5 Day Rwanda Golden Monkeys & Wildlife Safari

Your safari begins at 8:30 AM when your driver-guide picks you up from your hotel in Kigali. Start the day with a visit to the Kigali Genocide Memorial, a powerful tribute to Rwanda’s history and resilience.

After the visit, depart Kigali and drive north toward Musanze, located near the Virunga Volcanoes. The journey takes about two hours and offers beautiful views of Rwanda’s rolling hills.

In the afternoon, explore the Twin Lakes of Burera and Ruhondo, known for their scenic beauty and excellent birdwatching opportunities. You may also observe the nearby Rugezi Swamp, an important wetland ecosystem rich in birdlife.

Later, enjoy a cultural experience at the Iby’iwacu Cultural Village where you will learn about traditional Rwandan culture, including music, dance, traditional hunting practices, and local medicinal plants.

Accommodation: The Garden Place Hotel
Meal Plan: Lunch & Dinner

After breakfast, transfer to Volcanoes National Park headquarters for a briefing before beginning your golden monkey trekking adventure. These rare and playful primates are endemic to the Albertine Rift and are commonly found in the bamboo forests of the Virunga Mountains.

The trek typically lasts between one and two hours and offers a fantastic opportunity to observe golden monkeys as they move energetically through the forest.

In the afternoon, visit the Red Rocks Intercultural Exchange Center where you will participate in a traditional banana beer making experience. Learn the entire process from juice extraction to fermentation while engaging in community activities such as basket weaving or storytelling.

Accommodation: The Garden Place Hotel
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

After breakfast, depart Volcanoes National Park and begin your journey to Akagera National Park, Rwanda’s only savannah park and home to the Big Five.

Along the way, you may stop in Kigali for lunch or shopping before continuing eastward toward Akagera. Upon arrival, check in at your lodge and relax before heading out for a sunset boat cruise on Lake Ihema.

This relaxing boat safari provides opportunities to see hippos, crocodiles, and many aquatic bird species while enjoying beautiful views across the lake.

Accommodation: Akagera Game Lodge
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Start the day with an early morning game drive across the diverse landscapes of Akagera National Park. The park features savannah plains, woodlands, wetlands, and lakes that support a wide range of wildlife.

During the game drive, look out for elephants, lions, buffaloes, rhinos, giraffes, zebras, antelopes, baboons, and many bird species.

After lunch and some time to relax at the lodge, continue with an afternoon game drive to explore more areas of the park and increase your chances of spotting predators such as leopards.

Accommodation: Akagera Game Lodge
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

p>Enjoy a final early morning game drive in Akagera National Park, offering one more opportunity to observe wildlife and take photographs in the soft morning light.

After the game drive, begin your return journey to Kigali, arriving in time for lunch. Your guide will drop you off at your hotel or at Kigali International Airport for your onward flight.

Meal Plan: Breakfast & Lunch