Plan This Safari
Rwanda.
Africa's
finest gorillas.
The mist-shrouded Virunga volcanoes. Ancient rainforest. Mountain gorillas as close as 7 metres. Rwanda delivers the most refined gorilla trekking experience on earth, combined with luxury lodges that rival the finest in Africa.
The Land of a Thousand Hills
Rwanda is one of Africa's most remarkable travel stories. A country that has transformed itself from tragedy to global example within a single generation. Today it is one of the cleanest, safest and most organised countries on the continent. Plastic bags are banned. Corruption is treated seriously. The streets of Kigali are safer than most European capitals. And the gorillas are extraordinary.
The country sits in the heart of Central Africa, landlocked, mountainous and extraordinarily green. Its landscape is a rolling sequence of volcanic peaks, deep valleys, ancient forests and glittering lakes. The Virunga Volcanoes dominate the northwest, a chain of eight extinct and active volcanoes straddling the borders of Rwanda, Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo. It is here, in the mist of Volcanoes National Park, that Dian Fossey spent twenty years studying mountain gorillas. It is here that "Gorillas in the Mist" was filmed. And it is here that today's visitors come face to face with the most compelling wildlife encounter on earth.
Rwanda has made a deliberate choice to position itself as a high-value, low-volume tourism destination. Gorilla permits cost USD 1,500. Lodge prices are among the highest in Africa. In return, visitors receive an exceptionally managed, uncrowded and deeply personal experience. No more than 8 visitors per gorilla family per day. No more than one hour with the gorillas. A complete sense that you are in something rare and truly protected.
Beyond the gorillas, Rwanda offers Nyungwe Forest for chimpanzees and canopy walks, Akagera National Park for the Big Five on open savannah, and Lake Kivu for a serene, beautiful lakeside finish. The whole country can be crossed in under four hours. Nothing requires a long-haul internal flight. Rwanda is compact, accessible and astonishingly concentrated in its wildlife and cultural richness.
USD widely accepted
New York: ~15 hrs
Dubai: ~5 hrs
The Most Managed Gorilla Experience on Earth
Rwanda's approach to gorilla tourism is a global benchmark. Strict permit limits, no crowding, no rushing. Your hour with a gorilla family is genuinely extraordinary.
Compact and Accessible
Volcanoes National Park is just 2.5 hours from Kigali. Nyungwe and Akagera are both within 3 to 4 hours. Rwanda's entire wildlife circuit fits neatly into 7 days.
Africa's Safest, Cleanest Country
Plastic bags are banned. Corruption is prosecuted. Kigali is immaculate. Rwanda's safety record and governance are exceptional by any standard, African or global.
Exceptional Luxury Lodges
Bisate Lodge, One&Only Gorilla's Nest, Singita Kwitonda. Rwanda's gorilla lodges rank among the finest on the continent in design, service and sustainability.
Rwanda's Wild Places
Small country, enormous variety. Three national parks, each completely different, each extraordinary.
Volcanoes National Park
This is Rwanda's crown jewel and the primary reason most visitors come. Volcanoes National Park covers 160 square kilometres of montane rainforest on the slopes of five of the Virunga chain's eight volcanoes: Karisimbi, Bisoke, Muhabura, Gahinga and Sabyinyo. It shares borders with Uganda's Mgahinga Gorilla National Park and the DRC's Virunga National Park, forming one of Africa's most important cross-border conservation areas.
The park is home to 10 habituated gorilla families, each allocated their own trekking sector. Trek durations range from 2 to 6 hours. The volcanic slopes are steep and the vegetation dense, but the terrain is more compact and the treks generally shorter than Uganda's Bwindi. The gorilla encounter itself, a full hour in the presence of a wild family at minimum 7 metres distance, is the most moving wildlife experience most visitors ever have.
Beyond gorillas, the park offers golden monkey tracking on the lower bamboo forest slopes, a hike to Dian Fossey's tomb at Karisoke, and a two-day summit climb of Mount Karisimbi, Rwanda's highest peak at 4,507 metres.
Nyungwe Forest National Park
Nyungwe is one of Africa's most ancient and biodiverse forests, covering 1,019 square kilometres of montane rainforest and representing one of the most intact mountain rainforest ecosystems remaining on the continent. It is the source of the Nile's most distant headwaters and home to an extraordinary concentration of life.
The forest shelters 13 primate species, including a habituated chimpanzee community that visitors can track on guided treks. It also harbours L'Hoest's monkeys, Rwenzori colobus monkeys, Olive baboons and Vervet monkeys. Its bird life is exceptional with over 300 species including 29 Albertine Rift endemics found nowhere else on earth.
The park's famous Canopy Walk, a 160-metre suspension bridge 60 metres above the forest floor, offers an extraordinary elevated perspective on the forest and its inhabitants. Nyungwe pairs naturally with Lake Kivu and makes an excellent addition to any Rwanda itinerary.
Akagera National Park
Akagera is one of Africa's great conservation comeback stories. Managed since 2010 through a public-private partnership between the Rwanda Development Board and African Parks, the park has been systematically restored from heavily poached farmland to a functioning Big Five ecosystem. Lions were reintroduced in 2015. Black rhinos followed in 2017. Elephants, buffalos, leopards, hippos and giraffes were already present.
Today Akagera covers 1,122 square kilometres of savannah, woodland, wetland and a string of lakes along the Tanzanian border. Game drives deliver reliable sightings of elephants, buffalos and giraffes. Lion and leopard sightings are increasing as the populations establish. Boat safaris on Lake Ihema offer exceptional hippo and crocodile viewing alongside extraordinary bird concentrations.
Akagera sits just 3 hours from Kigali and can be combined with Volcanoes National Park on a 7 to 10 day Rwanda circuit that covers gorillas, savannah game drives and a genuine Big Five experience.
When to Go to Rwanda
Gorilla trekking in Rwanda is possible year-round. The gorillas do not migrate. Season affects trekking conditions and photography rather than availability of the experience itself.
Long Dry Season
Rwanda's most popular trekking period. The volcanic slopes are firmer and less slippery, trails are clearer, and the skies over the Virungas are frequently clear in the mornings before afternoon clouds roll in. Gorilla sightings are reliable and photography conditions are excellent. This is peak demand for permits and lodges, which should be booked 6 to 12 months in advance for this period.
Short Dry Season
Often considered an even better time to visit than June to September. The vegetation is lush from the preceding rains, giving landscapes an extraordinary vividness. Permit availability is better than mid-year. Lodge rates may be slightly lower. The dry weather makes trekking comfortable and mornings on the volcano slopes are typically clear and cool.
Long Rainy Season
Rwanda's main rainy season brings daily afternoon rainfall. Gorilla trekking continues without interruption and the wet forest is phenomenally photogenic, with mist clinging to the volcanic peaks and vegetation at its most lush. This is the best time for chimpanzee trekking in Nyungwe as chimps are easier to locate when fruit is abundant. Permits are easier to obtain and some lodges offer reduced rates.
Short Rainy Season
Light and intermittent rainfall that rarely disrupts safari activities. Many days are perfectly clear. An underrated time to visit Rwanda, particularly for those who want gorilla permits without the six-month advance planning required in peak season. Akagera's game viewing is excellent as wildlife concentrates around water sources. Lodge rates are generally lower across all parks.
What You Will Encounter
Mountain Gorillas
Rwanda is home to approximately 300 mountain gorillas across 10 habituated families in Volcanoes National Park. The trek is shorter and more managed than Uganda's Bwindi but no less extraordinary. The gorillas are habituated over years and completely relaxed in human presence.
- 10 habituated families in Volcanoes NP
- Max 8 visitors per family per day
- Permit cost: USD 1,500 per person
- Minimum age: 15 years old
Golden Monkeys
Found nowhere else in Rwanda outside Volcanoes National Park, golden monkeys are one of Africa's most visually spectacular primates. Their vivid orange-gold colouring against the green bamboo forest makes for extraordinary photography. Trekking permits cost just USD 100 and are often added to gorilla trekking itineraries.
- Location: Volcanoes NP bamboo forest
- Permit: USD 100 per person
- Perfect add-on to gorilla trekking
- Year-round availability
Chimpanzees
Nyungwe Forest is home to one of the largest chimpanzee populations in Central Africa. Unlike Rwanda's gorillas, chimps move fast through the forest canopy and tracking them requires a different pace and energy. The forest encounters are spontaneous, intense and often breathtaking.
- Location: Nyungwe Forest NP
- 13 primate species also present
- Canopy Walk complements chimp trek
- Best in wet season when fruit is abundant
Big Five at Akagera
Rwanda's reintroduced Big Five in Akagera National Park is one of Africa's great conservation success stories. Lions, black rhinos, elephants, leopards and buffalos now coexist across 1,122 square kilometres of savannah and woodland on the Tanzania border. Sightings of all five are now reliable.
- Lions reintroduced 2015
- Black rhinos reintroduced 2017
- Elephants, buffalos, leopards, hippos
- Lake Ihema boat safaris also excellent
Birds: 700+ Species
Rwanda punches far above its weight as a birding destination. Nyungwe Forest alone hosts 29 Albertine Rift endemics. Akagera's wetlands and Lake Ihema host extraordinary waterbird concentrations. The Virunga slopes shelter montane species found nowhere else in Central Africa.
- 700+ recorded species nationally
- 29 Albertine Rift endemics in Nyungwe
- Grey crowned crane: national bird
- Shoebill stork: Akagera wetlands
Virunga Volcanoes
Eight volcanoes forming the spine of a cross-border conservation area shared by Rwanda, Uganda and the DRC. Two remain active: Nyiragongo and Nyamuragira in the DRC. Rwanda's five inactive peaks can be hiked, including a two-day summit of Karisimbi at 4,507 metres, the highest mountain in Rwanda.
- 5 hikeable volcanoes in Rwanda
- Karisimbi: Rwanda's highest at 4,507m
- Bisoke: day hike to crater lake
- Dian Fossey tomb: 3-hour round trip
What You Can Do
Mountain Gorilla Trekking
Rwanda's gorilla trekking is the most refined and accessible gorilla experience in Africa. Groups of 8 set off from the park headquarters at 7am, briefed by rangers on gorilla behaviour and etiquette. Treks typically take 2 to 5 hours on the volcanic slopes. The hour spent with the gorillas, watching a silverback rest, juveniles chase each other through the bamboo, a mother nurse her infant, is impossible to adequately describe beforehand and impossible to forget after.
Golden Monkey Tracking
An underrated gem of a Rwanda experience. The golden monkey's vivid orange-gold colouring makes it one of Africa's most visually spectacular primates, and tracking them through the bamboo forest on the lower slopes of the Virungas is a completely different experience to gorilla trekking: faster, more spontaneous, often more chaotic and frequently hilarious. At USD 100, it represents exceptional value and fits naturally into the morning before or after a gorilla trek on the same day.
Nyungwe Canopy Walk
One of Central Africa's most remarkable nature experiences. A 160-metre suspension bridge strung 60 metres above the Nyungwe forest floor sways gently as you walk across it, looking out over a sea of forest canopy stretching to the horizon. The bridge connects two ridges and passes through the upper canopy where Ruwenzori colobus monkeys move in troops of up to 400 individuals. The Colobus trail leads to the canopy walk through 90 minutes of deeply atmospheric forest walking.
Akagera Big Five Game Drives
Akagera's restored savannah and wetland ecosystem delivers a classic African game drive experience that surprises most visitors who came to Rwanda primarily for gorillas. The park's varied habitats, including open grassland, acacia woodland, papyrus swamp and a chain of lakes, mean wildlife diversity is exceptional. Large elephant herds, buffalos, giraffes, hippos, lions and the increasingly commonly sighted black rhino all feature. Boat safaris on Lake Ihema are as productive as the game drives and far quieter.
Kigali Cultural Experience
Kigali is one of Africa's most remarkable capitals. The Kigali Genocide Memorial is one of the most sobering and important sites in Africa, and a visit is deeply worthwhile for understanding the country you are in. The city's vibrant arts scene, outstanding restaurants, excellent craft markets and the Inema Arts Center showcase Rwanda's extraordinary cultural renaissance. A full day in Kigali at the start or end of any Rwanda safari adds essential context and genuine pleasure.
Rwanda Journeys
Starting points, not scripts. Every itinerary is built around you. Use these as inspiration then speak with our specialists.
Rwanda Volcanoes and Nyungwe
Gorilla trekking, golden monkeys and the Nyungwe canopy walk in one seamless circuit
Rwanda's signature two-park combination. Gorilla trekking and golden monkey tracking in Volcanoes National Park, followed by chimpanzees and the extraordinary canopy walk in Nyungwe Forest. A complete immersion in Rwanda's primate-rich highlands.
Complete Rwanda Safari
Gorillas, chimps, Big Five game drives and Lake Kivu in one complete country circuit
The definitive Rwanda experience. Three national parks, gorillas, chimps, the Big Five, a canopy walk, Lake Kivu and Kigali cultural immersion. Rwanda is small enough to do this comfortably in 10 days without rushed drives or unnecessary fatigue.
Short Rwanda Gorilla Break
A focused 5-day Kigali and gorilla trekking experience for time-pressed travellers
Rwanda's proximity to Europe makes it ideal for a short break built around the gorilla trek. Kigali is only 8.5 hours from London on a direct flight. This 5-day itinerary delivers the gorilla encounter plus Kigali cultural immersion without requiring a long safari leave.
Everything You Need to Know
Getting There
Kigali International Airport is Rwanda's only international gateway. RwandAir operates direct flights from London Heathrow, Brussels, Paris, Amsterdam, Johannesburg and multiple African capitals. British Airways, Brussels Airlines and KLM also serve Kigali from Europe.
The East Africa Tourist Visa (USD 100) covers Rwanda, Uganda and Kenya in a single entry and is available online. Most nationalities can also obtain a visa on arrival in Kigali for USD 50. Always check current requirements before travel.
Health and Vaccinations
Yellow fever vaccination is mandatory for entry and you must carry your yellow card. Malaria prophylaxis is recommended for Akagera and lower altitude areas, though Volcanoes National Park is at high altitude and lower risk.
Rwanda has strict health requirements for gorilla trekking. Any respiratory illness, cold, flu or gastrointestinal infection means you will not be permitted to trek on the day. This protects the gorillas who are highly susceptible to human diseases. If you are unwell, contact our team immediately and we will work to reschedule your permit.
Money and Payments
The Rwandan Franc (RWF) is the local currency. USD is widely accepted at lodges, major shops and in Kigali. Bring post-2009 USD bills as older notes are frequently refused. Euros are also accepted at most lodges.
Kigali has a well-functioning ATM network and credit cards are accepted at most hotels and restaurants. Outside the capital, cash becomes more important. Rwanda has a cashless payment system called Momo but this requires a local SIM and bank account. Tips are appreciated for guides and lodge staff: USD 20 per guide per day is standard for gorilla guides.
What to Pack
For gorilla trekking: long waterproof trousers, long-sleeved shirt, waterproof jacket, sturdy ankle-support hiking boots, gardening gloves, a hat, insect repellent and a daypack. The volcanic slopes can be steep and slippery. Trekking poles are strongly recommended and can be hired at the park headquarters.
Rwanda's altitude means evenings in Volcanoes NP can be cold, reaching as low as 7 degrees Celsius. Pack a warm layer for evenings at the lodge. Kigali is warm and pleasant year-round at around 24 degrees. Neutral-coloured clothing is recommended for all wildlife encounters.
Climate
Rwanda's climate is moderate and pleasant year-round thanks to its high altitude. Kigali averages 22 to 26 degrees Celsius throughout the year. Volcanoes National Park at 2,500 metres is significantly cooler at 10 to 20 degrees, dropping to near freezing on summit nights.
The Virungas receive rainfall year-round. Even in the dry season, mornings in the forest are frequently misty and afternoons can bring brief showers. Pack a waterproof jacket regardless of the season. Nyungwe is one of Rwanda's wettest regions and should be visited prepared for rain at any time of year.
Practical Information
Rwanda uses Type C and Type J plugs at 230V. European two-pin adaptors work. Bring a universal adaptor to cover all socket types. Most lodges have reliable charging facilities.
Rwanda has excellent mobile coverage via MTN Rwanda and Airtel across most of the country including Volcanoes NP and Nyungwe. Data is affordable on a local SIM available at the airport. Kigali has fast WiFi at hotels and restaurants. Rwanda also prohibits single-use plastic bags which is strictly enforced at all entry points including the airport. Do not bring plastic bags into the country.
Where You Will Stay
Bisate Lodge
Six forest villas on the rim of an ancient volcanic crater, designed by Nicholas Plewman. Rwanda's most celebrated lodge sits directly on the Volcanoes NP boundary with forest on three sides and a Virunga volcano visible from every suite.
One&Only Gorilla's Nest
Twenty freestanding cottages in indigenous forest, minutes from the park gate. One&Only brings its signature elegance and service levels to the gorilla trekking experience with exceptional spa facilities and cuisine.
Singita Kwitonda Lodge
Singita's Rwanda property opened in 2019 and has quickly established itself as the country's finest gorilla lodge. Eight suites built into the hillside use volcanic stone and reclaimed wood, with panoramic Virunga views from every room.
