Journeys Created by People Who Call East Africa Home.
Rwanda, with Time to Savour
From the volcanic highlands to tea fields at the edge of Nyungwe and the lakes of Akagera, this 10-day private Rwanda safari pairs remarkable landscapes with distinctive places to stay. Bisate Lodge, Nyungwe Tea Forest Resort—formerly One&Only Nyungwe House—and Magashi Camp each give the journey its own character: a mountain retreat, a forest interlude and a lakeside safari camp.
Our Rwanda-based team brings local understanding to the details that shape your experience: the flow of the route, the balance of excursions and rest, and the arrangements between each stay. An optional mountain-gorilla trek, guided chimpanzee tracking, a canopy walk and Magashi’s safari activities create a journey with depth, while time at the lodges allows you to enjoy where you are.
Travel by road through the Lake Kivu corridor before helicopter transfers connect Nyungwe with Akagera via Kigali and return you to the capital. This blend of scenic overland travel and flying is part of the experience. For a longer escape, a separately arranged stay on the Kenyan coast, Zanzibar, Pemba or Mafia can follow your Rwanda journey.
Your Journey at a Glance
Kigali → Volcanoes National Park → Lake Kivu corridor → Nyungwe → Kigali (helicopter connection) → Akagera National Park → Kigali.
The 10-day journey includes departure from Rwanda on Day 9 and arrival home on Day 10, subject to your flight schedule. Your bases are Kigali, Bisate in the Volcanoes region, the Nyungwe tea fields and Magashi in Akagera. Lake Kivu is part of the scenic road journey; no separate Lake Kivu overnight stay is listed.
What Makes This Journey Distinctive
- Three contrasting landscapes: volcanic highlands, montane rainforest and savannah wetlands.
- Bisate, the Nyungwe forest-edge stay and Magashi, with time to appreciate each setting.
- Helicopter connections on the specified Nyungwe–Akagera and Akagera–Kigali legs.
- Guided chimpanzee tracking, a canopy walk and Magashi’s game package, with optional gorilla trekking arranged separately.
Day-by-Day Itinerary
Day 1 — Arrival in Kigali
Route: Kigali airport → Eagle View Lodge, Kigali
Your private driver-guide welcomes you on arrival in Kigali and accompanies you to Eagle View Lodge. Settle into your first Rwandan stay and let the journey begin at an unhurried pace, with the practical details of your arrival taken care of.
ACCOMMODATION: Eagle View Lodge
Meals and services listed for this day
- Meals: Breakfast, lunch and dinner included
- Drinks: Local brands included
- Scheduled activities as specified; optional experiences require separate confirmation
- Transport: Included
Day 2 — Kigali to Volcanoes National Park
Route: Kigali → Volcanoes region / Bisate Lodge
Leave Kigali behind for the green highlands of northern Rwanda. If you wish, begin with a visit to the Kigali Genocide Memorial before continuing towards Volcanoes National Park. As the volcanic skyline comes into view, arrive at Bisate Lodge, your base for this mountain chapter of the journey.
The Kigali Genocide Memorial honours the victims of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi and offers an important introduction to Rwanda’s recent history. Its testimony and exhibits can be deeply moving. This visit is optional, allowing you to decide whether to include it in your morning.
Volcanoes National Park protects Rwanda’s part of the Virunga mountain range, where montane forest and bamboo slopes shelter mountain gorillas and golden monkeys. The contrast between cultivated hillsides and forested volcanic peaks gives this part of Rwanda its distinctive atmosphere. Golden monkeys are part of the park’s wildlife; a separate golden-monkey trek is not listed in this programme.
ACCOMMODATION: Bisate Lodge — full board with drinks as specified in your quotation.
Day 3 — Optional Gorilla Trek & Time at Bisate
Route: Based at Bisate Lodge; park transfer for the optional gorilla trek
If you choose the optional gorilla trek, transfer to the park briefing point in the morning and set out with the ranger team. Your accommodation provides a packed lunch. Afterwards, return to Bisate Lodge, with time to relax depending on the length of the trek.
Follow your ranger through the forest in search of a habituated mountain-gorilla family. The walk and the quiet anticipation of the encounter are central to this experience; the route, duration and family allocation depend on park arrangements and the gorillas’ movements. Gorilla trekking is listed as optional and requires a separately confirmed permit and quotation. No particular family or wildlife encounter is guaranteed.
Day 4 — Lake Kivu Route to Nyungwe
Route: Volcanoes region → Lake Kivu corridor → Nyungwe
Travel by road from the Volcanoes region towards Nyungwe, following the Lake Kivu corridor. This is a journey through changing landscapes: the volcanic highlands give way to lakeside views and, farther south, the deep green of Rwanda’s montane rainforest.
Nyungwe’s forest, birdlife and primates bring a different rhythm to the itinerary. Settle into the tea-growing landscape at the forest’s edge, with the coming days balancing guided exploration and time to enjoy your accommodation.
ACCOMMODATION: Nyungwe Tea Forest Resort, formerly One&Only Nyungwe House — full board with drinks as specified in your quotation.
Day 5 — Nyungwe Canopy Walk & Time to Unwind
Route: Based in Nyungwe; canopy-walk excursion
Enjoy a day that balances the forest canopy walk with time at your accommodation among the tea fields. The pace leaves room to appreciate the setting between excursions, rather than filling every hour with travel.
The canopy walk combines a forest approach with a suspended walkway above the trees, offering a different perspective on Nyungwe’s layered landscape. Your guide will confirm the departure time, route and expected duration; the original programme allows approximately four hours for the outing. Conditions and walking pace can affect the timing, and wildlife sightings are never guaranteed.
Day 6 — Chimpanzee Trekking in Nyungwe
Route: Based in Nyungwe; chimpanzee-trekking excursion
Set out for your guided chimpanzee trek at the time confirmed by the park, with breakfast arrangements coordinated around the start. The morning is devoted to the forest before you return to your Nyungwe accommodation. Spa time may be requested separately; treatments are not stated as included.
With a ranger, follow the sounds and signs of chimpanzees through the forest. Broken vegetation, feeding traces and calls help the team search for these mobile primates. The experience is shaped by their movements and the forest conditions, so neither the duration nor a sighting can be guaranteed.
Day 7 — Helicopter to Akagera & Arrival at Magashi
Route: Nyungwe → Kigali → Akagera by helicopter; boat transfer to Magashi
Say farewell to the tea fields and travel by helicopter via Kigali towards Akagera. Continue by boat to Magashi Camp, where a welcome drink marks your arrival in a different Rwanda: open savannah, lakes and the softer pace of camp life.
ACCOMMODATION: Magashi Camp — full board with drinks as specified in your quotation.
Your Magashi stay is planned on a game-package basis, including game drives, boat safaris, sport fishing and night safaris, subject to camp scheduling and operating conditions.
Akagera lies in eastern Rwanda beside Tanzania, with grasslands, wetlands, rolling hills and lakes supporting a varied safari experience. Its restoration has brought lions and rhinos back to the park. From Magashi, explore this landscape with experienced guides and return to the comfort of camp between outings.
Day 8 — Akagera Safaris from Magashi Camp
Route: Based at Magashi Camp, Akagera National Park
Spend the day exploring Akagera through Magashi’s guided safari programme. Return to camp for lunch between activities, then let the evening unfold with a drink and the changing light over the landscape.
Game drives search the savannah for giraffes, zebras, antelopes and other wildlife, with opportunities to look for lions and rhinos. Boat safaris and sport-fishing outings bring a different perspective on the lakes, where hippos, crocodiles, waterbirds and animals along the shore may be seen. After dark, a guided night safari offers a chance to look for nocturnal species such as galagos, hyenas and leopards. These experiences form part of the listed game package, with the daily schedule agreed with camp guides and subject to conditions. Sightings remain unpredictable.
Day 9 — Helicopter to Kigali & Onward Departure
Route: Magashi / Akagera → Kigali by helicopter; onward flight
Enjoy a final morning at Magashi before your helicopter transfer to Kigali. Your onward international flight is planned for later that evening, subject to a suitable connection. If you would like to continue to the coast, we can discuss a separately quoted beach extension to Zanzibar, Pemba, Mafia or Mombasa. Explore our Zanzibar holiday options for inspiration.
Day 10 — Arrival Home
Route: Onward flight from Kigali → home destination.
Arrive home after your departure from Rwanda on Day 9, bringing your luxury Rwanda journey to a close. Your actual arrival time and date depend on your chosen flights and connections. No additional activities or accommodation in Rwanda are scheduled for this day; international flights are excluded from the package.
Your Personal Quotation
Price on enquiry.
Please complete the enquiry form below for an up-to-date, accurate quotation for your travel dates and party. Tell us your preferred room arrangements, whether you would like gorilla trekking, and any coastal extension you have in mind.
Inclusions & Exclusions
View What’s Included
- Accommodation and accompanying meals at the confirmed properties and room category, as specified in the itinerary and quotation.
- Helicopter transfer from Nyungwe to Akagera via Kigali, and helicopter transfer from Akagera to Kigali.
- Road and boat transfers described in the itinerary, including the listed airport transfers.
- A professional driver-guide for the relevant itinerary arrangements.
- Park fees and scheduled activities, except experiences specifically marked optional; permit inclusions must be confirmed in the quotation.
- Magashi’s game package: game drives, boat safaris, sport fishing and night safaris, subject to scheduling and conditions.
- Meals and local drinks as specified for each stay; imported drinks are not included.
- Applicable taxes/VAT as quoted.
View What’s Excluded
- International flights to and from Rwanda.
- Additional accommodation before or after the scheduled tour.
- Personal expenses, souvenirs, travel insurance and visa fees.
- Government-imposed increases in taxes or park fees.
- Meals not specified as included.
- Imported drinks.
- Optional gorilla trekking and its permit unless explicitly included in your confirmed quotation; optional Kigali Genocide Memorial arrangements must also be agreed.
- Spa treatments and coastal extensions are not stated as included and require a separate quotation.
Frequently Asked Questions
How are the 10 days counted?
Day 1 is arrival in Kigali. Day 9 includes the helicopter transfer from Akagera to Kigali and your onward departure; Day 10 is arrival home, depending on your flight schedule. The programme does not include an additional night or activity in Rwanda on Day 10. International flights are excluded.
Is this a private Rwanda safari?
Yes. The journey is arranged for your own party. This does not automatically mean exclusive-use accommodation, a private helicopter charter or private park activities; those arrangements must be specified in your quotation.
Which route does the journey follow?
The route begins in Kigali, continues to Volcanoes National Park and follows the Lake Kivu corridor to Nyungwe. A helicopter transfer then connects Nyungwe with Akagera via Kigali, followed by a helicopter return to Kigali.
Where will we stay?
The planned stays are Eagle View Lodge in Kigali, Bisate Lodge in the Volcanoes region, Nyungwe Tea Forest Resort (formerly One&Only Nyungwe House), and Magashi Camp in Akagera. Properties, room categories and availability are confirmed when we prepare your quotation.
Is gorilla trekking included?
The daily programme marks gorilla trekking as optional. We will confirm the permit, current cost and arrangements separately; it should not be assumed included in a general reference to activities or park fees.
Are helicopter transfers included?
The programme lists Nyungwe to Akagera via Kigali and Akagera to Kigali by helicopter. Other journeys include road and boat transfers. Flight schedules, operational conditions and whether flights are shared or privately chartered require confirmation.
What meals and drinks are included?
The programme lists full board with drinks at Bisate, the Nyungwe stay and Magashi, and meals plus local drinks for the first day at Eagle View Lodge. Imported drinks and any meals outside the specified arrangements are excluded; your quotation will confirm the precise meal plan.
Can we enjoy time at the lodges?
Yes. Lodge time is part of the itinerary, particularly in Nyungwe and between activities at Magashi. Trekking schedules and duration can vary, so relaxation time is planned around the confirmed excursions.
Can we add a beach stay?
Yes. A separately quoted extension to Zanzibar, Pemba, Mafia or the Kenyan coast can be discussed. Beach accommodation, flights and activities are not included unless expressly added to your confirmed arrangements.
What does this luxury Rwanda safari cost?
Price on enquiry. We will prepare an accurate quotation for your dates, party size, room arrangements, permits and flight requirements. No unsupported starting price is advertised.
Does sending the form reserve the trip?
No. Our team will reply with availability and a personalized quotation. Sending the form does not confirm a booking, and no payment is taken through it.
Designed by People Who Know Rwanda
Luxury is personal: the right place to stay, a route that flows naturally and the confidence of having people nearby who understand the destination. Our team in Rwanda will help you shape this journey around the experiences you value, while explaining the practical arrangements clearly.
Enquire About Your Luxury Rwanda Safari
Share your preferred dates, party size and travel wishes. Our team will respond with availability and a personalized quotation. No payment is taken through this form, and submitting an enquiry does not confirm a booking.
