This 7 Days Rwanda gorilla safari aims at offering the best of Rwanda by balancing incredible wildlife encounters with cultural experiences. This tour enables you explore Rwanda’s major 3 national parks: Volcanoes national park, Akagera national park and Nyungwe national park. Gorilla trekking is the highlight of this safari while other incredible experiences like game viewing and chimpanzee tracking make this tour a complete Rwanda safari.
Safari Highlights
- Gorilla tracking in Volcanoes national park
- Game drive in Akagera national park
- Chimpanzee tracking in Nyungwe national park
- Boat cruise in Akagera national park
- Canopy walk in Nyungwe national park
- Lake Kivu exploration
- Iby’Iwacu Cultural Village
- Kigali City Tour
Trip summary
Day 1: Arrival in Kigali & transfer to Akagera national park
Day 2: Game drive & boat cruise in Akagera national park
Day 3: Transfer to Nyungwe national park
Day 4: Chimpanzee tracking & canopy walk in Nyingwe national park
Day 5: Transfer to Lake Kivu & relaxation
Day 6: Transfer to Volcanoes national park & cultural experience
Day 7: Gorilla trekking & departure
Detailed itinerary – 7 Days Rwanda gorilla safari
Day 1: Arrival in Kigali and transfer to Akagera national park
Upon arrival at Kigali International Airport (KGL) you will be met by your safari driver guide who will provide a brief overview of your safari. Depending on your arrival time, you might have brief Kigali city tour for a chance to visit some of the city’s key sites. These include the poignant Kigali Genocide Memorial to pay tribute to the victims of the 1994 Rwanda genocide and learn more about the country’s history.
Others include a local market, museum and arts centre. After the city tour and lunch in Kigali, drive east to Akagera national park, Rwanda’s only savannah park. This journey offers scenic views of Rwanda’s rolling hills, plantations and local communities. Check into your lodge in Akagera, relax and enjoy the wild savannah surroundings of the park. Dinner and overnight at your accommodation in Akagera.
Day 2: Game drive and boat cruise in Akagera national park
After early breakfast, embark on a morning game drive in Akagera national park for a chance to see Africa’s Big Five in the park. They include lions, leopards, buffaloes, elephants and rhinos. Other species to encounter in the perk include giraffes, zebras, various antelope species and a variety of birdlife.
After lunch, go for a relaxing boat cruise on Lake Ihema, the largest lake in the park. The cruise offers excellent opportunities to see hippos, crocodiles and a variety of waterbirds including the rare shoebill stork (if you’re lucky!). Dinner and overnight at your lodge in Akagera.
Day 3: Transfer to Nyugwe national park
After breakfast, begin your scenic drive southwest to Nyungwe national park, a home to 13 primate species and one of Africa’s oldest and most biodiverse rainforest park. The journey takes you through some stunning views of terraced hills, tea plantations and local communities. Arrive and check into your lodge near the park for dinner and overnight.
Day 4: Chimpanzee tracking and canopy walk in Nyungwe national park
Take early breakfast and head to the park headquarters for a briefing on chimpanzee tracking guidelines. Head into the forest led by experienced guides looking for habituated chimpanzee communities. The trek may be a bit tenacious but incredibly rewarding as you watch these intelligent primates go about their routine in their natural habitat. You will spend a full hour observing them as well as capturing the captivating moments on your camera.
In the afternoon, you will explore the thrilling Nyungwe Canopy Walkway, a suspended bridge offering stunning aerial views of the forest and its diverse ecosystem. The canopy walk also offers fantastic photo opportunity to the visitors. Dinner and overnight at your lodge in Nyungwe.
Day 5: Transfer to Lake Kivu and relaxation
After a relaxed breakfast, depending on your interest and timing, you may decide to have another activity in Nyungwe such as a nature walk to see more primates such as colobus monkeys, birdwatching or a community walk. After your chosen activity, drive to Gisenyi/ Kibuye on the shores of Lake Kivu, one of the Great Lakes shared by Rwanda and DR Congo.
Spend the afternoon relaxing by the lake, enjoying its beautiful views and you can also opt to take a boat trip to explore the islands on the lake. Dinner and overnight at your lakeside accommodation.
Day 6: Transfer to Volcanoes national park & cultural experience
Spend a relaxed morning at Lake Kivu as you enjoy its tranquility and you can also take a short walk by the lake. Begin your drive northwards to Volcanoes national park, Rwanda’s home to the endangered mountain gorillas. Arrive and check into your lodge near the park 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 Rwanda’s traditional dance and songs, learn more about the country’s history and culture as well as interacting with the local community. Dinner and overnight at your accommodation.
Day 7: Gorilla trekking and departure
After early breakfast, head to the headquarters of Volcanoes national park at Kinigi for a briefing on gorilla trekking guidelines. You will also be divided into small groups and assigned a habituated gorilla family to track (maximum of 8 trekkers per gorilla family).
Head into the forest accompanied by experienced guides and rangers looking for the gorillas. This trek may take anywhere between 1-6 hours depending on the location and movement of gorillas but once you find them, you believe that the experience was worth the challenge.
Spend the magical hour in the presence of these magnificent creatures observing how they feed, play, and interact in their natural habitat in a truly unforgettable experience. At the end of the hour, return to the park headquarters to be transferred back to your lodge for lunch and relaxation. Begin your drive back to Kigali International Airport for your departure flight.
Important considerations for the 7 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 cost $250 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.
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.