5-Day Rwanda Ultimate: Gorillas, Wildlife Safari & Kigali

Tour Overview

Itinerary Highlights

Day 1: Arrive Kigali

Arrival at Kigali International Airport. Transfer to your hotel. Afternoon Kigali city tour: Kigali Genocide Memorial, bustling Kimironko Market, and the vibrant Nyamirambo neighborhood. Welcome dinner at a rooftop restaurant with city views. Overnight in Kigali.

Day 2: Kigali to Akagera National Park

Morning drive 2.5 hours east to Akagera National Park, Rwanda’s only Big Five savanna park. Afternoon game drive — search for elephants, giraffes, zebras, hippos, crocodiles, and the reintroduced lions and rhinos. Sunset boat cruise on Lake Ihema. Overnight in Akagera NP.

Day 3: Akagera to Volcanoes National Park

Morning game drive for predators — lions are most active at dawn. After breakfast, drive 5 hours across Rwanda to Musanze in the Virunga foothills. Scenic journey through Rwanda’s terraced hills and tea plantations. Overnight near Volcanoes NP.

Day 4: Gorilla Trekking

Early morning gorilla trekking in Volcanoes National Park. Track one of Rwanda’s 12 habituated gorilla families through misty bamboo and rainforest. The one-hour encounter with these magnificent great apes is life-changing. Afternoon at leisure. Overnight near Volcanoes NP.

Day 5: Return to Kigali & Depart

Morning visit to the Ellen DeGeneres Gorilla Fund campus. Drive back to Kigali. Last-minute souvenir shopping at Caplaki Craft Village. Transfer to airport. Safe travels!

Inclusions

• 4 nights accommodation (hotel + safari lodge)
• All meals
• 1 gorilla permit ($1,500)
• Akagera game drives + boat cruise
• Kigali city tour
• 4×4 safari vehicle with driver/guide

Why This Tour

• Complete Rwanda experience — city, savanna, and mountain gorillas
• Akagera is one of Africa’s great conservation success stories
• See the Big Five AND mountain gorillas in one trip
• Compact country — no wasted days on long drives

What’s Not Included

• Entrance fees to attractions
• Tour Guide
• Meal (lunch and dinner)
• International flights
• Travel insurance
• Personal expenses