About This Journey
During this week-long tour of the country of a thousand hills, you'll experience Rwanda's wildlife, history, culture, and tradition in one compact circuit — from Kigali's museums and memorials to Big Five game drives in Akagera National Park, finishing with canoeing and village life on Lake Kivu.
Kigali sets the tone with a city tour and a visit to the Kigali Genocide Memorial, before Akagera's open savanna delivers classic big game — elephant, buffalo, lion, leopard, and Rwanda's reintroduced rhino. The final days slow the pace right down: a boat ride on Lake Kivu, a morning learning traditional fishing techniques from local fishermen, and an evening of cultural performance in a countryside village.
Every departure is private, led by an expert Rwandan driver-guide who shapes the pace and detail of each day around you.
Trip Highlights
- Full-day Big Five game drives in Akagera National Park in an open-roofed safari vehicle
- A boat trip on Lake Ihema, inside Akagera National Park
- A Kigali city tour and a visit to the Kigali Genocide Memorial
- Canoeing on Lake Kivu, one of Africa's most beautiful lakes
- Learning traditional fishing techniques from local Lake Kivu fishermen
- An evening of Intore warrior dance and cultural performance in a countryside village
Day by Day
Welcome to Rwanda! You're met at Kigali International Airport by our company representative and transferred to your hotel — the formalities are settled quickly, and you'll be wished a pleasant stay for your first night in the land of a thousand hills.
- Overnight
- Lodge TBC — Kigali
- Meals
- Dinner
Your driver-guide picks you up for a tour of the capital, introducing you to Rwanda's history and daily life through its museums, markets, and city sights.
- Overnight
- Lodge TBC — Kigali
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
A day exploring Kigali in depth: the Kigali Genocide Memorial, Inema Arts Center, and the Kacyiru administrative area, followed by local shopping for fruits, vegetables, clothes, and handicrafts at Kimironko Market. Visit Umusambi Village for cranes and other bird species, the Camp Kigali Memorial and Kandt House, and round out the day at the Nyamirambo Women's Center.
- Overnight
- Lodge TBC — Kigali
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
An early breakfast, then a full day of game drives in an open-roofed vehicle. Akagera offers the chance to spot elephant, buffalo, hippo, lion, Masai giraffe, gazelle, impala, baboon, oribi, Burchell's zebra, topi, bush baby, leopard, and bushbuck, among others — plus a boat trip on Lake Ihema. An evening game drive follows lunch back at the lodge.
- Overnight
- Lodge TBC — Akagera NP
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Drive to the Lake Kivu belt road for lunch, rest, and entertainment. Lake Kivu is one of the most beautiful lakes in Africa, its waters dotted with a thousand green islands — canoeing and boat riding here are an incredible experience, whether paddling yourself or riding as a passenger between islands.
- Overnight
- Moriah Hill Resort
- Meals
- Breakfast, Dinner
Early morning, join local fishermen in a boat on Lake Kivu to see how they use traditional techniques to trap fish — including the small Sambaza fish that make a daily sauce for local communities and are well worth trying.
After lunch, drive along the Congo Nile Crest to Musanze, staying at an indigenous Rwandan village-style lodge in the countryside.
- Overnight
- Red Rocks Rwanda
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
After breakfast with the local community at the Red Rocks cultural village, experience Rwandan culture through local cuisine, dancing, and weaving. The Intore warriors' dance — a jewel of Rwanda's choreographic heritage, performed in traditional sisal-fibre dress with bells jingling at the ankles — closes out the morning before the drive back to Kigali for your international departure.
- Meals
- Breakfast
What's Included
Included
- 6 nights' accommodation in hand-picked lodges
- All meals as indicated in the itinerary (B/L/D)
- Private English-speaking Rwandan driver-guide and open-roofed 4×4 safari vehicle
- All fuel in the vehicle
- All Akagera National Park entrance and conservation fees
- Boat trip on Lake Ihema and canoe/boat excursion on Lake Kivu
- Kigali Genocide Memorial entrance and cultural village experience
- Airport transfers in Kigali
Not Included
- International airfares
- Rwanda entry visa
- Personal travel and medical insurance
- All drinks
- Meals and snacks not indicated in the itinerary
- Tips and gratuities for driver-guide and lodge staff
- Personal expenses — laundry, souvenirs, and items of a personal nature
Accommodation
Moriah Hill Resort
Lake Kivu, Rwanda1 nightRed Rocks Rwanda
Musanze, Rwanda1 nightReady to Plan This Safari?
Every trip we run is private and tailored around you — your dates, your pace, your budget. Tell us what you have in mind and one of our safari planners will craft it into a detailed, costed proposal.
