7 Days Rwanda Classic Safari Adventure

Your Rwanda adventure begins in Kigali with a morning pickup from your hotel or Kigali International Airport. From the capital, drive eastwards through Rwanda's beautiful countryside towards Akagera National Park, watching the landscape gradually change from rolling cultivated hills to open savannah, wetlands and woodland. Upon arrival, enjoy lunch before beginning your first wildlife experience. Depending on your arrival time, an introductory game drive can be arranged as you enter the park. In the afternoon, head to Lake Ihema for a relaxing boat cruise along one of Akagera's most wildlife-rich waterways. From the boat, you can look for hippos gathering in the water, crocodiles resting along the shoreline, elephants and buffaloes coming down to drink, and numerous waterbirds. After the cruise, return to your lodge as the evening light settles over the savannah. Enjoy dinner and your first night surrounded by the sounds of the park.

Wake early and head into Akagera for a full-day game drive across the park's diverse landscapes. The morning hours provide excellent opportunities to find wildlife as animals become active in the cooler conditions. Your guide will explore different areas of the park in search of elephants, buffaloes, giraffes, zebras, antelopes and predators. Akagera is home to Rwanda's Big Five, including lions, leopards, elephants, buffaloes and rhinos. Your guide will adjust the route according to wildlife movements, giving you the best possible opportunities for sightings and photography. Enjoy lunch during the safari or return to the lodge depending on the day's schedule. The afternoon continues with further exploration through savannah plains, woodland and wetland habitats. Bird lovers can also expect an impressive variety of species, with Akagera supporting almost 500 recorded bird species. Return to your lodge in the evening, enjoy dinner and relax after a rewarding day in Rwanda's savannah wilderness.

After breakfast, leave Akagera and begin the journey towards the northern highlands of Rwanda and Volcanoes National Park. The route passes back through Kigali and continues towards Musanze, giving you a fascinating change of scenery as the open savannah landscapes give way to green hills, cultivated slopes and volcanic mountains. Take a lunch stop along the way before continuing towards the Virunga region. Upon arrival, check into your lodge and enjoy some time to relax. If you arrive early enough, you can choose an optional community or cultural experience around Musanze, or simply enjoy the spectacular views of the Virunga volcanoes. Your guide will also brief you about the following day's gorilla trek, including the early morning departure, trekking conditions, appropriate clothing and what to carry into the forest. Volcanoes National Park is Rwanda's principal mountain gorilla destination and is also home to golden monkeys. Enjoy dinner at your lodge and rest early in preparation for one of the biggest highlights of your Rwanda safari.

Wake early for the defining experience of your Rwanda Classic Safari—mountain gorilla trekking in Volcanoes National Park. After breakfast, drive to the Kinigi park headquarters for registration, briefing and assignment to a habituated gorilla family. You will then enter the forest with experienced ranger guides and trackers who will lead you through the spectacular Virunga landscape. The trek can range from a relatively short hike to several hours depending on where your assigned gorilla family is located. As you move through the forest, trackers follow signs such as footprints, feeding sites and broken vegetation to locate the group. When the gorillas are finally found, you will have an unforgettable opportunity to observe them in their natural environment. Watch the silverback protect his family, mothers care for their young and juveniles interact and play around the vegetation. The encounter provides a rare glimpse into the social lives of one of the world's most endangered great apes. After the permitted viewing period, trek back to the headquarters and return to your lodge for lunch. Spend the afternoon relaxing or taking an optional community experience before enjoying dinner and your final night around Volcanoes.

After breakfast, begin the long but incredibly scenic journey southwards towards Nyungwe National Park. This is one of the most visually rewarding transfer days, as the route crosses Rwanda's famous rolling hills, agricultural communities, tea-growing areas and mountain landscapes. Because of the distance, an early departure is recommended, with lunch arranged along the route. Depending on the timing and your interests, you can make a cultural or historical stop around Nyanza or Huye before continuing towards the forest. The scenery gradually becomes more heavily forested as you approach Nyungwe, one of Rwanda's most important rainforest ecosystems and a major primate destination. Arrive at your lodge later in the afternoon or evening and check in. After the long journey, the evening is deliberately relaxed so you can prepare for tomorrow's chimpanzee experience. Your guide will brief you about the early morning start and the conditions expected inside the forest. Enjoy dinner and rest surrounded by the peaceful atmosphere of Nyungwe.

Rise early for another major wildlife experience as you enter Nyungwe Forest in search of chimpanzees. After breakfast and a ranger briefing, begin your trek through the ancient rainforest while trackers help locate the chimpanzee community. Listen carefully for their calls echoing through the forest and watch the treetops for movement as they travel from one tree to another. Nyungwe is also home to several other primate species, making every section of the forest potentially rewarding. After finding the chimpanzees, spend time observing their natural behavior before trekking back out of the forest. Return to the lodge for lunch and some time to relax. In the afternoon, take on the spectacular Nyungwe Canopy Walk, suspended high above the forest floor and offering panoramic views across the rainforest canopy. The experience provides a completely different perspective of Nyungwe and can reveal birds and monkeys moving through the treetops. Return to your lodge in the evening for dinner and your final night in the forest.

After breakfast, begin your journey back towards Kigali, passing through Rwanda's beautiful southern countryside. The return journey provides one final opportunity to enjoy the country's famous hills, farms, tea plantations and rural communities. Depending on your departure flight, you can make a stop in Kigali for lunch and a short city experience. If time allows, a visit to the Kigali Genocide Memorial, local craft markets or other city attractions can be arranged before your airport transfer. Your guide will ensure that you reach Kigali International Airport in good time for your departure. As the safari comes to an end, you will have experienced three very different sides of Rwanda—from the savannah wildlife and lakes of Akagera, to the mountain gorillas of Volcanoes and the ancient rainforest of Nyungwe. The combination makes this a genuinely comprehensive Rwanda Classic Safari Adventure, bringing together wildlife, primates, landscapes and culture in one seven-day journey.