7-Day Rwanda: Safari, Gorillas & Primate Encounters

Upon arrival at Kigali International Airport, you will be warmly welcomed by a representative from Opportune Safaris. Our representative will assist you with your luggage before transferring you to your hotel.

You will be driven to Hemingways Kigali, a luxury hotel offering beautiful views of Rwanda’s capital. Upon arrival, complete your check-in and take some time to relax and enjoy the hotel's facilities after your journey.

Kigali, the capital city of Rwanda, is known as one of the cleanest and safest cities in Africa. With a population of over 1 million people, Kigali is the center of transportation, culture, and arts.

After breakfast at around 9:00 a.m., begin your Kigali city exploration with your professional driver-guide.Kigali is Rwanda’s vibrant capital and is renowned for its cleanliness, safety, beautiful surroundings, and welcoming atmosphere. During the city tour, you will discover some of Kigali’s most important historical and cultural sites.

Your first major stop will be the Kigali Genocide Memorial, an important place of remembrance and education. Here, you will learn about Rwanda’s history, including the events surrounding the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi, while gaining insight into the country’s remarkable journey toward reconciliation and recovery.

After the visit, continue your journey eastward toward Akagera National Park. Upon arrival, your guide will assist with the park entry formalities before proceeding to Ruzizi Tented Lodge.Check in, enjoy lunch, and have some time to relax.

Later in the afternoon, at approximately 4:30 p.m., embark on a beautiful sunset boat cruise on Lake Ihema. Keep your camera ready for sightings of hippos, crocodiles, and numerous bird species, including kingfishers and the distinctive papyrus gonolek.

As the sun sets over the lake, enjoy the peaceful atmosphere before returning to your lodge for dinner and an overnight stay.

After an early breakfast, check out of the lodge and depart at approximately 7:00 a.m. with a packed lunch for a full-day game drive through the beautiful wilderness of Akagera National Park.

Your safari will take you through different sectors of the park, with approximately 6–7hours spent exploring its diverse landscapes and searching for wildlife. Keep your eyes open for the Big Five—lion, leopard, elephant, buffalo, and rhinoceros—as well as Masai giraffes, zebras, impalas, gazelles, topis, bushbucks, baboons, oribis, and many other species.

Akagera is also a remarkable destination for bird enthusiasts, with more than 525 bird species recorded in the park. Throughout the drive, your experienced guide will help you identify the different wildlife and bird species while sharing fascinating insights about the park and its ecosystem.

Around midday, stop at a designated scenic picnic site to enjoy your packed lunch while taking in the beautiful surroundings of the park. After lunch, continue with your game drive, enjoying more wildlife sightings and the spectacular scenery as you make your way toward Karenge Bush Camp.

Later in the afternoon, arrive at Karenge Bush Camp, where you will check in and settle into your accommodation. Take some time to relax and enjoy the peaceful atmosphere and camp facilities, surrounded by the natural beauty of Akagera.

After breakfast, leave Akagera behind and begin your scenic journey toward Volcanoes National Park in northwestern Rwanda.The drive offers an opportunity to admire Rwanda’s beautiful countryside, rolling hills, green plantations, villages, and local communities. Enjoy lunch along the way before continuing toward the volcanic region.

Upon arrival in Kinigi, check in at Sambora Kinigi, your accommodation for the next few nights. Settle in and enjoy the peaceful surroundings as you prepare for your upcoming gorilla trekking adventure.

Volcanoes National Park is a stunning natural reserve in Rwanda, known for its lush rainforest, volcanic peaks, and diverse wildlife. It is home to the endangered mountain gorillas and offers visitors the chance to go gorilla trekking, hike volcanoes, and explore rich biodiversity

After an early breakfast at approximately 6:30 a.m., you will drive to the Kinigi Park Headquarters. Here, you will complete registration and receive a briefing from the park authorities.You will then be assigned to a gorilla trekking group and introduced to your experienced guide and trackers. The trek begins at around 7:00 a.m., taking you deep into the beautiful forests of Volcanoes National Park in search of your assigned gorilla family.

The duration of the trek can vary depending on the location and movements of the gorillas. Once you find the family, you will have the privilege of spending one unforgettable hour observing these magnificent creatures in their natural habitat. Watch as the gorillas feed, interact, rest, groom each other, and care for their young. Their human-like behavior and peaceful presence create a truly memorable wildlife experience.

After the trek, return to your lodge for lunch and well-deserved relaxation. You may also enjoy a relaxing massage to recover after the hike.

What to wear and carry: Wear long trousers, long sleeve and hiking waterproof boats (to minimize the impact on wildlife, it is recommended to wear shades of green or brown). Carry garden gloves, a rain jacket, and a camera.

Minimum age for gorilla trekking:15years

Early morning after having breakfast at 6:30 am. A guide will take you for a rare and delightful experience in Volcanoes National Park. Golden monkeys live in big groups of 80 to 100 individuals in a family. They are easily and differentiated by the bright orange hair spread out all over their bodies. They feed on fruits, bamboo shoots and small insects and spend their most swinging from one tree branch to another which is really entertaining to see. Once you arrive at the park headquarter, a park officer will give you a quick briefing about the trek. After you’ll be assigned to a tracking group. At 7am begin the amazing journey of tracking golden monkeys while walking and hiking through the bamboo trees.

Once you find them, you’ll get to see their natural habitat and spend an hour observing those fascinating creatures and learning about their unique characteristics from an experienced guide who accompanies you. After trekking you’ll have return to your accommodation, have lunch and relax.

Later in the afternoon dive into a lovely Rwanda cultural village in the vicinity of volcanoes national park known as “iby’iwacu culture village” this place combines Rwanda’s cultural traditions, people and history. You’ll get to see what life was in Rwandan setting: the lifestyle, houses, food, traditional dances and the way kingdoms were organized, not only that you’ll have an opportunity to learn ancient hunting skills, carpentry and try weaving baskets. Following your activity, you’ll be transferred back to your lodge and relax.

What to wear and carry: - rain gears, walkable shoes, hut, insect repellent, packed snacks, bottled mineral water and a camera (When taking pictures, flashes are not allowed on the cameras as they scare the monkeys away).

Enjoy your final breakfast in Rwanda before preparing for your departure.

Depending on your international flight schedule, you will be transferred from your accommodation to Kigali International Airport for your flight home.

You’re seven-day Rwanda adventure comes to an end with wonderful memories of wildlife, primates, culture, and the beautiful landscapes of the Land of a Thousand Hills.