9-Day Luxury Rwanda Gorilla Safari with Top Lodges

Searching for the best Rwanda luxury safaris with top lodges such as Bisate Lodge, Singita Kwitonda Lodge, Amakoro Lodge, Sabyinyo Silverback Lodge, One&Only Gorilla’s Nest, Magashi Camp, and more?

This 9-day Rwanda Gorilla Holiday offers a complete luxury experience, combining wildlife, culture, and primate encounters.

This safari takes you to Rwanda’s three national parks: Nyungwe, Akagera, and Volcanoes National Park, and gives you the chance to trek mountain gorillas in the Virunga Conservation Area.

You will also enjoy chimpanzee trekking, a canopy walk, game drives, a boat ride, and cultural tours. Kigali city exploration is also included, with visits to the presidential museum, genocide memorial center, and local attractions.

9-Day Rwanda Luxury Safari Highlights

• Day 1: Transfer to Akagera National Park
• Day 2: Game Drive & Lake Ihema Boat Cruise
• Day 3: Transfer to Volcanoes National Park
• Day 4: Gorilla Trekking & Twin Lakes Visit
• Day 5: Dian Fossey Hike & Transfer to Lake Kivu
• Day 6: Transfer to Nyungwe Forest National Park
• Day 7: Chimpanzee Trekking & Canopy Walk
• Day 8: Nature Walk & Community Visit
• Day 9: Return to Kigali & Departure

Detailed 9-Day Luxury Rwanda Safari Itinerary

Day 1: Transfer to Akagera National Park

Upon arrival at Kigali International Airport, meet your guide and transfer to Akagera National Park, which is made up of wetlands, woodlands, and Savannah. After lunch, take an evening game drive to spot some of the Big Five and other wildlife such as giraffes, buffaloes, elephants, and many bird species, including the shoebill stork along River Kagera.

Day 2: Game Drive & Lake Ihema Boat Cruise

Start the day with a dawn game drive to see early risers and predators like lions and hyenas. Return to the lodge for lunch. In the afternoon, go for a boat ride on Lake Ihema, Rwanda’s second-largest lake, where you can see hippos, crocodiles, elephants, buffaloes, and a variety of water birds. Dinner and overnight at a luxury lodge in Akagera.

Day 3: Transfer to Volcanoes National Park

After breakfast, take a scenic drive to Volcanoes National Park with stopovers for photos and lunch en route. Arrive in the evening, check in to your lodge, and relax before dinner.

Day 4: Gorilla Trekking & Twin Lakes Visit

After an early breakfast, drive to the park headquarters for a briefing before starting your gorilla trek. The trek usually lasts 2–3 hours before you meet the gorillas. Spend one hour in their presence, observing and taking photos, then return to your lodge for lunch. In the afternoon, visit the twin lakes of Ruhondo and Burera.

Day 5: Dian Fossey Hike & Transfer to Lake Kivu

After breakfast, hike to the Dian Fossey grave at Karisoke Research Center, where she spent years studying and protecting mountain gorillas. Learn about her conservation work before returning for lunch. Later, transfer to Lake Kivu, relax at the beach, and enjoy dinner and overnight at a lakeside resort.

Day 6: Transfer to Nyungwe Forest National Park

After breakfast, you may visit Napoleon Island or take a boat cruise on Lake Kivu. You can also visit the Environmental Museum and nearby communities. Later, transfer south to Nyungwe Forest National Park, arriving in the evening for dinner and overnight.

Day 7: Chimpanzee Trekking & Canopy Walk

Have breakfast and go to the park headquarters for a briefing before chimpanzee trekking. The trek can take 2–8 hours depending on the troop’s location. Along the way, you may see other primates such as owl-faced monkeys, silver monkeys, L’Hoest’s monkeys, grey-cheeked mangabeys, and many birds. In the afternoon, enjoy the famous Nyungwe canopy walk for views of the forest and wildlife.

Day 8: Nature Walk & Community Visit

After breakfast, take a guided walk in Nyungwe Forest to see more primates, birds, plants, waterfalls, and forest scenery. In the afternoon, visit nearby communities, tea plantations, and Gisakura Tea Factory. Dinner and overnight at your lodge.

Day 9: Return to Kigali & Departure

After breakfast, drive back to Kigali with a stop at Nyanza for a tour of the National Museum and in Butare for lunch and a cultural visit. Continue to Kigali and transfer to the airport for your departure flight, marking the end of your 9-day Rwanda Gorilla Holiday.

End of 9 Days Luxury Rwanda Gorilla Holiday.

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