This 12 Days Rwanda gorilla safari is a comprehensive tour exploring the best of Rwanda’s wildlife, adventure and cultural experiences. Gorilla trekking in Volcanoes national park is the highlight of the tour. However, it also includes other thrilling experiences such as chimpanzee tracking, game viewing, golden monkey tracking, cultural tour and many more. This 12 Days Rwanda gorilla safari is a suggested itinerary which can be customised according to the visitor’s interests, budget and travel time.
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
- Colobus monkey tracking in Nyungwe national park
- Boat cruise on Lake Ihema
- Canopy walk in Nyungwe national park
- Relaxation & boat cruise on Lake Kivu
- Twin Lakes exploration
- Dian Fossey Hike (optional)
- Volcano Hike (optional)
- Iby’Iwacu cultural experience
- Kigali city tour
Trip Summary
Day 1: Arrival in Kigali & city tour
Day 2: Transfer to Akagera national park & game drive
Day 3: Morning game drive & afternoon boat cruise in Akagera
Day 4: Transfer to Nyungwe national park
Day 5: Chimpanzee tracking & canopy walk
Day 6: Colobus monkey trekking & transfer to Lake Kivu
Day 7: Relaxation at Lake Kivu
Day 8: Transfer to Volcanoes national park & Twin Lakes tour
Day 9: Gorilla trekking
Day 10: Golden monkey trekking & cultural tour
Day 11: Dian Fossey hike or Volcano hike
Day 12: Departure
Detailed itinerary – 12 Days Rwanda gorilla safari
Day 1: Arrival in Kigali and city tour
Upon arrival at Kigali International Airport (KGL), you will be met by your safari guide and transferred to your booked hotel in Kigali. After checking in and relaxing, embark on the Kigali city tour to checkout a few significant and attractive places around the city. These include the poignant Kigali Genocide Memorial Centre where you pay tribute to the victims of the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi as well as learning about the history of Rwanda. Other places to visit include a local market in Kigali, a craft centre and a museum. Return to your hotel in Kigali for dinner and overnight.
Day 2: Transfer to Akagera national park and game drive
After breakfast, begin your drive to Akagera national park, the only savannah park in Rwanda and home to the famous Africa “Big Five.” After checking into your lodge and relaxing, embark on an afternoon game drive to encounter some of the park’s common wildlife including lions, elephants, buffaloes and giraffes. Dinner and overnight at your accommodation in Akagera.
Day 3: Morning game drive and afternoon boat cruise
After early breakfast, go for a morning game drive for a chance to see the Akagera predators like lions, leopards and hyenas. You will also encounter more wildlife such as zebras, elephants, buffaloes, giraffes, various antelope species and abundant birdlife. In the afternoon, go for a breathtaking boat cruise on Lake Ihema, the largest lake in Akagera. This cruise offers excellent opportunities to spot large herds of hippos swimming and floating in the waters, crocodiles and a variety of water birds. Dinner and overnight at your lodge.
Day 4: Transfer to Nyungwe national park
After breakfast, begin a scenic drive to Nyungwe national park in southwest Rwanda. The journey takes you through stunning views of Rwanda’s rolling hills, scenic plantations and local communities. En-route, you may visit the King’s Palace Museum at Nyanza for a historical and cultural experience. Check into your accommodation in Nyungwe for dinner and breakfast as you get ready for the chimpanzee tracking encounter.
Day 5: Chimpanzee tracking and canopy walk in Nyungwe
Early breakfast and go for a briefing on chimpanzee tracking guidelines. Enter the forest led by experienced guides looking for a community of habituated chimpanzees. This trek may be a bit challenging but truly rewarding once you meet these active and playful primates in their natural habitat.
Spend a full hour in their presence observing how they play feed, and mate as you also take their pictures for your memories. Return to your lodge for lunch and relaxation after the experience. In the afternoon, go for the breathtaking canopy walk, a suspended bridge offering stunning aerial views of Nyungwe forest canopy as well its abundant wildlife and birds. Dinner and overnight at your accommodation in Nyungwe.
Day 6: Colobus monkey trekking and transfer to Lake Kivu
Enjoy another primate experience in Nyungwe, colobus monkey trekking. Meet these stunning black-and-white Angola colobus monkeys in their natural habitat and enjoy watching them play and feed on wild fruits. After the trek, drive to Lake Kivu for relaxation and fun activities. Check into your accommodation at the shores of the lake for dinner and overnight.
Day 7: Relaxation and exploring Lake Kivu
Today you will enjoy a relaxed day at Lake Kivu with a variety of optional activities to participate in. You may choose to go for a boat cruise and explore some Islands on Lake Kivu, swim in the lake, enjoy canoeing, or simply relax by the lake and enjoy the beautiful scenery. Dinner and overnight at your accommodation near Lake Kivu.
Day 8: Transfer to Volcanoes national park and Twin Lakes tour
After spending a leisurely morning at Lake Kivu, begin your drive Volcanoes national park in northwest Rwanda. Enjoy spectacular views of the Virunga Mountains and other scenic views on your way to the park. After checking into your accommodation and relaxing, visit the nearby Twin Lakes, Burera and Ruhondo and enjoy the picturesque views of their terraced hillsides. You can also participate in other relaxing activities at the lakes such as swimming and canoeing. Dinner and overnight at your accommodation near Volcanoes national park.
Day 9: Gorilla trekking
Early breakfast and transfer to park headquarters for a briefing on gorilla trekking guidelines. You will also be assigned a gorilla group to track along with other trekkers (8 trekkers per gorilla group). Head into the jungle led by experienced guides to look for the gorillas. The trek may take anywhere from one to several hours depending on the movement of gorillas in the forest.
Once you meet them, spend the magical hour in their presence observing how they feed, play and rest in their natural habitat in an unforgettable experience. At the end of the experience return to your lodge for lunch and relaxation as you reflect on your unforgettable memories with the gorillas. Dinner and overnight at your accommodation.
Day 10: Golden monkey tracking and cultural tour
Enjoy another primate experience in Volcanoes national park, golden monkey trekking. The encounter is less strenuous than gorilla trekking because golden monkeys live at the base of the volcanoes in bamboo forests. Enjoy watching and photographing these beautiful and playful primates as they interact with their natural habitat.
Return to your lodge for lunch and relaxation after the thrilling hour with the monkeys. In the afternoon, visit the Gorilla Guardian Village (formerly Iby’Iwacu Cultural Village) for a rewarding cultural experience. Enjoy Rwanda’s traditional dance and music from the Intore dancers as well as learning about the country’s culture and history. Dinner and overnight at your lodge.
Day 11: Dian Fossey hike or Volcano hike
Today you have a couple of optional activities to choose from on how you want to enjoy your last jungle experience in Rwanda. You may choose to go for the Dian Fossey hike and visit the tomb of Dian Fossey, the renowned primatologist who dedicated her life to protecting mountain gorillas in the Virunga Mountains.
This hike will also enable learn more about the history of gorilla conservation. Alternatively, you may choose to go for volcano hiking to one of the peaks of the Virunga Volcanoes such as Mount Karisimbi. This is a bit strenuous but rewards with stunning aerial views of the Virunga volcanoes, crater lakes and the surrounding areas. Dinner and overnight at your lodge.
Day 12: Departure
Enjoy your final breakfast in Rwanda before transferring back to Kigali International Airport for your departure flight. Depending on your flight schedule, you may have some time for last-minute souvenir shopping or a final city tour to check out more places around Kigali.
Important considerations for the 12 Days Rwanda gorilla 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 per person.
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. Note that it can also rain at any time, especially in the montane rainforests of Volcanoes national park hence the need to carry the relevant gear.
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.