8 Days Primates & Akagera Wildlife Safari

Day 1: Arrival in Kigali – Welcome to Rwanda

Arrive at Kigali International Airport, where your professional guide will warmly welcome you to the “Land of a Thousand Hills.” After a short transfer to your hotel, enjoy a city tour if time allows—visit the Kigali Genocide Memorial, Inema Arts Centre, and Kimironko Market to get a feel of Rwanda’s rich history and culture.

Dinner and Overnight:

• Luxury: The Retreat by Heaven / Kigali Serena Hotel

• Mid-range: Heaven Boutique Hotel / Hotel des Mille Collines

Day 2: Kigali – Drive to Akagera National Park

After breakfast, set off for Akagera National Park, located in Rwanda’s eastern lowlands. The 2.5-hour drive offers scenic views of rolling hills, traditional villages, and farmlands.

Arrive at your lodge in time for lunch, followed by an afternoon game drive through the park’s savannah plains, where elephants, giraffes, zebras, and buffaloes roam freely. End the day with a relaxing evening overlooking the beautiful Lake Ihema.

Dinner and Overnight:

• Luxury: Magashi Camp / Ruzizi Tented Lodge

• Mid-range: Akagera Game Lodge

Day 3: Full-Day Safari in Akagera National Park

Rise early for a sunrise game drive across Akagera’s northern plains. This is the best time to spot predators such as lions, leopards, and hyenas as they hunt or patrol their territories.

After lunch, enjoy a boat cruise on Lake Ihema, where hippos wallow, crocodiles bask, and waterbirds like pelicans and African fish eagles thrive. Later, enjoy a sunset game drive before returning to your lodge.

Dinner and Overnight:

• Luxury: Magashi Camp / Ruzizi Tented Lodge

Day 4: Akagera – Drive Back to Kigali & Transfer to Volcanoes National Park

After breakfast, take a leisurely game drive out of the park and return to Kigali for lunch. Continue your journey north to Volcanoes National Park, home to the legendary mountain gorillas.

The 2.5-hour drive through terraced hills and rural landscapes offers stunning views of the Virunga Volcanoes in the distance. Arrive in Musanze by evening and settle into your lodge.

Dinner and Overnight:

• Luxury: Bisate Lodge / Singita Kwitonda Lodge

• Mid-range: Five Volcanoes Boutique Hotel / Le Bambou Gorilla Lodge

Day 5: Gorilla Trekking in Volcanoes National Park

After an early breakfast, head to the park headquarters for a briefing on mountain gorilla trekking. With your experienced ranger guides, venture into the forest to track one of the habituated gorilla families.

Once found, spend an unforgettable hour observing them feed, play, and interact in their natural habitat—a rare and emotional experience that will stay with you forever.

Return to your lodge for lunch and relaxation, or visit the Iby’Iwacu Cultural Village for traditional Rwandan music, dance, and storytelling.

Dinner and Overnight:

• Luxury: Sabyinyo Silverback Lodge / Bisate Lodge

• Mid-range: Da Vinci Gorilla Lodge / Five Volcanoes Boutique Hotel

Day 6: Golden Monkey Tracking & Drive to Nyungwe Forest National Park

After breakfast, set out for golden monkey tracking in the bamboo forests of Volcanoes National Park. These playful and rare primates, endemic to the Virunga region, are known for their energetic leaps and vibrant golden fur.

After your trek, drive southwest toward Nyungwe Forest National Park, passing through scenic mountain roads and tea plantations. Arrive in the evening and check in to your forest lodge.

Dinner and Overnight:

• Luxury: One&Only Nyungwe House

• Mid-range: Nyungwe Top View Hill Hotel

Day 7: Chimpanzee Trekking & Canopy Walk in Nyungwe Forest

Rise early for your chimpanzee trekking adventure in Nyungwe Forest. Led by park rangers, follow the sounds of hoots and rustles through the forest until you find a troop of chimps. Observe them up close as they play, feed, and interact in their natural setting.

After lunch, experience the famous Nyungwe Canopy Walk, a suspended bridge high above the forest that offers breathtaking views of the treetops and distant mountains.

Dinner and Overnight:

• Luxury: One&Only Nyungwe House

• Mid-range: Nyungwe Top View Hill Hotel

Day 8: Nyungwe – Return to Kigali & Departure

After breakfast, take a scenic drive back to Kigali, passing through Rwanda’s lush green hills and small villages. Stop for photos and a local lunch along the way.

Depending on your flight time, enjoy a brief city tour or visit a craft market before your transfer to Kigali International Airport for your onward flight.

Your 8 Days Primates & Akagera Wildlife Safari concludes with lasting memories of Rwanda’s incredible landscapes, warm hospitality, and extraordinary wildlife encounters.