Best of Rwanda's National Parks

You will be met with your private guide and explore the city of Kigali, including the Genocide Museum.

Akagera comprises some of the most scenic savannah in East Africa – open plains, woodlands, lakes, swamp, and grassy low mountains – and is home to one of Africa’s highest hippo densities, some very large crocodiles as well as the rare sitatunga and more than 520 bird species. Teeming with plains game, Akagera now also boasts a healthy population of lion, which were reintroduced into the park in 2015 after a 20-year absence, as well as black rhino which were reintroduced in 2017. Magashi – the only exclusive-use area in Akagera – also harbours a good density of leopard.

Spend your days here at Nyungwe National Park on exciting safari tours, discovering this lush, ancient land. Explore the famous forest canopy, East Africa's only canopy walk, getting up-close to the impressive birdlife and myriad of resident primates as you wander above the treetops for a bird's eye view of forest life. Visit a tea plantation to learn about the world class tea made here and go chimp trekking in nearby Cyamudongo Forest. Then, delve deep into Nyungwe forest on hiking trails to discover the numerous Albertine Rift endemics and the largest troop of Black and White Colobus found anywhere in Africa.

This morning you will be collected from your lodge early for your chimp trekking tour nearby Cyamudongo Forest. After approximately an hour's journey, you will arrive at this small forest which was historically connected to Nyungwe. Here you will meet the resident habituated chimpanzee group before visiting a tea plantation to learn about the world class tea made here.

Spend your days here in the magnificent Volcanoes National Park tracking the rare and endangered Mountain Gorillas with expert guides and trackers. In Rwanda there are 10 habituated gorilla groups in Volcanoes National Park, with a maximum of 8 tracking permits per group per day. Other activities to enjoy whilst in this magical terrain are; trekking to volcano craters, tracking golden monkeys, cultural tours and the Dian Fossey Hike. Speak to your travel designer about how you wish to spend your time here.

Rwanda is one of the few places in the world where you can enjoy close personal encounters with Mountain gorillas in their natural habitat. The forested slopes of the Virunga massif – a chain of ancient volcanoes – are home to over half the world’s 880 remaining gorillas. There are, in total, 10 habituated groups available for tracking by tourists in Volcanoes National Park, and each morning eight permit holders are allocated one group.

You will hike to the spot where your gorilla family was last seen the previous day. All tracker guides are experienced in looking for signs of the gorillas’ location, for example, footprints, dung, chewed bamboo and celery stalks, as well as nightly abandoned nests.

Once the gorillas are located, probably smelling them before seeing them, the group will be allowed a maximum of one hour with the family. You are likely to reach their location during their long midday rest and play period. At this time of day, the dominant male (usually a silverback) generally lounges on the ground or against a tree while youngsters roll in the vegetation and climb on trees, vines, and each other. Females nurse and play with their infants. It is entirely possible that you will find the gorillas quite quickly and be back at your hotel for lunch; or you could face a three or four hour hike (sometimes even longer) each way.