• Coming upon a family of mountain gorillas in Volcanoes National Park while on guided gorilla trek
• Spotting chimpanzees playing in the rainforest in Nyungwe National Park
• Viewing the scenic lakes, rivers, mountains, and savannah of Akagera National Park
• Learning about the horrors of the 1994 Rwandan genocide at the Kigali Genocide Memorial Centre

Rwanda in 1 Week

Day 1, Kigali: Arrive in Kigali, which will be your home base throughout the week. Visit the Genocide Memorial Centre, and “Hotel Rwanda” at Hotel Mille Colline.

Day 2, Kigali: Virunga National Park, Nyiragongo volcano trail.

Day 3-4, Nyungwe Forest: keep an eye out for the Colobus monkey, visit a tea plantation. Go on a guided trek to spot one of the 13 species of primates who live here

Day 5, Akagera National Park: boat ride on Lake Ihema, wildlife safari to spot classic big game like giraffes and elephant.

Day 6, Ruhengeri Province: Spend the day tracking the classic gentle giant: Silverback gorilla.

Day 7, Kigali: Depart Kigali

See All Rwanda in One Week Trips

Rwanda and Beyond in 2 Weeks

Day 1, Jinja: Start in Jinja Uganda, near the source of the Nile at Lake Victoria.

Day 2, Kibale National Park: Chimpanzee trek

Day 3-5, Queen Elizabeth National Park: Kazinga Channel boat cruise, visit beautiful Lake George, Kyambura Gorge, and Kyambura Game Reserve. Safari drive to view the diverse Savannah wildlife.

Day 6, Musanze: Volcanoes National Park, gorilla trek

Day 7-8, Lake Bunyonyi: Bwindi Impenetrable Forest to see mountain gorillas, canoe trip on the lake for stunning views and island stops, visit local villages.

Day 9-11, Kigali: Spend a few days on Gorilla trekking excursions to find the elusive gentle giants, especially Silverbacks. Visit the Genocide Memorial Centre, and “Hotel Rwanda” at Hotel Mille Collines.

Day 12, Naivasha: Lake Naivasha, Hell's Gate National Park, Hell’s Gate Gorge (inspiration for The Lion King), Elsamere - home of Joy Adamson, the subject of the film “Born Free”.

Day 13-14, Masai Mara Nature Reserve: See Africa’s famous “big five”: lions, elephants, Cape buffaloes, leopards and rhinoceros, take a hot air balloon ride. Meet local tribes people and learn about their distinctive dress and customs.

See All Rwanda in Two Weeks Trips

Classic Gorilla Trekking Tour in Rwanda

Gorilla trekking is one of the main draws for travelers to Rwanda. Treks are often very long, hilly, and muddy, through dense jungle foliage - but the reward of seeing these gentle giants in their natural habitat is all worth it. If you’d like to focus on this activity, you’ll probably follow a similar itinerary to this:

Day 1, Kigali: Rwanda’s capital, Kigali, will be the home base throughout the trip; in close proximity to the main national parks for gorilla trekking. Before striking out on your first trek, spend a day visiting the Genocide Museum, and Hotel Mille Collines, the setting for the film “Hotel Rwanda”.

Day 2-4, Ruhengeri: You’ll spend overnight in Ruhengeri, just outside Volcano National Park, in order to have the maximum amount of time for trekking in the following days. Spend an exciting hour (the maximum allowed time) among a band of gorillas. Glimpse a rare golden monkey. Follow Dian Fossey’s footsteps on another trek named for her. Visit Karisoke Research Station.

Day 5-6, Nyungwe: Stay in a beautiful forest lodge and trek to find Colobus Monkeys, glimpsing many other primate species along the way. Walk on suspended bridges through the canopy.

Day 7, Kigali: Return to Kigali for a final meal at a local restaurant. Bid goodbye to Africa!

See All Gorilla Trekking Tours in Rwanda