9 Day Rwanda Safari, Gorillas, Chimps, Akagera Big Five
This 9-day classic Rwanda tour is built for travellers who want the country’s complete headline mix, savannah wildlife, rainforest primates, and mountain gorillas, all in one well-paced route. Start in Kigali 
with a smooth airport pickup and an easy first evening to reset after your flight. From there, you travel east to Akagera National Park for game drives and a Lake Ihema boat safari, a relaxed way to spot hippos, crocodiles, and waterbirds at close range. Next, you head south to Nyungwe Forest, where chimpanzee tracking and the canopy walk add a totally different landscape and experience. The final section of the journey takes you north to Musanze for Volcanoes National Park and your gorilla trekking day, with an additional morning for golden monkeys and a cultural visit. Permits, park fees, accommodation, and private transport are arranged for you, so you can focus on the experience.
Safari Highlights
Duration, 9 days, 8 nights
Start and end, Kigali
Parks, Akagera, Nyungwe, Volcanoes
Key experiences, Akagera game drives, Lake Ihema boat safari, Nyungwe chimp tracking, canopy walk, Volcanoes gorilla trekking, golden monkeys
Best for first-time Rwanda visitors who want both wildlife and primates
Why this itinerary works
Three parks, three habitats, one smooth route
Balanced pace, wildlife first, forest primates next, gorillas last
Kigali start, easy logistics for short international holidays
Day by day itinerary
Day 1: Kigali arrival, airport pickup, overnight in Kigali
Your trip starts at the Kigali International Airport. Our driver will meet you outside the arrival gates. They will help you with your heavy bags and take you to your hotel. Kigali is known as one of the cleanest cities in Africa. You will have time to rest and get used to the warm weather. The air is fresh, and the streets are very quiet. If you arrive early, you can take a short walk around the city streets. You can sit at a local cafe and drink fresh coffee. You will sleep well tonight to prepare for the long days ahead. Lodging: Luxury lodging at Kigali Serena Hotel. Mid-range lodging Heaven Boutique Hotel. Budget lodging Step Town Motel.
Day 2 Kigali to Akagera, Lake Ihema boat safari, overnight Akagera
You will wake up and have a hot breakfast. Your driver will pick you up. You leave the busy city behind 
and drive east. The drive takes about two and a half hours. You will see green hills turn into flat, dry plains. The air gets hotter and much drier. You arrive at Akagera National Park just before lunch. You will check into your lodge and eat a fresh meal. In the afternoon, you go to Lake Ihema. You will take a boat ride on the dark water. This is the best way to see hippos and big crocodiles. The boat ride lasts about two hours. You will also see many water birds near the muddy shore. The boat moves slowly, so you can take clear photos. Lodging: Luxury lodging at Magashi Camp. Mid-range lodging Mantis Akagera Game Lodge. Budget lodging at Akagera Rhino Lodge.
Day 3: Akagera full-day game drive, Big Five focus, overnight at Akagera
You need to wake up long before sunrise. The animals are most active in the early morning cold. You will eat a quick breakfast and get into your safari car. The car has a pop-up roof so you can stand up. You will drive to the northern part of the park. The Kilile plains are wide and very open. This area gives you the best chance to see lions and rhinos. You will carry a packed lunch from your lodge. In the afternoon, you keep driving to look for tall giraffes and heavy elephants. You will see herds of zebras eating the dry grass. You return to your lodge just before it gets dark. You will eat a large dinner and rest your tired legs.
Day 4: Akagera to Nyungwe, long transfer, overnight Nyungwe
This is a very heavy travel day. You leave Akagera early in the morning. You drive back through the center of Kigali. You will stop in the city for a hot lunch. After lunch, you drive south towards the deep woods of Nyungwe. The road twists and turns through many steep hills. You will pass small villages and local farms. As you get closer to Nyungwe, the air gets very cool. You will see thick green trees covering the high mountains. The fog often rolls across the road. This full drive takes about six hours. You arrive at your lodge in the late afternoon. You will check in and have a quiet evening by a warm fire. Lodging: Luxury lodging, One and Only Nyungwe House. Mid-range lodging, Nyungwe Top View Hill Hotel. Budget lodging Gisakura Guesthouse.
Day 5 Nyungwe chimp tracking, canopy walk, overnight Nyungwe
You will wake up at four in the morning. Chimpanzees wake up early and move very fast. You must reach the park office before dawn breaks. A park ranger leads you into the dark forest. The walk can 
be very steep and highly slippery. You will hear the loud calls of the chimps before you see them. You spend one full hour watching them eat and play high in the trees. You return to your lodge for lunch. In the afternoon, you drive to the Uwinka visitor center. Here you start the famous canopy walk. You walk on a narrow bridge hung between huge old trees. The bridge is 70 meters high above the ground. It gives you a bird’s-eye view of the deep green forest.
Day 6 Nyungwe to Volcanoes area via Lake Kivu, overnight near Musanze
You can sleep a little later today. After a hot breakfast, you check out of your lodge. You start the long drive north to Volcanoes National Park. This route takes you right past Lake Kivu. The water is deep 
blue and very calm. The drive covers 232 kilometers and takes about five hours. You will stop many times to take photos of the water. You will arrive in Musanze town. This busy town sits at the bottom of tall green mountains. The air here is thin and very cold. You are now at a very high altitude. You will check into your lodge. You should drink plenty of fresh water and rest to help your body adjust. Lodging: Luxury lodging Bisate Lodge. Mid-range lodging: Five Volcanoes Boutique Hotel. Budget lodging Hotel Muhabura.
Day 7 Gorilla trekking in Volcanoes National Park, overnight near Musanze
This is the biggest day of your whole trip. You eat breakfast early and drive to the Kinigi park office. The Rwanda Development Board runs this strict office. Park rangers check your daily permits and 
give you a safety talk. They tell you exactly how to act around the giant apes. You then drive to the raw edge of the forest. The dirt roads are rough and full of hard volcanic rocks. The drive can take up to an hour. You leave the car and start walking up the hill. The hike is very hard. You walk through thick bushes and deep sticky mud. The hike can take two to six hours. When you find the gorillas, you must stay seven meters away. You get exactly one hour to watch them. You will see them eat leaves and care for their young babies. After the hour is up, you hike back down the steep mountain. You return to your lodge to clean the mud off your boots.
Day 8 Golden monkeys, Ibyiwacu cultural village, overnight near Musanze
You go back to the Kinigi park office on a cold morning. Today you will track fast golden monkeys. These bright monkeys live in the lower bamboo forests. The hike is much easier than the gorilla trek. You walk for about an hour before you find them. The monkeys are fast and very playful. They jump from branch to branch right above your head. You return to your lodge for a hot lunch. In the afternoon, you visit the Ibyiwacu cultural village. Local people will show you how they used to live long ago. They will play loud drums and perform local group dances. You can even try shooting a wooden bow and arrow.
Day 9: Kigali city visit and memorial, airport drop off
You eat your last breakfast in the high, cold mountains. You pack your bags and start the drive back to Kigali. The paved drive takes about 2.5 hours. When you reach Kigali, you will visit the Kigali Genocide Memorial. This is a very sad but highly important place. It teaches you about the country’s dark past. It also shows how far the local people have come since then. You will walk through the rooms and read the facts on the walls. After the heavy tour, your driver will take you to the airport. They will drop you off in time for your flight home. This marks the full end of your nine-day trip.
What to Pack
Sturdy waterproof hiking boots for deep, heavy mud.
Thick gardening gloves to grab spiky bushes while walking.
Long-sleeved shirts and long pants to stop bad bug bites.
A warm, thick fleece jacket for cold mountain nights.
A light rain jacket because the weather changes very fast.
A good camera with extra batteries for taking photos.
What is Included
A clean 4×4 safari car with a pop-up roof.
A skilled English-speaking driver for the whole trip.
All lodge stays for eight full nights.
Three daily meals, including bottled water in the car.
One mountain gorilla tracking permit per person.
One chimpanzee tracking permit per person.
All park entry fees and government taxes.
What is Excluded
Flights from your home country.
Entry visas for the country.
Extra drinks like cold beer or wine at the lodges.
Tips for the park rangers and your daily driver.
Personal items like hotel laundry service.
