6 Day Rwanda Gorilla Trek and Akagera Big Five Safari

Kigali Arrival, City Orientation, Overnight in Kigali

Your flight lands at Kigali International Airport. Our team meets you inside the arrivals hall, takes your bags and walks you to the vehicle — no waiting. Kigali is clean and organized, setting the tone for the rest of the country. Depending on your arrival time, we visit the Kigali Genocide Memorial. This is not just a museum — it is the burial place for 250,000 victims. It is heavy but necessary; understanding the history of 1994 explains the peace you see today. You walk through the gardens and the wall of names, gaining context for the people you will meet this week.

We then drive to the hotel. You check in and rest — the goal today is to recover from jet lag. We discuss the schedule for the next morning and check your gear to ensure you have the right boots and rain jackets for the rainforest later in the week.

Accommodation options: Luxury: The Retreat by Heaven · Mid-range: Hotel des Mille Collines · Budget: Yambi Guesthouse

Drive to Akagera, Lake Ihema Boat Safari, Overnight at Akagera

You leave Kigali after breakfast. The drive to the eastern border takes about two and a half hours. The landscape changes as you drop in elevation — hills flatten out, the air gets warmer, and banana plantations turn into acacia woodlands. Akagera National Park is the only place in Rwanda with the Big Five. You check into your lodge and have lunch.

In the afternoon, you take a boat cruise on Lake Ihema, the second-largest lake in Rwanda. The water is full of hippos popping their heads up near the boat, while large Nile crocodiles rest on the muddy banks. Water birds like the African Fish Eagle perch on dead trees. You watch the sun drop low over the water before returning to land.

Accommodation options: Luxury: Magashi Camp · Mid-range: Ruzizi Tented Lodge · Budget: Akagera Game Lodge

Full Day Game Drive in Akagera, Overnight in Akagera

You wake up early — predators like lions and leopards are most active at dawn. The northern part of the park is known as the Kilala Plains, open and flat, the best place to see massive herds of buffalo and zebra. You might see elephants feeding on trees or giraffes crossing the road. Akagera also has black rhinos — shy and hard to find, but your driver knows their favourite spots. You spend the whole day in the park, eating a packed picnic lunch in a safe, designated area, covering different habitats from swamps to savannahs. Return to the lodge before sunset.

Drive to Musanze, Volcanoes Base, Overnight near Kinigi

You start the day with a long but beautiful drive. You leave the savannah and head northwest towards the town of Musanze — about four to five hours through the heart of the country, with the road winding around terraced hills. You see why Rwanda is called the Land of a Thousand Hills, with local people waving from the roadside. You arrive in Musanze in the afternoon; the temperature is much cooler here, and you can see the dark peaks of the volcanoes in the distance. This is the base for gorilla trekking. Check into your lodge near the park headquarters.

Accommodation options: Luxury: Bisate Lodge · Mid-range: Five Volcanoes Boutique Hotel · Budget: Da Vinci Gorilla Lodge

Gorilla Trekking in Volcanoes, Afternoon at Leisure, Overnight near Kinigi

This is the main event. You wake up before sunrise and drive to the park headquarters at Kinigi for a 7 AM briefing. The rangers assign you to a specific gorilla family, grouping you by fitness level — some families live close to the wall, while others require a longer hike. The trail goes through bamboo forests and stinging nettles, and the ground can be muddy and steep. Porters are available to carry your backpack. The hike takes anywhere from thirty minutes to four hours.

When you find the gorillas, the rangers stop you and you walk closer, spending exactly one hour with them — watching the silverback eat, seeing babies playing in the trees. It is silent and intense. After the hour, you hike back down, and the driver takes you back to the lodge to clean up and relax.

Golden Monkey Trek, Return to Kigali, Departure

You have one last activity in the park. Golden monkeys are rare and live in the bamboo zone near the base of the volcanoes. The trek is easier than the gorilla hike — these monkeys are fast and playful, jumping over your head and digging for bamboo shoots, with bright orange fur that's easy to spot for photos. You finish the trek by late morning, drive back to the lodge to pack and eat lunch, then start the drive back to Kigali — about two and a half hours on a paved, smooth road. Your driver drops you off at Kigali International Airport for your flight home. If your flight is late, we can arrange a day room or a final dinner in the city.