Rwanda, remarkably close

Akagera National Park

Rwanda's only Big Five park — lions, leopards, elephants, rhinos and buffalo roam a landscape of lakes, papyrus swamps and rolling savannah just 2.5 hours from Kigali.

• 05:30Private pickup from your Kigali hotel; scenic drive east
• 08:00Enter through the south gate — morning game drive (lions, elephants, giraffes, zebras)
• 12:30Picnic lunch overlooking Lake Ihema
• 14:00Optional boat safari among hippos & crocodiles (bookable on request)
• 16:00Afternoon drive toward the northern plains — best rhino territory
• 19:30Return to Kigali

Volcanoes National Park

The realm of the mountain gorilla. Explore Musanze and the foothills of the five Virunga volcanoes — with golden monkey treks, Dian Fossey's legacy and the Twin Lakes nearby.

• 06:00Depart Kigali; highland drive to Musanze (±2 hrs)
• 08:30Park briefing at Kinigi headquarters
• 09:00Guided experience: golden monkey trek or Buhanga eco-park walk (gorilla permits arranged separately on request)
• 13:00Lunch in Musanze town
• 14:30Twin Lakes Burera & Ruhondo viewpoint, or Musanze caves tour
• 18:30Return to Kigali

Nyungwe National Park

One of Africa's oldest montane rainforests and a UNESCO World Heritage Site — home to chimpanzees, 13 primate species and East Africa's only canopy walkway, 60 metres above the forest floor.

• 05:00Early departure from Kigali through tea country (±5 hrs, with scenic stops)
• 10:30Igishigishigi trail & the famous Canopy Walkway
• 13:00Lunch near Gisakura tea estate
• 14:30Waterfall trail or colobus monkey tracking (chimp trekking available with overnight option)
• 16:30Return drive — or extend to an overnight stay on request

Gisenyi — Lake Kivu

Rwanda's riviera. Sandy beaches, the Rubona peninsula, lakeside coffee and one of the Great Lakes' most beautiful sunsets — a complete change of pace from the capital.

• 06:30Depart Kigali; ridge-top views over a thousand hills (±3.5 hrs)
• 10:30Gisenyi public beach & waterfront promenade
• 12:30Fresh fish lunch on the lakeshore
• 14:00Boat ride on Lake Kivu & Rubona hot springs
• 16:00Coffee-washing station visit, then sunset by the water
• 17:30Return — or stay overnight and we collect you the next day

King's Palace Museum

Step into pre-colonial Rwanda at Nyanza — the reconstructed royal residence, the modern palace of King Mutara III Rudahigwa, and the sacred Inyambo long-horned cattle with their singing keepers.

• 08:00Pickup in Kigali; southern drive through the hills (±2 hrs)
• 10:00Guided tour of the traditional thatched royal palace
• 11:30Meet the Inyambo royal cattle & their traditional herders
• 12:30Lunch in Nyanza town
• 14:00Rwesero Art Gallery (former palace), then return to Kigali

Good to know

Every package includes

• Private 4×4 or SUV transport from/to your Kigali address
• English- and Kinyarwanda-speaking driver-guide
• Fuel, bottled water and all vehicle costs
• Flexible itinerary — tell us what to add or skip

Park entry fees, meals and activity permits (e.g. gorilla trekking, chimp permits, boat safaris) are payable separately at official RDB rates — we're happy to arrange them for you. Prices are per person; group discounts available for 4+ travellers.