An hour with mountain gorillas in the Virungas, then chimpanzees, rainforest and a big five savannah, all within a day's drive.
Rwanda is small, green and steep, and most people come for one thing: the mountain gorillas of Volcanoes National Park. Each habituated family meets visitors for a strict maximum of one hour a day, with eight permits per family. That hour, crouched in bamboo a few metres from a silverback, is the most intense wildlife encounter we know.
The country rewards staying longer. Nyungwe's montane rainforest has chimpanzees and a canopy walkway, and Akagera in the east has lions and rhinos again after years of careful restocking. Kigali is clean, safe and easy, with a memorial that explains the country's recent history with great care.
Be honest with yourself about fitness. Treks can take anything from 30 minutes to several hours at altitude on steep, wet ground, and permits cost far more than elsewhere. You must be 15 or older to trek gorillas.
The experiences we plan most often, with the months they are at their best.
Treks start at 07:00 at the park headquarters in Kinigi, where rangers allocate families by fitness. You climb through farmland and bamboo, then spend one hour with the group. Hire a porter: they carry your bag, steady you on the slopes and earn vital local income. Gloves help against nettles.
A second morning in the Virungas is well spent with golden monkeys, which bounce through the bamboo in large, noisy troops. Alternatively, hike into the saddle between Karisimbi and Bisoke to Dian Fossey's grave at her old Karisoke research camp. Both are gentler than gorilla trekking and far less costly.
Nyungwe is one of Africa's oldest montane rainforests, home to chimpanzees and a dozen other primates, including L'Hoest's monkey. Chimp tracking starts before dawn and is not guaranteed. The canopy walkway, 160 metres long and 70 metres above a ravine, is reached by an hour's walk from Uwinka.
Akagera is Rwanda's savannah: lakes, papyrus swamps and rolling grassland on the Tanzanian border. Lions returned in 2015 and rhinos from 2017, and game viewing now rewards two nights. Take a boat on Lake Ihema for hippos, crocodiles and fish eagles. It is a gentle counterpoint to the forests.
Give Kigali at least half a day. The Kigali Genocide Memorial is harrowing and essential: it explains 1994, and the reconciliation that followed, with great care. Balance it with the Inema Arts Center and dinner in Kiyovu. Allow time to sit quietly afterwards.
After the treks, a couple of nights on Lake Kivu lets tired legs recover. From Rubavu or Karongi you can kayak between islands, take a boat to watch fishermen singing as they row out at dusk, or cycle part of the Congo Nile Trail. Swimming is possible and the evenings are quiet.
Stay close to Kinigi for gorilla trekking, since treks start early and roads climb slowly. Lodges here range from simple stone cottages to large villa suites with fireplaces; all are cool at night. In Nyungwe and Akagera the choice is small, so book those first.
We match each trip in Rwanda to hotels, lodges and villas chosen for the way you travel. Tell us what matters and a specialist will suggest two or three that fit.
Ask for hotel suggestionsSample routes to start from. Every one can be changed.
Six nights with a private driver-guide: a night in Kigali, two in Akagera National Park for a savannah safari, then three in the foothills of the Virunga volcanoes with two mountain gorilla treks.
Rwanda sits just south of the equator, so temperatures barely change through the year. At altitude it is cool, and nights in the Virungas can be cold. What changes is the rain: two wet seasons, from mid-February to May and from mid-September to mid-December, frame a long dry season from June to mid-September and a shorter dry spell around January.
Gorillas can be seen all year, and trekking in the rain has its own atmosphere. Dry months simply make the trails easier and the photographs brighter. We favour late June and early September for the balance of weather and availability.
A loop from Kigali taking in Akagera's big game, two gorilla-country mornings in the Virungas and the forests of Nyungwe. 8 nights.
Fly direct from Heathrow and spend the afternoon at the Kigali Genocide Memorial before an early night in the city.
Drive east to Akagera for game drives across the northern plains and an afternoon boat trip on Lake Ihema.
Cross the country to Kinigi. Trek to a gorilla family one morning, then choose golden monkeys or the Dian Fossey hike the next.
Drive or fly south-west to Nyungwe for chimpanzee tracking and the canopy walkway, then return to Kigali for the flight home on day 9.
Practical notes checked against their sources. For entry and safety, the FCDO advice for Rwanda (opens in a new tab) is always the authority.
RwandAir flies non-stop from Heathrow to Kigali in about eight and a half hours. Road transfers are long but scenic, and helicopter hops can replace the longest drives.
UK passport holders currently need a visa to visit Rwanda. Read the FCDO entry requirements (opens in a new tab) before you book and again before you fly. Plastic bags are banned and will be confiscated on arrival.
Read the FCDO entry requirements for Rwanda (opens in a new tab)
Rwanda is a malaria area. Check TravelHealthPro (opens in a new tab) well before you go. Treks reach high altitude, so build some hill fitness beforehand and pack waterproofs and warm layers.
The currency is the Rwandan franc. Local services are usually paid in cash in francs, while larger payments are often in US dollars. Cards are increasingly accepted, Visa more than Mastercard, and ATMs are found in Kigali and major towns.
The mobile network covers almost the entire country and internet connections are good by regional standards. Lodges near the parks generally have wifi.
Tipping is discretionary and appreciated, and cash is preferred. Guides, drivers, trackers and porters are usually tipped at the end of each activity. We include current guidance with your documents.
Reasonably fit. Rangers match groups to families by fitness, so a gentler trek is often possible, but you may still walk for several hours on steep, muddy slopes at altitude. Regular hill walking in the months before makes a real difference. A porter and a walking stick, both offered at the start, make it easier.
Yes. You must be 15 or older to trek mountain gorillas in Rwanda. Younger children can still enjoy the country: Akagera game drives, Lake Kivu and some of the gentler Nyungwe trails work well, and a parent can stay with them while others trek.
One trek satisfies most people, but two give you a second family, different light and a chance to watch rather than photograph. If the cost of two permits is too much, pair one gorilla trek with golden monkeys, which are lively company and far less expensive.
Easily. Short flights link Kigali with Nairobi for the Masai Mara, and with Tanzania for the Serengeti and Zanzibar. A common pattern is gorillas first, then a week on the plains, then a few days on the beach. The two regions share similar dry seasons.
Tell us a little and a specialist will reply with ideas, dates that work and a price. Best months: June to August.
The Masai Mara's private conservancies, rhino country in Laikipia and a Swahili coast, a single overnight flight from London.
The Serengeti migration in every season, the Ngorongoro Crater and Kilimanjaro, then an easy hop to the beaches of Zanzibar.
Swahili Stone Town, spice farms and white-sand beaches on the Indian Ocean: the natural finish to an East African safari.
