Days 1–2 · East
Akagera National Park
Rwanda's savannah park — a lake-and-papyrus lowland on the Tanzanian border, and one of Africa's
great conservation comebacks. Lions and black rhino are back; elephant, buffalo, giraffe, zebra and
hippo are everyday sightings.
Big FiveBoat safariNight drive2.5h from Kigali
- 1
Kigali arrival. Airport pickup, a half-day city tour and the Genocide Memorial, then an early night before the drive east.
- 2
Akagera. Dawn game drive across the northern plains, a lunch stop, then an afternoon boat safari on Lake Ihema among hippo and crocodile.
Days 3–5 · South-west & West
Nyungwe cloud forest & Lake Kivu
One of Africa's oldest rainforests — 1,000 km² of moss, waterfalls and thirteen primate species.
The canopy walkway hangs 70m above the valley floor; chimpanzee tracking leaves before dawn, and troops
of a hundred colobus monkeys cross the trails in daylight.
Canopy walkwayChimp trackingTea estates
Day 5 · Lake Kivu. A deliberate pause on the drive north: a
bilharzia-free, crocodile-free inland sea ringed by volcanoes. Swim, kayak the shoreline, take a
coffee-island boat trip, and sleep to the sound of fishermen singing their way out at dusk.
Days 6–7 · North-west
Volcanoes National Park — one hour with a gorilla family
Trekking starts at Kinigi park headquarters at 7am. Groups of eight are assigned to one habituated
gorilla family, and rangers lead you up through farmland into bamboo and cloud forest — anywhere from one
to five hours of walking. When you reach the family, you have one hour with them, a few metres away.
The following morning is yours: golden monkeys in the bamboo, the Dian Fossey tomb hike, or a slow walk
along the crater lakes before the drive back to Kigali.
USD 1,500
Gorilla permit — per person, per trek
Set by the Rwanda Development Board. One permit buys one hour with one family. Permits are limited and
sell out months ahead in the dry seasons, so we reserve yours first and build the rest of the trip around the date.
Fitness & health
Moderate hiking fitness at 2,500–3,000m altitude; porters are available and recommended. Long sleeves,
gloves and broken-in boots matter. Minimum age 15, and visitors with a cold or flu cannot trek — the gorillas share our infections.
