Two lions rest together in dry golden savanna grass.

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Gorillas and Akagera: A Four-Day Rwanda Safari

Gorilla trekking in Volcanoes National Park followed by Big Five game drives and a boat safari in Akagera.

Enquire about this trip See the day by day

Duration4 Days / 3 Nights

Group size2 – 6 travellers

Best monthsJune – September, December – February

From$3,260 per person sharing

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The Trip in Short

Rwanda is small enough that you can do this without feeling rushed: a gorilla trek in the volcanic northwest, then a near-full crossing of the country to Akagera on the Tanzanian border for lion, elephant and boat safaris on Lake Ihema.

It’s a lot of driving relative to the number of days, but the roads are good and the two halves of the trip are different enough – dense montane forest, then open savanna and papyrus wetland – that it doesn’t feel like the same safari twice. Akagera is the only place in Rwanda to see the full Big Five, rhino included since their reintroduction.

Park fees and gorilla permits in Rwanda are set by the Rwanda Development Board.

Highlights

Mountain gorilla trekking in Volcanoes National Park
Game drives across Akagera's savanna and wetland
Boat safari on Lake Ihema among hippos and crocodiles
Chance of black rhino, reintroduced after local extinction
Crossing Rwanda's terraced central highlands by road
500+ recorded bird species in Akagera, shoebill included

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Where You Go, Stop by Stop

Day 1

Kigali – Musanze (Volcanoes NP)

Day 2

Gorilla trekking, transfer toward Akagera

Day 3

Akagera National Park game drives and boat safari

Day 4

Akagera – Kigali – departure

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Day by Day Itinerary

Day 1: Kigali to Musanze

A two-and-a-half-hour drive north into the volcanic highlands, with the twin peaks of Bisoke and Karisimbi visible for most of the last hour. Afternoon is free at the lodge to rest before an early start the next day.

Day 2: Gorilla trek, then east across Rwanda

Trekking starts at Kinigi with briefing and family assignment; the walk and the hour with the gorillas typically fill the morning. After lunch, it's a long afternoon transfer east – four to five hours – crossing the country's central spine of hills toward Akagera, arriving at the lodge for dinner.

Day 3: Akagera National Park

A full day split between an early game drive across open savanna and acacia woodland, watching for lion, elephant, buffalo and the reintroduced black rhino, and an afternoon boat safari on Lake Ihema among hippo pods, basking crocodiles and a strong chance of the prehistoric-looking shoebill stork.

Day 4: Return to Kigali

A final short game drive if time allows, then the two-and-a-half-hour drive back to Kigali for an afternoon or evening departure.

From

$3,260

Enquire about this trip

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What the Price Covers

Included

Rwanda gorilla trekking permit ($1,500)
Akagera National Park entry fees
Boat safari on Lake Ihema
All accommodation, 3 nights
All meals as noted in the itinerary
Private 4x4 transport and driver-guide throughout
Bottled water

Not included

International flights
Rwanda entry visa
Gratuities for guide, trackers and porters
Alcoholic drinks
Travel insurance
Optional night game drive in Akagera

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Before You Book

Is four days enough for both parks?

It's tight but workable – you get one gorilla trek and one full day in Akagera, which is enough to see the park's main habitats without lingering.

How long is the drive between the two?

Around four to five hours, on tarmac for most of the route with a final unpaved stretch into the park.

What's the single supplement?

Solo travellers pay a supplement at midrange lodges on this route; ask for the current rate when booking.

Are the roads rough?

Mostly paved. The last approach to both Volcanoes and Akagera includes gravel sections that are fine in the 4x4s used throughout.

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Where This Trip Goes

Volcanoes National Park

Rwanda · National Park

Africa's first national park, protecting mountain gorillas since 1925, and the most accessible gorilla trekking destination anywhere thanks to its proximity to Kigali.

Kigali

Rwanda · City

Rwanda's capital and safari hub, unusually clean and walkable, with the Kigali Genocide Memorial as its central, essential stop.

Nyungwe Forest National Park

Rwanda · National Park

One of Africa's oldest rainforests, holding around 500 chimpanzees, thirteen primate species and a 60-metre canopy walkway above the forest floor.

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Gorillas and Akagera: A Four-Day Rwanda Safari