This 7-day Rwanda safari brings together the country's two great wildlife experiences in one easy week: mountain gorillas and golden monkeys in the bamboo and forest of Volcanoes National Park, then Big Five game drives and a boat trip on Lake Ihema in Akagera National Park. You start and finish in Kigali, travel in a private 4x4 with your own driver-guide, and stay in comfortable mid-range lodges.
Rwanda's roads are short and smooth, so you spend more time with wildlife and less time driving. Along the way you also meet the people behind Rwanda's conservation story, from gorilla researchers to the rangers and communities who brought Akagera back to life.
7-Day Rwanda Safari at a Glance
| Route | Kigali, Volcanoes National Park, Akagera National Park, Kigali |
| Length | 7 days, 6 nights |
| Main experiences | Gorilla trekking, golden monkey trekking, Big Five game drives, Lake Ihema boat trip |
| Permits included | Rwanda gorilla permit (USD 1,500) and golden monkey permit |
| Best time to go | June to September and December to February, the drier months |
| Price | From USD 4,365 per person, for two people sharing |
Day-by-Day Itinerary
Day 1: Arrive in Kigali
Your driver-guide meets you at Kigali International Airport and takes you to your hotel. Depending on your arrival time, relax after the flight or take an evening walk in one of Africa's cleanest and safest capitals. Your guide briefs you on the week ahead over dinner.
Accommodation: Hotel des Mille Collines (or similar)
Meals: Dinner
Day 2: Kigali City Tour and Drive to Volcanoes National Park
After breakfast, visit the Kigali Genocide Memorial to understand the events of 1994 and how far Rwanda has come since. Then walk through the lively Nyamirambo neighbourhood and share a home-style lunch at the Nyamirambo Women's Centre, a community project that trains local women in new skills. See more of the capital on our Kigali city tour.
In the afternoon, drive about 2.5 hours north through green, terraced hills to your lodge on the edge of Volcanoes National Park, with views of the Virunga volcanoes.
Accommodation: Mountain Gorilla View Lodge (or similar)
Meals: Breakfast, lunch and dinner
Day 3: Golden Monkey Trek and Gorilla Conservation Visit
After an early breakfast, report to the park headquarters at Kinigi for a ranger briefing. Then trek into the bamboo forest to find golden monkeys, an endangered primate found only in the Virunga volcanoes. They are lively and playful, and you spend an hour with the troop once the rangers find them.
In the afternoon, visit the Ellen DeGeneres Campus of the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund, home of the Karisoke Research Center. Its public exhibits tell the story of gorilla research in the Virungas since Dian Fossey's time, and it gives useful background before tomorrow's gorilla trek.
Accommodation: Mountain Gorilla View Lodge (or similar)
Meals: Breakfast, lunch and dinner
Day 4: Gorilla Trekking in Volcanoes National Park
Today is the highlight of your 7-day Rwanda safari. Report to Kinigi at 7:00 am, where rangers assign you to one of the habituated gorilla families. Your trek can take from one to several hours, through farmland and then the forest, depending on where the family has moved. Once you find them, you spend an unforgettable hour watching the silverback, mothers and young ones feed, play and rest.
Return to the lodge for lunch. In the afternoon, visit a nearby village to see daily life in rural Rwanda, with traditional dance and crafts. Read more about gorilla trekking in Rwanda.
Accommodation: Mountain Gorilla View Lodge (or similar)
Meals: Breakfast, lunch and dinner
Want gorillas and the Big Five in one week?
Gorilla permits sell out months ahead, especially from June to September. Tell us your dates and we will check permit availability and send you a free, tailor-made quote.
Day 5: Drive to Akagera National Park
After a relaxed breakfast, drive back through Kigali and on to the savannah of Akagera National Park in eastern Rwanda, about 5 to 6 hours in total with a lunch stop.
Akagera is one of Africa's great conservation comebacks. After years of war and poaching, the park has been rebuilt with Rwanda's government and African Parks, and lions and rhinos have been brought back. Today it is a Big Five park again. If time allows, learn more at the park reception centre before checking in to your lodge overlooking Lake Ihema.
Accommodation: Akagera Game Lodge (or similar)
Meals: Breakfast, lunch and dinner
Day 6: Big Five Game Drive and Lake Ihema Boat Trip
Set out early on a game drive, when the animals are most active. Akagera's plains and woodlands are home to elephants, buffalo, giraffes, zebras, many antelope species and the park's lions, leopards and rhinos. Return to the lodge for lunch and a rest.
In the afternoon, take a boat trip on Lake Ihema, where you get close to hippos and crocodiles and see elephants and buffalo coming down to drink. The lake is also excellent for birds, including African fish eagles, kingfishers, herons and, if you are lucky, the shoebill.
Accommodation: Akagera Game Lodge (or similar)
Meals: Breakfast, lunch and dinner
Day 7: Final Game Drive and Return to Kigali
Leave early with a packed breakfast for a last game drive through the park, looking for giraffes, zebras, impalas and the big cats. Exit through the northern gate and drive about 2.5 hours back to Kigali. Your guide drops you at Kigali International Airport for your flight home, or at your hotel if you are staying on.
Meals: Breakfast
Good to Know Before Your 7-Day Rwanda Safari
- Book gorilla permits early. Rwanda issues a limited number each day, and we secure yours as soon as you confirm. See how Rwanda compares with Uganda and Congo in our gorilla permit prices guide.
- Minimum age. Gorilla trekking is open to travellers aged 15 and over.
- Fitness. Treks are at altitude, often 2,500 metres and above. A normal level of fitness is enough, and porters can carry your bag.
- Safety. Rwanda is one of the safest countries in Africa to travel in. Read our guide: is Rwanda safe to visit?
Ways to Change This Rwanda Safari
Every safari is private, so we can adjust the route to suit your budget and interests:
- Save on the gorilla permit. Start and end in Kigali but trek in Uganda, where the permit is USD 800 instead of USD 1,500, on our 2 days Uganda gorilla safari from Kigali.
- Add chimpanzees. Include chimp trekking and the canopy walk in Nyungwe Forest on our Rwanda gorillas and chimp trekking tour.
- Add a lake break. Finish with two relaxing nights at Lake Kivu.
- Combine Rwanda and Uganda. See both countries on our 10-day Rwanda and gorillas of Uganda safari.
Ready to book your 7-day Rwanda safari?
Send us your travel dates and group size, and our Kampala team will reply with a free itinerary and clear prices, usually within 24 hours.
REQUEST A FREE QUOTEWHATSAPP +256 782 915 447
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