LION SAFARIS TEAM
Lion Safaris
- Office In:
- Size:
- 10-20 employees (Founded in 2016)
- Member Of:
- RTTA, RDB, RSGA, VISIT RWANDA & RWANDA CHAMBER OF TOURISM
- Tour Types:
- Custom mid-range & luxury tours that can start every day
- Destinations:
- Price Range:
- $100 to $650 per person per day (USD, excl. int'l flights)
for a custom tour
Your request will be sent directly to the operator
If preferred, you can contact the operator directly
Reviews
CZ
Email Petra Fry | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Amazing trip, perfect organization
We spent with Lion Safaris and our lovely guide Emile 10 days over Christmas 2025, doing a tour Kigali-Nungwe-Volcanoes-Akagera-Kigali. We are typically self-driving during our travels but for Rwanda Lion Safaris was definetely the right choice. Emile is local Rwandian, he studied tourism and worked many years as park guide in Akagera and Volcanoes national parks, which means that he was extremely knowledgable about all the facts about Rwanda, culture, wildlife, people, etc. and he was proffessional. Communication before our arrival was smooth, Lion Safaris helped us to adjust the trip as per our needs (in Volcanoes we added on top of Gorillas also the Golden Monkeys treck), we paid the deposite online, Emile instructed us what to pack with us and then our guide was waiting for us at the airport. The ten days spent with him were very pleasant. All was organized seamlessly, we were not waiting for any formalities anywehere, Emile was always on time, selection of accommodation was very good, food served or packed for us everywhere was always very tasty and Emile made sure we had plenty of water, food or breaks as per needs, as well as information about everything what we see. He speaks fluent perfectly English, French and is very interesting person. Spending the long drives with him was fun and very educative. Rwanda is stunning, all the activities of our itinerary were jaw dropping, we enjoyed the long drives as well as the landscape combined with stories of Emile it was simply beautiful.
Our first guided travel ever couldnt go any better better and we will definetely recommend Lion Safaris to all our friends. Keep up the great work Emile, we will miss you!
CZ
Email Kelly | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Couldn't have asked for better, Emille is a wonderful host, knowledgable and very friendly
Just finished an amazing 10 day tour with Emille and Lion Safaris. Communication was excellent and the tour surpassed our expectations. We did Kigali, Nyungwe NP, Volcanoes NP and Akagera NP. We stayed in amazing places, ate delicious foods, blended with the local people and saw the most amazing and beautiful scenery. We have fallen in love with Rwanda. The tour was excellent value and we loved that we chose a local company but importantly Emille has such a passion for his country, you simply couldnt get the same experience from a self drive. We were so sad to leave and would highly recommend Lion Safaris for your adventure to Rwanda. Emille is an experienced guide from all the parks which really gave us a perspective and insight you couldnt get anywhere else
Well organised, helpful and knowledgable local operator
Last minute trip to Kigali and we added an extra 3 days to do a 2 night safari in Akagera at the last minute. Lion Safaris responded well, answered our questions and took the last minute booking as an opportunity to offer good value (unlike other organisers). They are an operator and not just subcontracting to others which can sometimes lead to problems.
They suggested a night at Kerenge bush lodge (much more luxurious than it sounds) and a night at Ruzizi Lodge which would allow us to see more of the park. This worked out very well with the north part being more savannah and the south bush and scrub.
Their driver picked us up in Kigali with their vehicle, a Toyota pop-top (essential) and stayed with us in Kigali until late on our third day as we had a late flight out. We felt very safe and his knowledge of the park and the animals greatly added to the trip. They also arranged a boat trip and a night safari, both excellent.
Lion Safaris are a highly recommended local operator.
Email Lisa | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
New Rwandan friends!
I started planning my trip with Emile. He was so accommodating as I had to change the usual way for the trip I took. He sent a driver for me who was excellent! Emile was so good at communicating with me through what’s app. He was patient , kind, informative, thourough, and professional. He chose Iris to drive me.
Iris was so easy to talk to. He had wonderful English and explained many things to me about his country. He was very knowledgeable and could answer all my questions. He was fun too! We laughed about things! After the golden monkeys trip he suggested I see the Dian Fossey Museum which was excellent. We also stopped at some small shops so I could pick up a few gifts for home.
I will definitely call Lion Safaris my next time to Rwanda!!
Email Gail | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Great!
Emil is reliable, kind, and energetic. Would recommend! It’s a smaller company so may not have many reviews right now, but he’s looking to expand & we had a great experience with him!
CA
Email Isabelle | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Joel was awesome
We went to akagera park with lion safari and it was so great and a lot of fun. Joel, our tour guide knew all the good spot and a lot of facts about the animal. We saw over 40 elephant!! Emile, the owner, made sure we had a good time. I recommand to book the safari with lion safaris for a great experience.
Email Dave | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Knowledgeable and helpful
Great communication. Great Service. Reliable and as advertised. Did a 3 day Gorilla trekking and Golden monkey hike. Gorillas were the star of this trip and Lion Safaris was great at planning it. Emile is a local Rwandan and his knowledge about his country, the history, and about the subjects on the tour (i.e. about the gorillas) was amazing. Would recommend and would do it again with Lion Safaris
Email Shelly | 65+ years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
FIVE STAR - THE BEST GUIDE IN RWANDA!
I can’t recommend Emile highly enough. He truly went the extra mile and made my journey through Rwanda unforgettable. From the awe-inspiring mountain gorillas in Volcanoes National Park to chimpanzee trekking in Nyungwe and the breathtaking wildlife of Akagera National Park, he planned and guided every step with care and expertise.
A former guide with six years of experience in Akagera, he answered every question I had with insight and deep knowledge of Rwanda’s wildlife and culture. He was always on time, efficient, conscientious, and professional—yet also warm and sincere, making every drive and hike a pleasure.
Thanks to his experience and thoughtful planning, I was able to witness the incredible gorilla naming ceremony and experience Rwanda in a way I never could have on my own. If you are visiting Rwanda and want a guide who is not only highly skilled but truly dedicated to making your trip extraordinary, Emile is the one to book.
Email Donna | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Deserves the top rating!
When I saw all the 5 star reviews for Lion safaris, I thought that it was a scam! Nothing could possibly be that good?!! Oh but it was definitely that good :)
Lion safaris had the chore of organising and hosting us for 5 days through Rwanda, Emile was outstanding in his performance! He was personable yet professional and we felt safe in his hands. Highly highly recommend, both Rwanda as a destination and lion safaris - my only regret is we should have booked longer!
Email Keith Xydias | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
20 star review
Lion Safari’s,
Let me start by stating that my wife and I have traveled to many places including Africa, this being our second trip to the Continent. And yes, we have been on safari before. Yet nothing we have experienced prepared us for the excellent service of Lion Safari. They took care of everything, permits, pick up drop off, we had nothing to think about except seeing animals. They did all of this with NO hidden fees, everything was up front and exactly as they presented it to us. Our guide, Emile has vast knowledge of the animals at Akagera park. He also provided information on local culture, agriculture, bee keeping etc. On previous safari(in another country) the guide was also quite knowledgeable, however he let us know how much education he had and gave us such n elevated explanation of everything that it was somewhat intimating. Emile answered all of our questions in an unassuming manner, really felt like I was talking to my best friend. He would stop often to give us a briefing as to what the plan was, where we were going and why. Emile created a fun comfortable environment, we truly enjoyed his company. Emile understood when and where the animals would move, furthermore he made alliances with the other tour operators so that if we wanted to see a particular animal he would network with them, to find out where the animals where that we wanted to see. Yes we saw the “Big Five”. Later we booked with Lion Safaris to see the golden monkeys, needless to say it was just as amazing.
We are only giving five stars because they will not let us have any more.
Lion Safaris is a 20 Star outfit!
