10-Day Rwanda Safari Adventure Combining All National Parks
Savannah, rainforest, volcanoes and Lake Kivu in one journey
- Duration10 days / 9 nights
- LocationVolcanoes National Park
- Minimum age15+
- DifficultyModerate
Tour overview
About this journey
On this trip, you will experience the beauty of Rwanda – the “land of a thousand Hills.” Enjoy the different backdrops and landscapes of Rwanda as you travel along the hilly roads. The parks are a mixture of savannah, forest, and mountainous. You will trek chimpanzees in Nyungwe Forest, and gorillas in Volcanoes National Park and enjoy game drives in Akagera National Park.
Trip highlights
- Boat safari and full-day game drive in Akagera
- Chimpanzee tracking and canopy walk in Nyungwe
- Gorilla trekking in Volcanoes National Park
- Gorilla Guardians cultural village
- Two relaxed days on the shores of Lake Kivu
- Starts
- Kigali International Airport
- Ends
- Kigali
- Best time
- All year · best June–September & December–February
- Style
- Private & tailor-made
Your route
- Kigali
- Akagera NP
- Nyungwe NP
- Volcanoes NP
- Lake Kivu
- Kigali
Day by day
Detailed itinerary
-
Day1
Welcome to Rwanda the land of “a thousand hills.” Our guide/ representative staff will be at the airport to pick you and transfer you to the hotel for overnight. If you arrive in the morning or early afternoon, you will enjoy a short tour of Kigali City visiting the genocide memorial.
Accommodation Options: Radisson Blu Hotel (Luxury), Governor’s Residence (Mid-range).
- Arrival
- City orientation
-
Day2
Today morning after breakfast, your driver guide will pick you up from the hotel for a short city tour – visit sights like the Kigali genocide memorial and the Kandt museum after which you transfer to Akagera National Park. You will arrive in the park and drive to your hotel for check in.
Have lunch after check-in and later leave for the evening boat safari. After lunch you will take a boat safari on Lake Ihema for a beautiful afternoon breeze and some sighting of birds and wildlife. Depending on your interest, join in on a night game drive in search of the nocturnal animals.
Accommodation Options: Magashi Tented camp (Luxury), Ruzizi Tented Lodge (Mid- range).
- Game drive en route
- Boat safari
-
Day3
Akagera National Park is a Savannah park which is home to several big and small mammals. After an early breakfast, your guide will pick you up for a days game drive towards the northern sector of the park which is less bushy offering better opportunities for animal sightings.
You will take the lake-shore drive along the different lakes as you look for the various wildlife like; Zebras, Giraffes, Impalas, Elephants, Buffaloes, Toppi’s and the elusive leopards. On a lucky day, you will sight a pride of lions before they go into hiding.
There is a beautiful array of bird life for any keen birder or even the an amateur. Enjoy the different landscapes of Rwanda in this national park – with views of different lakes, mountains and plains.
Accommodation Options: Magashi Tented camp (Luxury), Ruzizi Tented Lodge (Mid- range).
- Full-day game drive
-
Day4
This morning we depart Akagera national park for Nyungwe forest national park via Kigali. We shall stopover in Huye for lunch and a visit to the Ethnographic museum to learn more about the history and traditions of the Rwanda people. We arrive in Nyungwe forest later in the evening.
Accommodation Options: One and Only Nyungwe House(Luxury), Nyungwe Top View Hotel (Mid-range).
- Scenic drive
-
Day5
After an early breakfast, we leave for Chimpanzee tracking in Nyungwe forest. The forest is rich in botanical diversity and home to 13 species of primates including Chimpanzees, L’Hoest’s monkeys, and Columbus monkeys with 300 bird species. Your tour guide will transfer you to the briefing area where you will meet your community guide and receive briefing before you start your trek.
Return to the lodge after the chimp trek or you can choose to do the Canopy walk immediately so that you rest once. The canopy walk allows you beautiful views of the forest from above as you admire nature.
Accommodation Options: One and Only Nyungwe House(Luxury), Nyungwe Top View Hotel (Mid-range).
- Chimpanzee tracking
- Canopy walk
-
Day6
We leave for Volcanoes national park after breakfast. Enjoy the different sights and winding roads in the land of a thousand hills. You will have opportunities to have different stopovers for pictures and stretching depending on your needs.
Accommodation Options: Virunga inn resort (Luxury), Five Volcanoes Boutique Hotel(Mid-range).
- Scenic drive
-
Day7
Meet the mountain gorillas in the dense jungles of the Virunga ranges. The trek to the gorillas starts with a briefing at the park headquarters in Kinigi where you are assigned a ranger and gorilla family to trek. After briefing, your ranger guide leads you to the starting point of the trek. You might need to drive to the starting point of the trek depending on location of gorilla group you are trekking.
The trek through the habitat of these enormous animals is a fulfilling unforgettable experience that
many people look to undertake. The trek can last from a few minutes to several hours depending on where the gorillas nested the previous night.
Accommodation Options: Virunga inn resort (Luxury), Five Volcanoes Boutique Hotel(Mid-range).
- Gorilla trekking
-
Day8
Use the morning to visit the gorilla guardians village where you will learn more about the Rwandan culture. Become a King or Queen for a day, get involved in knitting, learn how to use a bow and arrow and enjoy songs & folks from the Rwanda society.
After this experience transfer to Lake Kivu for a down time unwinding from all the hectic travel and experiences.
Accommodation Options: Lake Kivu serena Hotel (Luxury), Paradis Malahide (Mid- range).
- Gorilla Guardians Village
-
Day9
This will be a down time from all the travel and experiences exploring Rwanda on the shores to the beautiful lake Kivu. The activities you can engage in include a visit to the to the hot springs, take a boat trip to an island, kayaking on lake kivu, visit DR Congo – Rwanda border, and relax at the lakeside in the evening sipping a way to your favourite.
Accommodation Options: Lake Kivu serena Hotel (Luxury), Paradis Malahide (Mid- range)
- Boat trip
- Relaxation
-
Day10
Today is your last day on this safari. Start your day with breakfast and transfer to Kigali international airport for your flight back home. We hope you enjoyed your time exploring this beautiful little country of a thousand hills.
- Airport drop-off
End of your Pride Adventure — with memories for life.
Drive times are approximate. Lodges are confirmed with you when you book, matched to your budget and availability.
Price details
What’s included
Included
- Gorilla Permit
- Accommodations
- Transportation
- Professional guide
Not included
- International flights
- Tips
- Taxes
- Insurance
Gallery
Photos from the trail
Before you go
Good to know
What to pack
- Waterproof hiking boots with good grip
- Light rain jacket (it can rain any time)
- Long trousers and long-sleeved shirt
- Gardening gloves for grabbing vegetation
- Day pack, 2 litres of water and snacks
- Camera without flash, and spare batteries
- Passport (needed to collect permits)
Travel with confidence
- Licensed and insured tours
- Local driver-guides who know every trail
- 24/7 on-ground support
- Permits and lodges booked for you
Questions
Frequently asked
Can this itinerary be customised?
Yes. Every Pride Adventure trip is tailor-made. We can add or remove days, change the order, upgrade or downgrade lodges and add activities. Send us a request and we will send you a proposal.
Is the gorilla permit included?
Yes, the gorilla permit is included in this tour. Permits are limited each day, so book early, especially for June–September and December–February.
How fit do I need to be for gorilla trekking?
You should be able to walk for 1 to 6 hours on steep, muddy forest paths. Porters and walking sticks are available at the park and help you a lot. Minimum age is 15.
Will we see the Big Five in Akagera?
Akagera is home to lions, leopards, elephants, rhinos and buffalo. Sightings are never guaranteed, but our guides know where the animals are likely to be.
What is the best time to go?
The long dry season (June–September) and the short dry season (December–February) are the easiest for trekking and game drives. The green seasons are quieter, lush and good value.
How do I book?
Send us a request with your dates and group size. We reply within 24 hours with a quote. When you confirm, we book permits and lodges and send you a full travel pack.
Free quote
Request this tour
Tell us your dates and group. We will confirm availability and send you a tailored price within 24 hours.
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