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5-Day Rwanda Primates and Big 5 Safari

Akagera National Park, Rwanda

5-Day Rwanda Primates and Big 5 Safari

5.0 / 5 · 19 reviews Offered by Engagi Safaris 5-Day

Overview

Embark on an elite 5-day journey with Engagi Safaris through the "Land of a Thousand Hills." From the misty slopes of Volcanoes National Park, where you'll track rare Golden Monkeys and legendary Mountain Gorillas, to the ancient canopies of Nyungwe for Chimpanzee trekking, this is Africa's premier primate circuit. Conclude your expedition in Akagera, spotting the Big Five across sun-drenched savannahs. It's a seamless, high-octane blend of rare wildlife and raw luxury.

Plan snapshot

Quick Facts

Tour details

Duration

5-Day

Route

Kigali to Kigali

Via Volcanoes NP (Gorillas), Lake Kivu, Nyungwe NP (Chimps)

Country & park

Rwanda / Akagera National Park

Style

Mid-range safari

Group size

1-12 travelers

Starts

Any day if available

Minimum age

15 years

Activities

game drives, gorilla trekking & chimpanzee trekking

Accommodation

Le Bambou Gorilla Lodge - Mid-range lodge less than 1hr drive from Volcanoes NP (Gorillas) – Dinner Included

Meals

Dinner Included; All Meals Included

Pickup

Airport transfer included

Booking

Request quote

Currency

USD

5-Day Rwanda Primates and Big 5 Safari
Akagera National Park visual context for this itinerary.

Rates

Rates Per Person

USD

Start datesSingle2+ people
Jan 1, 2026 - Dec 31, 2026 $4,345 USD $3,685 USD
Jan 1, 2027 - Dec 31, 2027 $4,345 USD $3,685 USD

Before booking

Important To Know

Rates are per person and exclude the international flight from/to your home country.
This tour is not available to groups larger than 2 people.
This tour is offered in US dollars (USD).
This tour accepts children who are 15 years and older.

Quote flow

Request Guidance

We advise requesting quotes from 3 operators ()
Requests are sent directly to the tour operator
If preferred, you can contact the tour operator directly
Request a Quote

Route

Tour route map
country Rwanda
Start Kigali (Day 1)
Day 1-2 Volcanoes NP (Gorillas)
Day 3 Lake Kivu
Day 4 Nyungwe NP (Chimps)
Day 5 Akagera NP
End Kigali (Day 5)

Tour Features

Mid-range tour

This mid-range tour uses lodges and hotels.

Private tour

This tour will be organized exclusively for you and won't be shared with others.

Can start any day

If availability permits, this tour can start on any day.

Can be customized

You can request minor changes to the accommodations and destinations of this tour.

Suitable for solo travelers

Solo travelers can book this private tour.

15
Minimum age of 15 years

The minimum age for this tour is 15 years.

Activities & Transportation

Activities: game drives, gorilla trekking & chimpanzee trekking
Game drives: pop-up roof 4x4 vehicle
Getting around: pop-up roof 4x4 vehicle
This operator can book your international flights
A transfer from and back to the airport is included

Accommodation & Meals

Le Bambou Gorilla Lodge

Day 1

Le Bambou Gorilla Lodge

Mid-range lodge less than 1hr drive from Volcanoes NP (Gorillas) – Dinner Included

Dinner Included

Le Bambou Gorilla LodgeLe Bambou Gorilla LodgeLe Bambou Gorilla Lodge
Paradise Malahide Hotel

Day 2

Paradise Malahide Hotel

Mid-range hotel 1-2hr drive from Volcanoes NP (Gorillas) – All Meals Included

All Meals Included

Paradise Malahide HotelParadise Malahide HotelParadise Malahide Hotel
Nyungwe Top View Hill Hotel

Day 3

Nyungwe Top View Hill Hotel

Mid-range hotel just outside Nyungwe NP (Chimps) – All Meals Included

All Meals Included

Nyungwe Top View Hill HotelNyungwe Top View Hill HotelNyungwe Top View Hill Hotel
Akagera Rhino Lodge

Day 4

Akagera Rhino Lodge

Mid-range lodge just outside Akagera NP – All Meals Included

All Meals Included

Akagera Rhino LodgeAkagera Rhino LodgeAkagera Rhino Lodge

Day 5

End of tour

No accommodation

(No accommodation)

Breakfast & Lunch Included

Day By Day

Tour step

Arrival

You'll be collected from the airport. Accommodation before the tour starts can be arranged for an extra cost.

Golden Monkeys & cultural Village Visit

Day 1

Golden Monkeys & cultural Village Visit

Morning: Early drive from Kigali to Volcanoes National Park for Golden monkey Tracking. These playful primates are found in the bamboo forests at the base of the mountains. Afternoon: Visit the Iby’iwacu Cultural Village to see traditional, living drumming and king's house replicas. Over night. Mid-range lodge located less than 1hr drive from Volcanoes NP (Gorillas) Dinner (Breakfast & lunch not included) Drinks not included

Destination: Volcanoes National Park (Gorillas) Stay: Le Bambou Gorilla Lodge Mid-range lodge located less than 1hr drive from Volcanoes NP (Gorillas) Meals: Dinner (Breakfast & lunch not included) Drinks not included
Mountain Gorilla Trekking

Day 2

Mountain Gorilla Trekking

Morning: The Big Event. Head to the park headquarters for your Gorilla trekking assignment. Depending on the gorilla family's location, the hike takes 2–6 hours. You are allowed to view the gorllas for 1 hour hour after finding them Afternoon: Scenic drive to Lake Kivu (Rubavu) to relax by the water after your trek. Optional Boat cruise Overnight. Mid-range hotel located 1-2hr drive from Volcanoes NP (Gorillas) All meals included Drinks not included

Destination: Volcanoes National Park (Gorillas) Stay: Paradise Malahide Hotel Mid-range hotel located 1-2hr drive from Volcanoes NP (Gorillas) Meals: All meals included Drinks not included
Transfer to Nyungwe Forest National Park -Canopy walk

Day 3

Transfer to Nyungwe Forest National Park -Canopy walk

Morning: Drive south along the scenic Lake Kivu belt to Nyungwe Forest. Afternoon: Optional Canopy Walkway—a 160m suspension bridge above the forest floor with incredible bird's-eye views of the ancient rainforest, for forest and primate viewing. Overnight:. Mid-range hotel located just outside Nyungwe NP (Chimps) All meals included Drinks not included

Destination: Lake Kivu Stay: Nyungwe Top View Hill Hotel Mid-range hotel located just outside Nyungwe NP (Chimps) Meals: All meals included Drinks not included
Chimpanzee Tracking & Transfer to Akagera National park

Day 4

Chimpanzee Tracking & Transfer to Akagera National park

Morning: Early morning Chimpanzee trekking in the African ancient forest. Afternoon: Drive across the country to Akagera National Park in the east, the Rwanda's Saravana park for the big 5 safari. Akagera National Park is the only national park in Rwanda where all five species can be found Overnight. Mid-range lodge located just outside Akagera NP All meals included Drinks not included

Destination: Nyungwe National Park (Chimps) Stay: Akagera Rhino Lodge Mid-range lodge located just outside Akagera NP Meals: All meals included Drinks not included
Akagera Big Five Safari & Departure

Day 5

Akagera Big Five Safari & Departure

Morning: Full morning game drive in Akagera National Park. Look for lions, rhinos, giraffes, and elephants. Afternoon: A boat trip on Lake Ihema to see hippos and crocodiles, then drive 2.5 hours back to Kigali for your evening departure flight or at your hotel. End of the tour. Breakfast & lunch (Dinner not included) Drinks not included

Destination: Akagera National Park Stay: No accommodation (End of tour) Meals: Breakfast & lunch (Dinner not included) Drinks not included

Tour step

End of tour

Additional accommodation can be arranged for an extra cost. You'll be dropped off at the airport.

Included

Park fees (For non-residents)

Gorilla permits(One per person, non-resident)

Chimp permits(One per person, non-resident)

All activities (Unless labeled as optional)

All accommodation (Unless listed as upgrade)

A professional driver/guide

All transportation (Unless labeled as optional)

All Taxes/VAT

Roundtrip airport transfer

Meals (As specified in the day-by-day section)

Excluded

International flights (From/to home)

Additional accommodation before and at the end of the tour

Tips (Tipping guideline US$10.00 pp per day)

Personal items (Souvenirs, travel insurance, visa fees, etc.)

Government imposed increase of taxes and/or park fees

Some meals (As specified in the day-by-day section)

Drinks

Getting There

This tour starts and ends in Kigali
This operator can book your international flights
Fly to/from Kigali Airport (KGL - Check price)
A transfer from and back to the airport is included
Additional accommodation before and at the end of the tour can be arranged for an extra cost
Engagi Safaris
Engagi Safaris logo

Offered by

Engagi Safaris

5.0 operator rating 19 reviews

Engagi Safaris Ltd, is a Ugandan-owned tour company offering tailor-made safaris across East and Central Africa. With over a decade of experience, it specializes in gorilla trekking, wildlife safaris, and cultural tours across Africa’s iconic destinations.Each journey combines comfort, safety, and authentic experiences, with a strong commitment to quality service and sustainable tourism.Experienced local guides and 24/7 support ensure a seamless and enriching travel experience.

Office In

Uganda

Size

10-20 employees (Founded in 2010)

Member Of

ASTA, AUTO, TUGATA & USAGA

Tour Types

Customizable private tours and fixed group tours

Destinations

Angola, Botswana, Burundi, Comoros, Congo (Brazzaville), Congo (DRC), Djibouti, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Kenya, Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritius, Mayotte, Mozambique, Namibia, Réunion, Rwanda, Seychelles, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe

Traveler feedback

Reviews

5.00 average

Overall

5.0/5

Communication

5.0/5

Accuracy

5.0/5

Value

5.0/5

Safety clarity

5.0/5

Cultural value

5.0/5
Verified

Amazing experience thanks to Engagi Safaris!

Robert of Engagi Safaris looked after me so well and I couldn't recommend him enough. He and his family also own the Lake Bunyonyi Rock Resort near Kabale where I had the pleasure of staying for my gorilla trek experience - it is just the most beautiful, serene place. I had a fantastic 3 days thanks to him, his family and staff. I was treated like a queen and he made sure I had the best gorilla trek experience (which I did - mind blowing). The people of Uganda are so kind and I hope to come back and visit Robert and his family again! If anyone is considering gorilla trekking in Bwindi (which I highly recommend) contact Robert at Engagi safaris! As a solo female traveller I was taken care of so well and made to feel very welcomed and comfortable. Robert gave me a lot of information about all the different areas of Uganda that we passed through as well as about the gorillas. He is very knowledgable and knows everyone so is definitely the guy to take you around. He was kind enough to stop many times for me to take photos and pointed out points of interest. It would not have been the same experience if I booked with anyone else. Also, they fed me so well - the food was fantastic! I feel very grateful and will never forget this incredible experience.

Stephanie · Australia

Verified

Good organisation, careful driver, excellent guide

Robert organised the perfect Ugandan trip for our small group of three, collecting us from the guest house in Entebbe, driving us to the Engagi Safaris lodge on Lake Bunyonyi, taking us for a perfect day’s gorilla tracking, then up to Queen Elizabeth National Park. He set up a three-day trek into the Mountains of the Moon for us then took us back to Entebbe after a day of chimp tracking. Engagi is a small, family-run group – and all the better for being small. Robert has many years of experience in the tourist sector and seemed to know the best guides and contacts in all the parks we visited. He was helpful in the planning stages and tailored the trip to our budget. He's the best kind of guide himself, not just knowledgeable and helpful but flexible, letting us adjust the itinerary to suit even when the trip was underway. He’s also a careful driver. I don’t believe we could have had a better organised and executed trip to Uganda than we had with Robert and Engagi Safaris. Highly recommended.

Bryn · United Kingdom

Verified

Well planned, expertly executed, all-inclusive week in Uganda.

This was a very well planned trip and I would highly recommend Robert and Engagi Safaris. I originally found Engagi on a blog for low cost travel, but Robert really customizes the trip to your needs and budget. He has been operating as a tour guide in Uganda (in some capacity) for about 20 years so he is familiar with all the possibilities and full of ideas and suggestions for you. I emailed Robert before doing a lot of research on Uganda and what I wanted to do while there -- I had some ideas, but asked for his input and within a few days and a few emails we had an itinerary worked out that I was very happy with. He was always quick to reply and answered every question I had in detail. Robert was very professional throughout the entire trip. Always on time with a clean (air conditioned) car stocked with snacks, and water. We were with Robert for a week, and he was eager to learn the types of things we liked so he could make sure to show us certain things he thought we would be interested in, or stop for different foods we wanted to try along the way. Robert also seems to be friends with the guides at the different parks. The night before we went gorilla trekking, he asked us how long we would like to trek to see the gorillas. We told him about 1 hour (they can be as close as 20 minutes, or as far as 6 hours), later that night he spoke to the guy in charge and we ended up on a private trek and assigned to a gorilla family exactly one hour away. We couldn't have been happier! Again, I would strongly recommend Engagi Safaris. Robert creates a very personal experience that feels really unique and special.

Kate · United States

Verified

Loved it

Great service from start to finish, and their own lodge at Lake Bunyoni was just stunning. Would highly recommend them!

Brian Krijger · Netherlands

Practical answers

Tour FAQs

8 answers

Are rates charged per person?

Rates are per person and exclude the international flight from/to your home country.

Which currency is this tour priced in?

This tour is offered in US dollars (USD).

Can children join this tour?

This tour accepts children who are 15 years and older.

Can this tour start on my preferred date?

If availability permits, this tour can start on any day.

Can the itinerary be customized?

You can request minor changes to the accommodations and destinations of this tour.

Where do travelers stay during this tour?

Le Bambou Gorilla Lodge - Mid-range lodge less than 1hr drive from Volcanoes NP (Gorillas) – Dinner Included. Meals: Dinner Included

Where does this tour start and end?

This tour starts and ends in Kigali

Are airport transfers included?

A transfer from and back to the airport is included

Operator policy

Terms and Conditions

Booking terms

Disclaimer

This tour is offered by Engagi Safaris, not SafariBookings.

This operator reserves the right to change rates advertised on SafariBookings.

If you request changes to this tour, the advertised rates will likely change.

The exact order, contents and rates of this tour are subject to availability.

If an accommodation is fully booked, the operator will suggest a comparable alternative.

Gorilla tracking permits are subject to availability.

This tour is subject to the terms & conditions of Engagi Safaris.

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From

$1,760 pp (USD)

From

$3,685.00