10 daysPrivate tourLuxuryPermits included

10-Day Grand Rwanda

5.0(27 reviews)·Kigali → Akagera → Volcanoes → Lake Kivu → Nyungwe·Offered by Emerald Rwanda Collection

Every corner of the country, at the pace it deserves. The Grand Rwanda runs the full circuit — Akagera's Big Five savannah, gorillas and golden monkeys in the Virungas, two slow days on Lake Kivu, chimpanzees and the canopy walkway in Nyungwe — and threads it together with the cultural south and a proper Kigali finale.

Ten days is the magic number for Rwanda: long enough that no park is a drive-by, short enough that momentum never flags. Lodges are the country's finest, every permit is secured and included, and the whole route moves in one direction so you never backtrack.

All four safari experiences: gorillas, golden monkeys, chimps and the Big Five
Every permit secured and included (US$1,850 pp of fixed cost)
Two-night stays throughout — never a one-night-stand itinerary
Lake Kivu interlude at the exact midpoint, when you need it
Rwanda's finest lodges: Magashi, Bisate and One&Only Nyungwe House

Duration10 days

Tour stylePrivate tour

ComfortLuxury · Lodge & Tented Camp

Park permitsIncluded ($1,850 pp)

Minimum age15 years (RDB rule)

Solo travelersNot available solo

CustomizableYes — request changes with a quote

RouteKigali → Akagera → Volcanoes → Lake Kivu → Nyungwe

Day by day

1
Day 1Kigali
Kigali arrival
Airport meet-and-greet, a relaxed city orientation shaped to your energy, and the Genocide Memorial — the context for everything ahead. Dinner at one of the capital's standout restaurants.
The Retreat by HeavenBoutique calm in the heart of the cityLunch & dinner included
2–3
Day 2–3Akagera National Park
Akagera: the Big Five days
East to the savannah for two full days: game drives through the lake country and up to the northern plains, a sunset boat safari among Lake Ihema's hippos, and a night drive after dinner — Akagera is one of the few Rwandan parks where leopards are a realistic ambition. Your camp sits on a wild lagoon in the park's exclusive-use north.
Magashi CampTwo nights — Wilderness Safaris' flagship lagoon campAll meals included
4–5
Day 4–5Volcanoes National Park
The Virungas: gorillas & golden monkeys
Cross the country (lunch in Kigali breaks the drive) and climb to a lodge folded into the forested slopes of Bisoke. Day five is the gorilla trek — briefing at dawn, one to four hours through the bamboo, and the hour with the family you will describe for the rest of your life. The following morning adds the golden monkeys, bronze comets in the bamboo canopy.
Bisate LodgeTwo nights — architectural icon in a volcanic amphitheatreAll meals included
6–7
Day 6–7Lake Kivu
Lake Kivu: the exhale
After the golden monkey trek, descend ninety minutes to the lake for the itinerary's deliberate pause: sunrise kayaking, a boat to the coffee islands, swimming off the pontoon, and absolutely nothing you don't feel like doing. Two nights on the Gisenyi shore.
Lake Kivu Serena HotelTwo nights — beachfront on the sandy bayAll meals included
8–9
Day 8–9Nyungwe National Park
Nyungwe: chimpanzees & the canopy
The lakeshore road south — tea on one side, water on the other — delivers you to Africa's oldest rainforest by mid-afternoon, in time for the canopy walkway. Day nine starts at 4:30am for chimpanzee tracking in Cyamudongo, then an afternoon of forest waterfalls or colobus monkey trails, as your legs prefer.
One&Only Nyungwe HouseTwo nights — set in a working tea plantationAll meals included
10
Day 10Kigali
The cultural south & departure
Homeward through the south with the stops that stitch the story together: the Nyanza King's Palace and its serenaded royal cattle, and the Ethnographic Museum in Huye. Kigali by late afternoon for evening flights, or a final night in the city if you'd rather not rush the goodbye.
No overnight — tour ends or day tripBreakfast & lunch included

Rates per person

Group size	Price per person (USD)
Solo	n/a — not offered solo
2 people	$7,800
3 people	$7,560
4 people	$7,385
5 people	$7,265
6+ people	$7,085

US$1,850 of the pp price is fixed RDB permit cost (gorilla + golden monkey + chimpanzee) — group-size savings apply to the rest.
Rates are per person in USD and vary with group size — everyone in the vehicle shares the guide and transport costs.
A 50% deposit confirms your booking; the balance is due 30 days before the trip starts.
Cancellation follows the operator's platform-standard policy shown at checkout.

What's included

Included

Gorilla trekking permit (US$1,500 per person)
Golden monkey permit (US$100 per person)
Chimpanzee tracking permit (US$250 per person)
Akagera park fees, boat safari and night drive
Canopy walkway, King's Palace and museum entrances
Kayak and boat excursions on Lake Kivu
Private 4x4 safari vehicle with pop-up roof
Professional English-speaking driver-guide
Airport pick-up and drop-off
Accommodation as listed in the itinerary
Meals as listed in the itinerary
Bottled water throughout the trip
All taxes and VAT

Excluded

Porters for the treks (US$10–20 per trek, recommended)
International flights
Rwanda visa (US$50 on arrival for most nationalities)
Travel insurance
Tips and gratuities (guide, trackers, porters)
Drinks and meals not listed in the itinerary
Personal items and souvenirs

Getting there

Fly into Kigali International Airport (KGL) — it is served by direct flights from Brussels, Amsterdam, Doha, Dubai, Istanbul, Nairobi and Addis Ababa.
This tour starts and ends in Kigali. Airport pick-up and drop-off are included — your guide meets you in arrivals.
Most nationalities receive a Rwanda visa on arrival (US$50). The East African Tourist Visa also covers Rwanda if you are combining countries.
Arriving early or leaving late? Extra nights in Kigali before or after the tour can be arranged with your quote.

Traveler reviews

5.0

Based on 27 traveler reviews

Reviews are verified — only travelers who completed this tour can leave one.

“The trip of our lives, full stop”

Forty years of anniversaries and this beat them all. Magashi's lagoon, the silverback at arm's length, chimps screaming through the dawn — but honestly the two-night rhythm is the genius. You unpack, you breathe, you're never in a car when you'd rather not be.

Margaret & Paul · United States · Traveled June 2026

“Perfection in ten days”

Everything was seamless — permits, lodges, a guide (Emmanuel) who was encyclopaedia and comedian at once. Bisate Lodge is the most beautiful building I have slept in. I filled two memory cards and one journal.

Yuki T. · Japan · Traveled September 2025

“Worth every penny, plan the season”

December's short rains cost us one soggy game drive, so aim for June–September if you can. Everything else was five stars — especially the Kivu pause, which I'd have cut when booking and would now defend with my life.

Andrew C. · United Kingdom · Traveled December 2025

Showing recent reviews. The full review history arrives with verified post-trip reviews (Milestone 4).