7 Day Rwanda Wildlife Safari – Gorillas, Chimps and Big Five

Begin your Rwanda safari in Kigali, Rwanda’s vibrant and beautifully landscaped capital. After breakfast, meet your private driver-guide and explore some of the city’s cultural and historical highlights, including the Kigali Genocide Memorial, Inema Arts Center and Kimironko Market.

After lunch, depart Kigali and travel east towards Akagera National Park, Rwanda’s premier savannah wildlife destination. Enjoy scenic views of rolling hills, rural communities and the changing landscapes of eastern Rwanda.

Depending on your arrival time, enjoy an optional evening game drive before settling into your lodge and preparing for your first full day of wildlife exploration.

Rise early for a sunrise game drive in Akagera National Park, when cooler temperatures and soft morning light create excellent conditions for wildlife viewing and photography.

Explore Akagera’s savannahs, woodlands and wetlands while looking for elephants, buffalo, giraffes, zebras, antelopes, lions and, with luck, leopards. The park also offers rewarding opportunities for birdwatching, making this a diverse wildlife experience beyond the Big Five.

For an unforgettable perspective of the park, an optional hot air balloon safari offers spectacular aerial views across Akagera’s lakes, wetlands and savannah landscapes.

After lunch, head to Lake Ihema for a guided boat safari. Cruise along the tranquil waters in search of hippos, crocodiles and a variety of waterbirds before returning to the lodge in the evening.

After breakfast, leave Akagera behind and travel north towards Volcanoes National Park, home to Rwanda’s famous mountain gorillas and golden monkeys.

The scenic journey takes you through Rwanda’s spectacular Land of a Thousand Hills, with rolling countryside, terraced farmland and rural communities providing a fascinating backdrop along the way.

Stop at the beautiful Twin Lakes of Burera and Ruhondo, where you can enjoy a relaxed canoe experience, meet local fishermen and take in views of the surrounding hills and volcanic landscapes.

Continue to Musanze and your lodge at the foothills of the Virunga Volcanoes, where you can relax and prepare for your upcoming Rwanda gorilla trekking experience.

Today is the highlight of your Rwanda gorilla safari

After an early breakfast, proceed to the Volcanoes National Park headquarters in Kinigi for your gorilla trekking briefing before setting out with your ranger guide.

Trek through the misty montane rainforest and bamboo-covered slopes in search of a habituated mountain gorilla family. Depending on their location and the terrain, the trek can take several hours. Once you find the family, enjoy a memorable encounter observing their natural behaviour, from powerful silverbacks and attentive mothers to playful young gorillas.

After returning to the lodge for lunch and relaxation, enjoy a Gorilla Guardians cultural experience, formerly known as Iby’iwacu. Discover local traditions through storytelling, music, dance and community interaction, adding a meaningful cultural dimension to your gorilla trekking adventure.

After breakfast, depart Volcanoes National Park and continue south towards the beautiful shores of Lake Kivu, one of Rwanda’s Great Lakes and a spectacular setting surrounded by rolling hills, terraced farmland and fishing communities.

Arrive at the lakeshore and enjoy a scenic boat excursion on Lake Kivu, taking in the peaceful waters and dramatic landscapes of the surrounding countryside. Depending on timing and conditions, continue to Napoleon Island, where you can enjoy a guided hike to explore the island and take in panoramic views across Lake Kivu.

After the lakeside experience, continue south through Rwanda’s scenic highlands towards Nyungwe Forest National Park. The journey takes you through tea plantations, terraced hills and rural communities, gradually transitioning from Rwanda’s lake country into the lush landscapes of the ancient rainforest.

Arrive in the Nyungwe area in the evening and settle into your lodge, ready for the following day’s chimpanzee trekking and Nyungwe Canopy Walk.

Rise early for chimpanzee trekking in Nyungwe Forest National Park, one of Rwanda’s premier primate experiences.

After the park briefing, enter the ancient rainforest with your guide and trackers in search of wild chimpanzees. As you explore the forest, listen for chimpanzee calls and watch for other primates, colourful forest birds, butterflies and other rainforest wildlife.

Once the chimpanzees are located, spend time observing their energetic behaviour as they move through the trees, forage and interact within their community.

After lunch, experience the spectacular Nyungwe Canopy Walk, suspended approximately 70 metres above the forest floor. The elevated walkway offers panoramic views across the rainforest canopy and a completely different perspective of Nyungwe’s extraordinary biodiversity.

Return to your lodge for a relaxed final evening surrounded by the sights and sounds of the rainforest.