it also hosts golden monkeys, forest elephants, buffaloes, and numerous bird species.
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