8 Day Rwanda Primates and Wildlife Safari

Upon arrival at Kigali International Airport, you will be welcomed by your professional safari guide before beginning your introduction to Rwanda.

Depending on your arrival time, enjoy a relaxed tour of Kigali, widely regarded as one of Africa's cleanest and safest capitals.

Highlights may include the Kigali Genocide Memorial, vibrant local craft markets, and panoramic viewpoints overlooking the city's rolling hills.

The remainder of the afternoon allows time to unwind and prepare for the adventure ahead.

Your guide provides a detailed safari briefing, ensuring you are fully prepared for the exciting wildlife, primate, and cultural experiences awaiting over the coming days.

Meals

• Dinner

Transport

• Kigali International Airport to Kigali Hotel

• Distance: Approximately 12 km

• Driving Time: 20–30 minutes

• Transport: Private 4×4 Safari Land Cruiser

After breakfast, depart Kigali for Akagera National Park, Rwanda's only savannah park and home to the Big Five.

The scenic drive passes rolling hills, rural villages, and cultivated farmland before arriving at the park in time for an afternoon game drive.

Explore diverse habitats including open plains, lakes, wetlands, and acacia woodland while searching for elephants, buffaloes, giraffes, zebras, lions, and numerous antelope species.

As the afternoon light softens, wildlife activity increases, creating excellent photographic opportunities.

Meals

• Breakfast

• Lunch

• Dinner

Transport

• Kigali to Akagera National Park

• Distance: Approximately 110 km

• Driving Time: 2.5 hours

• Transport: Private 4×4 Safari Land Cruiser

Spend a full day exploring Akagera National Park with both morning and afternoon game drives.

Early morning offers the highest chances of spotting predators before temperatures rise. Keep watch for lions, leopards, hyenas, elephants, giraffes, hippos, buffaloes, zebras, and numerous antelope species.

Later enjoy a relaxing boat safari on Lake Ihema where large pods of hippos, Nile crocodiles, African fish eagles, kingfishers, and hundreds of water birds create an exceptional wildlife experience unlike any other in Rwanda.

Meals

• Breakfast

• Lunch

• Dinner

Transport

• Game viewing within Akagera National Park

• Distance: Approximately 80 km

• Driving Time: 5–6 hours (game drives)

• Transport: Private 4×4 Safari Land Cruiser

After breakfast, begin one of Rwanda's most scenic drives across the country's spectacular countryside toward Volcanoes National Park.

The journey reveals beautiful terraced hillsides, volcanic landscapes, rural villages, and dramatic mountain scenery.

Arrive during the afternoon with time to relax while enjoying magnificent views of the Virunga Volcanoes.

Your guide conducts a comprehensive briefing about the following day's gorilla trekking adventure and trekking regulations.

Meals

• Breakfast

• Lunch

• Dinner

Transport

• Akagera National Park to Volcanoes National Park

• Distance: Approximately 270 km

• Driving Time: 5.5–6 hours

• Transport: Private 4×4 Safari Land Cruiser

Today is the highlight of your Rwanda safari.

Following an early briefing by park rangers, begin trekking through bamboo forests and volcanic slopes in search of one of the habituated mountain gorilla families.

Trek durations vary depending on gorilla movements, making every encounter unique.

Spending one unforgettable hour observing these gentle giants in their natural habitat is among Africa's greatest wildlife experiences.

During the afternoon, visit the Iby'Iwacu Cultural Village to learn about Rwanda's traditions, music, dance, and conservation efforts.

Meals

• Breakfast

• Lunch

• Dinner

Transport

• Lodge to Volcanoes National Park Headquarters and return

• Distance: Approximately 20 km

• Driving Time: 30–40 minutes

• Transport: Private 4×4 Safari Land Cruiser

ollowing breakfast, depart for Nyungwe Forest National Park via one of Rwanda's most scenic routes.

Along the journey enjoy panoramic views of mountains, tea plantations, valleys, and picturesque rural communities that showcase Rwanda's natural beauty.

Arrive in Nyungwe Forest during the afternoon and settle into your lodge surrounded by one of Africa's oldest montane rainforests, home to exceptional biodiversity including chimpanzees, monkeys, orchids, butterflies, and hundreds of bird species.

Meals

• Breakfast

• Lunch

• Dinner

Transport

• Volcanoes National Park to Nyungwe Forest National Park

• Distance: Approximately 310 km

• Driving Time: 6–7 hours

• Transport: Private 4×4 Safari Land Cruiser

Rise early for an exciting chimpanzee trekking experience deep within Nyungwe Forest.

Guided by expert trackers, follow forest trails while listening for vocalizations that reveal the location of these energetic primates.

Along the way, encounter many other monkey species and remarkable birdlife.

Later, experience the famous Nyungwe Canopy Walk suspended high above the rainforest floor.

The elevated walkway offers spectacular views across the forest canopy and creates a thrilling perspective of one of Africa's richest ecosystems.

Meals

• Breakfast

• Lunch

• Dinner

Transport

• Lodge to Nyungwe Forest activities and return

• Distance: Approximately 35 km

• Driving Time: 1 hour

• Transport: Private 4×4 Safari Land Cruiser

After breakfast, depart Nyungwe Forest for the Ethnographic Museum, one of Africa's finest museums dedicated to preserving Rwanda's cultural heritage.

Explore fascinating exhibitions showcasing traditional architecture, music, crafts, ceremonial objects, royal history, and daily life throughout Rwanda's past.

Following the museum visit, continue your scenic drive toward Kigali or Kigali International Airport, marking the conclusion of an extraordinary journey through Rwanda's diverse wildlife, remarkable primates, breathtaking landscapes, and vibrant cultural heritage.

Meals

• Breakfast

• Lunch

Transport

• Nyungwe Forest → Ethnographic Museum → Kigali International Airport

• Distance: Approximately 245 km

• Driving Time: 5.5–6 hours

• Transport: Private 4×4 Safari Land Cruiser