7 Days Luxury Rwanda Safari & Gorilla Trek












- Overview
- Itinerary
- Inclusions
Overview of 7 Days Luxury Rwanda Safari & Gorilla Trek
Embark on an exceptional seven-day luxury journey through Rwanda, a country renowned for its breathtaking scenery, remarkable wildlife, and warm hospitality. Your adventure begins in Kigali, where you will discover the capital’s history, culture, colourful markets, and thriving art scene before travelling to Akagera National Park. Here, enjoy an exclusive Big Five game drive across scenic savannah plains, woodlands, lakes, and wetlands, followed by a peaceful boat safari on Lake Ihema in search of hippos, crocodiles, and abundant birdlife. Throughout the journey, private transportation, professional guiding, carefully selected luxury accommodation, and personalised service ensure a comfortable and memorable safari experience.
Continue through Rwanda’s beautiful countryside to Volcanoes National Park, home to the endangered mountain gorillas. Trek through the misty rainforest for an unforgettable encounter with a habituated gorilla family, visit the Ellen DeGeneres Campus of the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund, and enjoy an optional golden monkey trek through the bamboo forest. The safari concludes beside the tranquil waters of Lake Kivu, where you can unwind at a luxury lakeside hotel, take a private boat excursion, explore scenic islands, and experience Rwanda’s coffee-growing traditions before returning to Kigali for your departure.
7 Days Luxury Rwanda Safari & Gorilla Trek
Day 1: Arrival in Kigali – Welcome to Rwanda
Upon arrival at Kigali International Airport, meet your professional driver-guide and receive a warm welcome to Rwanda. Transfer by private luxury vehicle to your hotel for check-in and relaxation.
Depending on your arrival time, enjoy a short orientation tour of Kigali or spend the remainder of the day relaxing at the hotel.
Luxury accommodation: The Retreat by Heaven, Kigali Marriott Hotel, or Radisson Blu Hotel
Meal plan: Bed and breakfast
Day 2: Kigali City Tour – Transfer to Akagera National Park
After breakfast, begin a private tour of Kigali, one of Africa’s cleanest and most welcoming cities. Visit the Kigali Genocide Memorial, explore a local market, and discover Rwanda’s growing art and cultural scene.
After lunch, drive through Rwanda’s picturesque countryside to Akagera National Park. Check in at your luxury lodge before taking an evening boat safari on Lake Ihema. The excursion offers opportunities to encounter hippos, crocodiles, waterbirds, and other animals along the shoreline. A Lake Ihema boat excursion is considered one of Akagera’s signature experiences. Visit Rwanda
Luxury accommodation: Magashi Camp or Ruzizi Tented Lodge
Meal plan: Breakfast, lunch and dinner
Day 3: Big Five Safari in Akagera – Return to Kigali
Begin the day with an early breakfast followed by a private game drive across Akagera National Park. Explore its savannah plains, woodland, wetlands, lakes, and rolling hills while searching for lions, elephants, buffaloes, rhinos, leopards, giraffes, zebras, antelopes, and numerous bird species.
Enjoy a picnic lunch inside the park before completing the game drive through the northern section. Afterwards, return to Kigali for an overnight stay.
Luxury accommodation: The Retreat by Heaven, Kigali Marriott Hotel, or Radisson Blu Hotel
Meal plan: Breakfast and lunch
Day 4: Kigali – Transfer to Volcanoes National Park
After a relaxed breakfast, travel northwest through Rwanda’s spectacular Land of a Thousand Hills. On arrival in Musanze, enjoy lunch and check in at your luxury lodge near Volcanoes National Park.
In the afternoon, visit the Ellen DeGeneres Campus of the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund. Learn about mountain gorilla conservation, scientific research, and the legacy of Dian Fossey.
Return to the lodge for relaxation, dinner, and preparation for the following day’s gorilla trek.
Luxury accommodation: One&Only Gorilla’s Nest, Singita Kwitonda Lodge, or Wilderness Bisate
Meal plan: Breakfast, lunch and dinner
Day 5: Mountain Gorilla Trekking Experience
After an early breakfast, transfer to the Volcanoes National Park headquarters for registration and a briefing from the park’s professional guides. You will then enter the rainforest in search of one of Rwanda’s habituated mountain gorilla families.
The trek may last between two and six hours, depending on the gorillas’ location. Once the family is located, spend a memorable hour observing the gorillas in their natural habitat.
Return to the lodge for lunch and a relaxing afternoon. Guests may enjoy the lodge facilities, a spa treatment, or an optional cultural experience.
Gorilla permits are limited and should be reserved well in advance. The minimum trekking age is 15 years. Visit Rwanda
Luxury accommodation: One&Only Gorilla’s Nest, Singita Kwitonda Lodge, or Wilderness Bisate
Meal plan: Breakfast, lunch and dinner
Day 6: Golden Monkey Trekking – Transfer to Lake Kivu
Following breakfast, return to Volcanoes National Park for a golden monkey trekking experience. Walk through the bamboo forest while observing these energetic and colourful primates.
After the trek, enjoy lunch before driving to Lake Kivu. Check in at your lakeside hotel and spend the afternoon relaxing beside the water. In the evening, enjoy the peaceful surroundings and beautiful sunset over the lake.
Guests who prefer a slower morning may replace golden monkey trekking with a Twin Lakes tour, canoeing experience, or lodge relaxation.
Luxury accommodation: Cleo Lake Kivu Hotel or Lake Kivu Serena Hotel
Meal plan: Breakfast, lunch and dinner
Day 7: Lake Kivu Boat Experience – Return to Kigali
After breakfast, take a private boat excursion on Lake Kivu. Explore the scenic shoreline and nearby islands while enjoying views of the surrounding green hills. An optional coffee experience can be arranged to introduce guests to Rwanda’s coffee-growing traditions.
Return to the hotel, check out, and enjoy lunch before travelling back to Kigali. Depending on the departure schedule, stop for souvenir shopping before transferring to Kigali International Airport.
Meal plan: Breakfast and lunch.
7 Days Luxury Rwanda Safari & Gorilla Trek Includes
- Airport arrival and departure transfers
- Private luxury 4×4 safari vehicle
- Professional English-speaking driver-guide
- Six nights of luxury accommodation
- Meals indicated in the itinerary
- One Rwanda gorilla trekking permit per person
- Golden monkey trekking permit
- Akagera National Park entrance fees
- Private Akagera game drive
- Lake Ihema boat safari
- Lake Kivu boat excursion
- Kigali city tour
- Ellen DeGeneres Campus visit
- Bottled drinking water during transfers
- All applicable government taxes
7 Days Luxury Rwanda Safari & Gorilla Trek Excludes
- International flights
- Rwanda visa fees, where applicable
- Travel and medical insurance
- Optional spa treatments and activities
- Personal expenses and gratuities
- Drinks not included in the booked meal plan
- Porter services during gorilla trekking
- Activities not specifically listed
Recommended route: Kigali → Akagera National Park → Kigali → Volcanoes National Park → Lake Kivu → Kigali.
What Our Clients Say
Verified
Aucun regret Nous avons passé une journée incroyable avec Félix, pick-up très tôt pour arriver a l'heure du lever du soleil a Akagera. Et franchement l'excursion a duré bien plus longtemps que ce que j'imaginais par rapport au prix. Je recommande a 200% !Posted on Tripadvisor![]()
Virginie DVerified
Experience of a lifetime with fantastic operator The day began at 4:30 AM when Dodos picked us up from our hotel in Kegali, we arrived at the briefing at about 7 AM where we had a nice cup of tea and were assigned our guide and group of 8 people for the day. The hike itself was more strenuous than I expected, and unfortunately, my daughter was sick so they ended up asking the local village to provide a stretcher to carry her with a rotating group of about 9 guys. It was an extra $200 but well worth it given how challenging it was to navigate the trails. A couple of guys lead with machetes, making space for us to travel about 3 miles uphill. Seeing the gorilla was incredible, it was beyond words to experience them in their natural setting for an hour. I know there are several different operators who organize these tours but I would highly recommend Universal Ventures due to their personal attention and going above and beyond when my daughter was sick. We ended up getting back to the hotel at about 8 PM, so a very long day, but one that we will never forget.Posted on Tripadvisor![]()
erg2222Verified
Perfect Rwanda tour that worked around our flight issues We had a fantastic experience in Rwanda with Dodos our guide and Emmanuel from the office! We had to deal with 2 cancelled flights and delayed baggage, and Emmanuel helped us reconfigure our itinerary so that we were still able to see the Genocide Memorial and go gorilla trekking. Dodos patiently waited for us at the airport even until 3am and helped us shop for clothes due to our baggage delay. He saved us quite a bit of money by bargaining with the locals. The arranged accommodations were very nice. Gorilla trekking is a lengthy hike but gratifying with the hour we had to hang out beside the family. Overall, Dodos and Emmanuel made Rwanda one of our most favorite countries we visited, even though our 5-day tour became 3 days. We highly recommend doing a tour with Universal Ventures Rwanda.Posted on Tripadvisor![]()
DK Travels the WorldVerified
Magical experience and lovely tour operator I would definitely recommend this experience in general and this operator specifically. They contacted me quickly to discuss arranging for the permit to see the gorillas (and extra fee paid directly to the Rwandan authorities). They also advised on how to prepare and answered my questions. On the day of, a really lovely driver picked me up from my hotel in Kigali on time in a luxurious jeep. He was friendly and encouraging as I was a bit anxious about the hiking which can be intense but my one wasn't that strenuous. It depends what the gorillas are up to and the park guides try to sort people loosely on fitness levels, I think. I hired a porter to carry my bag, and they also helped with uneven ground, which was not needed in this case but could have been very very essential if we had to walk through a steeper part of the park. The park staff then led my small group of tourists to see the gorillas, which was one of the most magical things I have experienced! The family of gorillas were very tolerant of us and we spent the full hour allotted with them (longer can stress them). After the walk back, Dodos, my driver, greeted me with a fancy drink and flip flops so I could get out of my hiking boots. We then had lunch at a restaurant o. The way back to Kigali. Overall, I felt very safe as a single female traveller and there were no unexpected costs.Posted on Tripadvisor![]()
Rosie HVerified
An Amazing Holidays in Rwanda and Uganda We took a wonderful 19-day trip through Rwanda and Uganda with the travel agency Universal Ventures—a trip tailored specifically to our family. We started planning the entire trip about three months in advance, and communication with the agency was excellent from the very beginning. It was a trip full of powerful experiences, beautiful nature, encounters with local people, and moments we’ll remember for a long time. The agency’s owner, Emmanuel, was very helpful, communicative, and patient from the very beginning, and he always helped us choose the best options for activities and accommodations based on what was most suitable for our family. The agency arranged a car with a driver and guide for us, as well as some of the activity bookings during the trip. We visited Akagera, Volcanoes, Bwindi, Queen Elizabeth, and Nyungwe National Parks, as well as Lake Kivu. Our driver (guide) was John Bosco, whom we can highly recommend. He was not only a great driver but also an excellent guide, thanks to whom we experienced the trip much more intensely. He has a vast knowledge of the local flora and fauna, and his knowledge of local birds was truly impressive. We were equally fascinated by his excellent knowledge of the local area—he was able to drive to any location or hotel without using a map or a GPS on his phone. We also greatly appreciated his punctuality: the car was always ready even before the agreed-upon time. The car remained tidy and clean throughout the entire trip, even after driving on dusty roads. John also provided us with valuable information about the duration of each leg of the journey, helped us plan our itinerary better, and thanks to him, we felt safe and well taken care of the entire time. The agreement with the agency was clear and easy to understand. We had the option to choose from several pricing options, and the one we selected was the final price—we weren’t charged any additional fees. The deposit we paid to Universal Ventures in advance was properly accounted for. Any minor issues that arose during our long trip were quickly resolved. We definitely recommend booking a car with a driver for a vacation in Rwanda and Uganda: finding your way around isn’t always easy, the quality of the roads is often very poor—especially in Uganda—and it’s also better to cross the Rwanda/Uganda land border with someone who knows the local conditions. In addition, the driver can help you organize visits to local cultural centers, which will allow you to get to know the country much better. This vacation was unforgettable for us, and we feel that it was thanks to Emmanuel, John Bosco, and the entire Universal Ventures agency that we were able to experience Rwanda and Uganda in such a beautiful, safe, and in-depth way. Thank you so much for the excellent organization, care, and all the experiences that will stay with us for a long time to come. We can wholeheartedly and with great pleasure recommend this agency for a trip through Rwanda and Uganda.Posted on Tripadvisor![]()
Lenka NVerified
Amazing time seeing Gorillas We had the best time with Mupenzi and Dodos! They made the whole trip unforgettable! There is nothing like seeing Gorillas up close in the wild!Posted on Tripadvisor![]()
Joel SVerified
Majestic Experience Today was such an amazing day of adventure! Volcanoes National Park is an amazing and ethical way to see these beautiful creatures. Our trekking guide Mupenzi was so kind, fun, and knowledgeable. And our driver, Dodos was phenomenal. He is such a lovely person and incredibly knowledgeable. Highly recommended!Posted on Tripadvisor![]()
Sami MVerified
Absolutely breathtaking experience! My experience was seamless from the coordination of my pick up and drop off, to the actual excursion! Hands down one of the best experiences of my life! Christian was extremely helpful and welcoming throughout our entire trip, it would not have been the same without him. Seeing the gorillas after the trekking through the thick brush, was absolutely breathtaking! I will definitely be recommending this trip to all my friends and family!Posted on Tripadvisor![]()
Greg VVerified
100% recommended I was originally in Tanzania for a safari but decided to add the gorilla trek at the end of my trip because the flight was too long to fly to Africa from California again at my age. I booked through Viator. From the beginning, communication with Universal Adventures was positive. They were prompt to answer any questions. And a few days before the excursion, they sent me my driver's name and WhatsApp number. His name is Christian.We communicated through WhatsApp, and he was very prompt to reply back. He was early to pick me up at 4:30am. I had another person in the car. The car was clean. Its a long drive to the meeting place. We stopped for breakfast pastries at a local shop( they take credit cards and had a clean breakfast. We then drove to the meeting place where we met up with our group. There they had hot drinks like coffees, lattes, teas, etc. We then had to drive to the beginning of the mountain. It was a long drive as the roads are not paved. My group was assigned the Isimbi gorilla family and our guide was Jolie. My porter was Adolf. I was the least active one in the group but the crew never made me feel bad. After what I thought was a 4 hr hike (it was really 1 hr and 26 minutes) we found our gorilla family. We had plenty of time to take pictures with them. After we were done, Christian took us to a rooftop restaurant. The food was delicious! I recommend this excursion 100%. The company is awesome and very professional.Posted on Tripadvisor![]()
patty eVerified
Gorilla Experience in Rwanda! Easy ride, the trip was one in a life time experience. The driver (Christian) was very nice and kind and made the trip smooth! Everything was great.Posted on Tripadvisor![]()
Juliet K
