7 Days Big Five Safari in Rwanda with Chimps and Canopy Walk Tour

Your Safari in Rwanda adventure begins with a warm welcome at Kigali International Airport, where your English-speaking driver-guide will greet you and commence your tour of Rwanda's clean and organized capital city, located in the geographical heart of the country. This initial Safari in Rwanda experience includes a moving visit to the Kigali Genocide Memorial (Kwibuka Centre), approximately 5km from the city center, followed by exploration of the vibrant Kimironko Market (Isoko rya Kimironko) where local crafts and produce create a colorful sensory experience. Your Safari in Rwanda day concludes with a delicious lunch at a carefully selected local restaurant before transferring to your comfortable accommodation within Kigali's city limits, just 10km from the airport, for dinner and overnight rest.

After an early breakfast, your Safari in Rwanda journey continues with a scenic 2.5-hour drive (approximately 120km) eastward to Akagera National Park, Rwanda's only savannah reserve located along the Tanzania border. The Safari in Rwanda experience intensifies as you register at the park headquarters in Nyagatare District before checking into your lodge and enjoying lunch amidst the natural surroundings. Your afternoon Safari in Rwanda adventure features a game drive through the southern sector of the park, where zebras, various antelope species, and buffalo roam freely across the undulating landscape, followed by a mesmerizing sunset boat trip on Lake Ihema (Ikiyaga cya Ihema), Rwanda's second-largest lake, where hippos grunt and crocodiles lurk along the shoreline.

Today's Safari in Rwanda experience is devoted entirely to exploring Akagera's diverse ecosystems, spanning 1,122 square kilometers from the southern lake’s region to the northern savannah plains. Your Safari in Rwanda adventure begins after an early breakfast as you venture into the northern sector of the park, where lions (reintroduced in 2015) and rhinos (reintroduced in 2017) have restored Akagera's Big Five status, making this a truly complete Safari in Rwanda experience. Throughout this full-day Safari in Rwanda exploration, your expert guide navigates Akagera's varied landscapes, from papyrus swamps to open grasslands, providing opportunities to spot elephant herds around Kilala Plains (Ibibara bya Kilala) and giraffe families near Mutumba Hill (Umusozi wa Mutumba), before returning to your lodge for dinner and overnight.

Your Safari in Rwanda journey transitions today as you depart Akagera after breakfast for the approximately 350km cross-country drive to Nyungwe National Park in Rwanda's southwestern corner, a journey of about 7-8 hours. This Safari in Rwanda travel day offers glimpses of Rwanda's famous terraced hillsides and rural communities as you pass through Kigali for lunch before continuing south on smooth roads past Butare (now Huye). The Safari in Rwanda scenery grows increasingly dramatic as you approach the ancient rainforest of Nyungwe, one of Africa's oldest forests locally known as "Ishyamba rya Nyungwe," where you'll check into your lodge situated near the forest edge, approximately 225km from Kigali, in time for dinner and preparation for tomorrow's primate adventure.

The highlight of your Safari in Rwanda experience awaits as you rise early for breakfast before embarking on an unforgettable chimpanzee tracking adventure in Nyungwe's 1,020 square kilometer rainforest, home to approximately 500 chimpanzees. Your Safari in Rwanda guide will transfer you to the park headquarters (approximately 20 minutes from the lodge) where you'll join specialized rangers for a briefing before entering the forest to locate one of several habituated chimpanzee families. This Safari in Rwanda encounter offers a precious hour with our closest relatives in their natural habitat, observing their social interactions, feeding behaviors, and remarkable agility in the forest canopy, creating lifetime memories before returning to your lodge for a well-deserved rest and overnight stay.

After a leisurely breakfast, your Safari in Rwanda adventure continues with an exhilarating visit to Nyungwe's famous Canopy Walkway, a suspended bridge system stretching 160 meters across the forest and hovering 60 meters above the valley floor. This Safari in Rwanda activity begins with a short drive to the starting point, followed by a guided forest hike of approximately 45 minutes to reach the walkway entrance near Uwinka Visitor Center. From this elevated Safari in Rwanda perspective, you'll enjoy breathtaking views across the ancient forest canopy while spotting birds, butterflies, and possibly monkeys in the treetops, before returning to your lodge for an afternoon of relaxation surrounded by the soothing sounds of the forest.

The final day of your Safari in Rwanda journey begins with breakfast at your Nyungwe accommodation before commencing the scenic return drive to Kigali, covering approximately 225km and taking 5-6 hours. This Safari in Rwanda conclusion includes an optional visit to the fascinating Rwanda King Palace Museum (Ingoro y'Umwami) in Nyanza, located approximately 135km from Nyungwe and 85km from Kigali, where you can explore the traditional royal residence of Rwanda's last monarchs. Your Safari in Rwanda experience ends with a transfer to Kigali International Airport for your departure flight or to your Kigali accommodation if you're extending your stay in Rwanda's charming capital city.