Rwanda’s primates and safari circuit is a journey through some of Africa’s most extraordinary landscapes, beginning in Kigali and descending into the ancient montane rainforest of Nyungwe Forest National Park. Here, chimpanzees leave their night nests at first light and tracking begins before dawn, with the forest’s steep terrain and dense canopy adding to the challenge and thrill of the search. The Nyungwe Canopy Walk offers a rare perspective from high above the forest floor, stretching through the treetops with views toward Lake Kivu on clear days, while the forest itself shelters thirteen primate species and over three hundred bird species.
The journey continues north to Volcanoes National Park, where the forested slopes of the Virunga Mountains hold the world’s remaining mountain gorillas. A mandatory briefing at Kinigi headquarters precedes the trek through bamboo forests and montane vegetation, following trackers who have located a habituated gorilla family that morning. The reward is one magical hour with silverbacks, mothers with babies, and juveniles interacting just metres away—an encounter that ranks among the most profound wildlife experiences on Earth. Optional activities include the golden monkey trek and a visit to the Dian Fossey tomb at Karisoke Research Centre.
The final days unfold in Akagera National Park, Rwanda’s only Big Five destination and Central Africa’s largest protected wetland. Once nearly devastated by civil war, Akagera has been transformed through a partnership between African Parks and the Rwanda Development Board, and today supports lion, rhino, leopard, elephant, and buffalo alongside Maasai giraffe, sable, and roan antelope. A boat safari on Lake Ihema reveals hippos, crocodiles, and abundant birdlife including shoebill storks, before the journey returns to Kigali carrying the memory of gorillas, chimpanzees, and a country reborn.
Safari Overview
This eight-day Rwanda safari combines chimpanzee trekking and canopy walks in Nyungwe Forest, gorilla trekking in Volcanoes National Park, and Big Five game drives and boat safaris in Akagera National Park, with scenic stops at Lake Kivu and cultural visits in Kigali. The journey moves from Africa’s oldest montane rainforest to the Virunga volcanoes and the wetlands of eastern Rwanda, offering one of the most diverse primate and wildlife experiences on the continent.
Safari Highlights
- Chimpanzee trekking in Nyungwe Forest National Park, Africa's oldest montane rainforest and a UNESCO World Heritage Site
- Tracking chimpanzees at first light, with one hour spent observing them once located
- Thirteen primate species and over three hundred bird species in Nyungwe
- Gorilla trekking in Volcanoes National Park, home to twelve habituated mountain gorilla families
- Game drives in Akagera in search of lion, rhino, leopard, elephant, and buffalo
- Maasai giraffe, Burchell's zebra, sable, and roan antelope in Akagera
- The Kigali Genocide Memorial, a poignant introduction to Rwanda's history
