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7 Days Rwanda Primates & Wildlife Safari | Akagera, Nyungwe, and Volcanoes
This 7 Days Rwanda Primates & Wildlife Safari is the most complete way to see Rwanda’s three flagship national parks in one trip: Akagera for classic savannah game drives and a boat cruise, Nyungwe Forest for chimpanzee trekking and a canopy walk, and Volcanoes National Park for mountain gorilla trekking and a golden monkey-country cultural finish.
In Akagera, expect lions, leopards, buffaloes, elephants, rhinos, zebras, giraffes, and a Lake Ihema boat cruise past hippos and crocodiles. Nyungwe adds chimpanzee trekking and a rare canopy walk above the forest floor, while Volcanoes National Park, home to five of the Virunga range’s eight volcanoes, delivers the trip’s centerpiece: an hour spent with a habituated mountain gorilla family, followed by a visit to the Iby’iwacu Cultural Village.
This itinerary suits travelers who want Rwanda’s full range savannah, forest, and mountain covered properly in one week, rather than choosing a single park and missing the rest of what the country offers.
Quick Facts
| Duration | 7 Days / 6 Nights |
| Start / End | Kigali |
| Destinations | Akagera National Park, Nyungwe Forest National Park, Volcanoes National Park |
| Best For | Travelers wanting Rwanda’s savannah, forest, and mountain gorilla parks in one trip |
| Permits Required | Chimpanzee permit and gorilla permit |
Highlights
- Day 1: Pick up, transfer to Akagera National Park, afternoon boat cruise
- Day 2: Full day game drive in Akagera National Park
- Day 3: Transfer to Nyungwe Forest National Park
- Day 4: Chimpanzee trekking and canopy walk
- Day 5: Transfer to Volcanoes National Park, twin lakes tour
- Day 6: Gorilla trekking and Iby’iwacu cultural tour
- Day 7: Departure to Kigali
Detailed Itinerary
Day 1: Pick Up, Transfer to Akagera National Park, Afternoon Boat Cruise
Your driver-guide will meet you and brief you on the safari before setting off for Akagera National Park, taking in views of traditional homesteads and rolling hills along the way. On arrival, check in at your lodge for lunch.
In the afternoon, take a boat cruise on Lake Ihema, watching for hippos in the water and crocodiles basking on the banks, along with buffaloes, waterbucks, elephants, and giraffes drinking along the shore, and water birds including cormorants, fish eagles, kingfishers, and hornbills. Return to your lodge for dinner and an overnight stay.
Boat cruise on Lake Ihema
Meal Plan: Lunch and Dinner
Day 2: Full Day Game Drive in Akagera National Park
After an early breakfast, your driver-guide will collect you for a morning game drive through the park, watching for buffaloes, elephants, waterbucks, giraffes, zebras, rhinos, and topi grazing across the open savannah, along with predators such as lions, leopards, and hyenas out on a morning hunt.
Return to the lodge for lunch and a short rest, then head out again in the afternoon for a further game drive. Return to your lodge for dinner and an overnight stay.
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 3: Transfer to Nyungwe Forest National Park
Check out of your lodge and set off for Nyungwe Forest National Park, with lunch en route and views of rolling hills, farmland, and traditional homesteads along the way. On arrival, check in at your lodge for dinner and an overnight stay.
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 4: Chimpanzee Trekking and Canopy Walk
Wake early for breakfast before meeting your driver-guide for the transfer to the park headquarters at Uwinka Visitor Centre for a briefing on chimpanzee trekking. You will be assigned an experienced park guide familiar with the trekking trails.
Chimpanzee trekking in Nyungwe Forest typically takes thirty minutes to four hours, depending on their location. Along the way, you may spot other primates, birds, and colorful butterflies. Once you find the chimpanzees, you will spend an hour in their presence, watching them feed, play, and interact, before trekking back to meet your driver-guide and returning to the lodge for lunch.
In the afternoon, head to Uwinka Visitor Centre for a canopy walk briefing, then set off along the Igishigishi Trail to the canopy walkway itself, with views of birds, trees, primates, and the forest canopy from above. Return to your lodge for dinner and an overnight stay.
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 5: Transfer to Volcanoes National Park, Twin Lakes Tour
After a relaxed breakfast, check out and set off for Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda’s northwest, taking in views of Lake Kivu, rolling hills, farmland, traditional homesteads, and tea plantations along the way.
On arrival, visit the twin lakes of Burera and Ruhondo for views of the lakes, the surrounding landscape, and birdlife. Afterward, head to your lodge for an evening of relaxation, dinner, and an overnight stay.
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 6: Gorilla Trekking and Iby’iwacu Cultural Tour
After an early breakfast, carry your packed lunch and meet your driver-guide for the transfer to the park headquarters for a briefing on gorilla trekking rules and etiquette. You will be grouped into eight, with each group assigned a habituated gorilla family and an experienced park guide.
Iby’iwacu cultural village
Gorilla trekking in Volcanoes National Park takes approximately thirty minutes to seven hours, depending on the family’s location. Along the way, you may see other primates, birds, colorful butterflies, and a range of plant life. Once you locate the gorillas, you will spend an hour in their presence, learning about their behavior and watching them feed, play, groom their young, and rest.
After the trek, return to the starting point to meet your driver-guide for an Iby’iwacu cultural tour in the neighboring community, where you will learn about local traditions and daily life, listen to traditional stories, and enjoy local food and performances. Return to your lodge for dinner and an overnight stay.
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 7: Departure to Kigali
Enjoy a leisurely breakfast before checking out of your lodge and meeting your driver-guide for the transfer back to Kigali. On arrival, take a city tour, visiting the Kigali Genocide Memorial and Kimironko Market, among other sites. After lunch, your driver-guide will drop you at Kigali International Airport for your departure flight, or at another location as advised.
Meal Plan: Breakfast and Lunch
What’s Included
- Gorilla trekking permit
- Chimpanzee trekking permit
- Park entrance fees and game drives
- Boat cruise
- Canopy walk
- Iby’iwacu cultural tour
- Kigali city tour
- Full-time English-speaking driver-guide
- Full-board accommodation
- Ground transfers in a 4WD vehicle
- Vehicle and fuel
- Bottled drinking water
What’s Not Included
- International flight tickets
- Visas
- Optional activities not included in the itinerary
- Travel insurance
- Personal expenses such as souvenirs, crafts, drinks, laundry services, hiring a porter, and tipping
