Land of a Thousand Hills
Safaris in Rwanda
Rwanda, the land of a thousand hills, offers Africa's most moving wildlife encounter: an hour with a mountain gorilla family on the misty slopes of the Virunga volcanoes. Its story of renewal, from the solemn memorials of Kigali to Africa's cleanest capital, makes every visit as inspiring as it is beautiful.
Best time to go
Jun · Jul · Aug · Sep · Dec · Jan · Feb
Climate
Mild and spring-like year-round (offset by altitude): 20-27°C days. Long dry season June to September and a short one December to February, the prime gorilla-trekking windows.
Currency
RWF
Languages
Kinyarwanda, English, French
The country
About Rwanda
Rwanda, the land of a thousand hills, offers Africa's most moving wildlife encounter: an hour with a mountain gorilla family on the misty slopes of the Virunga volcanoes. Its story of renewal, from the solemn memorials of Kigali to Africa's cleanest capital, makes every visit as inspiring as it is beautiful. Beyond the gorillas, Nyungwe's canopy walkway swings above chimpanzee forest, Akagera delivers a Big Five savannah comeback, and Lake Kivu's beaches close the loop. Distances are short, roads are excellent, and everything combines in a single week.
Visas & entry
Rwanda grants a 30-day visa on arrival to all nationalities (USD 50), or apply online ahead. The East Africa Tourist Visa (USD 100) covers Rwanda, Uganda and Kenya together. Confirm current requirements before travel.
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Start planningSmall country, short distances, big encounters
Rwanda's advantage is compactness. Volcanoes National Park is two to three hours from Kigali airport, which means you can land, sleep, trek gorillas the next morning and be home within four days, something no other gorilla destination offers. For travellers with limited leave, that convenience is the whole argument.
It is no longer only a gorilla destination. Akagera has been restored to a full Big Five park after lion and rhino reintroductions, and Nyungwe is one of Africa's oldest rainforests, with chimpanzees and a canopy walkway suspended seventy metres above the forest floor. A ten-day loop covers all three plus Lake Kivu.
Where to go in Rwanda
Everything below is within a day's drive of Kigali, and the roads are the best in the region.
Volcanoes National Park
Rwanda's share of the Virunga massif, and where Dian Fossey worked. Mountain gorilla families are habituated across the forested slopes of five volcanoes, and golden monkey trekking is available as a second, easier activity. The trek to Fossey's grave and research camp at Karisoke is a steep but moving half day.
- Best for
- Gorillas, golden monkeys
- From Kigali
- 2-3 hours
- Season
- Jun to Sep, Dec to Feb
Akagera National Park
Rwanda's only savannah park, on the Tanzanian border: lakes, papyrus swamp and rolling plains. Lion were reintroduced in 2015 and black rhino in 2017, making it a Big Five park again after decades. Boat trips on Lake Ihema deliver hippo, crocodile and exceptional birding, and it is quiet compared with the big East African parks.
- Best for
- Big Five, boat safari
- From Kigali
- 2.5 hours
- Season
- Jun to Sep
Nyungwe Forest
One of the oldest rainforests in Africa and a biodiversity hotspot: chimpanzees, thirteen primate species, over three hundred bird species and around a thousand plant species. The suspended canopy walkway is the headline activity; the waterfall and coloured-monkey trails are the reason to stay a second night.
- Best for
- Chimps, canopy walk
- From Kigali
- 5-6 hours
- Season
- Jun to Sep, Dec to Feb
Lake Kivu & Kigali
Lake Kivu breaks the drive between the volcanoes and the forest: beaches, kayaking and coffee-farm walks with no crocodiles or hippo in the water. Kigali itself is worth a full day: the Genocide Memorial is essential and difficult, and the city's food and craft scene is the best in the region.
- Best for
- Rest days, culture
- Also
- Kigali, Gisenyi
- Season
- Year-round
Questions
Rwanda questions
Rwanda prices its permits at a deliberate premium as a conservation-funding and low-volume strategy, and they are considerably more expensive than Uganda's. The permit covers park entry, guides, trackers and one hour with the family. We handle the application; permits are limited daily and should be secured months ahead for the dry season.
For gorillas alone, yes: arrive Kigali, drive to Musanze, trek the next morning, fly out the day after. That short trip is precisely what Rwanda is good at. Add Akagera or Nyungwe and you want seven to ten days.
You should be able to walk uphill for two to four hours at around 2,500-3,000 m on uneven, often muddy ground. Groups are allocated by difficulty at the morning briefing and we can request an easier family if you tell us in advance. Porters are available and worth hiring.
June to September is the long dry season and the easiest trekking. December to February is a shorter dry window and also good. The rains in March to May and October to November make trails harder but the forest greener, and some lodges reduce rates significantly.
Most nationalities can obtain a visa on arrival or apply online in advance. If you are also visiting Uganda and Kenya, the East Africa Tourist Visa covers all three. A yellow fever certificate is required if you are arriving from a country where it is a risk.
Waterproof hiking boots already broken in, long trousers and long sleeves for stinging nettles, gardening gloves for grabbing vegetation, a waterproof jacket and a daypack. Rain is possible in any month. We send a full list on booking.
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Rwanda on the map
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Where to go
Destinations in Rwanda
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