This 6-Day Rwanda Wildlife and Gorilla Safari Adventure is one of our most popular tours, combining encounters with mountain gorillas and chimpanzees in the Land of a Thousand Hills.
The itinerary includes a game drive in Akagera National Park, a canopy walk in Nyungwe Forest National Park, and cultural tours in Butare and Kigali.
Camps along the route include Ruzizi Tented Camp, Karenga Bush Camp, and Magashi Camp, among others.
6-Day Rwanda Safari Highlights
- Day 1: Transfer to Akagera National Park
- Day 2: Morning game drive and transfer to Volcanoes National Park
- Day 3: Gorilla trekking in Volcanoes National Park
- Day 4: Transfer to Nyungwe Forest National Park
- Day 5: Chimpanzee trekking and canopy walk
- Day 6: Transfer back to Kigali
Detailed 6-Day Rwanda Safari Itinerary
Day 1: Transfer to Akagera National Park
This tour begins in Kigali at 7:00 am with a transfer to Akagera National Park, Rwanda’s only savannah park. Along the way, stop at Nyakarambi village to learn about Imigongo cow dung paintings, made by the Kakira Women’s Cooperative.
These paintings are dried and mixed with natural plant colors, and decorate homes throughout the region with their distinct patterns.
On arrival, check in and have lunch. In the afternoon, take a boat trip on Lake Ihema to look for water birds, including the shoebill stork, along with hippos, Nile crocodiles, antelope, buffalo, and elephants.
Afterward, return to your lodge for a sundowner on the balcony and an evening around the bonfire.
Day 2: Morning Game Drive and Transfer to Volcanoes National Park
After an early breakfast at 6:00 am, take a morning game drive in Akagera to look for nocturnal hunters and early risers, including elephants, buffalo, giraffe, several antelope species, and the park’s reintroduced lions and eastern black rhinos.
Akagera holds a wide range of wildlife and over 500 bird species, making it a strong destination for birding. Check out and take a packed lunch for the road.
Begin the transfer to Volcanoes National Park in the northwest, Rwanda’s main gorilla trekking destination. Arrive in the evening, check in to your lodge, and stay overnight.
Day 3: Gorilla Trekking in Volcanoes National Park
After breakfast, head to park headquarters for a briefing on trekking guidelines from park officials, then get assigned your ranger guide and gorilla family. Enter the forest to search for the gorillas, an experience limited to a small group of visitors per family.
Spend an hour observing the gorillas before returning to the lodge by 2:00 pm for refreshments and lunch.
In the evening, visit Iby’Iwacu Village to learn about the cultures of Rwanda’s three groups, the Hutu, Tutsi, and Twa, through traditional performances, cuisine, and daily life demonstrations.
Day 4: Transfer to Nyungwe Forest National Park
Start the day with breakfast in Volcanoes National Park, then check out and depart for Nyungwe Forest National Park. En route, stop at Lake Kivu for a boat cruise and lunch on the white sand beaches of Rwanda’s largest lake.
After the cruise, continue south to Rusizi, home to Nyungwe Forest National Park, known for its chimpanzees and East Africa’s only canopy walk. Rest at the lodge in the evening.
Day 5: Chimpanzee Trekking and Canopy Walk
Have an early breakfast, then set out on a hike to search for chimpanzee troops. Nyungwe holds an estimated 400 to 500 chimpanzees, including a smaller troop in Cyamudongo Forest.
Listen for chimpanzee calls as you trek through the forest, where you may also spot migratory birds such as the grey-cheeked hornbill, Ross’s turaco, regal sunbird, and red-breasted sparrowhawk.
After lunch, take the canopy walk for views of the forest’s wildlife, primates, and birds. Return to the lodge for dinner and an overnight stay.
Day 6: Transfer Back to Kigali
Have an early breakfast, then depart Nyungwe for Kigali, a drive of about 5 hours. Along the way, visit the Royal Palace Museum and Ethnographic Museum in Nyanza, in Rwanda’s Southern Province.
After lunch, continue to Kigali, marking the end of your 6-Day Rwanda Wildlife and Gorilla Safari Adventure.
