If you want to see everything Rwanda is famous for in one trip, this is it. Ten days, all three of the country's great national parks, Lake Kivu, Kigali and the cultural sites of the old kingdom — with Rwanda gorilla trekking at its heart and the same private 4x4 and driver-guide from arrival to departure.
Price: $6,950 per person
Based on two people sharing a room and vehicle, with comfortable mid-range lodges. Groups of three or more pay less per person; solo travellers and lodge upgrades are quoted on request.
- Gorilla trekking permit ($1,500), booked in your name
- Chimpanzee tracking permit and the Nyungwe canopy walk
- Akagera park fees and a boat trip on Lake Ihema
- Lake Kivu boat trip and coffee farm visit
- Kigali city tour with the Kigali Genocide Memorial
- Cultural visits: Gorilla Guardians Village, King's Palace Museum (Nyanza), Ethnographic Museum (Huye)
- 9 nights in mid-range lodges and hotels with all meals
- Private 4x4 with English-speaking driver-guide for all 10 days, airport transfers, water
Travelling November to May? Save $450 per person
This itinerary includes two nights in Akagera and/or Nyungwe, so it qualifies for RDB's 30% low-season gorilla permit discount ($1,050 instead of $1,500). Travel between November and May and we apply it to your quote. How the discount works.
Route at a glance
| Day | Where | Highlights | Overnight |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kigali | Arrival, city tour, Genocide Memorial | Kigali |
| 2 | Kigali → Akagera (~2.5 hrs) | Afternoon game drive, Lake Ihema boat | Akagera |
| 3 | Akagera | Full-day Big Five game drive | Akagera |
| 4 | Akagera → Kinigi (~5–6 hrs) | Through Kigali to the volcanoes | Near Volcanoes NP |
| 5 | Volcanoes National Park | Gorilla trek, Gorilla Guardians Village | Near Volcanoes NP |
| 6 | Kinigi → Rubavu (~1.5 hrs) | Lake Kivu beach afternoon | Rubavu (Lake Kivu) |
| 7 | Rubavu → Karongi (~3 hrs) | Boat trip, coffee farm, lakeshore road | Karongi (Lake Kivu) |
| 8 | Karongi → Nyungwe (~3 hrs) | Tea estates, afternoon canopy walk | Nyungwe |
| 9 | Nyungwe → Huye (~2.5 hrs) | Chimpanzee tracking, Ethnographic Museum | Huye |
| 10 | Huye → Nyanza → Kigali (~3 hrs) | King's Palace Museum, departure | — |
Day-by-day itinerary
Day 1
Arrival and Kigali city tour
Airport pickup and a guided introduction to Kigali, one of Africa's cleanest and safest capitals: the Kigali Genocide Memorial, essential for understanding modern Rwanda; the colour and bustle of Kimironko Market; contemporary art at Inema Arts Center; and viewpoints over the city's hills. Welcome dinner and overnight in Kigali.
Day 2
To Akagera National Park
Drive east to Akagera. After lunch, a game drive around the southern lakes and a late-afternoon boat trip on Lake Ihema among hippos, crocodiles and fish eagles.
Day 3
The Big Five
A full day on Akagera's northern plains and hills: elephants, giraffes, zebras, buffalo, lions and, with luck, leopard and rhino. Picnic lunch in the park.
Day 4
Across Rwanda to the volcanoes
Back through Kigali for lunch and north to Kinigi, with the Virunga volcanoes rising ahead in the afternoon.
Day 5
Gorilla trekking and the Gorilla Guardians Village
The 7:00 AM briefing at Kinigi and your trek to a habituated mountain gorilla family — the high point of the trip for most guests. In the afternoon, visit the Gorilla Guardians Village for traditional dance, drumming, a replica king's house and local crafts.
Day 6
Down to Lake Kivu
A short drive to Rubavu (Gisenyi) on Lake Kivu. Afternoon at leisure on the beach or by the hotel pool.
Day 7
Boat trip and the lakeshore road
Morning boat trip on the lake and a visit to a coffee farm and washing station, then the winding lakeshore road south to Karongi (Kibuye), one of the prettiest corners of Rwanda.
Day 8
Into Nyungwe Forest
Drive through tea plantations into Nyungwe National Park. In the afternoon, walk out onto the canopy walkway, suspended high above a rainforest ravine, for a monkey's-eye view of one of Africa's oldest forests.
Day 9
Chimpanzee tracking, then Huye
An early start to track chimpanzees with Nyungwe's rangers. After the trek, drive to Huye, the university town, and visit the Ethnographic Museum, Rwanda's finest collection of traditional crafts, tools and history.
Day 10
King's Palace and departure
Stop at Nyanza for the King's Palace Museum, a reconstructed royal residence where the long-horned Inyambo cattle are still kept and sung to. Continue to Kigali for your flight home.
Included and not included
Included
- $1,500 gorilla trekking permit
- Chimpanzee permit and canopy walk
- Akagera fees and Lake Ihema boat trip
- Lake Kivu boat trip and coffee farm
- Kigali city tour and cultural visits
- 9 nights mid-range, all meals
- Private 4x4 and driver-guide, fuel
- Airport transfers, water
Not included
- International flights and visa
- Travel insurance
- Tips for guides, rangers and porters
- Drinks other than water
- Optional extra treks and activities
Who this safari suits
First-time visitors who want the whole country, photographers, families with teenagers (the gorilla minimum age is 15), and anyone celebrating something special. Prefer a shorter trip? See the 7-day gorillas, Big Five and Lake Kivu or the 5-day gorillas and chimpanzees.
10-day safari questions
What does the 10-day complete Rwanda safari include?
Gorilla trekking in Volcanoes, Big Five game drives and a boat trip in Akagera, chimpanzee tracking and the canopy walk in Nyungwe, two stops on Lake Kivu, a guided Kigali city tour, and cultural visits including the Gorilla Guardians Village, the King's Palace Museum in Nyanza and the Ethnographic Museum in Huye. Nine nights in mid-range lodges with all meals and a private 4x4 with driver-guide throughout.
How much is a 10-day Rwanda safari?
Our complete 10-day Rwanda safari is $6,950 per person based on two people sharing, including the $1,500 gorilla permit and the chimpanzee permit.
Is 10 days enough to see all of Rwanda?
Yes. Rwanda is compact, and ten days covers all three of its major national parks — Volcanoes, Akagera and Nyungwe — plus Lake Kivu, Kigali and the cultural heartland around Nyanza and Huye.
Can I add a second gorilla trek?
Yes. Many guests add a second trek with a different family on day 5 or 6. Ask us and we will rework the route and requote.
When is the best time for a 10-day Rwanda safari?
June to September and December to February are driest, which suits game drives and treks. Rwanda can be visited all year; the green seasons are quieter with easier permit availability.
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