search
language
Experience Rwanda's top wildlife and cultural highlights in comfort and style.
Embark on an extraordinary 11-day comprehensive journey through Rwanda's most diverse ecosystems and cultural landscapes. This extended Rwanda experience takes you from the vibrant capital of Kigali to the misty forests of Volcanoes National Park, the serene shores of Lake Kivu, the ancient rainforests of Nyungwe, and finally to the wildlife-rich savannahs of Akagera National Park.
Experience the emotional highlight of mountain gorilla trekking with in-depth conservation learning, encounter playful golden monkeys, explore Nyungwe's rich biodiversity through canopy walks and chimpanzee tracking, enjoy extended relaxation on Lake Kivu's picturesque shores, and complete your journey with classic African game drives and boat safaris in Akagera National Park.
Our expert guides will provide comprehensive insights into Rwanda's remarkable conservation success stories, from gorilla protection to community development initiatives. This extended itinerary offers a more relaxed pace with additional cultural interactions, photography opportunities, and deeper immersion into Rwanda's diverse landscapes and communities.
Perfect for travelers seeking a comprehensive Rwanda journey that balances intense wildlife encounters with meaningful cultural exchanges, relaxation time, and photographic opportunities across this remarkable country.
Distance / Travel time: 10–15 km / 20–45 mins
Arrive and enjoy a curated introduction to Kigali: market stroll, optional city highlights including the art scene or a short museum visit, and a relaxed welcome dinner with your guide to personalize the itinerary.
What to expect: An organized, low-stress start ensures guests are rested and informed before venturing into remote parks.
Weather & Geography: Kigali: comfortable temps; evenings cool.
Activity Difficulty: Low
Meals: Dinner included
Distance / Travel time: 2.5–3.5 hrs north
Drive north with photo stops. Afternoon visit to a conservation center or community-run enterprise to understand tourism's role in livelihoods and anti-poaching strategies.
What to expect: This day lays the groundwork for appreciating the technical and social mechanisms behind gorilla protection.
Weather & Geography: Cool and often misty.
Activity Difficulty: Low to Moderate
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner included
Morning golden monkey trek in bamboo zones; afternoon at leisure or optional visit to community agricultural projects, including beekeeping or sustainable farming initiatives.
What to expect: Golden monkeys provide a softer trekking option, particularly rewarding for photographers and guests preferring shorter hikes.
Weather & Geography: Cool mountain air; variable.
Activity Difficulty: Moderate
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner included
Full gorilla trekking day with pre-trek brief, trek into the montane forest and one-hour observation period. Optional post-trek visit to the Gorilla Guardians Village to meet rangers and local conservationists.
What to expect: The ranger-led debrief highlights on-the-ground monitoring, veterinary interventions and community benefit programs derived from permits.
Weather & Geography: Mountain weather: prepare for damp and muddy conditions.
Activity Difficulty: Strenuous in parts
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch included; Dinner at lodge
Distance / Travel time: 60–90 km / 1.5–3 hrs
Transfer to Lake Kivu for a day of birdwatching, boat trips to islands, village walks and relaxation. Optional cultural homestay lunch with a local family or a guided cycling loop along the shore.
What to expect: Lake Kivu is restorative after highland trekking and offers cultural insights through fisher communities and shoreline agriculture.
Weather & Geography: Warmer and breezy; sun protection recommended.
Activity Difficulty: Low
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner included
Distance / Travel time: 120–160 km / 3–4 hrs
Transfer to Nyungwe with stops for tea estate visits. Evening guided night walk (where permitted) to spot nocturnal mammals and insects, learning about the forest's night-time ecology.
What to expect: Night walks reveal a hidden side of tropical forests — from tree hyraxes to giant millipedes and owls.
Weather & Geography: Humid and cool at night; bring headlamps and warm layers.
Activity Difficulty: Moderate
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner included
Distance / Travel time: Chimp trekking 2–4 hrs; canopy walk ~1–2 hrs
Early after your breakfast you will head for chimps tracking led by experienced trackers, followed by pre-dawn canopy walk immersed in the upper forest strata for birding and forest perspective.
What to expect: Nyungwe's primate community is rich — expect to see chimpanzees, black-and-white colobus, L'Hoest's monkeys and a dazzling array of birds. The canopy walk offers photographic angles and a sense of scale of the rainforest.
Weather & Geography: A very different environment from Volcanoes — humid, lush and alive with epiphytes and fungi. Temperatures 15–23°C with frequent showers.
Activity Difficulty: Moderate — canopy walk is easy; chimp trekking may be strenuous on uneven forest trails.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch included
Distance / Travel time: Short transfer
Return to Lake Kivu for a relaxed photography and birding day, with an extended golden-hour shoot and local guide on hand to arrange village interactions and boat logistics.
What to expect: Perfect day for guests wanting creative photography time and calmer pacing.
Weather & Geography: Warm and pleasant.
Activity Difficulty: Low
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner included
Distance / Travel time: Approx 300 km / 6–7 hrs
Cross the country, stop in Kigali if desired, and proceed to Akagera arriving for an afternoon/evening game drive.
What to expect: Roads are mostly tarmacked and the drive gives a sense of Rwanda's agricultural heartland.
Weather & Geography: Temperature increases toward the east.
Activity Difficulty: Low (transfer) + game drive activity
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner included
Full day with morning and afternoon game drives, and a midday boat safari on Lake Ihema. Guides will give targeted briefings on species identification, ecology and current conservation challenges in the park.
What to expect: Akagera's rewilding (including lion and rhino reintroductions) makes it an exciting case study in landscape-scale conservation.
Weather & Geography: Warm, dry relative to western parks.
Activity Difficulty: Low to Moderate
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner included
Distance / Travel time: 120–140 km / 2.5–3.5 hrs
Morning at leisure or a final game drive, followed by return transfer to Kigali and airport drop-off. Farewell briefing and optional craft stop before departure.
What to expect: Last opportunity to consolidate memories and ask final questions about conservation, guide recommendations and future support options (e.g., donations to community projects).
Weather & Geography: Temperate Kigali on arrival.
Activity Difficulty: Low
Meals: Breakfast included
Your comprehensive 11-day Rwanda wildlife and cultural journey concludes with transfer to Kigali International Airport, filled with unforgettable memories of primate encounters, rainforest exploration, cultural immersion, and classic African safari experiences across this remarkable country.
All-inclusive package prices per person (including gorilla and golden monkey permits)
| Accommodation Level | Price Per Person | Permits Included |
|---|---|---|
| Mid-Range | $9,800 | Gorilla + Golden Monkey |
| Luxury | $13,500 | Gorilla + Golden Monkey |
| High-End | $18,200 | Gorilla + Golden Monkey |
| Mid-Range | $8,900 | Gorilla + Golden Monkey |
| Luxury | $12,200 | Gorilla + Golden Monkey |
| High-End | $16,500 | Gorilla + Golden Monkey |
Experience the wild like never before with our expertly crafted safaris
