8 DaysRWANDASmall Groups
This 8-day / 7-night Rwanda itinerary is carefully aligned with your arrival and departure schedule and is thoughtfully designed to deliver a well-balanced experience of Big Five wildlife, primates, exceptional birdlife, soft adventure, cultural immersion, and urban discovery. The program rewards travelers with in-depth visits to Akagera National Park, Kigali City, Lake Kivu, and Nyungwe Forest National Park, while ensuring a smooth operational flow, efficient routing, and minimal backtracking for maximum comfort and seamless execution. Request Quote
$3,320per person
Day by Day
Your Itinerary
1Day 1
Arrival in Kigali
You arrive late at night in Kigali with Turkish Airlines, where you will be met on arrival for a smooth meet-and-greet service followed by a private transfer to your hotel. This night is intentionally kept light and efficient, allowing you to rest and recover in preparation for the journey ahead.
Accommodation Options:
Budget: Chez Land Hotel
Midrange: Movenpick Hotel
Luxury: Kigali Serena Hotel
Meal Plan: Dinner
2Day 2
Kigali City Discovery and Cultural Evening.
Today is dedicated to understanding Kigali’s past, present and future. You begin with a guided visit to the Kigali Genocide Memorial, followed by selected museums and key historical sites that provide context to Rwanda’s remarkable transformation. The experience is complemented by a city orientation through modern districts, local neighborhoods and markets, offering an authentic sense of daily life. In the early evening, you enjoy a curated dinner accompanied by a national folk dance performance at a cultural venue in Kigali, delivering a refined and memorable cultural immersion.
Accommodation Options:
Budget: Chez Land Hotel
Midrange: Movenpick Hotel
Luxury: Kigali Serena Hotel
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
3Day 3
Mount Kigali Hike and Transfer to Akagera National Park
After breakfast, you set out for a guided hike on Mount Kigali, a gentle to moderate walk offering panoramic views over the city and surrounding hills. This soft adventure adds an active dimension to the itinerary without being physically demanding. After the hike, you travel eastwards through rural Rwanda to Akagera National Park, arriving in the afternoon and settling into your lodge within Rwanda’s only savannah ecosystem.
Accommodation Options:
Midrange: Salt of Akagera
Luxury: Ruzizi Tent Lodge
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
4Day 4
Akagera Big Five Safari and Boat Experience
This day is fully dedicated to wildlife and birdlife exploration in Akagera National Park. Morning and afternoon game drives focus on locating the Big Five while also showcasing the park’s rich diversity of plains game and savannah birds. In the afternoon, you enjoy a boat safari on Lake Ihema, where hippos and crocodiles are commonly seen alongside an impressive concentration of waterbirds, providing a relaxed yet highly rewarding wildlife perspective.
Accommodation Options:
Midrange: Salt of Akagera
Luxury: Ruzizi Tent Lodge
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
5Day 5
Akagera to Lake Kivu with Boat Ride
After breakfast, you depart Akagera and drive across the country toward the west, passing through Rwanda’s rolling hills and agricultural landscapes. Upon arrival at Lake Kivu, you enjoy a scenic boat ride along the shoreline and nearby islands. The afternoon is unhurried, combining lakeside relaxation with bird observation and sunset views, offering a calm contrast to the previous safari experience.
Accommodation Options:
Budget: Palme Beach Hotel
Midrange: Kivu Paradise
Luxury: Kivu Serena Hotel
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
6Day 6
Lake Kivu to Nyungwe Forest National Park
The morning is relaxed, allowing time to enjoy the lakeside atmosphere before departing for Nyungwe Forest National Park. The drive is particularly scenic, passing tea plantations and dense vegetation as you approach the rainforest. Arrival is scheduled for the afternoon, with time to settle into your lodge and absorb the unique forest environment.
Accommodation Options:
Budget: Maravilla Kivu Resort
Midrange: Kivu Marina Bay Hotel
Luxury: Munazi Ecolodge
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
7Day 7
Nyungwe Canopy Walk and Forest Birding
Today highlights Nyungwe’s most iconic experiences. You begin with the canopy walk, suspended above the rainforest and offering dramatic views across the forest canopy and surrounding valleys. This is followed by guided birding within the forest, focusing on Albertine Rift endemic species and other rare birds, with frequent sightings of colobus monkeys and additional primates enhancing the experience.
Accommodation Options:
Budget: Maravilla Kivu Resort
Midrange: Kivu Marina Bay Hotel
Luxury: Munazi Ecolodge
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
8Day 8
Return to Kigali and Departure
After breakfast, you depart Nyungwe and return to Kigali by road with enroute visit to Kings Palace museum, arriving with sufficient time for final refreshments or light shopping depending on your preference. In the evening, you are transferred to Kigali International Airport for your Turkish Airlines departure before midnight, concluding a well balanced and comprehensive Rwanda journey that integrates wildlife, birds, soft adventure, culture and city life in a seamless and professionally paced program.
Meal Plan: Breakfast & Lunch
What's Included
Transportation on a 4 x 4 safari vehicle with pop-up roof.
7 nights’ Accommodation and meals as listed on the itinerary
Service of an English-French/speaking driver-guide
Kigali city tour & cultural evening
Boat ride in Lake Kivu and Ihema
Parks entrance fees (Nyungwe and Akagera NP)
Mount Kigali guided hike
King’s Palace Museum visit
Enough Bottled mineral water
Game drives as mentioned in the itinerary
All the activities specified in the itinerary, inclusive of applicable entrance fees
What's Excluded
Airfare,
Visa,
Alcoholic Drinks,
Tips to local guides,
Porter fee while trekking,
Personal insurance,
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