Experience the 7-Day Rwanda Gorilla Safari, a private journey combining mountain gorilla trekking in Volcanoes National Park with wildlife game drives in Akagera National Park. Enjoy a boat safari on Lake Ihema, scenic drives through Rwanda’s countryside, and opportunities to discover the country’s remarkable wildlife with a dedicated safari guide.
Designed for wildlife enthusiasts, couples, photographers, and private groups, this seven-day Rwanda safari brings together two contrasting sides of the country, from Akagera’s open savannah and wetlands to the mist-covered forests of Volcanoes National Park. Optional cultural experiences and accommodation arrangements can be tailored to your preferences, subject to the confirmed itinerary.
Highlights of the 7-Day Rwanda Gorilla Safari
- Private safari transportation with a professional driver-guide.
- Wildlife game drives in Akagera National Park.
- Opportunities to search for Africa’s Big Five: lions, elephants, buffaloes, leopards, and rhinos.
- A boat safari on Lake Ihema, subject to availability.
- Scenic travel through Rwanda’s beautiful countryside.
- Mountain gorilla trekking in Volcanoes National Park.
- An opportunity to experience golden monkey trekking.
- Optional Rwandan cultural experiences and scenic excursions.
- Accommodation selected according to your preferred comfort level.
- Personalized arrangements for couples, families, photographers, and private groups.
7-Day Rwanda Gorilla Safari: Detailed Itinerary
Day 1: Arrival in Kigali: Your Private Rwanda Welcome
Welcome to Rwanda, the Land of a Thousand Hills. Upon arrival at Kigali International Airport, your Albertine Tours representative will welcome you and arrange your transfer to your hotel.
After check-in, enjoy time to relax and recover from your journey. Depending on your arrival time, you may explore selected parts of Kigali, visit a local art gallery, or enjoy a relaxed welcome dinner.
Your guide will also introduce you to the upcoming safari, explain the travel arrangements, and answer any questions before your adventure begins.
Meal: Dinner
Accommodation Options: Kigali Serena Hotel, The Retreat by Heaven, Radisson Blu Hotel & Convention Centre
Day 2: Journey to Akagera National Park into Rwanda’s Wild Savannah
After breakfast, depart Kigali in your private safari vehicle and travel east toward Akagera National Park, a remarkable conservation area known for its savannah landscapes, wetlands, lakes, and diverse wildlife.
Upon arrival, begin exploring the park with your professional safari guide. Depending on your arrival time and park arrangements, enjoy an afternoon game drive through open grasslands and wooded areas in search of elephants, giraffes, zebras, buffaloes, antelopes, and other wildlife.
Akagera is also home to lions and rhinos, making it an exciting destination for travelers hoping to experience Rwanda’s Big Five wildlife.
As the afternoon light changes across the landscape, enjoy opportunities to photograph the scenery and observe animals in their natural environment.
Later, transfer to your lodge for dinner and a peaceful evening surrounded by the atmosphere of the African wilderness.
Accommodation Options: Magashi Camp, Ruzizi Tented Lodge, Akagera Game Lodge
Meals: (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)
Day 3: Akagera Wildlife Safari and Lake Ihema Boat Experience
Wake up early for breakfast before heading out on a guided morning game drive. The early hours provide excellent opportunities to observe wildlife moving through the park as the savannah comes to life.
Your guide will help you explore suitable wildlife-viewing areas, looking for elephants, buffaloes, giraffes, zebras, antelopes, and, with some luck, lions and rhinos.
After lunch, enjoy a boat safari on Lake Ihema, subject to availability and scheduling. This experience offers a different perspective on Akagera’s ecosystem, with opportunities to observe hippos, Nile crocodiles, waterbirds, and other wildlife along the shoreline.
For bird enthusiasts, the lake and surrounding wetlands offer rewarding opportunities to observe Rwanda’s rich birdlife.
Return to your lodge for dinner and relaxation after a full day of wildlife exploration.
Accommodation Options: Magashi Camp, Ruzizi Tented Lodge, Akagera Game Lodge
Meals: (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)
Day 4: Final Akagera Wildlife Experience and Transfer to Volcanoes National Park
Enjoy breakfast before a final morning wildlife experience in Akagera National Park, subject to your departure schedule. Take advantage of the opportunity to photograph the landscape, look for wildlife, and appreciate the diversity of Rwanda’s eastern savannah.
After leaving the park, travel toward Volcanoes National Park in northern Rwanda. The journey reveals another side of the country, with rolling green hills, cultivated landscapes, rural communities, and views of the Virunga volcanic region as you approach Musanze.
Upon arrival, check in at your lodge and enjoy time to relax. Your guide will brief you on the arrangements for the following day’s mountain gorilla trekking experience.
Accommodation Options: Bisate Lodge, One&Only Gorilla’s Nest, Virunga Lodge
Meals: (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)
Day 5: Mountain Gorilla Trekking An Extraordinary Wildlife Encounter
Today brings one of the most memorable experiences of your Rwanda safari: mountain gorilla trekking in Volcanoes National Park.
After an early breakfast, travel to the Kinigi park headquarters for a briefing by authorized park personnel. You will receive information about trekking guidelines, gorilla conservation, and the rules for observing these endangered primates responsibly.
Accompanied by authorized guides and trackers, enter the forest in search of a habituated mountain gorilla family. The trek may take several hours, depending on the gorillas’ location, forest conditions, and terrain.
When you find the gorillas, you will generally have a maximum of one hour to observe them. Watch as family members interact, young gorillas play, and adults feed or rest among the vegetation. Follow all instructions from the park guides to protect both visitors and gorillas.
After the trek, return to your lodge for lunch and a relaxing afternoon.
This experience is a highlight for wildlife lovers and photographers, offering a rare opportunity to appreciate one of the world’s most remarkable primates in its natural habitat.
Accommodation Options: Bisate Lodge, One&Only Gorilla’s Nest, Virunga Lodge
Meals: (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)
Day 6: Golden Monkey Trekking and an Authentic Rwandan Cultural Experience
After breakfast, prepare for another rewarding day in the Volcanoes region. Depending on your selected activities and confirmed arrangements, begin with golden monkey trekking in the bamboo forests of Volcanoes National Park.
Golden monkeys are known for their distinctive golden-orange fur and lively behavior. Accompanied by authorized park guides, explore their forest habitat and observe these fascinating primates while following conservation guidelines.
After the trek, enjoy lunch and choose a suitable afternoon experience. Options may include a guided cultural visit, a community-based tourism activity, a scenic excursion around the Musanze area, or a visit to the beautiful Twin Lakes of Burera and Ruhondo.
These additional experiences offer opportunities to learn about local traditions, appreciate the region’s landscapes, and connect with Rwanda beyond its wildlife.
Your afternoon can be arranged according to your interests, available time, and the activities included in your confirmed package.
Accommodation Options: Bisate Lodge, One&Only Gorilla’s Nest, Virunga Lodge
Meals: (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)
Day 7: Return to Kigali and Departure
Enjoy breakfast at your lodge before checking out and beginning your private transfer to Kigali.
Depending on your departure time, you may have an opportunity to stop for photographs, browse local craft shops, or enjoy a short city visit. Any additional sightseeing will depend on your flight schedule and the time available for the journey.
Your Albertine Tours guide will transfer you to Kigali International Airport for your departure flight or to your preferred location in Kigali if you are extending your stay.
As your journey comes to an end, take with you lasting memories of Rwanda’s remarkable wildlife, volcanic landscapes, warm hospitality, and unforgettable mountain gorilla encounter.
This concludes your seven-day Rwanda private safari and gorilla trekking adventure.
Meals: (Breakfast)
7-Day Rwanda Gorilla Safari Includes
- Airport pick-up and drop-off in Kigali.
- Private ground transportation in a suitable 4WD safari vehicle.
- Services of a professional English-speaking driver-guide.
- Accommodation for six nights.
- Meals specified in the final itinerary.
- Scheduled game drives in Akagera National Park.
- Lake Ihema boat safari.
- Mountain gorilla trekking permit.
- Golden monkey trekking permit.
- Park entrance fees and government taxes applicable to the included activities.
- Bottled drinking water during scheduled safari activities.
- Activities expressly listed as included in the final booking confirmation.
7-Day Rwanda Gorilla Safari Excludes
- International flights.
- Rwanda visa fees, where applicable.
- Travel insurance.
- Tips and gratuities.
- Laundry services.
- Alcoholic beverages and drinks not specified as included.
- Personal expenses and items of a personal nature.
- Optional activities not included in the confirmed quotation.
- Golden monkey trekking permit if not included in the selected package.
- Gorilla trekking permit if not included in the selected package price.
- Additional accommodation or meals resulting from changes to the itinerary.
- Any services or expenses not specifically listed under inclusions.
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