6 Days Rwanda Gorillas & Akagera Big Five
Most people don't realise Rwanda has a proper Big Five savanna park. This itinerary pairs Volcanoes National Park's mountain gorillas with Akagera National Park — a savanna, lake, and papyrus-swamp ecosystem on the Tanzanian border, successfully restored over the past two decades to hold lion, rhino, elephant, leopard and buffalo alongside Central Africa's largest protected wetland.
Akagera is Rwanda's least-known but arguably most surprising park: poached to near-emptiness by the early 2000s, it now holds thriving lion and black rhino populations reintroduced from South Africa, alongside enormous hippo pods on Lake Ihema. Pairing it with Volcanoes National Park shows off both faces of Rwandan wildlife in a single week.
Highlights
- ◆One gorilla trekking permit in Volcanoes National Park
- ◆Big Five game drives in Akagera National Park — reintroduced lion and black rhino populations
- ◆Boat safari on Lake Ihema — hippo pods and large Nile crocodiles
- ◆Kigali Genocide Memorial and city tour
- ◆Two contrasting Rwandan ecosystems: Virunga volcanoes and East African savanna
- ◆Luxury lodges throughout
Day-by-Day Itinerary
Day 1Arrival in KigaliDay1Arrival in Kigali
Met on arrival at Kigali International Airport. Kigali Genocide Memorial visit and guided city tour in the afternoon. Dinner and overnight.
- Day2
Kigali → Volcanoes National Park
Morning drive (~2.5hrs) to Volcanoes National Park. Afternoon at leisure with volcano views from your lodge. Trekking briefing.
Day 3Gorilla Trekking in Volcanoes National ParkDay3Gorilla Trekking in Volcanoes National Park
06:30 registration and briefing. Trek into bamboo forest and hagenia woodland below the Virungas. One hour with your allocated gorilla family. Celebratory dinner.
- Day4
Volcanoes National Park → Akagera National Park
Full-day drive or short flight east to Akagera National Park on the Tanzanian border (drive ~6hrs via Kigali; flights available seasonally). Afternoon game drive on arrival — savanna, acacia woodland, and Lake Ihema's shoreline.
- Day 5Full Day Akagera — Big Five & Boat SafariDay5
Full Day Akagera — Big Five & Boat Safari
Dawn game drive: lion prides reintroduced from South Africa in 2015, black rhino reintroduced in 2017, and elephant, leopard and buffalo across the park's savanna and wetland habitat. Midday boat safari on Lake Ihema — hippo pods, large Nile crocodiles, and exceptional birdlife including the rare shoebill stork in the papyrus swamps. Afternoon game drive back toward camp.
- Day6
Akagera → Kigali Departure
Final sunrise game drive. Return drive or flight to Kigali, arriving in time for an afternoon or evening international departure.
What’s Included
- ✓All road transfers and internal flight (Kigali–Akagera, if selected) in your itinerary
- ✓One gorilla trekking permit (USD 1,500) and Akagera park fees
- ✓Lake Ihema boat safari
- ✓Kigali Genocide Memorial entry and guided city tour
- ✓Full board accommodation, 5 nights
- ✓Bottled water daily
Not Included
- ·International flights to/from Kigali
- ·Rwanda visa fees
- ·Golden monkey tracking permit (optional add-on)
- ·Tips and gratuities
- ·Travel and medical insurance
Rwanda — Land of a Thousand Hills
Rwanda has transformed into one of Africa's most compelling luxury destinations — clean, safe, efficiently run, and extraordinarily beautiful. Volcanoes National Park in the northwest shelters some of the most habituated mountain gorilla families in the world.
Explore Rwanda in full →Frequently Asked Questions
Does Rwanda actually have Big Five safaris?
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Yes — Akagera National Park, on the Tanzanian border, holds all Big Five after a two-decade restoration programme that reintroduced lion (2015) and black rhino (2017). It's smaller and less crowded than Kenya's or Tanzania's flagship parks, but the wildlife recovery story is genuinely remarkable.
How do I get from Volcanoes National Park to Akagera?
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By road, it's roughly a 6-hour drive via Kigali, which we usually split with a stop in the capital. Seasonal light-aircraft transfers are sometimes available and can cut this significantly — ask us for current availability when you enquire.
Is Akagera worth it if I only have a few days?
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If your priority is purely gorillas, the 4-day Rwanda itinerary is a better fit. Akagera is worth adding when you have the extra time and want to see that Rwanda is a complete safari destination, not a one-trick gorilla stop — the boat safari and Big Five game drives are genuinely excellent on their own merits.
What is the shoebill stork and can I actually see one?
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It's one of Africa's strangest and most sought-after birds — a huge, prehistoric-looking stork found in papyrus swamps. Akagera's Lake Ihema wetlands are one of the more reliable places to look for one, though sightings are never guaranteed; a keen guide and a bit of patience on the boat safari gives you the best odds.