After arriving at Kigali International Airport for your 8 Days Africa big five Rwanda safari and gorilla trekking, meet your guide for a briefing before starting the drive east to Akagera National Park. The journey covers about 110 kilometers and takes approximately 2.5 to 3 hours on paved roads. Upon reaching the park, complete the registration at the southern gate. In the afternoon, board a boat for a trip on Lake Ihema, the largest lake in the park. While on the water, look for large pods of hippos and Nile crocodiles along the banks. Birdwatchers can spot species like the African fish eagle, kingfishers, and various herons. The boat trip provides a cooler perspective of the park before checking into your lodge for the evening. This first day introduces the semi-arid climate of eastern Rwanda, which differs significantly from the cooler mountainous regions visited later in the safari.

Dedicate this day to a north-bound game drive through the park’s diverse terrain, including swamps, woodlands, and open plains. Akagera is Rwanda’s only home for the Big Five: lions, leopards, rhinos, elephants, and buffaloes. In the northern Kilala Plain, you are likely to see herds of plains zebras, giraffes, and various antelopes such as impalas, topis, and the world’s largest antelope, the eland. The drive takes about 6 hours as you move from the southern entrance to the northern exit. Lions and leopards are most active in the early morning, while elephants often gather near the water sources at midday. You will carry a picnic lunch to eat at a designated spot with a view of the plains. Return to your lodge in the late afternoon for rest after a successful day on safari.

Depart Akagera in the morning for the drive to Volcanoes National Park in the northwest. The route passes back through Kigali, making it a good time for a lunch stop and a visit to the Kigali Genocide Memorial to learn about the country’s history. The total travel time from Akagera to the Musanze region is approximately 5 to 6 hours. As you leave the eastern plains and head toward the Virunga Mountains, the altitude rises and the temperature drops. The road winds through hills covered in terraced farms growing potatoes and pyrethrum. Arrive in the town of Musanze, the gateway to the park, in the late afternoon. Check into your lodge and prepare your gear for the following day’s trek. This evening, your guide will double-check your permits and provide details on what to wear for the mountain portion of your safari.

The morning begins at 7:00 AM at the Kinigi park headquarters for a briefing and group assignment. You will be joined by a park ranger and a team of trackers who have already headed into the forest to locate the gorilla families. The trek can last between 1 to 5 hours depending on the gorillas' movements. Once the group finds the gorillas, you have exactly one hour to observe them as they feed, play, and interact. Seeing a 400-pound silverback from a few meters away is the focal point of the safari. After the trek, return to the headquarters to receive your trekking certificate. In the afternoon, visit the Gorilla Guardians Village to see traditional dancing and learn about Kinyarwanda culture. This community-led project helps former poachers earn a living through tourism.

Return to the park headquarters in the morning for a different primate encounter: tracking golden monkeys. These colorful primates are endemic to the Virunga Mountains and live in the bamboo forests at the base of the volcanoes. This trek is generally less strenuous than gorilla trekking and lasts about 2 to 3 hours. Following the activity, drive about 1.5 to 2 hours west to the shores of Lake Kivu, specifically the town of Rubavu or Gisenyi. Lake Kivu is one of Africa’s Great Lakes and offers a peaceful environment for the afternoon. You can take a boat trip to visit the hot springs or explore the nearby islands. Relax by the water and enjoy the view of the lake, which sits on the border with the Democratic Republic of the Congo as your safari continues.

The journey continues south along the shores of Lake Kivu toward Nyungwe Forest National Park. This drive is one of the most scenic in Rwanda, taking approximately 5 to 6 hours. The road follows the "Congo Nile Trail," offering views of the lake and the thousands of hills that define the region. You will pass through several small fishing villages and see local farmers working on the steep hillsides. Stop for lunch in the town of Karongi before finishing the final leg of the drive to the southern edge of the forest. Nyungwe is one of the oldest rainforests in Africa and is home to 13 different primate species. Arrive at your lodge in the late afternoon and enjoy the sounds of the forest as evening falls during this safari.

An early start is required for chimpanzee tracking, usually beginning at 5:00 AM. You will follow a ranger into the dense forest to find habituated chimpanzees as they wake up and begin foraging for fruit. Other primates often seen include L’Hoest’s monkeys and silver monkeys. In the afternoon, head to the Uwinka Center for the Canopy Walk. This suspended bridge hangs 70 meters above the forest floor and stretches for 160 meters. Walking across the bridge provides a perspective of the forest top that you cannot get from the ground, allowing you to see birds and monkeys in the upper branches. The activity takes about 2 hours and involves a hike through the forest to reach the bridge. Return to the lodge for your final night on safari.

Spend the morning on a final trek to see the large troops of Rwenzori colobus monkeys, which can number in the hundreds. These black-and-white primates are very active and provide good photography opportunities. After the trek, begin the drive back to Kigali, which takes about 4 to 5 hours. En route, stop in the town of Huye to visit the Ethnographic Museum, which houses one of Africa’s finest collections of cultural artifacts. You may also visit the Nyanza King’s Palace to see the traditional domed buildings and the long-horned Inyambo cattle. Continue to Kigali for a final city tour or souvenir shopping at the Kimironko Market before transferring to the airport for your departure flight. This concludes the eight-day safari through Rwanda’s diverse natural regions.