7-Days Rwanda Eco & Wildlife Safari – Savannah, Rainforest & Great Lakes Discovery

Upon arrival at Kigali International Airport, your guide will meet and welcome you. Depending on your arrival time, take a short city tour to visit the Kigali Genocide Memorial, craft markets, or the vibrant Nyamirambo neighborhood. Afterward, transfer to your hotel for dinner and overnight, as you prepare for the exciting journey ahead.

After breakfast, depart for Akagera National Park, located in eastern Rwanda. This 2.5-hour drive takes you through a scenic landscape of rural communities and undulating hills. After checking into your lodge and enjoying lunch, head out on an afternoon game drive through the southern section of the park. Expect to see giraffes, zebras, impalas, and elephants as the sun casts golden light over the savannah. Return to your lodge for dinner.

Set off early for a full-day game drive exploring the northern plains of Akagera, known for their dense populations of wildlife. This is your best chance to spot the Big Five—lion, elephant, buffalo, rhino, and leopard—as well as antelopes, hippos, crocodiles, and an astonishing variety of birds.

Break for a picnic lunch in the bush, then head south for a relaxing boat safari on Lake Ihema, where you’ll float past hippos, crocodiles, and flocks of water birds including kingfishers, fish eagles, and herons. Dinner and overnight at your lodge.

After a relaxed breakfast, drive westward across Rwanda to the peaceful lakeside town of Kibuye on the shores of Lake Kivu. This is a scenic journey with photo stops through hills, tea plantations, and charming rural areas. Arrive in Kibuye in the afternoon and settle into your lakeside accommodation. The rest of the day is free for rest, swimming, or enjoying the lake breeze. Optional boat trips to nearby islands are available.

After a peaceful morning by the lake, continue south to Nyungwe National Park, one of Africa’s oldest and most biodiverse rainforests. Upon arrival, take a gentle guided hike to Isumo Waterfall, a scenic trail that winds through tea plantations and deep forest paths. Keep an eye out for monkeys and rare bird species. Overnight at a lodge on the forest’s edge.

Rise early for an unforgettable chimpanzee trekking experience. With a park ranger, trek into the dense forest to locate a habituated chimpanzee troop. Once found, spend an hour observing their dynamic behavior and social interactions.

Return to your lodge for lunch and a short rest before heading out again for the iconic canopy walk—a 90-meter-long suspension bridge hanging 50 meters above the forest floor. The views across Nyungwe’s treetops are breathtaking and perfect for photos. Overnight in Nyungwe.

After breakfast, drive back to Kigali via scenic mountain roads and tea estates. Depending on your flight time, you may visit local markets or enjoy lunch in Kigali before your airport drop-off. Your unforgettable Rwanda eco-safari comes to an end.