Day 1
Welcome & History
Airside meet-and-greet. Transfer to Kigali Serena Hotel. Private Genocide Memorial visit with historian guide — context for everything that follows. Dinner at your hotel.
Kigali Serena Hotel — Junior Suite (B&B)
06 / Kigali · Nyungwe · Volcanoes NP · Lake Kivu
Rwanda in Full
Extended Kigali · 2 Gorillas · Chimps · Lake Kivu · Full Cultural Immersion
— At a Glance
Duration
9 days / 8 nights
Route
Kigali (2n) → Nyungwe Forest (via Butare) → Volcanoes NP → Lake Kivu (2n) → Kigali
Primate Treks
2 gorilla treks · 1 chimpanzee trek
Best For
Guests who want to truly understand Rwanda — its history, culture, wildlife, and people
Lodges
Kigali Serena Hotel (2n) · One&Only Nyungwe House (2n) · One&Only Gorilla's Nest (2n) · Lake Kivu Serena (2n)
Vehicle
Private Toyota Land Cruiser V8
Culture & Experiences
Genocide Memorial · Nyamirambo Walk · Coffee Farm · Caplaki · Butare Museum · Iby'iwacu Village · Karongi · Lake Kivu fishing village
— Day by Day
Day 2
Kigali in Full
Rwanda's capital rewards a full day. Morning: Nyamirambo Women's Centre walking tour. Late morning: coffee plantation bean-to-cup experience. Afternoon: Caplaki Crafts Village and Question Coffee. Evening dinner.
Kigali Serena Hotel
Day 3
South Through History to Nyungwe
Depart south on RN1 through terraced hills. Butare for the National Museum of Rwanda. Lunch in Butare. Continue to Nyungwe. Total driving: approximately 6 hours with museum and lunch.
One&Only Nyungwe House (full board)
Day 4
Chimpanzees & the Canopy Walk
Chimpanzee trek in Nyungwe Forest with expert rangers. Lunch at the lodge. Afternoon Canopy Walkway experience 50 metres above the forest. Optional evening ranger talk.
One&Only Nyungwe House
Day 5
The Great Lake Drive North to the Virungas
The great drive of East Africa. Through Nyungwe highlands to Lake Kivu. Lakeside lunch at Karongi. Congo-Nile ridge road north. Pfunda Tea Estate to One&Only Gorilla's Nest. Iby'iwacu Cultural Village. Total: approximately 7–7.5 hours.
One&Only Gorilla's Nest (full board)
Day 6
First Gorilla Encounter
07:00 trek into Volcanoes National Park with guide, trackers, and porters. One hour with a mountain gorilla family. Long lunch at the lodge. Afternoon: spa or Dian Fossey Fund Campus tour.
One&Only Gorilla's Nest
Day 7
Second Encounter, Then West to Lake Kivu
Second morning gorilla trek with a different family. Farewell lunch. Drive west through Pfunda Tea Estate to Lake Kivu Serena Hotel (1.5 hours). Afternoon motorboat cruise with sundowners. Dinner with fresh Kivu tilapia.
Lake Kivu Serena Hotel — Suite (half board)
Day 8
Lake Kivu in Full
Morning kayak through papyrus-lined shore or cycle the lakeside road. Lunch at a locally-owned lakeside restaurant. Afternoon: fishing cooperative visit and traditional pirogue canoe lesson with local fishermen. Sundowners watching the Congo volcanoes.
Lake Kivu Serena Hotel — Suite (half board)
Day 9
Return to Kigali & Departure
Final lakeside breakfast. Scenic 2.5-hour drive east to Kigali. Final Caplaki shopping stop. Transfer to Kigali International Airport.
— 2026 Pricing · Per Person (USD)
| Configuration | Low Season Nov–Dec · Mar–May | High Season Jun–Oct | Festive Dec 22–Jan 6 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Solo traveller | $27,000 | $35,300 | $35,300 |
| 2 sharing (per person) | $18,100 | $23,600 | $23,600 |
| 3 guests (per person) | $18,400 | $24,800 | $24,800 |
| 4 guests (per person) | $16,100 | $21,600 | $21,600 |
All prices include permits, accommodation, transfers, fees, VAT, and bank charges. Gorilla permits (USD 1,500 each) are included.
— What's Included
- Airside meet-and-greet and farewell escort
- 2 nights Kigali Serena Hotel — Junior Suite (B&B)
- 2 nights One&Only Nyungwe House (full board, beverages, 2 activities/day)
- 2 nights One&Only Gorilla's Nest (full board, beverages, 2 activities/day)
- 2 nights Lake Kivu Serena Hotel — Suite (half board)
- 2 × RDB Mountain Gorilla permits (USD 1,500/person each)
- 1 × Chimpanzee tracking permit (USD 150/person)
- Nyungwe Canopy Walkway · Lake Kivu motorboat cruise
- Fishing cooperative and pirogue experience
- National Museum of Rwanda, Butare
- Private Toyota Land Cruiser V8 throughout
- Senior driver-guide · gorilla porters · historian guide
- Nyamirambo Women's Centre · coffee farm · Iby'iwacu Cultural Village
- All park entry fees · Made-in-Rwanda welcome kit · 24/7 concierge
- VAT on transportation · bank handling charge · mineral water
— Not Included
- —International airfares
- —Rwanda visa (USD 50 single-entry or USD 100 East Africa Tourist Visa)
- —Travel insurance — mandatory
- —Gratuities for porters, driver-guide, and lodge staff
- —Personal expenses and alcohol outside lodge inclusions
Premium Add-Ons
- +Dian Fossey Fund Ellen DeGeneres Campus (max 5) — USD 800/group
- +Akagera Aviation helicopter transfer (up to 6 pax) — from USD 3,328 one way
- +In-suite couples spa half-day — USD 420/person
- +Photography concierge — USD 650/group
- +Nyungwe Zipline — USD 100/person
- +Nyungwe Night Walk — USD 80/person
- +Lake Kivu kayak half-day — USD 120/person
- +Repub Lounge private dining in Kigali — USD 150/person
— Bespoke Composition
Tailor your journey.
Tell us a little about how you travel. Gerry will personally reply within 24 hours with a draft itinerary composed for you alone.
Private expeditions are typically composed from USD $9,500 per guest, fully inclusive of gorilla permits, lodging, guiding and transfers.
Curated by Gerry
Have questions first? See our Journey Guide