A river winding through lush green wetland beneath an open sky.

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Rwanda’s Wild Corners: A Fourteen-Day Birding and Primate Expedition

Every Rwandan primate trek plus dedicated wetland birding at Akanyaru, Nyabarongo and Akagera, over fourteen days.

Enquire about this trip See the day by day

Duration14 Days / 13 Nights

Group size2 – 6 travellers

Best monthsYear-round, with strongest migrant activity November – April

From$8,750 per person sharing

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The Trip in Short

This is the itinerary for people who’ve already done the standard Rwanda trip, or who simply want the long version from the start. It covers every primate trek the country offers – gorillas, golden monkeys, two separate chimp populations – and adds the wetland birding most visitors never reach: Akanyaru on the Burundi border, Nyabarongo near Kigali, and Akagera’s papyrus channels.

Fourteen days gives it room to be thorough rather than frantic, with specialist guiding throughout for anyone serious about a Rwanda bird list.

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

Highlights

Mountain gorilla and golden monkey trekking in Volcanoes National Park
Chimpanzee trekking at both Nyungwe and Gishwati-Mukura
160m canopy walkway and Albertine Rift endemic birding
Akanyaru and Nyabarongo papyrus wetlands
Full two-day Akagera birding and game viewing
Specialist ornithological guide for the full trip

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Where You Go, Stop by Stop

Day 1–3

Kigali – Musanze: gorillas, golden monkeys

Day 4–6

Musanze – Gishwati-Mukura

Day 7–9

Gishwati-Mukura – Nyungwe Forest

Day 10–12

Nyungwe – Akagera National Park

Day 13–14

Akagera wetlands – Akanyaru – Kigali – departure

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Day by Day Itinerary

Day 1: Kigali to Musanze

Transfer north to the volcanic highlands, arriving in time to settle in before an early trek.

Day 2: Gorilla trekking

The gorilla trek and its hour of viewing, with the rest of the day free to recover.

Day 3: Golden monkeys

A shorter, flatter trek through bamboo forest for golden monkeys, a good habitat for high-altitude forest birds as well.

Day 4–6: Gishwati-Mukura

Transfer to Rwanda's restored forest corridor for chimp trekking among a smaller population, golden monkey tracking, and birding through 160-plus recorded species including the Rwenzori Turaco.

Day 7–9: Nyungwe Forest

On to Nyungwe for a second chimp trek, the 160m canopy walkway, and two full birding days targeting Albertine Rift endemics like the Red-collared Mountain Babbler and Kivu Ground Thrush.

Day 10–12: Akagera National Park

A long transfer east for three days of birding by vehicle and boat, with a strong chance at the shoebill and over forty recorded raptor species across the park's wetlands and savanna.

Day 13: Akanyaru Wetlands

A stop at the Ramsar-listed Akanyaru papyrus marshland on the Burundi border, a reliable spot for papyrus specialists rarely seen elsewhere on the itinerary.

Day 14: Nyabarongo Wetlands and departure

A final morning at the Nyabarongo River wetlands just southeast of Kigali before departure.

From

$8,750

Enquire about this trip

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What the Price Covers

Included

Rwanda gorilla trekking permit ($1,500)
Golden monkey and chimpanzee trekking permits (both parks)
Akagera National Park entry and boat safari
Specialist birding guide throughout
All accommodation, 13 nights
All meals as noted in the itinerary
Private transport throughout

Not included

International flights
Rwanda entry visa
Gratuities for guides, trackers and porters
Alcoholic drinks
Travel insurance

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Before You Book

Is chimp trekking at two different parks repetitive?

The two populations behave differently – Gishwati-Mukura's group is smaller and more habituated to a quiet, low-traffic setting, while Nyungwe's trekking covers larger forest and less predictable movement. Serious birders and primate-watchers generally find both worthwhile.

What's a realistic species count for this itinerary?

Groups with a dedicated guide covering this full route commonly log several hundred species across the two weeks, weighted heavily toward Albertine Rift endemics and wetland specialists.

Is fourteen days too much walking?

The treks themselves are the most demanding days; wetland birding is done from vehicles, boats or short level walks, which balances the schedule.

Can this itinerary be split into two shorter trips?

Yes – it divides naturally into a primate-focused first week and a birding-focused second week if that suits your schedule better.

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Where This Trip Goes

Lake Kivu

Rwanda · Lake

Rwanda's largest lake, forming the border with DRC, used mainly for boat trips, swimming and a break between the country's more demanding trekking destinations.

Rwanda

Country

The most accessible mountain gorilla trekking in the world, a rainforest canopy walk in Nyungwe and a recovered Big Five park at Akagera, all within a…

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.

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Rwanda’s Wild Corners: A Fourteen-Day Birding and Primate Expedition