Your Rwanda safari begins with a warm welcome at Kigali International Airport, where your dedicated guide meets and transfers you to your boutique hotel for your first night. Spend the afternoon at leisure exploring Kigali — one of Africa’s most vibrant, clean, and culturally rich capital cities.

Wander through the city’s bustling local markets or visit the renowned Caplaki Craft Co-operative — a creative and lively cultural hub where talented local artisans showcase and sell a beautiful collection of handcrafted jewelry, textiles, and traditional Rwandan masks. It is a wonderful and unhurried introduction to Rwanda’s rich cultural heritage and the warm, creative spirit of its people — the perfect gentle start to an extraordinary safari adventure.

Main Destination: Kigali, Rwanda

Accommodation: Heaven Boutique Hotel — a charming mid-range boutique hotel in the heart of Kigali, offering a warm and authentic Rwandan hospitality experience.

• Meals – breakfast
• Drinks not included

After breakfast, set off on a scenic drive through some of Rwanda’s most spectacular highland landscapes toward Nyungwe National Park in the country’s mountainous southwest. The journey is a reward in itself, winding through dramatic hills, terraced farmlands, and lush countryside before the dense ancient forest of Nyungwe comes into view.

Nyungwe Forest National Park is one of Africa’s oldest and most biodiverse montane rainforests, sheltering thriving communities of chimpanzees and 13 primate species, an extraordinary 275+ bird species, and a dazzling variety of butterflies and exotic flora — making it one of Rwanda’s most rewarding and ecologically significant natural treasures.

Accommodation upgrades are available at an additional cost.

Main Destination: Nyungwe Forest National Park, Rwanda

Accommodation: Nyungwe Top View Hill Hotel — a comfortable mid-range hotel nestled just outside Nyungwe National Park, offering beautiful forest views and easy access to the park’s remarkable wildlife experiences.

• Meals included: Breakfast & Dinner (Lunch not included)
• Drinks not included

Venture into the ancient depths of Nyungwe National Park for an unforgettable guided chimpanzee trekking experience — one of Rwanda’s most thrilling and sought-after wildlife encounters. Trek through the dense montane rainforest with your expert guide in search of habituated chimpanzee communities, observing these remarkable and highly intelligent primates as they swing effortlessly through the high forest canopy in their natural habitat. (Chimpanzee trekking included.)

The remainder of the day is yours to explore Nyungwe at your own pace, with a range of exciting optional activities to choose from — walk the spectacular 200-metre canopy walkway suspended high above the forest floor for breathtaking panoramic views, join a guided birdwatching or forest walk through the park’s extraordinary biodiversity, or experience an exhilarating zipline adventure through the treetops for a truly unique forest perspective.

Main Destination: Nyungwe Forest National Park, Rwanda

Accommodation: Nyungwe Top View Hill Hotel — a comfortable mid-range hotel situated just outside Nyungwe National Park.

• Meals included: All meals
• Drinks not included

Depart Nyungwe and journey to the stunning shores of Lake Kivu—one of Africa’s most beautiful and serene lakes, stretching along Rwanda’s western border with the Democratic Republic of Congo. Your lakeside hotel sits directly on Lake Kivu’s white sandy beaches, fringed with swaying palm trees and offering breathtaking views across the calm, glittering waters — a perfect and deeply relaxing contrast to the forest adventures of the past two days.

Spend the day entirely at your own pace, with a wonderful range of optional activities to suit every traveler — unwind on the palm-fringed beach, paddle across the lake’s tranquil waters by kayak, take a scenic boat tour to nearby islands or to the surrounding coffee and banana plantations, lace up your hiking boots for a rewarding hike through the surrounding hills, or pay a heartwarming visit to the Imbabazi Orphanage for an inspiring and meaningful community experience.

Accommodation upgrades are available at an additional cost.

Main Destination: Lake Kivu, Rwanda

Accommodation: Lake Kivu Serena Hotel — a stunning luxury hotel set directly on the shores of Lake Kivu, offering world-class comfort and spectacular lake views.

• Meals included: All meals
• Drinks not included

After a hearty breakfast at the lake, begin the scenic four-hour drive northeast to Volcanoes National Park — Rwanda’s most celebrated and iconic wildlife destination. The journey winds through breathtaking highland scenery, with the dramatic silhouettes of the Virunga volcanoes gradually dominating the horizon as you approach gorilla country.

On arrival, settle into your boutique lodge and attend a comprehensive pre-trek briefing covering everything you need to know ahead of tomorrow’s extraordinary mountain gorilla trekking experience — building the anticipation for what promises to be the most memorable day of your Rwanda safari.

Accommodation upgrades are available at an additional cost.

Main Destination: Volcanoes National Park, Rwanda

Accommodation: Five Volcanoes Boutique Hotel — a charming mid-range boutique lodge situated less than one hour’s drive from Volcanoes National Park, offering a warm and intimate base for your gorilla trekking adventure.

• Meals included: All meals
• Drinks not included

After an early breakfast, venture into Volcanoes National Park for the defining highlight of your Rwanda safari — mountain gorilla trekking in the misty Virunga volcanic foothills. Led by expert trackers, hike through the park’s lush verdant landscape in search of your assigned mountain gorilla family — a trek that may be short or a longer expedition depending on the gorillas’ movements that day.

The reward at the end of every trek is the same — a deeply moving and profoundly intimate one-hour encounter spent just meters from these magnificent gentle giants. Watch in awe as the gorilla family feeds, plays, and socializes under the calm and watchful gaze of the dominant silverback — a humbling and life-changing wildlife experience that no words can fully capture.

Return to your boutique lodge in the late afternoon to relax, unwind, and reflect on an extraordinary day in gorilla country.

Accommodation upgrades are available at an additional cost.

Main Destination: Volcanoes National Park, Rwanda

Accommodation: Five Volcanoes Boutique Hotel — a charming mid-range boutique lodge situated less than one hour’s drive from Volcanoes National Park.

• Meals included: All meals
• Drinks not included

After a final breakfast, begin the scenic drive back to Kigali for one last meaningful experience before your departure — a deeply moving visit to the Kigali Genocide Memorial and Education Centre, a permanent and profoundly important tribute to the victims of the 1994 Rwandan genocide. The memorial offers a respectful, educational, and emotionally significant insight into one of history’s darkest chapters and Rwanda’s remarkable journey of healing, unity, and renewal — a fitting and thought-provoking conclusion to your Rwanda safari experience.

Following the memorial visit, transfer directly to Kigali International Airport for your onward flight home.

This marks the end of your 7-Day Rwanda Gorilla & Chimpanzee Safari – Nyungwe, Lake Kivu & Volcanoes — an extraordinary journey through Rwanda’s most celebrated landscapes, wildlife destinations, and cultural landmarks.

End of Tour — Kigali, Rwanda (No accommodation)

• Meals included: Breakfast (Lunch & dinner not included)
• Drinks not included