Day 1: Kigali City Tour – Travel to Volcanoes National Park
Your safari begins in Kigali, Rwanda’s clean and vibrant capital. After being picked up from your hotel or the airport by your driver-guide, you’ll start with a guided city tour.
Kigali City Tour Highlights:
- A reflective visit to the Kigali Genocide Memorial Center, a place of remembrance and education about the 1994 genocide.
- Strolling through local craft markets and art galleries, where you can interact with artisans and shop for handcrafted souvenirs.
- A short stop at Camp Kigali, a Belgian peacekeeper memorial site.
Enjoy a delicious lunch at a local restaurant, with options for both traditional Rwandan dishes and continental cuisine.
After lunch, begin the scenic drive to Volcanoes National Park, located in northwestern Rwanda. The journey offers sweeping views of rolling hills, rural countryside, and the towering Virunga volcanoes.
Meals Included: Lunch, Dinner
Overnight: Lodge near Volcanoes National Park
Day 2: Mountain Gorilla Trekking – Cultural Visit to Gorilla Guardians Village
Start the day early with breakfast before heading to the Volcanoes National Park headquarters for a detailed briefing by park rangers. You will be assigned a gorilla family to trek, along with a professional guide and armed ranger.
Mountain Gorilla Trekking Experience:
- Trek through misty bamboo forests and dense vegetation in search of a habituated gorilla family.
- Once located, you’ll spend one magical hour observing their behavior—watching young ones play, mothers nurture, and silverbacks guard their groups.
- Trekking duration can range from 2 to 6 hours depending on gorilla movements.
After the trek, return to the lodge for relaxation, or choose to visit the nearby Gorilla Guardians Village for a unique cultural interaction.
Gorilla Guardians Village Visit:
- Engage with former poachers who now protect gorillas through tourism and conservation education.
- Experience traditional dances, banana beer brewing, storytelling, and a chance to participate in daily community activities.
- Learn how tourism has empowered locals and supported wildlife protection.
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Overnight: Lodge near Volcanoes National Park
Day 3: Golden Monkey Trekking – Return to Kigali
After breakfast, return to the park for an exciting golden monkey trekking experience. These rare primates are endemic to the Virunga Mountains and are known for their playful behavior and striking golden-orange fur.
Golden Monkey Trekking Highlights:
- Walk through the bamboo zones of the park, where these monkeys are often found feeding on bamboo shoots and leaves.
- Observe them leaping between trees and foraging on the forest floor, with plenty of photo opportunities.
- Trekking duration typically ranges from 1 to 3 hours.
After the trek, head back to the lodge to freshen up and enjoy an early lunch.
Later, you’ll transfer back to Kigali International Airport for your onward journey.
Drive Time: Approx. 2.5 hours by road
Optional Helicopter Transfer: Approx. 35 minutes
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch
Day 1: Arrival in Kigali – Transfer to Your Hotel
Your Rwanda wildlife adventure begins with a warm welcome from your driver guide at Kigali International Airport. Depending on your arrival time, enjoy a short city tour or settle into your hotel.
Drive time: Approx. 20 minutes
Accommodation: Hotel in Kigali
Meal Plan: Dinner
Day 2: Kigali to Nyungwe Forest National Park – Cultural Stop in Huye
Travel south to Nyungwe Forest National Park, one of Africa’s oldest rainforests. Along the way, stop in Huye to visit the Ethnographic Museum, which offers rich insights into Rwanda’s traditional heritage. Enjoy lunch before continuing to your lodge nestled near the forest.
Drive time: Approx. 5 hours | Optional Helicopter Transfer: 35–45 minutes
Accommodation: Lodge near Nyungwe Forest
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 3: Chimpanzee Trekking and Canopy Walk in Nyungwe
Begin the day early with a chimpanzee trekking experience deep inside the rainforest. Your guide will lead you through either the Uwinka Trail or Cyamudongo Sector, depending on where the chimps were last spotted. Nyungwe is home to 13 primate species and over 300 bird species.
In the afternoon, head to the Uwinka Visitor Center for the renowned canopy walk, suspended 50 meters above the forest floor, offering panoramic views of the treetops and a chance to spot birds and monkeys.
Accommodation: Same Lodge
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 4: Colobus Monkey Trekking and Transfer to Volcanoes National Park
After breakfast, go for Angolan colobus monkey trekking led by experienced community guides. Watch large troops of these black-and-white primates in their natural forest environment.
Later, depart for Volcanoes National Park in northern Rwanda. Enjoy scenic views of Lake Kivu, terraced hillsides, and vibrant local life along the way.
Drive time: Approx. 5 hours | Optional Helicopter Transfer: 35 minutes
Accommodation: Lodge near Volcanoes National Park
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 5: Mountain Gorilla Trekking in Volcanoes National Park
This is a major highlight of your safari – the mountain gorilla trekking experience. After a morning briefing at the park headquarters, you’ll be assigned to a gorilla family and a professional tracker. Trekking can take from 1 to several hours depending on the group’s location.
Spend up to one hour observing the gorillas in their natural habitat – an awe-inspiring encounter. In the afternoon, visit Gorilla Guardians Village or take a guided community walk to experience local traditions and cultural life.
Accommodation: Same Lodge
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 6: Golden Monkey Trekking and Transfer to Akagera National Park
After breakfast, set off for golden monkey trekking in the bamboo forests of the Virunga foothills. These endangered and energetic primates are fascinating to watch as they leap between trees and forage in the undergrowth.
After your trek, drive east to Akagera National Park – Rwanda’s only savannah park and home to the Big Five. Stop en route for refreshments and scenic photo opportunities. Upon arrival, you may choose to go on an optional night game drive.
Drive time: Approx. 2.5 hours | Optional Helicopter Transfer: 30 minutes
Accommodation: Safari lodge inside or near Akagera
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 7: Game Drive and Boat Safari in Akagera National Park
Start your day with a sunrise game drive through the northern plains of Akagera National Park, where wildlife sightings may include elephants, buffaloes, giraffes, zebras, impalas, and lions.
In the afternoon, unwind with a boat safari on Lake Ihema. Look for hippos, crocodiles, and a variety of aquatic birds including African fish eagles, kingfishers, and cormorants.
Accommodation: Same Lodge
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 8: Return to Kigali – Departure
After breakfast, drive back to Kigali. Depending on your flight schedule, you may enjoy a short city tour or visit a local craft market before your transfer to the airport.
Drive time: Approx. 2.5 hours | Optional Helicopter Transfer: 35 minutes
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch
Day 1: Arrival in Kigali – Welcome to Rwanda
Upon arrival at Kigali International Airport, you will be met by your professional driver-guide and transferred to your hotel for check-in. Depending on your arrival time, you may take a short city tour or relax at the hotel. Kigali is known for its cleanliness, safety, and hospitality—offering a gentle introduction to the land of a thousand hills.
Overnight: Hotel in Kigali
Meal Plan: Dinner
Day 2: Kigali to Nyungwe Forest National Park – Cultural Stopover
After breakfast, begin the scenic drive to Nyungwe Forest National Park in southern Rwanda. On the way, enjoy a cultural stop at either:
The Ethnographic Museum in Huye, which offers deep insight into Rwanda’s pre-colonial and colonial history, or
Gatagara Pottery Workshop, where local artisans craft traditional Rwandan ceramics.
Continue your journey through the rolling hills and lush tea plantations before arriving at your lodge near Nyungwe Forest.
Overnight: Lodge near Nyungwe Forest
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 3: Chimpanzee Trekking & Canopy Walk – Nyungwe Forest
After an early breakfast, head to the park headquarters for a briefing before setting off on your chimpanzee trekking expedition in Nyungwe Forest. This dense rainforest is home to a large population of chimpanzees and over 12 other primate species including:
L’Hoest’s monkeys
Rwenzori colobus monkeys
Red-tailed monkeys
Your trek will be guided by an experienced park ranger, and once the chimpanzees are located, you will spend up to one hour observing their behavior.
In the afternoon, take on the Nyungwe Canopy Walk—a suspended bridge walk 70 meters above the forest floor offering panoramic views and chances to spot monkeys, birds, and butterflies.
Overnight: Lodge near Nyungwe Forest
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 4: Colobus Monkey Trekking & Drive to Volcanoes National Park
Return to the forest this morning for colobus monkey trekking. The Rwenzori colobus monkey is known for its striking black-and-white coat and large troops of up to 300 individuals. After the trek, enjoy a relaxed breakfast at the lodge before starting the drive north to Volcanoes National Park.
Along the way, visit the former Imbabazi Orphanage, known for its humanitarian legacy and beautiful gardens. Arrive at your lodge in the late afternoon and prepare for the next day’s mountain gorilla experience.
Overnight: Lodge near Volcanoes National Park
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 5: Mountain Gorilla Trekking & Cultural Visit
Begin your day with an early breakfast and drive to the Volcanoes National Park headquarters for a detailed briefing. You will then be assigned to a gorilla family and guided by a ranger through the bamboo forest to begin your gorilla trekking adventure.
Once you find the gorillas, you’ll have up to one hour to observe them in their natural habitat—watching them feed, groom, and interact.
In the afternoon, visit the Gorilla Guardians Village, a community-based project that showcases traditional Rwandan customs. Try your hand at archery, learn about local dance and drumming, or participate in a traditional cooking demonstration.
Overnight: Lodge near Volcanoes National Park
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 6: Golden Monkey Trekking & Departure
After breakfast, return to the park for a golden monkey trekking experience. These endangered primates are native to the Virunga Mountains and live in troops of up to 100. They’re fast-moving and playful, providing great opportunities for photography.
Depending on your departure time, visit the Umusambi Village Bird Sanctuary near Kigali. This former wetland now provides refuge to rescued grey crowned cranes and a wide variety of birds—ideal for birdwatching and nature walks.
You will then be transferred to Kigali International Airport for your outbound flight.
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch