Volcano slopes and terraced hills, Rwanda

Discover East Africa

Luxury Rwanda safaris

A land of a thousand hills — mountain gorillas in the Virungas, chimpanzees in Nyungwe and the calm of Lake Kivu, all within a morning of Kigali.

Nature’s spectacle

Rwanda — gorillas in the Virungas

Rwanda’s compactness is its luxury. Land in Kigali in the morning and stand at the foot of the volcanoes by lunch, with conservation funding high, permits limited and lodges among the most considered in Africa.

Explore Journeys

Golden monkey in Volcanoes National Park, Rwanda

Why a safari in Rwanda?

Discover what makes a Rwandan journey special — the most seamless gorilla trek in Africa, montane rainforest and a canopy walk, and a restored Big Five park on the eastern border.

01 / 07

What you need to know

Why visit Rwanda

Rwanda has become the benchmark for conservation-led tourism in Africa. Permit revenue funds the Virunga gorilla programme, Akagera has been restored to a Big Five park, and Nyungwe protects one of the oldest montane rainforests on the continent.

Population size

13.8 million

Currency

Rwandan franc (RWF)

Geographical size

26,338 km²

Best time to go

June to September

Language

Kinyarwanda, English & French

Three nights in the Virungas

We usually build a Rwandan journey around two treks — one gorilla family and one morning with the golden monkeys — leaving time for the Dian Fossey trail, the village at Bisate and the volcanoes at first light.

Mountain slopes of Volcanoes National Park, Rwanda

Rwanda experiences

Volcanoes, rainforest and Lake Kivu

Short transfers mean a Rwandan itinerary can hold three very different landscapes in a week — the Virungas, Nyungwe’s canopy walkway and the quiet terraced shoreline of Lake Kivu.

Gorilla trekking

One hour with a habituated family on the slopes of the Virungas.

Golden monkeys

A gentler morning in the bamboo zone, all movement and noise.

Canopy walk

Nyungwe’s suspension bridge, sixty metres above the forest floor.

Rwanda is the most seamless gorilla journey in Africa. Permits are limited and priced to fund conservation, and the lodges above Volcanoes National Park are among the most considered on the continent.

We often pair three nights of gorillas with Nyungwe’s chimpanzees or the calm of Lake Kivu, and Rwanda combines beautifully with the Serengeti or the Mara as a second country.

Rwanda at a glance

Duration: Typically 5–8 days
Best time: June to September
Price range: USD 900 – USD 2,000 per person per night
Ideal for: Couples, honeymooners, conservation travellers
Activity level: Moderate to demanding; altitude trekking
Accommodation: Volcano-side lodges and forest suites
Highlights: Gorillas, golden monkeys, Lake Kivu

Enduata

Plan your Rwanda safari

Start planning your Rwanda journey with expert guidance on permits, when to go, what it costs and how to combine the Virungas with Nyungwe, Akagera and Lake Kivu.

01 / 08