Rwanda is small enough to see both of its headline wildlife experiences in one short trip. This safari starts in Akagera National Park, the country's savannah park in the east, where all of the Big Five now live again, and ends in Volcanoes National Park for gorilla trekking in Rwanda. Private 4x4, the same driver-guide throughout, and every permit arranged.
Price: $4,350 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
- Akagera National Park entry and a boat trip on Lake Ihema
- 4 nights in mid-range lodges with all meals
- Private 4x4 with English-speaking driver-guide for all 5 days
- Pickup and drop-off in Kigali or at the airport, drinking water throughout
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 → Akagera (~2.5 hrs) | Afternoon game drive | Akagera |
| 2 | Akagera | Full-day game drive, Lake Ihema boat trip | Akagera |
| 3 | Akagera → Kinigi (~5–6 hrs) | Morning drive out, lunch in Kigali | Near Volcanoes NP |
| 4 | Volcanoes National Park | Gorilla trek, one hour with a family | Near Volcanoes NP |
| 5 | Kinigi → Kigali (~2.5 hrs) | Drop-off at hotel or airport | — |
Day-by-day itinerary
Day 1
Kigali to Akagera National Park
Morning pickup from your Kigali hotel or the airport. The road east crosses rolling farmland to the park's southern gate, about two and a half hours away. After checking in and lunch at your lodge, head out on an afternoon game drive around the southern lakes, where hippos, buffalo, waterbuck and plenty of birds gather towards evening.
Day 2
Full day in Akagera: the Big Five
An early start on the open plains of the north, the best area for elephants, giraffes, zebras, topi and the park's lions. Rhinos are present in both black and white species, and leopards are seen by the lucky. In the afternoon, take a boat trip on Lake Ihema, Rwanda's second-largest lake, past hippo pods, Nile crocodiles and fish eagles.
Day 3
Akagera to the Virunga volcanoes
A last morning game drive on the way out, then the drive west through Kigali, where we stop for lunch, and north to Musanze. The volcanoes appear on the horizon in the late afternoon. Check in near Kinigi, receive your gorilla briefing from your guide, and get an early night.
Day 4
Gorilla trekking in Volcanoes National Park
Short drive to the 7:00 AM briefing at Kinigi, assignment to one of the 12 gorilla families, and the trek into the bamboo forest for your hour with a silverback and his family. The afternoon is free to rest, or visit the Gorilla Guardians Village or the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund's Ellen DeGeneres Campus.
Day 5
Back to Kigali
A slow breakfast with volcano views, then the drive to Kigali for drop-off at your hotel or Kigali International Airport. Add a golden monkey trek this morning if you have a late flight.
Akagera: Rwanda's Big Five park
Akagera is a very different Rwanda from the misty volcanoes: lakes, papyrus swamps, acacia woodland and grassy hills along the Tanzanian border. Since 2010 it has been managed by African Parks with the Rwanda Development Board, and it is one of Africa's great conservation recoveries. Lions returned in 2015 after an absence of around fifteen years, eastern black rhinos in 2017 and white rhinos in 2021. Today the park has the full Big Five, plus giraffes, zebras, many antelope species and more than 450 bird species, including the occasional shoebill.
Included and not included
Included
- $1,500 gorilla trekking permit
- Akagera park fees and Lake Ihema boat trip
- 4 nights mid-range lodges, all meals
- Private 4x4 and driver-guide, fuel
- Airport or hotel transfers
- Drinking water
Not included
- International flights and visa
- Travel insurance
- Tips for guides, rangers and porters
- Drinks other than water
- Optional activities (golden monkeys, night drives)
Who this safari suits
First-time visitors who want both a classic savannah safari and the gorillas, without the long transfers of a multi-country trip. It works year-round; June to September and December to February are driest for both parks. Want a few days at the lake too? See the 7-day version with Lake Kivu, or the 10-day complete Rwanda safari.
Gorillas & Big Five questions
Can you see the Big Five in Rwanda?
Yes — in Akagera National Park, which has lion, leopard, elephant, buffalo and both black and white rhino. Lions were reintroduced in 2015 and rhinos from 2017, under the joint management of African Parks and the Rwanda Development Board.
What does the 5-day gorillas and Big Five safari cost?
$4,350 per person based on two people sharing, including the $1,500 gorilla permit, Akagera park fees, a boat trip on Lake Ihema, four nights in mid-range lodges with all meals, and a private 4x4 with driver-guide throughout.
How long is the drive from Akagera to Volcanoes National Park?
Around 5–6 hours, back through Kigali and north via Musanze. We break it with lunch in Kigali.
Is 5 days enough for gorillas and the Big Five?
Yes. Two nights in Akagera gives you a full day of game drives plus a boat trip, and two nights near Volcanoes means a relaxed gorilla trek without a 4:30 AM start from Kigali.
Can I upgrade the lodges?
Yes. The price uses comfortable mid-range lodges; we can quote Magashi or Karenge in Akagera and Bisate, Singita or One&Only near the gorillas.
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