7 Days Rwanda Gorilla Trekking & Wildlife Safari

7 Days Rwanda Gorilla Trekking & Wildlife Safari gives you a chance to visit all the 3 national parks of Rwanda and get to visit all the corners of the country Rwanda. Rwanda is a small landlocked country covering an area of about 26,338 square kilometers of land with a population of over 12.6 million people. A land of a thousand hills as is known by many is a perfect destination for primate and wildlife lovers.

Visit the mountain gorillas of Rwanda in Volcanoes national park, the chimpanzees and also see more of the Rwanda primate while in Nyungwe forest national park and conclude your tour with a visit to Akagera national park for the wildlife safari.

Trip highlights of the 7 Days Rwanda Gorilla Trekking & Wildlife Safari

Day 1: Drive from Kigali to Volcanoes national park
Day 2: Mountain gorilla trekking in Volcanoes national park Rwanda
Day 3: Drive south to Nyungwe forest
Day 4: Chimpanzee trekking and Canopy walk in Nyungwe forest national park
Day 5: Drive to Akagera national park Rwanda
Day 6: Day game drive and Lake Ihema boat trip
Day 7: Drive back to Kigali Rwanda

Trip description

Day 1: Drive from Kigali to Volcanoes national park

You will be expected to be up and ready for pick up by 9 am to start your safari. Meet up with your driver guide to start your 7 day Rwanda tour. You will leave your agreed pick up point and connect to the Kigali Genocide Memorial Grounds and the Kimironko market for your Kigali city tour. Have lunch and later connect to Musanze.

Connect to your hotel to check in and relax expecting the next day. Dinner will be served at your hotel and retire for the day.

Hotel options in Volcanoes national park

Hotel Muhabura for budget
Le Bambou gorilla lodge for midrange
5 volcanoes gorilla boutique lodge

Day 2: Mountain gorilla trekking in Volcanoes national park Rwanda

As early as 7 am, you will be leaving your hotel headed to the Volcanoes national park for your mountain gorilla trekking. Attend the pre trek morning brief from the ranger guides and after head out into the forest for the search of the mountain gorilla family of the day.

Trek for about 2 to 5 hours according to how far into the forest the mountain gorillas are that day and upon meeting them, take an hour enjoying their presence as they go about with their daily routine at a 6 meters distance. Return to your lodge for lunch and wait for the sun to cool abit. Head out to the Iby’iwachu cultural center for your cultural tour in Rwanda. Get insight on the local people of Rwanda on how they do their things, beliefs and norms. Before it gets dark, your driver guide will take you back to your hotel for dinner and spend the night in Volcanoes national park Rwanda.

Day 3: Drive south to Nyungwe forest

Wake up looking forward to Nyungwe forest. Have breakfast and enjoy your last minutes in Volcanoes park Rwanda. Check out of your hotel and drive towards Nyungwe forest. This is a 5 to 6 hour road transfer via Kibuye. You will have an enroute lunch and arrive in Nyungwe forest national park in the early evening hours. Check in to your hotel and relax as you wait for dinner to be served and spend the first night in Nyungwe forest national park.

Hotel options in Nyungwe forest national park

Gisakura Visitor center for budget
Nyungwe top hill view hotel for midrange
One and only Nyungwe house for luxury

Day 4: Chimpanzee trekking and Canopy walk in Nyungwe forest national park

By 6 am you with your ranger guide will be in the forest searching for the chimpanzees of Nyungwe forest. You will encounter several of the Rwanda primates as you make your way through the forest. The chimpanzees will be seen swinging from one tree branch to another as they are playful creatures. Their sound will be heard right from the start of the trek up to when you exit the forest.

Return to your hotel for a late breakfast and enjoy the hotel the rest of the afternoon. Lunch will be served and your driver guide will be waiting to transfer you to the park for your 2 pm Canopy walk in Nyungwe forest national park. Take on this 9 meter high and 2 meter long suspended bridge viewing the forest from the top. It is a great bird viewing point so ensure to carry along your binoculars. Get back to your hotel in time for dinner and the second night in Nyungwe forest.

Day 5: Drive to Akagera national park Rwanda

You will have yet another early morning. Have an early breakfast and meet your driver guide waiting for you to check out of your hotel and embark on your 7 to 8 hour road transfer from Nyungwe forest to Akagera national park. You will have brief enroute visits to the Butare museum and the Nyanza King’s palace. Have lunch in Butare and continue driving northwards past Kigali arriving in Akagera national park in the evening hours before the gates are closed.

Connect to your lodge to check and settle in as you await dinner and first night in Akagera national park.

Hotel options in Akagera national park Rwanda

Akagera Game lodge for budget and midrange
Karenge bush camp for midrange
Rusizi tented camp for luxury

Day 6: Day game drive and Lake Ihema boat trip

Wake up before the sun rises anticipating the wildlife safari of Rwanda in Akagera national park. Have a quick breakfast and head out to the savannah park looking out for the game that the park has to offer. You will come across a number of giraffes, elephants, lions, rhinos and the smaller game like the antelopes. Drive around the park for about 5 hours and after connect back to your hotel for lunch as you wait for the sun to cool shortly before you return to Lake Ihema for your boat trip on Akagera.

Akagera is known for having over 500 different bird species and this boat trip is a great chance to see a number of them as well as the aquatic life of Akagera like the crocodiles and the hippos wallowing in the water. Drive back to your hotel before night fall or dinner and a second night in Akagera national park Rwanda.

Day 7: Drive back to Kigali Rwanda

You will wake up at leisure in time for breakfast and arrange your luggage to check out of your hotel. You may have a brief game drive as you exit the park and head out back to Kigali to end your tour. You may take on the Kigali city tour on this day if you were not able to have it on the first day. You will advise on your drop off location in Kigali.

End of the 7 Days Rwanda Gorilla Trekking & Wildlife Safari

Trip quote to include

Safari vehicle with fuel
English/ French speaking guide
Accommodation as indicated in the itinerary
Meals; breakfast, lunch and dinner
Mountain Gorilla trekking permit
Chimpanzee trekking permit
Canopy walk permit
Park entrance fees
Bottled water
All ground transfers in the itinerary

Trip quote to exclude

PCR (COVID-19) tests
Rwanda visa
International flights
Extra activities not mentioned above
Personal needs like medicines, airtime, laundry, gratuities etc