Virunga Gorilla Sanctuary
Kigali → Volcanoes National Park → Kigali
Climb through bamboo on the slopes of the Virunga volcanoes for an hour in the company of a mountain gorilla family, then return to a fireside lodge facing the peaks.
Rwanda8 days
Rwanda, End to End
Kigali → Nyungwe → Lake Kivu → Volcanoes → Akagera
- Duration
- 8 days
- Best months
- Jun–Sep · Dec–Feb
- Highest point
- Nyungwe ridges, 2,950 m
The journey
The whole country in one unhurried loop: chimpanzees in ancient montane forest, island-dotted Lake Kivu, gorillas in the Virungas and Big Five savannah in Akagera.
Day by day
Day 1
Kigali
Arrival, city orientation and dinner at one of Kigali's best tables.
Days 2–3
Nyungwe Forest
Two nights in the forest. Dawn chimpanzee tracking and the canopy walkway suspended above the valley.
Day 4
Lake Kivu
Boat out to the islands, a coffee washing station visit and an evening with the singing fishermen.
Days 5–6
Volcanoes National Park
Two nights in the Virungas with a gorilla trek and a golden monkey walk.
Day 7
Akagera National Park
Game drives for lion, elephant and rhino, and a sunset boat on Lake Ihema.
Day 8
Depart
Drive back to Kigali for your flight home.
Included
- Gorilla and chimpanzee permits
- Private vehicle and guide throughout
- Boutique lodges, full board
- Boat trips and park fees
- Airport transfers
Optional experiences
Add any of these to your enquiry and we will build them into your days.
More journeys
Combine or compare
Bwindi & the Kazinga Channel
Kigali → Bwindi → Queen Elizabeth NP → Entebbe
Cross overland from Rwanda into the mist of Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, then down to the Ishasha plains, home of the tree-climbing lions.
Mara Migration Camp
Kigali ✈ Nairobi ✈ Masai Mara
Fly from Kigali into a private conservancy camp for the Great Migration, with river crossings, open vehicles and a dawn balloon over the plains.
No journeys match that combination yet. Ask us for a tailor-made route.
