Rwanda Safaris Tours
Rwanda is known as the Land of a Thousand Hills for its endlessly rolling, terraced landscape, has in the space of little more than two decades transformed itself into one of Africa’s most compelling and sophisticated safari destinations, a remarkable achievement for a small, landlocked country still closely associated in many minds with its tragic history.
Today, Rwanda offers travellers an extraordinary combination of world class mountain gorilla trekking, exceptional primate diversity, a genuine Big Five safari in the beautifully restored Akagera National Park, and a level of safety, cleanliness, and organisational efficiency that few other African destinations can match.
What makes a Rwandan safari particularly appealing is the country’s compact scale and excellent infrastructure, allowing travellers to combine gorilla trekking, golden monkey tracking, chimpanzee trekking, savannah wildlife, and lakeside relaxation within a remarkably short and efficient itinerary, often just a week or so, without the long distances and lengthy transfers common elsewhere on the continent.
Add to this Rwanda’s close proximity to Kigali International Airport, its extraordinary conservation success stories, and its rich, resilient culture, and the case for choosing Rwanda as your African safari destination becomes genuinely compelling.
This guide provides a complete overview of safaris in Rwanda, covering the country’s premier national parks and wildlife destinations, the headline experience of gorilla trekking, practical planning advice on timing, costs, and logistics, and how to structure the perfect Rwandan itinerary. Whether this is your first exploration of Rwanda or you are refining plans for a return visit, here is everything you need to know about experiencing the very best safari that the Land of a Thousand Hills has to offer.
Our Bespoke Rwanda Wildlife & Gorilla Tours
Why Choose Rwanda for Your African Safari?
With so many wonderful safari destinations across the African continent, understanding what makes Rwanda distinctive helps clarify why this remarkable small country deserves serious consideration for your safari of a lifetime. Several compelling factors set Rwanda apart from other destinations.
- World class mountain gorilla trekking in Volcanoes National Park, just two to three hours from Kigali International Airport, among the most convenient gorilla trekking access anywhere in Africa.
- A remarkably compact geography allowing gorillas, golden monkeys, chimpanzees, savannah wildlife, and lakeside relaxation to be combined within a short, efficient itinerary.
- A genuine and inspiring conservation success story, with Akagera National Park restored from near ruin into a thriving Big Five destination.
- Exceptional safety, cleanliness, and organisational efficiency, reflecting Rwanda’s broader reputation as one of Africa’s most orderly and well managed nations.
- Some of the finest luxury safari lodges anywhere on the continent, particularly around Volcanoes National Park.
- A rich, resilient culture and a profound, moving story of national healing that adds depth and meaning to any Rwandan journey.
Volcanoes National Park:
Volcanoes National Park, set on the dramatic slopes of the Virunga volcanic range in northern Rwanda, offers the headline experience of any Rwandan safari: trekking through forested volcanic slopes to spend a precious hour among a wild, habituated mountain gorilla family. This profound, humbling encounter, among the greatest wildlife experiences available anywhere on earth, commands a premium permit price of USD 1,500 per person, reflecting Rwanda’s polished, highly accessible positioning within the gorilla trekking market.
Beyond gorillas, Volcanoes National Park offers the delightful and comparatively accessible experience of golden monkey tracking, observing large troops of these vivid, energetic primates in the bamboo forests of the lower volcanic slopes, alongside a rewarding hike to the tomb of the celebrated gorilla researcher Dian Fossey. The park’s proximity to some of Africa’s finest luxury lodges, including several offering staggering views of the volcanoes themselves, makes this region an unmissable centrepiece of any Rwandan itinerary.
Nyungwe Forest National Park:
Nyungwe Forest National Park, one of Africa’s oldest and most biodiverse montane rainforests in Rwanda’s southwest, offers an entirely different but equally rewarding safari experience, centred on chimpanzee trekking through this vast, ancient forest and the thrilling Nyungwe Canopy Walk, a suspended bridge stretching some one hundred and sixty metres across a forested valley at a height of around seventy metres, the only structure of its kind anywhere in East Africa.
Nyungwe’s exceptional biodiversity, including thirteen primate species, over three hundred bird species, and more than a thousand recorded plant species, makes this remote southwestern forest a rewarding destination for chimpanzee trekking, dedicated Albertine Rift endemic birding, and further forest walks, and it combines naturally with a visit to Rwanda’s royal heritage sites in nearby Nyanza or a relaxing stay beside Lake Kivu.
Akagera National Park:
Akagera National Park, in Rwanda’s eastern savannah region, tells one of Africa’s most inspiring conservation stories, having been restored from a state of near total devastation into a genuine, thriving Big Five destination through dedicated conservation efforts including the reintroduction of lions and rhinos. Today, visitors can enjoy classic game drives across Akagera’s beautiful landscape of savannah, wetlands, and lakes in search of lions, elephants, buffaloes, leopards, and rhinos.
Beyond traditional game drives, Akagera offers boat trips on Lake Ihema, alive with hippos, crocodiles, and abundant birdlife including a genuine chance of the elusive shoebill stork, along with night game drives to spot nocturnal wildlife. This savannah wilderness offers a striking and rewarding contrast to Rwanda’s mountain gorilla and forest primate experiences, rounding out a comprehensive Rwandan safari with classic African game viewing.
Lake Kivu and Kigali
After the exertions of trekking and safari, the beautiful shores of Lake Kivu, one of Africa’s great lakes and notably free of the hippos, crocodiles, and bilharzia risks found in many other African lakes, offer a wonderful place to relax, swim, kayak, and unwind amid stunning scenery, making it an ideal way to conclude or break up a Rwandan itinerary.
Rwanda’s clean, safe, and increasingly cosmopolitan capital, Kigali, offers a compelling blend of history and modernity, from the profoundly moving Kigali Genocide Memorial, which honours the victims of the 1994 genocide while documenting Rwanda’s remarkable journey of healing, to a thriving contemporary café, art, and culinary scene that reveals the dynamic, forward looking character of modern Rwanda.
Sample Comprehensive Rwanda Safari Itineraries
Duration | Suggested Focus |
3 to 4 days | Gorilla trekking in Volcanoes National Park plus Kigali |
5 to 7 days | Add golden monkey tracking and Lake Kivu relaxation |
8 to 10 days | Add Nyungwe Forest chimpanzee trekking and the canopy walk |
10 to 14 days | A comprehensive circuit including Akagera or a Uganda extension |
These durations can be adjusted according to your available time and interests, and Rwanda’s compact geography and excellent roads make even the shorter itineraries feel comprehensive and unrushed compared with larger safari countries.
Best Time to Visit Rwanda
Rwanda’s pleasant, temperate, high altitude climate makes it a genuine year round destination, with no truly bad time to visit, though the two dry seasons, from June to mid-September and from December to February, offer the firmest trekking conditions and are consequently the most popular times to visit.
The wetter months, particularly October to November and March to May, bring lush, green landscapes, fewer crowds, and sometimes better lodge availability, though trekking becomes more physically demanding. Because Rwanda’s gorilla permit price remains fixed year round, the choice of season comes down to weather and crowds rather than cost.
Planning Your Rwanda Safari
- Book your gorilla permit early: Volcanoes National Park issues a limited number of permits daily, and demand is consistently high.
- Decide your budget and lodge style: Rwanda offers everything from comfortable mid-range lodges to some of Africa’s finest ultra-luxury properties.
- Consider combining with Uganda: flying into Kigali and crossing to Uganda’s more affordable gorillas is a popular, cost effective strategy.
- Allow time for Akagera: this often overlooked eastern park rewards those who include it in a wider itinerary.
- Work with a reputable specialist operator: an experienced Rwanda operator handles permits, transport, and accommodation seamlessly.
- Approach cultural and historical sites respectfully: particularly the Kigali Genocide Memorial, which deserves quiet, thoughtful time.