8-Day Rwanda Gorilla Trekking & Chimpanzee Safari – Nyungwe, Volcanoes & Akagera

Your East Africa adventure begins the moment you land, with a warm welcome from your dedicated English/French-speaking driver-guide who will meet you at the airport and whisk you straight into the heart of one of Africa’s most vibrant and fascinating capital cities — Kigali, Rwanda.

Before settling into your hotel, enjoy an immersive Kigali City Tour that introduces you to the rich history, culture, and spirit of this remarkably clean and forward-thinking African capital. Visit the profoundly moving Kigali Genocide Memorial — one of the most important historical sites in Africa, offering a deeply respectful and educational tribute to the victims of the 1994 genocide and a powerful testament to Rwanda’s extraordinary journey of reconciliation and renewal. Explore the bustling Kimironko Market — Kigali’s largest and most vibrant local market — where the colors, sounds, and energy of everyday Rwandan life unfold in spectacular fashion. Discover Nyamirambo, the historically significant neighborhood where Kigali’s story as a capital city first began, alongside many other fascinating and culturally rich landmarks that reveal the many layers of this compelling city.

After the city tour, your driver-guide will recommend and escort you to one of Kigali’s finest restaurants for a memorable lunch before transferring you to your luxury hotel to check in, freshen up, and enjoy a relaxed dinner as you prepare for the extraordinary safari adventure ahead.

Main Destination: Kigali, Rwanda

Accommodation: Hotel des Mille Collines — an iconic luxury hotel in the heart of Kigali, offering world-class comfort, service, and a storied history that makes it one of Rwanda’s most celebrated and recognizable landmarks.

- Meals included: Breakfast (Lunch & dinner not included) - Drinking water included (Other drinks not included)

After breakfast at your Kigali hotel, your Safaris driver-guide will collect you for the scenic journey southwest toward one of Rwanda’s most extraordinary and biologically rich destinations — Nyungwe National Park. The drive itself is a rewarding experience, passing through Rwanda’s iconic terraced hillsides and lush countryside that make every road journey through this beautiful country a pleasure.

En route, make a fascinating cultural stop at the Royal Palace Museum in Rwanda’s southern province — a beautifully preserved and historically significant site that offers a captivating window into the traditional Rwandan way of life, the ancient customs of the royal household, and the country’s rich heritage of kingship and traditional leadership. It is a wonderful opportunity to deepen your understanding of Rwanda’s cultural identity before immersing yourself in its natural wonders. Enjoy a comfortable en routelunch before continuing the journey toward the forest.

Arrive at Nyungwe National Park as the afternoon light filters through the ancient canopy — one of Africa’s oldest and most biodiverse montane rainforests, spanning over 1,000 square kilometers of mist-covered mountains, cascading waterfalls, and pristine forest teeming with chimpanzees, colobus monkeys, and an astonishing 310 bird species. Settle into your hotel for a relaxed evening dinner and overnight stay, with the sounds of the forest setting the perfect atmosphere for the adventures that await.

Main Destination: Nyungwe National Park, Rwanda

Accommodation: Nyungwe Top View Hill Hotel — a comfortable mid-range hotel perched just outside Nyungwe National Park, offering beautiful views over the forest and easy access to the park’s remarkable wildlife and trekking experiences.

- Meals included: All meals - Drinking water included (Other drinks not included)

Rise early for one of Rwanda’s most thrilling and sought-after wildlife experiences — chimpanzee trekking in the ancient montane rainforest of Nyungwe National Park. Spanning over 1,000 square kilometers of mist-draped mountain rainforest, Nyungwe is one of Africa’s oldest and most ecologically significant forests, sheltering an extraordinary 13 primate species, more than 275 bird species, and an incredible 100 varieties of orchids — making every step through its dense and atmospheric interior a remarkable nature experience.

Track Nyungwe’s habituated chimpanzee communities deep into the forest with your expert guide, observing these highly intelligent and social primates as they go about their daily lives in one of Rwanda’s most pristine and undisturbed natural environments. Return to the lodge after the trek for a well-earned lunch and a chance to rest and reflect on the morning’s incredible encounters.

The afternoon brings another unmissable Nyungwe highlight — a visit to the spectacular canopy walkway, one of the most thrilling and unique wildlife experiences in East Africa. Suspended high above the forest floor on the park’s highest bridge, the canopy walk offers breathtaking panoramic views across the endless rolling forest canopy — a perspective on Nyungwe’s extraordinary scale and beauty that simply cannot be experienced any other way. Return to your lodge as evening falls for a relaxed dinner and peaceful overnight stay.

Main Destination: Nyungwe National Park, Rwanda

Accommodation: Nyungwe Top View Hill Hotel — a comfortable mid-range hotel nestled just outside Nyungwe National Park, offering convenient access to the park’s world-class primate trekking and canopy walk experiences.

- Meals included: All meals - Drinking water included (Other drinks not included)

After a final breakfast at Nyungwe, check out and join your Safaris driver guide for the journey northwest across Rwanda toward one of the most legendary and awe-inspiring wildlife destinations on the entire African continent—VolcanoesNational Park. The drive takes you through some of Rwanda’s most stunning and dramatic highland scenery, with the country’s characteristic rolling green hills and terraced farmlands giving way to the brooding silhouettes of ancient volcanoes as you approach the park.

Volcanoes National Park is nestled in Rwanda’s far northwest, forming part of the greater Virunga Conservation Area — a chain of dramatic extinct and active volcanoes straddling the borders of Rwanda, Uganda, and the Democratic Republic of Congo. The park’s misty, forest-cloaked volcanic peaks create an atmosphere of extraordinary drama and mystique, and the anticipation builds with every kilometer as you draw closer to gorilla country. The park is world-renowned as one of the best places on Earth to trek mountain gorillas — an experience that draws wildlife lovers and adventurers from across the globe to this remarkable corner of Africa.

Arrive at your lodge, check in, and settle into the peaceful atmosphere of the Virunga foothills as you enjoy dinner and a restful overnight stay — with the extraordinary mountain gorilla trekking adventure of a lifetime waiting just around the corner.

Main Destination: Volcanoes National Park, Rwanda

Accommodation: Tiloreza Volcanoes Ecolodge — a charming mid-range ecolodge situated less than one hour’s drive from Volcanoes National Park, offering a warm and authentic Rwandan hospitality experience in a beautiful natural setting.

- Meals included: All meals - Drinking water included (Other drinks not included)

The most anticipated day of your Rwanda safari has arrived — mountain gorilla trekking in the magnificent Volcanoes National Park. After an early breakfast, receive a thorough pre-trek briefing from your experienced guides covering essential gorilla trekking etiquette and guidelines before setting off into the mist-shrouded volcanic forest in search of one of the park’s habituated mountain gorilla families.

Trek through the dramatic and atmospheric landscape of the Virunga volcanoes, ascending through bamboo forest and dense vegetation as your expert trackers lead you ever closer to these magnificent and critically endangered great apes. Once located, spend a profound and deeply moving one hour in the presence of a wild mountain gorilla family — observing the sheer power and quiet authority of a dominant silverback, watching mothers cradle and nurture their young with extraordinary tenderness, and delighting in the irresistibly playful behavior of juvenile gorillas exploring their ancient forest home. It is a wildlife encounter of unparalleled intimacy and emotional impact — widely regarded as one of the greatest and most transformative experiences available anywhere on Earth.

After the trek, enjoy a relaxed lunch before embarking on a scenic afternoon excursion to the breathtaking twin lakes of Bulera and Ruhondo — two of Rwanda’s most strikingly beautiful and serene crater lakes, their still waters reflecting the surrounding volcanic peaks and verdant hillsides in a landscape of quiet and extraordinary beauty. Return to your ecolodge as evening falls for a peaceful dinner and overnight stay.

Main Destination: Volcanoes National Park, Rwanda

Accommodation: Tiloreza Volcanoes Ecolodge — a welcoming mid-range ecolodge located less than one hour’s drive from Volcanoes National Park, combining genuine Rwandan warmth and hospitality with a beautiful natural highland setting.

- Meals included: All meals - Drinking water included (Other drinks not included)

After an early breakfast, your safari driver-guide will collect you at 8:00 AM for the scenic drive east toward Akagera National Park — Rwanda’s largest protected area and the country’s only savannah national park, stretching across a breathtaking landscape of rolling hills, open plains, woodland, and a stunning network of lakes and wetlands along the Tanzania border.

Arrive at your luxury tented camp, check in, and enjoy a relaxed lunch before the afternoon’s wildlife adventure begins. Head out for a magical boat trip on Lake Ihema — one of the most rewarding and scenic wildlife experiences in all of Rwanda. Lake Ihema is the largest of Akagera’s interconnected lakes and is home to one of the highest concentrations of hippos in Africa, alongside massive Nile crocodiles basking on the sandy shores and a spectacular diversity of water birds including the iconic shoebill stork, African fish eagle, malachite kingfisher, and many more remarkable species that delight birdwatchers of every level.

Drift slowly across the lake’s calm waters as the afternoon sun casts a golden glow over the surrounding papyrus wetlands and acacia woodland — a serene and utterly beautiful conclusion to a wonderful day of wildlife discovery. Return to your luxury tented camp as evening settles over the park for a relaxed dinner and peaceful overnight stay beneath the African stars.

Main Destination: Akagera National Park, Rwanda

Accommodation: Ruzizi Tented Lodge — an exceptional luxury tented camp nestled inside Akagera National Park, offering an intimate and immersive safari experience at the heart of Rwanda’s finest savannah wilderness.

- Meals included: All meals - Drinking water included (Other drinks not included)

After breakfast at the lodge, set out with your driver-guide for an action-packed full day game drive through the diverse and rewarding landscapes of Akagera National Park. Rwanda’s only savannah park delivers an exceptional and often surprising wildlife experience, with lions, elephants, giraffes, zebras, buffalo, hippos, impalas, and the rare and majestic black rhino — successfully reintroduced to Rwanda in recent years — all roaming freely across the park’s beautiful mosaic of open savannah, woodland, and wetland habitats. With the Big Five now all present in Akagera, every game drive holds the exciting possibility of truly remarkable sightings at every turn.

Return to the lodge in the early evening to freshen up and relax before the night’s most thrilling adventure begins — an exhilarating nocturnal game drive through Akagera’s darkened savannah. As the African bush transforms after sunset, a fascinating cast of nocturnal wildlife emerges from the shadows — with leopards, spotted hyenas, jackals, and a host of other elusive night-time species all potentially revealed in the sweep of the spotlight. Tracking predators and night animals through the darkness with an experienced guide is a uniquely atmospheric and exciting experience that adds a completely new and unforgettable dimension to the Akagera safari experience.

Return to your luxury tented camp after the night drive for a well-earned dinner and a restful overnight stay under a canopy of brilliant African stars.

Main Destination: Akagera National Park, Rwanda

Accommodation: Ruzizi Tented Lodge — an exceptional luxury tented camp situated inside Akagera National Park, combining world-class comfort with an authentic and immersive savannah safari atmosphere.

- Meals included: All meals - Drinking water included (Other drinks not included)

After a final breakfast at the lodge, check out and meet your safari driver-guide for the last time as you begin the journey back to Kigali — Rwanda’s vibrant and welcoming capital city. The drive offers one final opportunity to soak in Rwanda’s stunning landscapes and reflect on the extraordinary wildlife encounters, breathtaking scenery, and unforgettable memories gathered across this remarkable safari adventure.

On arrival in Kigali, your driver-guide will transfer you seamlessly to your hotel, residence, or Kigali International Airport for your onward flight home — ensuring a smooth, comfortable, and stress-free conclusion to your Rwanda safari experience.

This marks the end of your Rwanda safari journey — an extraordinary exploration of one of Africa’s most diverse, beautiful, and wildlife-rich destinations, from the misty gorilla forests of the Volcanoes National Park and the ancient rainforests of Nyungwe to the sweeping savannah plains and shimmering lakes of Akagera National Park.

End of Tour — Kigali, Rwanda (No accommodation)

- Meals included: Breakfast (Lunch & dinner not included) - Drinking water included (Other drinks not included)