Tour Overview

Discover the best of the Land of a Thousand Hills on this unforgettable 9-Day Rwanda Safari, combining thrilling wildlife encounters, breathtaking scenery, and rich cultural experiences. This journey takes you through Rwanda’s three iconic national parks—Nyungwe Forest National Park, Volcanoes National Park, and Akagera National Park—offering a perfect blend of adventure and relaxation.

Track wild chimpanzees and experience the famous Nyungwe Canopy Walk high above the rainforest before heading to Volcanoes National Park for the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to trek the endangered mountain gorillas. Conclude your safari in Akagera National Park, where exciting game drives and a boat cruise on Lake Ihema provide excellent opportunities to spot the Big Five, hippos, crocodiles, giraffes, zebras, and abundant birdlife.

With a Kigali city tour, scenic drives through Rwanda’s rolling hills, and luxurious accommodations throughout, this 9-day safari offers an authentic and memorable experience of Rwanda’s diverse landscapes, wildlife, and culture.

9-Day Rwanda Safari Itinerary Highlights

  • Day 1: Arrival at Kigali International Airport, short Kigali city tour, and transfer to hotel
  • Day 2: Transfer to Nyungwe Forest National Park
  • Day 3: Chimpanzee trekking and canopy walk in Nyungwe Forest National Park
  • Day 4: Transfer to Volcanoes National Park.
  • Day 5: Gorilla trekking in Volcanoes National Park.
  • Day 6: Golden Monkey trekking or hiking Mount Bisoke in Volcanoes National Park.
  • Day 7: Drive to Akagera National Park and have an evening boat cruise on Lake Ihema
  • Day 8: Half day Game drive in Akagera National Park
  • Day 9: Return to Kigali International Airport.

Detailed 9-Day Rwanda Safari Itinerary

Day 1: Arrival at Kigali International Airport – Kigali City Tour

Upon arrival at Kigali International Airport, you will be warmly welcomed by our professional driver-guide, who will be waiting to receive you with a personalized placard. After a brief safari orientation, begin your journey with a guided tour of Kigali, Rwanda’s vibrant and remarkably clean capital city.

Visit some of the city’s key attractions, including the Kigali Genocide Memorial, local craft markets, and bustling neighborhoods that showcase Rwanda’s rich culture and impressive transformation. Enjoy lunch at a local restaurant before transferring to your hotel for check-in. Spend the rest of the day relaxing and preparing for the exciting adventure ahead.

Meal Plan: Dinner

Accommodation Options:

  • Luxury: Kigali Serena Hotel
  • Mid-range: Hotel Chez Lando
  • Budget: Iris Guest House
Day 2: Transfer to Nyungwe Forest National Park

After an early breakfast, depart Kigali and enjoy a scenic drive southwest to Nyungwe Forest National Park, one of Africa’s oldest and most biodiverse tropical rainforests. The journey takes approximately 5–6 hours, passing through Rwanda’s picturesque rolling hills, rural villages, tea plantations, and beautiful countryside.

Upon arrival, check in to your lodge and enjoy lunch. Spend the afternoon relaxing while taking in the peaceful surroundings of the rainforest in preparation for the next day’s primate adventure.

Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Accommodation Options:

  • Luxury: One&Only Nyungwe House
  • Mid-range: Nyungwe Top View Hill Hotel
  • Budget: Gisakura Guest House
Day 3: Chimpanzee Trekking and Nyungwe Canopy Walk

After an early breakfast, head to the Nyungwe Forest National Park headquarters for a briefing before setting off on an exciting chimpanzee trekking experience. Accompanied by experienced park rangers, venture into the lush rainforest in search of habituated chimpanzees. Along the way, keep an eye out for other primates, colorful birds, and unique plant species that thrive in this ancient ecosystem.

Once the chimpanzees are located, spend time observing their fascinating behavior as they feed, communicate, and swing through the forest canopy. After the trek, return to your lodge for lunch and a short rest.

In the afternoon, enjoy the famous Nyungwe Canopy Walk, a thrilling suspended walkway stretching high above the rainforest floor. The canopy bridge offers spectacular panoramic views of the forest and excellent opportunities to spot birds, monkeys, and other wildlife from above.

Return to your lodge in the evening for dinner and a restful overnight stay.

Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Day 4: Transfer to Volcanoes National Park

After breakfast, check out of your lodge and embark on a scenic drive to Volcanoes National Park, home to Rwanda’s famous mountain gorillas. The journey takes approximately 5–6 hours, passing through the country’s breathtaking rolling hills, picturesque villages, and lush countryside. Along the way, enjoy spectacular views of tea plantations and volcanic landscapes.

Upon arrival in Musanze, check in to your lodge, enjoy lunch, and spend the rest of the day relaxing as you prepare for the unforgettable gorilla trekking adventure the following morning.

Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Accommodation Options:

  • Luxury: Mountain Gorilla View Lodge
  • Mid-range: Gorilla Solution Lodge
  • Budget: Da Vinci Gorilla Lodge
Day 5: Gorilla Trekking in Volcanoes National Park

After an early breakfast, your driver-guide will transfer you to the Volcanoes National Park headquarters in Kinigi for registration and a briefing by the park rangers. During the briefing, you will learn about gorilla trekking regulations and be assigned to one of the habituated mountain gorilla families.

Accompanied by experienced ranger guides, begin your trek through the bamboo forests and lush vegetation of the Virunga Mountains. Depending on the location of your assigned gorilla family, the trek may take between 2 and 6 hours. Once the gorillas are located, you will spend one unforgettable hour observing these gentle giants as they feed, interact, and care for one another in their natural habitat.

After the trek, return to the park headquarters where your driver-guide will be waiting to transfer you back to your lodge. Spend the remainder of the day relaxing and reflecting on one of Africa’s most extraordinary wildlife experiences.

Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Accommodation Options:

  • Luxury: Mountain Gorilla View Lodge
  • Mid-range: Gorilla Solution Lodge
  • Budget: Da Vinci Gorilla Lodge
Day 6: Golden Monkey Trekking or Mount Bisoke Hike

Following breakfast, return to Volcanoes National Park for another exciting adventure. After a briefing at the park headquarters, set off on a guided trek in search of the endangered golden monkeys, known for their striking golden-orange fur and energetic behavior. These playful primates inhabit the bamboo forests on the lower slopes of the Virunga Mountains, offering excellent opportunities for photography and wildlife observation.

After the trek, return to your lodge for lunch and spend the afternoon at leisure.

For travelers seeking a more challenging adventure, you may choose to replace the golden monkey trek with a full-day hike to the summit of Mount Bisoke. This rewarding hike takes you through diverse vegetation zones to a beautiful crater lake at the volcano’s summit, offering spectacular views of the surrounding Virunga Mountains and the Albertine Rift.

Return to your lodge in the evening for dinner and an overnight stay.

Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Accommodation Options:

  • Luxury: Mountain Gorilla View Lodge
  • Mid-range: Gorilla Solution Lodge
  • Budget: Da Vinci Gorilla Lodge
Day 7: Drive to Akagera National Park and have an evening boat cruise on Lake Ihema

After breakfast, depart Volcanoes National Park and journey east to Akagera National Park, Rwanda’s only savannah national park and home to the Big Five. Enjoy the scenic drive through the country’s rolling hills and rural landscapes before arriving at the park in time for lunch.

In the afternoon, embark on a relaxing boat cruise on Lake Ihema, one of the highlights of Akagera National Park. The cruise offers excellent opportunities to spot hippos, Nile crocodiles, and a variety of water birds, while elephants, buffaloes, and other wildlife are often seen along the shoreline.

After the boat safari, proceed to your lodge for check-in, dinner, and an overnight stay.

Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Accommodation Options:

  • Luxury: Ruzizi Tented Lodge
  • Mid-range: Akagera Game Lodge
Day 8: Game Drive in Akagera National Park

After an early breakfast, set out on an exciting morning game drive through Akagera National Park’s diverse landscapes of open savannah, woodlands, wetlands, and rolling hills. Accompanied by your experienced guide, search for the park’s remarkable wildlife, including the Big Five—lion, leopard, elephant, buffalo, and rhinoceros.

Other animals commonly seen include giraffes, zebras, topis, impalas, elands, waterbucks, bushbucks, oribis, warthogs, hyenas, and several species of antelope. Akagera is also a birdwatcher’s paradise, with more than 500 recorded bird species.

Return to the lodge for lunch and spend the afternoon at leisure, or opt for an additional game drive to maximize your wildlife viewing experience before dinner and your overnight stay.

Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Accommodation Options:

  • Luxury: Ruzizi Tented Lodge
  • Mid-range: Akagera Game Lodge
Day 9: Return to Kigali – Departure

After breakfast, check out of your lodge and begin the drive back to Kigali. Depending on your departure schedule, you may stop at local craft markets or souvenir shops to purchase handmade gifts and mementos of your Rwanda adventure.

Your driver-guide will then transfer you to Kigali International Airport for your departure flight, bringing your unforgettable 9-day Rwanda safari to a close.

Meal Plan: Breakfast

End of 9-Day Rwanda Safari

Inclusions

  • English speaking driver-guide
  • Entry fees and taxes including 2 gorilla permits
  • Safari Vehicle
  • Lunch
  • Water on board
  • 3 nights’ accommodation

Exclusions

  • Any purchases of personal kind
  • Any changes to the Itinerary
  • International flights and visas