This 9 Days Rwanda safari explores the best of Rwanda’s wildlife, primate and cultural experiences. The tour includes visits to all 3 Rwanda’s major national parks to explore primate encounters like gorilla trekking, golden monkey tracking and chimpanzee tracking as well wildlife viewing and cultural experiences.
Safari Highlights
- Gorilla trekking in Volcanoes national park
- Chimpanzee tracking in Nyungwe national park
- Game drive in Akagera national park
- Golden monkey tracking in Volcanoes national park
- Canopy walk in Nyungwe national park
- Colobus monkey tracking in Nyungwe national park
- Boat cruise in Akagera national park
- Dian Fossey Hike (optional)
- Kigali City Tour
- Lake Kivu exploration & relaxation
- Iby’Iwacu Cultural Experience
Trip Summary
Day 1: Arrival in Kigali & city tour
Day 2: Transfer to Nyungwe national park & colobus monkey tracking
Day 3: Chimpanzee tracking & canopy walk in Nyungwe national park
Day 4: Transfer to Lake Kivu & relaxation
Day 5: Transfer to Volcanoes national park & Twin Lakes visit
Day 6: Gorilla trekking & cultural experience
Day 7: Golden monkey tracking or Dian Fossey Hike & transfer to Akagera national park
Day 8: Game drive & boat cruise in Akagera national park
Day 9: Morning game drive and transfer to Kigali for departure
Detailed itinerary – 9 Days Rwanda safari
Day 1: Arrival in Kigali and city tour
Upon arrival at Kigali International Airport, you will be met by your safari driver guide for a transfer to your accommodation in Kigali to check in and relax. In the afternoon, embark on a Kigali City Tour and explore some of the significant sites around the city. These include the poignant Kigali Genocide Memorial where you can pay respects to the victims of the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi.
You will also learn more about Rwanda’s history and resilience. Other sites to checkout include a local market at Kimironko where you can experience the vibrant daily local life and perhaps pick up a few local crafts. Dinner and overnight at your accommodation in Kigali.
Day 2: Transfer to Nyungwe national park and colobus monkey tracking
After breakfast, embark on a scenic drive to Nyungwe national park, home to 13 primate species (4-5 hours). Enjoy stunning views of Rwanda’s terraced hills, plantations and local communities along the way. En-route, you might have a brief stopover at the King’s Palace Museum in Nyanza and the Ethnographic Museum in Huye (formerly Butare) to learn about Rwanda’s rich cultural heritage and history.
Proceed to Nyungwe national park and check into your lodge for lunch and relaxation. In the afternoon, after briefing, head into the forest for a guided colobus monkey tracking experience. Enjoy your time with these striking black and white monkeys before returning to your accommodation for dinner and overnight.
Day 3: Chimpanzee tracking and canopy walk
After early breakfast, head to the park headquarters for a briefing on chimpanzee tracking. Head into the jungle led by experienced guides looking for a community of habituated chimpanzees. This trek duration may vary from 1-6 hours depending on the movement of chimpanzees in the forest. Spend an hour observing these amazing primates as they go about their business in their natural habitat.
In the afternoon, after lunch and relaxing, go for the exhilarating Nyungwe Canopy Walk, a suspended bridge in Nyungwe forest offering stunning aerial views over the forest canopy. It also offers excellent birdwatching opportunities as well as sporting other wildlife from above. Dinner and overnight at your lodge in Nyungwe.
Day 4: Transfer to Lake Kivu and relaxation
After breakfast, depart Nyundgwe and head to Lake Kivu via a picturesque drive (3-4 hours). You can decide to stay at Kibuye or Gisenyi which are both beautiful lakeside towns. Upon arrival at Lake Kivu, check into your accommodation and enjoy the serene beauty of one of Africa’s Great Lakes at the border of Rwanda and DR Congo. You can spend the afternoon on the lake shores, swimming or taking a relaxing boat cruise to explore the lake more. Dinner and overnight at your accommodation near Lake Kivu.
Day 5: Transfer to Volcanoes national park and Twin Lakes Visit
Spend a relaxed morning by Lake Kivu and you may opt for another boat trip or simply soak in the tranquility. After lunch, embark on a scenic drive to Volcanoes national park, Rwanda’s home to the endangered mountain gorillas (2-3 hours).
The journey offers stunning views of the countryside and the Virunga Volcanoes. Check into your lodge near Volcanoes national park for lunch and relaxation. In the late afternoon, visit the Twin Lakes of Burera and Ruhondo for relaxation, photography scenic views or an optional boat trip. Dinner and overnight at your lodge.
Day 6: Gorilla trekking in Volcanoes national park and cultural experience
Today is the highlight of your safari! After early breakfast, head to Kinigi park headquarters and join other visitors for a briefing on gorilla tracking guidelines. You will also be divided into small groups and assigned a habituated gorilla group to visit (maximum of 8 visitors per group).
Head into the forest led by experienced guides snd rangers looking for the gorillas. The duration for this trek may vary from 1-6 hours depending on the location and movement of gorillas. Once you find them, you have one unforgettable hour to observe and photograph these breathtaking creatures in their natural habitat. At the end of the experience return to your lodge for lunch and relaxation. In the late afternoon, go for a thrilling cultural experience at the Gorilla Guardian Village (formerly Iby’Iwacu Cultural Village).
Enjoy an immersion into Rwanda’s culture and tradition through music, dance and storytelling. You can also interact with the local community and take part in a few local activities such as craft making. Return to your accommodation for dinner and overnight.
Day 7: Golden monkey tracking / Dian Fossey Hike and transfer to Akagera national park
After breakfast, choose between golden monkey tracking and Dian Fossey Hike as your final activity in Volcanoes national park. Golden monkey trekking is less strenuous and shorter than gorilla trekking but highly rewarding when you meet these playful and vibrant primates in the bamboo forests of the park.
A Dian Fossey Hike offers an opportunity to visit the Karisoke Research Centre where Fossey used to conduct her gorilla research. This is where her tomb is also situated. You will also learn about the history of gorilla conservation in the Virunga Mountains initiated by this American primatologist.
After your chosen morning activity and relaxation, embark on a long but scenic drive to Akagera national park, the only savannah park in Rwanda (5-6 hours). Arrive and check into your lodge for dinner and overnight.
Day 8: Game drive and boat cruise in Akagera national park
After early breakfast, embark on a morning game drive for a chance to see the “Big Five” and other amazing wildlife in Akagera national park. Look out for lions, leopards, elephants, buffaloes, rhinos, giraffes, zebras and a variety of antelope species. In the afternoon, go for a relaxing boat safari on Lake Ihema, the largest lake in the park. This cruise offers excellent opportunities to see hippos, crocodiles and a wide array of waterbirds including the elusive shoebill stork. Dinner and overnight at your lodge in Akagera.
Day 9: Morning game drive and transfer back to Kigali for departure
Enjoy a morning and final game drive in Akagera national park for a chance to see predators like lions, leopards and hyenas as well as other wildlife on your way back to Kigali. Proceed to Kigali International Airport for your departure flight carrying with you memories of a Rwanda safari. Depending on your flight schedule, you may have some time for last-minute souvenir shopping in Kigali before departing for the airport.
Important considerations for the 9 Days Rwanda safari
Gorilla permits and chimpanzee permits should be booked and secured at least 6 months in advance through a credible tour operator. Rwanda’s gorilla permit cost $1,500 per person while a chimpanzee permit cost $250 per person. A golden monkey permit is sold at $100
The best season for gorilla tracking and other wildlife safaris in Rwanda is the dry period between June to September and December to February. This is because the trails are drier and easier to trek while gorillas also tend to move freely in the forest hence easy to find. However, gorilla trekking tours and other wildlife safaris in Rwanda take place throughout the year.
Your tour operator will also cater for your transport, accommodation and guiding services. Ensure to communicate to your operator in case you have any health concerns that may require special attention.
Some of the most important gear to pack for a gorilla trekking tour in Rwanda include sturdy hiking boots, long trousers, long-sleeved shirts, gardening gloves, and a camera with extra batteries. Gorilla trekking can be physically demanding and therefore you need a reasonable level of fitness to hike through dense montane rainforests. The minimum age allowed for gorilla tracking in Rwanda is 15 years.