8 Day Rwanda Grand Tour
Meet mountain gorillas and golden monkeys, pause beside Lake Kivu, track Nyungwe's chimpanzees and finish among Akagera's savannah wildlife.
Plan This Safari8 Days / 7 Nights / Kigali Return / Private Road Safari
From the Virunga foothills to Rwanda's eastern savannah.
Begin and finish in Kigali, with 4 overnight destinations connecting primate encounters, lake scenery, rainforest trails and game viewing.
Volcanoes
2 nights near the park, gorilla trekking and golden monkey tracking before departure.
Lake Kivu
1 night in Rubavu, lakeside downtime and a short boat outing the following morning.
Nyungwe
2 nights, chimpanzee tracking and a guided canopy walk.
Akagera
2 nights, savannah game viewing and a Lake Ihema boat safari.
Gorillas, rainforest and open plains in 8 days.
Misty mountain forest, lake shores and open savannah bring a different setting to each stage of your Rwanda holiday. The journey links 3 primate experiences with time on the water and a wildlife safari, all supported by a private driver guide.
Start in Volcanoes National Park , where gorilla trekking and golden monkey tracking take place on separate mornings. Keep your first afternoon free to settle in, check your forest clothing and prepare for an early start.
Lake Kivu provides a change of pace between forest destinations. After a night in Rubavu, take a short boat trip before travelling south. Travellers wanting several days for coffee visits and lake activities can explore our 4 Day Lake Kivu and Coffee Tour as an extension or a separate journey.
In Nyungwe National Park , listen for chimpanzee calls beneath the forest canopy, then see the treetops from the suspended walkway. Sturdy footwear, rain protection and confidence on uneven trails will help you enjoy both activities.
Finish in Akagera National Park , combining game drives with a boat safari on Lake Ihema. The 8-day schedule includes early mornings and long road transfers. For more time between activities, ask us to extend the route or compare our Rwanda safari packages .
Safari Highlights
Join ranger guides for mountain gorilla trekking in Volcanoes National Park.
Follow golden monkeys through their bamboo forest habitat.
Spend a night beside Lake Kivu and head onto the water by boat.
Search for chimpanzees and cross Nyungwe's suspended canopy walkway.
Explore Akagera's wildlife habitats with your safari driver guide.
Watch for hippos, crocodiles and waterbirds on Lake Ihema.
Rwanda, day by day.
Stay 2 nights near Volcanoes, 1 night at Lake Kivu, 2 nights near Nyungwe and 2 nights in Akagera. Meals follow your confirmed quotation.
Kigali to Volcanoes National Park
Meet your BLS Safaris driver guide at your Kigali hotel or the airport. Leave the city and travel north towards the Virunga highlands. Keep your camera nearby as cultivated hillsides and roadside settlements come into view.
Check in at Five Volcanoes Boutique Hotel and leave the afternoon free. Your guide will review the next morning's arrangements, including when to leave for the park briefing and what to carry on the trek.
Pack sturdy walking shoes, long trousers, a waterproof layer and a small daypack. Keep your travel documents accessible for registration and tell your guide about any walking concerns before the trekking day.
Mountain Gorilla Trekking
Have an early breakfast and travel to the park headquarters for registration and briefing. Meet your ranger guides, receive your group allocation and continue to the appropriate starting point.
Walk into Volcanoes National Park at the pace set by your guides. Listen closely to instructions and take care on wet ground. The length and difficulty of the walk depend on the gorillas' location.
Once your family is found, spend up to 1 permitted hour observing them. Keep your distance, avoid flash photography and follow the ranger's directions if the animals move. Allow yourself time to watch quietly as well as take photographs.
Return to the lodge after the trek. An optional Gorilla Guardians Village visit can be arranged at an additional cost if your return time and energy allow.
Golden Monkeys and Lake Kivu
Return to the park for golden monkey tracking. A second morning in the forest allows you to concentrate on a different primate encounter, with your guides leading the way through suitable habitat.
Keep your camera ready without blocking the trail. Follow the group's movements and the ranger's directions, allowing space around the animals as they feed and move.
After the activity, collect your luggage and continue to Rubavu. Check in at Lake Kivu Serena Hotel and spend the remainder of the day beside the lake. Your scheduled boat outing takes place tomorrow, leaving this evening free to rest.
Lake Kivu Boat Trip and Nyungwe Transfer
Begin with a short boat outing on Lake Kivu. Enjoy views back towards the shoreline and surrounding hills before returning to the hotel to prepare for departure.
Continue south towards Nyungwe National Park . Keep the lake activity brief so there is enough time for the long road journey, lunch and comfort stops along the way.
Settle into Nyungwe Tea Forest Resort, Rare Finds, and prepare for an early start. Charge your camera, organise your daypack and confirm breakfast or packed meal arrangements with your guide.
Chimpanzee Tracking and Canopy Walk
Leave early for your allocated chimpanzee tracking starting point. Departure depends on the confirmed activity location and park briefing arrangements, so prepare everything the evening before.
Follow your ranger through the rainforest, listening and watching carefully along the trail. Chimpanzees can move quickly, and the search may involve a sustained walk over uneven ground. Sightings and the length of the trek vary.
After the tracking experience, take a break before the guided canopy walk. Travel to the Uwinka area and follow the approach trail to the suspended walkway.
Cross at the pace directed by your guide, pausing where permitted to look across the forest. Return to your accommodation for the evening. Travellers who want more recovery time between forest activities can consider our 4 Day Nyungwe Chimpanzees and Canopy Walk Safari .
Nyungwe to Akagera National Park
Check out after breakfast and begin the journey across Rwanda towards Akagera National Park . Keep the day focused on the transfer, with a lunch stop and regular breaks.
Carry drinking water and any personal essentials within reach. Your guide will manage the day's departure and stops around road conditions and your arrival arrangements.
Check in at Akagera Game Lodge and settle in after the drive. A short wildlife outing may be possible if arrival time allows, but the main game viewing is scheduled for tomorrow.
Akagera Game Drive and Lake Ihema
Head out early for game viewing. Scan the landscape with your guide, stopping to observe animals without rushing between sightings. Bring binoculars if you have them and keep your camera ready.
Your driving route will be planned around wildlife conditions and the booked boat departure. Allow time to return to the Lake Ihema landing rather than trying to cover every part of the park in one day.
Board the boat for a different view of Akagera. Watch the water and banks for hippos, crocodiles and birdlife while your boat guide explains what you encounter.
Return to the lodge for your final night. Akagera offers opportunities to search for the Big Five, but individual species sightings cannot be guaranteed.
Final Game Viewing and Return to Kigali
Enjoy a final short game drive if your onward schedule allows. Breakfast, check-out and departure will be arranged around your confirmed Kigali drop-off time.
Leave the park and return to the capital. Your guide will take you to your agreed hotel or Kigali International Airport.
If you would like to add time in Kigali or extend your stay, tell us before booking your flights. Additional accommodation and activities can be quoted separately.
Safari Inclusions and Exclusions
What's Included
- Private 4x4 safari vehicle and fuel for the scheduled route.
- Professional English-speaking driver guide.
- Kigali airport or hotel pickup and drop-off.
- 7 nights of accommodation in the confirmed hotels and lodges.
- Meals as specified in your final quotation.
- 1 Rwanda gorilla trekking permit per traveller.
- 1 golden monkey tracking permit per traveller.
- 1 Nyungwe chimpanzee tracking permit per traveller.
- Guided Nyungwe canopy walk.
- Scheduled Lake Kivu boat outing.
- Scheduled Akagera game drives.
- Lake Ihema boat safari.
- Park entry and ranger guiding for the included activities.
- Bottled drinking water during transfers and game drives.
What's Not Included
- International flights and visa fees.
- Travel and medical insurance.
- Optional Gorilla Guardians Village visit.
- Additional coffee tours, kayaking or other unlisted activities.
- Porter assistance unless included in your quotation.
- Tips for guides, trackers, rangers and hotel staff.
- Alcoholic drinks and premium beverages.
- Meals not listed in the confirmed quotation.
- Laundry, shopping and personal expenses.
- Accommodation before or after the safari.
- Private trekking groups or private boat departures unless quoted.
Frequently Asked Questions
A few details to help you prepare for the trekking days, lake activities and road journeys.
Which primate permits are included?
The package includes 1 gorilla trekking permit, 1 golden monkey tracking permit and 1 Nyungwe chimpanzee tracking permit per traveller. All are subject to availability for your travel dates. Book early so the route can be confirmed around the permit allocations.
Is every activity private?
Your road vehicle and driver guide are private. Park trekking activities follow the park's group arrangements, and boat departures may be shared. Tell us if you want private activity arrangements so availability and additional costs can be checked.
How demanding is the itinerary?
Expect early starts, forest walking and several long drives. Gorilla and chimpanzee treks vary in length and may involve muddy or steep ground. Tell us about your walking ability before booking. Extra nights can be added if you prefer more rest between activities.
Can we include a coffee tour at Lake Kivu?
Yes, with an adjusted schedule. The standard route allows 1 lakeside night and a short boat outing before the Nyungwe transfer. For a coffee visit with more time by the water, consider adding a night or adapting our Lake Kivu and Coffee Tour .
Can chimpanzee tracking and the canopy walk fit in 1 day?
They are scheduled together, with an early tracking departure and a later canopy walk. We coordinate the activity bookings and transfers in advance. A longer chimpanzee search or poor weather can affect the day's timing. An extra Nyungwe night offers more flexibility.
Will we see all of the Big Five in Akagera?
Akagera is a Big Five destination, but seeing every species is not guaranteed. Animals move freely and some are harder to find than others. Your guide will plan the game drives around conditions and recent sightings. Read our Akagera National Park guide for more about the destination.
Can children join this Rwanda safari?
Family arrangements depend on the children's ages and the activities requested. Gorilla trekking has a minimum age of 15 years. Share every child's age when enquiring so we can confirm the current requirements for the other park activities and discuss alternatives where needed.
Can we fly out of Kigali on Day 8?
A suitably late departure can work, subject to the final schedule. Confirm your proposed flight with us before booking so the game drive, transfer and airport check-in have enough time. An additional Kigali overnight can be arranged separately.
Related Safaris and Destination Guides
5 Days
5 Day Rwanda Gorillas and Golden Monkeys
Focus on Volcanoes National Park with a shorter Rwanda journey built around 2 primate experiences.
Explore This Safari
Destination Guide
Nyungwe National Park
Discover the forest behind your chimpanzee tracking experience, canopy walk and rainforest stay.
Read the Park Guide
3 Days
3 Day Akagera Big Five Safari
Choose a shorter wildlife escape with Akagera game viewing and time on Lake Ihema.
Explore This SafariWalk the forests. Pause by the lake. Explore the savannah.
Send BLS Safaris your dates, group size and preferred accommodation standard. We will check permits and put together your Rwanda journey with the transfers, lodge stays and activities clearly set out.