7-Day Rwanda Gorillas, Chimps & Game Safari

Pickup : Kigali Airport
Drop-off : Kigali Airport

Tour Overview

This 7-Day Rwanda Gorillas, Chimps & Game Safari takes you deep into three of the country’s most spectacular national parks: Nyungwe, Volcanoes, and Akagera. You will begin among chimpanzees and colobus monkeys in one of Africa’s oldest rainforests, walk high above the treetops on a canopy bridge, then travel north to track mountain gorillas through misty volcanic slopes. After that, a cultural village visit and a Dian Fossey hike add rich human stories to the wild ones. Finally, the open savannahs of Akagera deliver classic game drives and a peaceful boat cruise to close out this Rwanda Gorillas, Chimps & Game adventure perfectly.

Cost Includes

Transportation (Car, Fuel, Driver Guide)
Meals & Accommodation as mentioned
Park Entrance Fees
Gorilla Trekking Permit
Chimpanzee Trekking Permit
Boat Cruise
Bottled Drinking Water
Government Taxes

Cost Excludes

International Flights
Accommodation Before and After your Trip
Optional Iby'Iwacu Cultural Experience
Sourvenirs
Tips & Porter Hiring

Travel Plan

Day 1: Kigali to Akagera National Park

Your Iconic Africa Safaris driver-guide will meet you at Kigali International Airport or your hotel and settle you into a comfortable 4×4 Land Cruiser. The drive east to Akagera will take roughly 2.5 to 3 hours, passing through rolling hills and rural villages before the landscape opens into the savannah and wetlands that mark the start of this Rwanda Gorillas, Chimps & Game Safari. On arrival you check into your lodge, freshen up, and prepare for a full day of game viewing the next morning.

Accommodation: Rutete Eco Lodge (Budget) | Akagera Game Lodge (Mid Range) | Ruzizi Tented Camp (Luxury)
Meal Plan: Half Board

Day 2: Morning Game Drive & Afternoon Boat Cruise

An early start puts you out on Akagera’s open plains right at dawn, when animals move freely and the golden light makes everything look extraordinary. Elephants graze near the tree line, lions patrol the grasslands, leopards rest in acacia branches, and large herds of buffalo and zebra cross the road ahead of your vehicle. Giraffes move slowly through the woodland, and the sheer variety of species in a single morning drive consistently surprises first-time visitors to the park.

That afternoon, the pace slows beautifully on a boat cruise along Lake Ihema, one of the largest lakes in the country. Hippos surface just metres from the boat, crocodiles bask along the muddy banks, and hundreds of waterbirds, including herons, kingfishers and fish eagles, fill the shoreline with colour and noise. The cruise closes the day on a calm and memorable note, a highlight of any Rwanda Gorillas, Chimps & Game Safari.

Accommodation: Rutete Eco Lodge (Budget) | Akagera Game Lodge (Mid Range) | Ruzizi Tented Camp (Luxury)
Meal Plan: Full Board

Day 3: Transfer to Nyungwe Forest National Park

Today you will leave Akagera behind for the long but scenic drive south to Nyungwe Forest National Park, a journey of roughly 7 to 8 hours through Rwanda’s terraced hills, tea plantations and small trading towns. The landscape thickens gradually into dense montane forest as you approach the park boundary. You will stop along the way for lunch and a stretch, arriving at your lodge in the late afternoon in time to relax before 2 full days of forest exploration.

Accommodation: Chimpanzee Lodge (Budget) | Nyungwe Top View Hill Hotel (Mid Range) | One&Only Nyungwe House (Luxury)
Meal Plan: Half Board

Day 4: Chimpanzee Trekking & Canopy Walk

Rise at 5:30 AM to cool mountain air drifting through the trees. After a warm breakfast, a short drive takes you to park headquarters for the 7:00 AM ranger briefing. Your guide runs through the ground rules: keep 8 metres from the chimps, lower your voice, avoid direct eye contact, and never eat near them. Small group sizes protect the animals and keep the experience personal, one of the reasons chimp trekking anchors so many Rwanda Gorillas, Chimps & Game itineraries.

By 7:30 AM you step into one of Africa’s oldest and largest montane rainforests, stretching across more than 1,000 square kilometres of southwestern Rwanda. Nyungwe holds around 500 chimpanzees, and your tracker team follows the troop first by sound: loud calls, crashing branches and the thud of knuckles on tree trunks all signal that chimps are close. Then, suddenly, they appear above you, swinging between giant trees, grooming one another, feeding on figs, and occasionally dropping to the forest floor just metres from where you stand. Depending on where the troop roams, the trek lasts between 2 and 5 hours. Along the trail, bonus sightings come regularly, with Angolan colobus monkeys, L’Hoest’s monkeys and olive baboons often appearing right beside the path among Nyungwe’s 13 primate species.

Back at the lodge for lunch and a short rest, you then return to the forest for the late afternoon canopy walk. Suspended around 70 metres above the forest floor, the 160-metre walkway stretches between giant Entandrophragma trees and opens up an entirely new view of the forest. Sunbirds, turacos and hornbills fly past at eye level, and the canopy spreads endlessly in every direction below your feet. As the evening light softens and mist rolls across the treetops, the walkway delivers one of the most peaceful and unforgettable moments of the trip.

Accommodation: Chimpanzee Lodge (Budget) | Nyungwe Top View Hill Hotel (Mid Range) | One&Only Nyungwe House (Luxury)
Meal Plan: Full Board

Day 5: Drive to Volcanoes National Park

On this day you will head north to Volcanoes National Park, home to some of the world’s last remaining mountain gorillas. The drive takes around 6 to 7 hours and carries you through changing scenery, as rolling hills give way to dramatic volcanic peaks the closer you get to the Virunga Mountains. On arrival your lodge team welcomes you, and the rest of the afternoon is yours to relax and prepare for gorilla trekking the following morning, the centrepiece of this Rwanda Gorillas, Chimps & Game Safari.

Accommodation: La Palme Hotel (Budget) | Ingagi Lodge (Mid Range) | Sabyinyo Silverback Lodge (Luxury)
Meal Plan: Full Board

Day 6: Gorilla Trekking & Optional Iby'Iwacu Cultural Village

An early start brings you to the park briefing point, where rangers assign your gorilla family and explain trekking rules. Once out in the forest, your guide leads you upward through bamboo zones and thick vegetation until your tracker team locates the gorilla family. Spending time with these gentle giants, watching silverbacks rest, juveniles wrestle and mothers nurse infants, ranks among the most moving wildlife encounters on Earth. You get 1 full hour with the gorillas before heading back down.

That afternoon, a visit to the Iby’Iwacu Cultural Village introduces you to local Rwandan traditions. Community members demonstrate traditional dance, storytelling, craft making and daily village life in an experience that directly supports conservation efforts in the area.

Accommodation: La Palme Hotel (Budget) | Ingagi Lodge (Mid Range) | Sabyinyo Silverback Lodge (Luxury)
Meal Plan: Full Board

Day 7: Dian Fossey Hike & Return to Kigali

The morning starts with a meaningful hike to the Dian Fossey research camp and tomb on the slopes of Mount Bisoke. Fossey spent nearly 18 years living among mountain gorillas, fighting poachers and changing how the world understood these magnificent animals. Walking the same forest trails she once walked adds a deeply human layer to everything you experienced during gorilla trekking the day before. At the tomb, guides share her extraordinary story and legacy, bringing the history of gorilla conservation to life in a way no book quite can.

After descending, your driver-guide will take you south to Kigali, a drive of around 2.5 to 3 hours, for a short city tour before your departure. The Kigali Genocide Memorial offers a sobering and important look at Rwanda’s history, while Kimironko Market bursts with colour, crafts and local produce, a fitting final stop on this Rwanda Gorillas, Chimps & Game Safari. One last Rwandan meal, then on to the airport.

Accommodation: None unless requested
Meal Plan: Half Board

Answered FAQs

How much does 7-Day Rwanda Gorillas, Chimps & Game Safari cost?

Cost depends on group size, season and choice of accommodation. Mandatory permit fees set by the Rwanda Development Board (RDB) are included in your total trip cost:

Gorilla Trekking Permit: US$1,500 per person
Chimpanzee Trekking Permit: US$150 per person
National Park Entry Fees: included in the above for Volcanoes and Nyungwe; Akagera entry is charged separately per person, per day

Let us know your group size and the level of accommodation, in case you would like to upgrade from those listed in the itinerary, and we will send you the total cost per person.

Can this itinerary be customized?

Yes. Days can be added or removed, activities swapped, and accommodation upgraded or adjusted to fit your budget, travel dates and interests.

How physically demanding is this safari?

Moderate. Gorilla trekking and chimp trekking involve walking on uneven, sometimes muddy and steep forest trails at altitude, anywhere from 2 to 6 hours round trip depending on where the animals are that day. A reasonable level of fitness helps, but porters are available at each site to carry bags and assist on the steeper sections.

What is the best time of year to go on this trip?

The two dry seasons, June to September and December to February, offer the easiest trekking conditions and are the most popular months to book a Rwanda Gorillas, Chimps & Game Safari. The wetter months still offer good wildlife viewing and fewer crowds, but trails can be slippery.

What should I pack for safari?

Waterproof hiking boots, gardening-style gloves for gripping vegetation, a rain jacket, facemask, long trousers and long sleeves in neutral colours, a sun hat, insect repellent, a daypack, a reusable water bottle, and a camera with a zoom lens. Binoculars are highly recommended for both primate trekking and game drives in Akagera.

Are the gorilla and chimpanzee permits guaranteed?

Permits are issued in limited quantities by the Rwanda Development Board (RDB) to protect primate populations. Before your booking is confirmed, we first confirm permit availability; once permits are purchased on your behalf, your trekking spots are guaranteed. Because demand is high during peak months, you should book this itinerary 4 to 6 months in advance, especially during peak season (June to September and December to February).

What type of vehicle is used for transportation?

You travel in a customized 4×4 Safari Land Cruiser equipped with a pop-up roof for wildlife viewing and photography. The vehicle features 4-wheel drive to handle rough park tracks and dirt roads in rural areas. It comes stocked with bottled drinking water and has an extended chassis to give every passenger a window seat.