7-Day Rwanda Safari: Gorilla Trekking, Golden Monkeys & Chimpanzee Tracking

This weeklong safari through Rwanda blends culture, history, and world-class primate encounters. Offering travellers a genuine, well-rounded introduction to a country often described as one of Africa’s most remarkable and rewarding safari destinations. The trip opens in Kigali with a look at the nation’s past, then moves into Volcanoes National Park for gorilla and golden monkey trekking plus a community cultural visit, before finishing in Nyungwe Forest for chimpanzee tracking and a rainforest canopy walk.

Along the way, accommodation is arranged at two of Rwanda’s most celebrated properties: One&Only Gorilla’s Nest in Volcanoes National Park and One&Only Nyungwe House in Nyungwe Forest, both chosen to complement the surrounding wilderness with comfort and a strong sense of place. Every detail, from airport transfers to trekking permits, is arranged in advance. Hence, the focus stays on the experiences themselves — the history, the culture, and the primates that make Rwanda such a distinctive safari destination.

Day-by-Day Itinerary

Day 1 — Arrival in Kigali

On arrival at Kigali International Airport, a representative meets you just past customs and immigration for a smooth, assisted welcome to the country. From there, a private transfer takes you into the city to the Kigali Marriott Hotel. Following an easy, assisted check-in, you’ll sit down for an insightful briefing that walks through the week ahead — what to expect on each trek, what to pack, and how the days will flow. The evening is rounded off with dinner at the hotel and an overnight stay, giving you a comfortable, well-rested start before the adventure properly begins the next morning. Stay: Kigali Marriott Hotel | Meals: Dinner, Breakfast

Day 2 — Kigali City Tour to Volcanoes National Park

After breakfast and check-out, the day begins with a city tour covering two of Kigali’s most meaningful sites. The Kigali Genocide Memorial offers a sobering and important look at Rwanda’s history and its remarkable path toward healing; multilingual audio guides, including Dutch and English, are available. From there, the Inema Arts Centre — founded by two brothers in 2012 — showcases a lively creative community using art to drive social and economic growth.

Lunch follows at Pili Pili restaurant, known for Rwandan-style barbecue alongside European dishes made with garden-grown produce. Afterwards, you’ll drive roughly three hours to Volcanoes National Park, passing through the rolling green landscape that gives Rwanda its nickname, the “Land of a Thousand Hills.” The day ends with a warm welcome at One&Only Gorilla’s Nest, followed by dinner and overnight rest in the forest setting. Stay: One&Only Gorilla’s Nest | Meals: Full board

Day 3 — Golden Monkey Trek and Cultural Village Visit

An early breakfast is followed by a 7 am briefing at park headquarters ahead of the golden monkey trek, with the guided walk starting at 8 am. The trek typically runs about four hours, culminating in an hour spent observing a habituated troop.

The golden monkey — a highland subspecies of the more widespread Sykes’ (or “blue”) monkey — is playful and curious, often seen bounding through bamboo groves or playing on the forest floor. One of the two habituated groups available for viewing numbers between 80 and 100 individuals and ranges near the base of Mount Sabyinyo.

Back at the lodge for lunch and a rest, the afternoon continues at 2:30 pm with a visit to the Iby’Iwacu Cultural Village. This community initiative is reshaping how tourism works locally, offering former poachers alternative livelihoods while sharing rural Rwandan traditions with visitors. The evening closes with an outdoor barbecue dinner around a bonfire. Stay: One&Only Gorilla’s Nest | Meals: Full board

Day 4 — Mountain Gorilla Trekking

Another early start brings a 7 am trek briefing, with the guided hike beginning at 8 am. Gorilla trekking in Rwanda is frequently called a life-changing experience — with roughly 880 mountain gorillas left worldwide, encountering them in the wild is genuinely rare. Depending on which family your group is assigned and where they’re located that day, the hike can last anywhere from half an hour to over four hours each way.

Each gorilla family is led by a dominant silverback, supported by younger males, adult and juvenile females, and infants. The silverback not only protects the group but also directs its daily rhythm — feeding, resting, and travel — and typically fathers most of the group’s young.

After this unforgettable encounter, you’ll return to the resort for lunch. With the toughest, most physically demanding day of the trip behind you, the rest of the afternoon is left open for leisure — whether that means resting up, enjoying the lodge’s spa and grounds, or taking part in one of the other activities on offer at Gorilla’s Nest. Stay: One&Only Gorilla’s Nest | Meals: Full board

Day 5 — Transfer to Nyungwe Forest National Park

Following breakfast and check-out, you’ll depart Volcanoes National Park at 8 am for the drive to Nyungwe, arriving around 2 pm at One&Only Nyungwe House. After check-in, lunch is served.

The afternoon is free to relax or join one of the lodge’s complimentary activities — options include a boot camp session, spear-throwing, a guided conservation walk, tea tasting, cycling, or a nocturnal forest walk. Dinner is served in the evening. Stay: One&Only Nyungwe House | Meals: Full board

Day 6 — Chimpanzee Trekking and Canopy Walk

The day starts early with a 5 am departure to park headquarters, packed breakfast in hand. After a briefing, the trek into the Evergreen Forest begins at 6 am. Alongside the chimpanzees, the forest is rich in birdlife, and it’s common to hear their calls echoing through the trees before you even spot them. Once located, you’ll spend an hour observing their acrobatics and social behaviour up close.

Back at the lodge by around 11 am, a welcome lunch is served at 1 pm. The afternoon shifts to a different perspective on the forest entirely: a canopy walk briefing at park headquarters at 8 am precedes the walk itself, starting at 9 am. The route follows the scenic Igishigishigi Trail and includes three suspension bridges and three towers spanning roughly 200 meters in total, giving sweeping views out over the forest canopy from high above the ground. Throughout the walk, your park guide explains the ecological role the canopy plays in a tropical rainforest system, what defines a rainforest more broadly, and why Nyungwe’s forest is so significant to Rwanda’s conservation efforts as a whole. It’s a fitting, reflective way to close out your time in the park before heading back toward Kigali. Stay: One&Only Nyungwe House | Meals: Full board

Day 7 — Departure via Kigali

After an early breakfast, you’ll drive back to Kigali. A final lunch at a local restaurant precedes your transfer to Kigali International Airport, timed for your departing flight. Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

What’s Included

• Airport and inter-hotel/lodge transfers throughout the trip
• Accommodation at the properties listed in the itinerary
• One gorilla trekking permit (valued at US$1,500)
• Golden monkey trekking permit
• Iby’Iwacu Cultural Village visit
• Meals as specified (full board covering breakfast, lunch, and dinner per the schedule)
• Private use of a 4WD safari vehicle
• Chimpanzee trekking and canopy walk permits
• Park entry fees and park guide services
• An experienced, English-speaking driver-guide
• Bottled water in the vehicle throughout the tour
• All activities and additional meals noted in the itinerary
• General trip assistance

What’s Not Included

• International and domestic flights (unless otherwise specified)
• Visa fees
• Optional activities in Kigali
• Beverages throughout the trip
• Porter services
• Tips and gratuities
• Personal expenses (phone calls, minibar charges, travel insurance, etc.)

Note on permits: Gorilla trekking permits and other activity permits are non-refundable and cannot be exchanged once purchased.

Optional Extension

Travellers wanting more time in Rwanda can add on a visit to Akagera National Park for a classic savanna wildlife safari, rounding out the mountain-forest experience with open-plains game viewing. Akagera offers a strikingly different landscape from the volcanic highlands and dense rainforest covered in this itinerary — think open savanna, lakes, and the chance to see lions, elephants, giraffes, and other classic East African wildlife. It’s a natural extension for anyone who wants to pair Rwanda’s famous primate trekking with a more traditional big-game safari before flying home.

Practical Notes

Because trekking days involve early starts, variable terrain, and hikes that can run from under an hour to well over four hours depending on where a given family or troop is located, a reasonable level of fitness is recommended. Guides set the pace based on each group’s ability, and porters are available (for a tip) to help carry bags on the steeper sections, though this is arranged locally rather than included in the package above.