8-Day Rwanda Safari: Primates & Wildlife

Arrive at Kigali International Airport and meet your guide. Afternoon Kigali city tour including the Kigali Genocide Memorial, Kimironko Market, and Inema Art Gallery. Welcome dinner at a local restaurant.

Morning departure for Akagera National Park (approximately 2.5 hours). Check in to your safari lodge and enjoy lunch. Afternoon game drive through the savannas spotting elephants, giraffes, zebras, and antelope.

Full-day safari in Akagera. Morning game drive targeting lions, leopards, and rhinos. Midday boat cruise on Lake Ihema to see hippos, crocodiles, and waterbirds. Afternoon game drive before returning to the lodge.

Depart Akagera and drive south to Nyungwe National Park (approximately 6 hours). Pass through Rwanda's rolling hills and terraced landscapes. Arrive at your forest lodge in the late afternoon. Evening walk along the forest edge to spot nocturnal primates.

Very early morning chimpanzee tracking in Nyungwe's ancient rainforest. After finding and observing the chimpanzees, return for lunch. Afternoon Canopy Walkway experience — walk 60 meters above the forest floor on a suspended bridge.

Depart Nyungwe and drive north along the spectacular Lake Kivu shoreline. Stop in Kibuye for lunch with lake views. Continue to Musanze (approximately 5 hours total), gateway to Volcanoes National Park. Check in to your lodge and rest for tomorrow's trek.

The pinnacle of your Rwanda safari. Early morning briefing at Volcanoes NP headquarters. Trek into the misty forests with expert trackers to find a mountain gorilla family. Spend one magical hour in their presence. Return to your lodge for a celebratory farewell dinner.

Morning visit to a local cultural village to experience traditional Rwandan life — Intore dance, basket weaving, and local food. After lunch, drive to Kigali (approximately 2 hours) for your departure flight.