10 Days Rwanda Safari Adventure

Tour Highlights

Immerse yourself in the "Land of a Thousand Hills" with Tarec Gorilla Safaris. This 10‑day Grand Tour is our most comprehensive Rwandan experience, perfectly balancing high‑octane primate tracking, classic savannah game drives, and deep cultural connections. From the tragic history and triumphant rebirth of Kigali to the mist‑shrouded peaks of the Virungas and the sun‑drenched shores of Lake Kivu, this is the definitive Rwandan adventure.

Day 1: Arrival & The Heart of Rwanda

Upon arrival at Kigali International Airport, your Tarec guide will transfer you to your hotel. Depending on your arrival time, enjoy a brief orientation of this remarkably clean and green city.
Accommodation: Budget: Mille Collines (Standard) / Onomo Hotel; Mid‑Range: Hotel des Mille Collines (Superior) / Kigali Serena (Standard); Luxury: The Retreat by Heaven / Radisson Blu.

Day 2: Kigali City Tour & Transfer to Akagera NP

Visit the Kigali Genocide Memorial for a moving tribute to Rwanda's history, followed by a trip to the Caplaki Craft Village. In the afternoon, drive east through rolling landscapes to Akagera National Park.
Accommodation: Budget: Akagera Rhino Lodge; Mid‑Range: Akagera Game Lodge; Luxury: Ruzizi Tented Lodge / Magashi Camp.

Day 3: Savannah Game Drive & Lake Ihema Boat Safari

Spend the morning exploring the northern plains of Akagera in search of the Big Five (lion, leopard, elephant, buffalo, and rhino). In the afternoon, enjoy a boat cruise on Lake Ihema, spotting giant Nile crocodiles and pods of hippos.
Accommodation: Same as Day 2.

Day 4: The Southern Heritage Route to Nyungwe

A scenic day of travel heading southwest. We stop in Nyanza to visit the King's Palace Museum, a reconstruction of the traditional royal residence. We continue through the hills to the ancient Nyungwe Forest.
Accommodation: Budget: Gisakura Family Hostel; Mid‑Range: Nyungwe Top View Hill Hotel; Luxury: One & Only Nyungwe House.

Day 5: Chimpanzee Tracking & Canopy Walkway

Enter the deep rainforest of Nyungwe National Park to track wild chimpanzees. After lunch, test your mettle on the Canopy Walk, a 70‑meter‑high suspension bridge offering a bird’s‑eye view of the ancient treetops and endemic birds.
Accommodation: Same as Day 4.

Day 6: Tea Plantations & Transfer to Lake Kivu

Experience Rwanda's "Green Gold" with a walk through the lush Gisakura Tea Estates. Afterward, we drive north along the scenic shores of Lake Kivu to the resort town of Karongi (Kibuye), known for its stunning emerald islands.
Accommodation: Budget: Inzu Lodge; Mid‑Range: Comoran Lodge / Hotel Lake Kivu Serena; Luxury: Kivu Lodge / Lake Kivu Serena (Suite).

Day 7: Island Exploration & Transfer to Volcanoes NP

Take a morning boat ride on Lake Kivu to visit Napoleon Island (home to a fruit bat colony). In the afternoon, we continue our journey north to Musanze, the base for gorilla trekking in the shadow of the Virunga Volcanoes.
Accommodation: Budget: Hotel Muhabura; Mid‑Range: Five Volcanoes Boutique Hotel / Le Bambou Gorilla Lodge; Luxury: Bisate Lodge / Sabyinyo Silverback Lodge.

Day 8: The Gorilla Trekking Majesty

The pinnacle of your safari. Trek through the bamboo forests of Volcanoes National Park to spend one hour with a family of mountain gorillas. In the evening, visit the Iby’iwacu Cultural Village to witness traditional drumming and the king's coronation ceremonies.
Accommodation: Same as Day 7.

Day 9: Golden Monkeys & The Dian Fossey Legacy

Return to the park for a playful encounter with the endangered golden monkeys. In the afternoon, visit the Ellen DeGeneres Campus of the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund to learn about the decades of conservation work that saved these primates.
Accommodation: Same as Day 7.

Day 10: Twin Lakes & Departure

Visit the breathtaking Twin Lakes (Burera and Ruhondo) for a final photography session before returning to Kigali. Your guide will drop you at the airport for your evening flight.

Safari Inclusions & Exclusions