Trip Summary

Day-by-Day Itinerary

Day 1 — Arrival in Kigali

Meet-and-greet at Kanombe International Airport with a Terrain Safaris representative, followed by a short orientation and transfer into Kigali.

• Overnight: Hôtel des Mille Collines
• Meals: Dinner

Day 2 — Kigali City Tour & Transfer to Volcanoes National Park

Morning city tour covering cultural landmarks, artisan markets, and viewpoints over Kigali, followed by a scenic drive north through Musanze (Ruhengeri) into the Virunga highlands.

• Overnight: Mountain Gorilla View Lodge, Kinigi
• Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

Day 3 — Gorilla Tracking, Volcanoes National Park

Morning briefing at park headquarters followed by gorilla tracking (typically 2–8 hours depending on the gorillas’ movements) — the signature highlight of the trip.

• Overnight: Mountain Gorilla View Hotel / Hôtel Le Palme / Le Bambou Gorilla Lodge
• Meals: Breakfast, Dinner (implied)

Day 4 — Golden Monkey Trekking & Transfer to Lake Kivu

Morning trek through bamboo forest in search of golden monkeys, followed by lunch, then a scenic descent to Lake Kivu with free time to swim or relax lakeside.

• Overnight: Lake Kivu Serena Hotel
• Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 5 — Lake Kivu Boat Cruise & Gisenyi

Private boat cruise to a coffee-growing island with views of Mount Nyiragongo, a stop to learn about local coffee cultivation, and an afternoon guided tour of the lakeside town of Gisenyi.

• Overnight: Lake Kivu Serena Hotel
• Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

Day 6 — Transfer to Nyungwe Forest National Park & Canopy Walk

Drive south to Nyungwe Forest, home to roughly a quarter of Africa’s primate species, followed by the park’s guided canopy walk — a highlight for birders, with chances to spot Rwenzori Turaco, Black-and-White Casqued Hornbill, and Angolan Colobus monkeys.

• Overnight: Nyungwe Forest Lodge
• Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

Day 7 — Chimpanzee Tracking, Nyungwe Forest

Early departure (around 5:00 AM) for chimpanzee tracking with experienced rangers, observing habituated communities as they wake and interact. Additional wildlife along the trek may include Angolan colobus monkeys, forest birds, and butterflies.

• Overnight: Nyungwe Forest Lodge
• Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 8 — Cultural Journey to Kigali

Return drive to Kigali with cultural stops: the National Museum of Rwanda in Butare/Huye (established 1989 with Belgian government support), the Huye Botanical Gardens, and the King’s Palace Museum in Nyanza, former seat of Rwanda’s monarchy.

• Overnight: Hôtel des Mille Collines, Kigali
• Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

Day 9 — Transfer to Akagera National Park

Drive east to Akagera, Rwanda’s savannah reserve, followed by a boat safari on Lake Ihema to view hippos, Nile crocodiles, and abundant waterbirds.

• Overnight: Akagera Game Lodge
• Meals: Breakfast, Dinner (implied)

Day 10 — Full-Day Game Viewing Safari, Akagera

Full day of game drives across plains, acacia woodland, and wetlands in search of the Big Five — elephant, lion, buffalo, leopard, and rhino — plus giraffe, zebra, and antelope species, with a picnic lunch in the bush.

• Overnight: Akagera Game Lodge
• Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 11 — Transfer to Kigali & Private City Tour

Return to Kigali for a privately guided city tour, including the Kigali Genocide Memorial, followed by exploration of local craft markets and artisan boutiques.

• Overnight: Hôtel des Mille Collines, Kigali
• Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 12 — Departure

Final breakfast in Kigali, then private transfer to Kanombe International Airport for departure.

• Meals: Breakfast

Birding Highlights

Nyungwe Forest and the Volcanoes/Akagera ecosystems make this an outstanding trip for birders, with over 60 notable species possible, including:

Signature species: Shoebill, Rwenzori Turaco (White-crested, Black-billed & Rwenzori varieties), African Crowned Eagle, Narina Trogon, Papyrus Gonolek, Regal Sunbird.

Weavers & Waxbills: Black-billed, Strange, Orange & Weyn’s Weaver; Brown Twinspot.

Cisticolas & Warblers: Carruther’s, Tabora & Trilling Cisticola; Grauer’s Rush and Neumann’s Warbler.

Flycatchers: Yellow-footed, Blue-crested, Chestnut-capped, Yellow-eyed Black, Forest & Sooty Flycatchers; Ituri Batis.

Kingfishers & Bee-eaters: African Dwarf and Chocolate-backed Kingfisher; White-throated & Cinnamon-chested Bee-Eater.

Barbets & Woodpeckers: Yellow-billed, Hairy-breasted & Yellow-spotted Barbet; Yellow-crested, Brown-eared & Buff-spotted Woodpecker.

Sunbirds: Rwenzori Double-collared, Northern Double-collared, Purple-breasted & Regal Sunbird.

Starlings: Narrow-tailed, Chestnut-winged, Stuhlmann’s, Waller’s & Sharp’s Starling.

Bush-shrikes & allies: Lagden’s, Doherty’s & Bocage’s Bush-shrike; White-crested Helmet-shrike; Pink-footed Puffback.

Other notable species: Lesser Jacana, Mountain Illadopsis, Spotted & Joyful Greenbul, Forest Robin, Vereaux’s Eagle-Owl, Collared Pratincole, Sabine’s & Mottled Spinetail, African & Grauer’s Broadbill, Mountain-masked, Chestnut-throated & Rwenzori Apalis, Ayres’s Hawk-Eagle, Equatorial Akalat.

Related Tours from Terrain Safaris

• Rwanda Primate Tour
• Rwanda Bird Watching Trip
• Gorilla & Chimpanzee Trekking
• Gorilla Trekking in Volcanoes Forest
• Birding in Nyungwe Forest
• Birding in Akagera Park