A Week in Rwanda: Rwanda surprises you. From the moment you land, this small East African nation reveals itself as something genuinely extraordinary — a country of rolling green hills, ancient forests, rare wildlife, and a people who have built something remarkable from a difficult past. In just seven days, Anthill Safaris takes you from the heart of Kigali to volcanic highlands, a great lake, and one of Africa’s oldest rainforests. Every day brings something new. More so, every encounter stays with you long after you leave.
Day 1: Arrive in Kigali
Your journey begins at Kigali International Airport, where your Anthill Safaris guide meets you and transfers you to your accommodation. Take the afternoon to settle in and get your first feel for the city. Kigali regularly earns recognition as one of Africa’s cleanest and safest capitals, and it shows — wide, tree-lined streets, friendly locals, and a calm urban energy that sets a welcoming tone for the week ahead.
If time allows, visit the Kigali Genocide Memorial. It is a sobering and important stop, offering essential context about Rwanda’s past and the extraordinary resilience that defines its present. The Presidential Palace Museum adds further depth, tracing the country’s political transformation through vivid exhibits. End the evening with a good meal and an early night. The adventure ahead rewards rest.
Day 2: Drive to Volcanoes National Park
After breakfast, you hit the road for Volcanoes National Park, roughly two and a half to three hours northwest of Kigali. Besides, the drive itself is worth paying attention to — terraced hillsides climb steeply on either side of the road, farmers tend their plots at remarkable gradients, and small villages appear and disappear around each bend. Rwanda’s landscape does not sit still.
Upon arrival, check into your lodge and take in the view. The Virunga volcanoes rise dramatically around you, cloaked in mist and forest. Spend the afternoon resting and preparing your gear for tomorrow. Gorilla trekking starts early, and you will want to be ready.
Day 3: Gorilla Trekking
This is the day most guests describe as the most powerful of their lives. You set out in the early morning with your guide and a small group of fellow trekkers, following rangers into the dense forest in search of a habituated gorilla family. For this reason, the trek can take anywhere from one hour to most of the morning, depending on where the gorillas have moved overnight.
When you find them, everything changes. A silverback resting in a patch of sunlight. A mother nursing her infant. Juveniles tumbling through the undergrowth. You spend one hour in their presence — close enough to hear them breathe, close enough to feel the quiet intelligence in their eyes. On the other hand, Mountain gorillas share 98 per cent of their DNA with humans, and that statistic stops being abstract the moment you are standing ten metres away from one.
In the afternoon, visit the Iby’Iwacu Cultural Village to meet local communities, learn traditional crafts, and hear stories about Rwandan life and history. Or simply return to the lodge, sit on the veranda, and let the morning sink in.
Day 4: Golden Monkeys, Then Lake Kivu
The morning brings a different kind of primate encounter. Golden monkeys are playful, fast, and spectacularly coloured — their bright orange patches flash between the bamboo as they leap and swing overhead. Trekking with them offers a lighter, more energetic experience than trekking with the gorillas, and they are wonderful to photograph.
After the trek, your guide drives you south to Lake Kivu, one of Africa’s Great Lakes. The journey takes one to two hours and leads you through a dramatic change of scenery — from volcanic highlands to a wide, shimmering lake shared with the Democratic Republic of Congo. Check into your lakeside accommodation and let the evening unfold at the water’s edge.
Day 5: A Full Day on Lake Kivu
Today belongs entirely to the lake. Board a boat and head out across the clear water, visiting some of the islands that dot the surface and meeting local fishing communities along the way. The pace is unhurried. The scenery is beautiful. However, if you want to swim, the lake is calm and inviting.
Back on shore, walk the shoreline paths, watch birds among the reeds, or find a shaded spot and do very little at all. After the physical demands of trekking days, Lake Kivu offers genuine rest, and Rwanda’s most scenic backdrop for it.
Day 6: Journey to Nyungwe Forest
You leave the lake behind and travel south to Nyungwe Forest National Park, a four to five-hour drive through the heart of the country. In addition, the landscape shifts again — broader valleys, distant ridges, roadside markets selling local produce. However, Rwanda keeps revealing new versions of itself.
Nyungwe is one of Africa’s oldest and most biodiverse rainforests. Hundreds of bird species live here. Thirteen primate species call it home. Besides, the forest hums and rustles with life from the moment you step out of the vehicle. Settle into your accommodation, take a short walk if energy allows, and sleep to the sound of the forest at night.
Day 7: Chimpanzee Trekking and Departure
Your final wildlife experience is chimpanzee trekking. These are humanity’s closest relatives, and watching them in their natural environment — communicating, playing, establishing hierarchy, caring for their young — is endlessly fascinating. Besides, the forest canopy fills with sound as the group moves overhead.
After the trek, your Anthill Safaris guide transfers you back to Kigali for your departure flight. Seven days. On the other hand, Gorillas, golden monkeys, a great lake, chimpanzees, and a country that will genuinely surprise you at every turn.
Before You Go
Book your gorilla and chimpanzee permits well in advance — availability is strictly limited. Anthill Safaris handles all permits, transport, accommodation, and expert guiding. In addition, pack sturdy hiking boots, a rain jacket, sun protection, insect repellent, and layers for cool highland mornings. Besides, Approach every wildlife encounter and cultural interaction with patience and respect. Rwanda will give you its best when you bring yours.
