7-Day Rwanda's Utimate Primates and Savannah Expedition

• You'll be collected from the airport.
• Accommodation before the tour starts can be arranged for an extra cost.

Kigali City Tour & Transfer to Volcanoes National Park

Begin with a moving visit to the Kigali Genocide Memorial, then explore local art markets and the Caplaki craft village. After lunch, drive north through rolling hills to Volcanoes National Park, home to the majestic mountain gorillas. Settle into your lodge with views of the Virunga peaks, and meet your guide for a briefing on the next day’s adventure.

Main Destination:

Volcanoes National Park (Gorillas)

Best Time To Visit June to August (It is drier and hiking is easier)

High Season June to September (Permits are scarce)

Best Weather June to October (Sunny, but not too hot)

Wildlife in Volcanoes NP

GorillaCommon

ChimpanzeeNone

ElephantRare

BuffaloRare

White RhinoNone

Black RhinoNone

Show more

GiraffeNone

LionNone

LeopardNone

CheetahNone

ZebraNone

WildebeestNone

HippoNone

Accommodation:

Da Vinci Gorilla Lodge

• Mid-range lodge located less than 1hr drive from Volcanoes NP (Gorillas)

+4 Photos

+3 Photos

Meals & Drinks:

• Lunch & dinner (Breakfast not included)
• Drinking water (Other drinks not included)

Gorilla Trekking & Optional Twin Lakes/Community Walk

Enter the misty bamboo forest with your tracking group, following signs of fresh nests and foraged foliage. Encounter a gorilla family in their natural habitat—observe silverbacks, mothers, and playful juveniles for a profound hour. After the trek, choose a peaceful visit to the scenic Twin Lakes (Bulera and Ruhondo) or engage with a local community, learning about traditional medicine and banana beer brewing.

Main Destination:

Volcanoes National Park (Gorillas)

Accommodation:

Da Vinci Gorilla Lodge

• Mid-range lodge located less than 1hr drive from Volcanoes NP (Gorillas)

Meals & Drinks:

• All meals included
• Drinking water (Other drinks not included)

Golden Monkey Trekking & Transfer to Lake Kivu

Search the lower slopes for the vibrant golden monkey, watching them leap acrobatically through bamboo. Their energetic troops offer playful photography moments. Later, journey to Lake Kivu, one of Africa’s Great Lakes. Check into a lakeside resort in Gisenyi, then unwind on sandy shores or take a refreshing swim in the calm, safe waters as the sun sets over the water.

Main Destination:

Lake Kivu

Accommodation:

Paradise Malahide Hotel

• Mid-range hotel located at Lake Kivu

+2 Photos

Meals & Drinks:

• All meals included
• Drinking water (Other drinks not included)

Explore Lake Kivu & Transfer to Nyungwe National Park

Enjoy a morning kayak or a leisurely bike ride along the lakeshore, stopping at fishing villages and hot springs. Savor fresh tilapia lunch overlooking the water. Afternoon transfer south through tea plantations to Nyungwe National Park, a vast montane rainforest. Settle into your eco-lodge and listen to the evening calls of primates and birds from your balcony.

Main Destination:

Nyungwe National Park (Chimps)

Best Time To Visit June to September (Dry weather, best chimp trekking)

High Season June to September (Popular gorilla trekking time in Volcanoes NP)

Best Weather June to October (Sunny, but not too hot)

Wildlife in Nyungwe NP

ChimpanzeeCommon

White RhinoNone

Black RhinoNone

LionNone

LeopardNone

CheetahNone

Show more

ElephantNone

GiraffeNone

BuffaloNone

ZebraNone

WildebeestNone

HippoNone

Accommodation:

Chimpanzee Lodge

• Budget hotel located just outside Nyungwe NP (Chimps)

+2 Photos

Meals & Drinks:

• All meals included
• Drinking water (Other drinks not included)

Chimpanzee Tracking & Canopy Walk

Wake early to track habituated chimpanzee troops, listening for their pant-hooting calls. Watch them forage, groom, and swing through tall trees. After lunch, experience the Canopy Walkway—a suspended bridge above the forest floor. Gaze down at the layered greenery, spot colorful turacos and colobus monkeys, and feel the thrill of walking among the treetops.

Main Destination:

Nyungwe National Park (Chimps)

Accommodation:

Chimpanzee Lodge

• Budget hotel located just outside Nyungwe NP (Chimps)

Meals & Drinks:

• All meals included
• Drinking water (Other drinks not included)

Transfer to Akagera National Park & Evening Game Drive

Drive east across Rwanda’s dramatic landscape to Akagera, a savannah park teeming with wildlife. Arrive at your lodge in time for a late afternoon game drive. Scan the plains for zebras, giraffes, buffaloes, and elephants. With luck, spot lions and leopards near the low grass. The golden evening light transforms the park into a painter’s canvas.

Main Destination:

Akagera National Park

Best Time To Visit June to September and mid-December to mid-February (It is drier and wildlife is easier to spot)

High Season June to September (The park is busiest at weekends)

Best Weather June to October (Sunny, but not too hot)

Wildlife in Akagera NP

GiraffeCommon

BuffaloAbundant

ZebraAbundant

HippoAbundant

White RhinoOccasional

LionOccasional

Show more

ElephantOccasional

Black RhinoRare

LeopardRare

HyenaRare

CheetahNone

WildebeestNone

Wild DogNone

Accommodation:

Akagera Rhino Lodge

• Mid-range lodge located just outside Akagera NP

+5 Photos

+4 Photos

Meals & Drinks:

• All meals included
• Drinking water (Other drinks not included)

Morning Boat Cruise at Lake Ihema & Brief Game Drive, then Airport Departure

Glide along Lake Ihema’s calm waters, watching hippos yawn and crocodiles bask on the banks. See elephants drinking at the shore and countless bird species—African fish eagles, herons, and kingfishers. After the cruise, take a final game drive to catch any missed wildlife. Then drive to Kigali, with time for lunch and last-minute souvenirs before your departure flight from Kigali International Airport.

Main Destination:

Kigali International Airport (Kigali)

Accommodation:

No accommodation (End of tour)

Meals & Drinks:

• Breakfast & lunch (Dinner not included)
• Drinking water (Other drinks not included)

• Additional accommodation can be arranged for an extra cost.
• You'll be dropped off at the airport.