6-Day Rwanda Safari Itinerary

Detailed Itinerary

Day 1: Arrival in Kigali – Akagera National Park

Upon your arrival in Kigali, you shall begin your day with a meet and greet from your experienced guide as he waits with a warm smile against the morning chill and immediately hit the road to Akagera snakes east, past rolling hills and villages stirring to life. After hours of driving, you shall watch the world shifts tarmac gives way to dusty trails as Akagera National Park looms, its vastness stretching toward Tanzania.

This is a land that once echoed with silence poachers had nearly emptied it. But now, the air vibrates with life. Giraffes stride through golden plains, and buffaloes graze in the shade of acacia trees. Step onto a boat on Lake Ihema as the sun dips low, painting the water in amber and rose. Hippos bob, eyes glistening, and birds take flight like black ink on a pastel sky.

Dusk settles, the sky a tapestry of stars. Tonight, the wilderness sings you to sleep.

Accommodation: Camping, Budget, Standard, Luxury (Choose Your Preferred Option)

Day 2: Full Day Safari in Akagera National Park

Early morning, you have breakfast and immediately embark on a game drive in the savannah park of Akagera. A lion’s distant roar rumbles through the air. Today, Akagera opens its doors, revealing secrets to those who listen closely. Your guide leads you through a labyrinth of landscapes vast plains where zebras skitter, wetlands where elephants bathe, and thickets where leopards slip between shadows.

Beneath the sky’s endless dome, buffalo herds graze. Fish eagles call from treetops, their cries echoing over marshlands. And in the heart of it all, the rare black rhino emerges, a living testament to Akagera’s remarkable resurgence.

If you like, you have the option to incorporate Akagera hot air balloon experience to spice your Big 5 encounter as you observer the incredible nature from the sky.

Night falls. Around the campfire, tales of today’s sightings mingle with the scent of grilled meat and the soft rustle of the bush.

Accommodation: Same as Day 1

Day 3: Akagera to Kigali

Today, you hit the road back to Kigali as you prepare for the great day a head. You swiftly drive through fields and bustling towns and just by afternoon, the city rises a patchwork of old and new.

In the Genocide Memorial, learn about the deep and touching history of the genocide that happened in 1997. Names, faces, stories, later proceed to the Inema Arts Centre, color explodes from canvases, each brushstroke a shout of resilience. Later, in the market tour, meet Kigali’s rhythm pulses vendors calling, spices swirling, life unfolding.

Dinner tonight is a feast of Rwandan flavors rich, smoky, unforgettable. Enjoy it before proceeding for a relaxation, dinner and overnight at your Kigali accommodation.

Accommodation: Budget, Standard, Luxury (Choose Your Preferred Option)

Day 4: Kigali to Volcanoes National Park

Today, the road climbs north of Kigali. You shall drive pass the stretching hills and head into the Virunga mountains. Clouds hang low, brushing the peaks but, this is a life changing destination.

At the Gorilla Guardians Centre, ex-poachers now storytellers, share tales of survival, conservation, and redemption. The evening is quiet, the air cool. Volcanoes National Park breathes in the distance tomorrow, you step into its world.

Accommodation: Budget, Standard, Luxury (Choose Your Preferred Option)

Day 5: Gorilla Trekking in Volcanoes National Park

Before the world wakes, you’re already on the move heading to the gorilla trekking starting point. With hot coffee or breakfast in your hands, proceed to the the park headquarters whispering in anticipation.

Before you Step into the forest, you are briefed about Rwanda gorilla trekking tips, dos and don’ts and immediately you are allocated a gorilla family to locate. Mist wraps around you like a secret. The forest floor is soft underfoot, every step a whisper. Then, a crack of branches.

A flash of black fur. Eyes dark, deep, and ancient meet yours. A silverback shifts his weight, watching you. A mother cradles her infant, eyes half-closed. The air is heavy with their presence, and time bends, each second stretching like the vines overhead.

You have an entire hour to enjoy watching them play, relate and communicate. Take as many photos as possible and later return back at the lodge, words fail to capture what you just witnessed.

Accommodation: Same as Day 4

Day 6: Departure from Kigali

Have your final breakfast each bite a farewell to Rwanda’s wild heart. On the drive to Kigali Airport, the memories flicker a boat on Lake Ihema, the call of the fish eagle, the gaze of a gorilla. The plane lifts off, and below, the land rolls away a canvas of green, gold, and memory.