10-Day Rwanda Gorillas & Big Five Tour

Experience the best of Rwanda on this 10-day safari. Spending ten days in Rwanda allows you to visit some of its top destinations, including Nyungwe Forest National Park, Akagera National Park, Kigali City, and Volcanoes National Park.

This safari includes guided canopy walks, chimpanzee tracking in Nyungwe, gorilla trekking and golden monkey tracking in Volcanoes National Park, a boat ride on Lake Kivu, and cultural visits. In Akagera National Park, you will enjoy guided game drives and a boat cruise on Lake Ihema.

10-Day Rwanda Safari Highlights

Start and end the safari in Kigali, Rwanda.
Visit Rwanda’s top destinations; Akagera National Park, Nyungwe Forest, Volcanoes National Park, and Lake Kivu.
Enjoy a guided Kigali city tour including the Genocide Memorial and Kandt Museum.
Go on game drives in Akagera National Park to see lions, elephants, buffaloes, rhinos, and giraffes.
Take relaxing boat cruises on Lake Ihema to view hippos, crocodiles, and water birds.
Track chimpanzees in Nyungwe Forest and enjoy a scenic canopy walk above the trees.
Experience gorilla trekking in Volcanoes National Park and spend one unforgettable hour with the gorillas.
Visit the Iby’Iwacu Cultural Village for Rwandan music, dances, and traditions.
Go golden monkey trekking at the base of Mount Sabyinyo.
Hike to the Dian Fossey tomb and learn about her work with mountain gorillas.
Relax with a boat ride on Lake Kivu before returning to Kigali.
Discover Rwanda’s wildlife, nature, and culture in one complete 10-day adventure.

Brief 10-Day Rwanda Safari Itinerary

Day 1: Pick up from Kigali Airport and check into a hotel
Day 2: Drive to Akagera National Park
Day 3: Game drive and boat cruise
Day 4: Transfer from Akagera to Nyungwe Forest
Day 5: Chimpanzee tracking and canopy walk
Day 6: Drive to Volcanoes National Park
Day 7: Gorilla trekking and cultural visit
Day 8: Golden monkey trekking and relaxation
Day 9: Dian Fossey tomb hike and transfer to Lake Kivu
Day 10: Return to Kigali

Detailed 10-Day Rwanda Safari Itinerary

Day 1: Pick up from Kigali Airport and check into a hotel

Arrive in Rwanda and meet your company representative at the airport. You will then drive to your hotel in Kigali city, about a 10-minute ride from the airport. At the hotel, relax and go through your safari itinerary with your representative.

Day 2: Drive to Akagera National Park

After breakfast, meet your guide and start with a short city tour of Kigali. Visit the Kigali Genocide Memorial to learn about the 1994 genocide, the Kandt Museum, and other nearby attractions if time allows.

You will then drive to Akagera National Park, a journey of about 2.5 hours. In the evening, enjoy a boat trip on Lake Ihema to see hippos, crocodiles, and different bird species relaxing near the water.

Day 3: Game drive and boat cruise

Wake up early for a game drive in Akagera National Park. This is your chance to see the Big Five and other wildlife such as giraffes, zebras, topis, bush-bucks, and roan antelopes. Bird lovers will also enjoy this part of the trip.

Return to your lodge for lunch and relaxation. In the afternoon, go for another boat cruise on Lake Ihema to see more aquatic animals and birds along the shores.

Day 4: Transfer from Akagera to Nyungwe Forest

After breakfast, start your journey to Nyungwe Forest National Park. Drive through Kigali and continue south with a stop in Huye or Butare. Visit sites like the Nyanza King’s Palace, then enjoy lunch before continuing to Nyungwe. Arrive at your lodge in the evening, check in, have dinner, and rest.

Day 5: Chimpanzee tracking and canopy walk

After breakfast, go to the Nyungwe park offices for a briefing about chimpanzee tracking. The ranger will lead you through the forest to find a habituated chimpanzee group. The trek may take between 2 to 5 hours depending on where the chimps are.

Spend one hour with the chimpanzees watching their daily behavior and taking photos. Return to your lodge for lunch and relaxation. In the afternoon, enjoy a guided canopy walk above the forest for great views and birdwatching.

Day 6: Drive to Volcanoes National Park

Leave Nyungwe after breakfast and drive north to Volcanoes National Park through the Musanze route. Along the way, visit the Ellen DeGeneres Campus of the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund and enjoy scenic views of Lake Kivu from a distance. Arrive in Musanze in the evening, check in, and relax at your lodge.

Day 7: Gorilla trekking and cultural visit

After breakfast, head to Kinigi park offices for a briefing about gorilla trekking. You will be assigned a gorilla group to track and then begin your trek through the forest. Once you find the gorillas, spend one hour watching and photographing them.

After the trek, return to your lodge for lunch and rest. Later in the afternoon, visit the Iby’Iwacu Cultural Village to learn about Rwandan traditions, music, and dances before returning to your lodge for dinner.

Day 8: Golden monkey trekking and relaxation

In the morning, go for golden monkey trekking at the base of Mount Sabyinyo. Spend an hour observing these playful monkeys and taking photos. Afterward, return to your lodge and spend the rest of the day at leisure.

Day 9: Dian Fossey tomb hike and transfer to Lake Kivu

After breakfast, go for a guided hike to the Dian Fossey tomb site in the Karisoke area, where the famous primatologist was buried alongside her beloved gorillas.

After the hike, drive to Lake Kivu in western Rwanda. If you arrive early, enjoy an evening boat ride to relax and enjoy the lake’s calm beauty.

Day 10: Return to Kigali

Have breakfast at leisure and check out. Your driver will pick you up and drive you back to Kigali. Depending on your flight schedule, you may visit some local markets or craft shops before heading to the airport for departure. End of safari.

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