









5 Days Nyungwe Safari and Lake Kivu Adventure
Tour Overview of 5 Days Nyungwe Safari and Lake Kivu Adventure
The 5 Days Nyungwe Safari and Lake Kivu Adventure is a perfect combination of Rwanda’s stunning landscapes, wildlife encounters, and cultural experiences. This journey takes you from the lush rainforests of Nyungwe National Park, famous for chimpanzee trekking and the canopy walkway, to the tranquil shores of Lake Kivu, and onward to the volcanic highlands of Musanze for a cultural immersion.
You’ll explore one of Africa’s oldest rainforests, home to primates, birds, and breathtaking waterfalls, then relax on Lake Kivu’s scenic beaches before heading to the foothills of the Volcanoes National Park for an authentic Rwandan cultural experience. Designed for travelers who love nature, adventure, and culture, this 5-day safari captures the best of Rwanda’s natural and human heritage — all while surrounded by the beauty of the Land of a Thousand Hills.
Book this 5 Days Nyungwe Safari & Lake Kivu Adventure
Day 1: Transfer to Nyungwe National Park
Your adventure begins in Kigali, Rwanda’s vibrant capital. After breakfast, meet your professional driver-guide from Rwanda Safaris Gorilla Trekking for a briefing on the safari. Begin your scenic drive to Nyungwe National Park, located in the southwestern part of the country. Along the way, visit the King’s Palace Museum in Nyanza and the Ethnographic Museum in Huye (Butare) to learn about Rwanda’s royal history and rich traditions. Enjoy lunch en route before continuing your journey through rolling hills and tea plantations. Arrive at your lodge in the evening, check in, and relax as you prepare for the next day’s adventure.
Accommodation: Nyungwe Top View Hill Hotel / One & Only Nyungwe House / Gisakura Guest House
Meal Plan: Lunch & Dinner
Day 2: Chimpanzee Trekking & Canopy Walkway Experience
Rise early for breakfast and head to the park headquarters for a briefing before beginning your chimpanzee trekking adventure. With your ranger guide, enter the misty rainforest in search of one of Nyungwe’s habituated chimp families. Listen to their loud calls echoing through the canopy and enjoy the thrill of watching them play, groom, and feed in their natural environment.
After lunch, experience the famous Nyungwe Canopy Walkway, a 160-meter bridge suspended high above the forest floor. This walk offers breathtaking views of the treetops, waterfalls, and diverse bird species. Return to your lodge in the evening for dinner and overnight rest.
Accommodation: Nyungwe Top View Hill Hotel / One & Only Nyungwe House / Gisakura Guest House
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Day 3: Transfer to Lake Kivu – Scenic Drive & Relaxation
After breakfast, check out and drive north toward Lake Kivu, one of Africa’s most scenic freshwater lakes. The journey winds through tea-covered hills and charming Rwandan villages, offering numerous photo opportunities. Arrive in Kibuye or Gisenyi (depending on your lodge choice) in time for lunch and check-in at your lakeside accommodation.
Spend your afternoon enjoying a peaceful boat ride on Lake Kivu, visiting nearby islands like Napoleon Island or relaxing along the sandy shores. Watch the sunset over the calm waters, or enjoy an optional evening swim before dinner.
Accommodation: Lake Kivu Serena Hotel / Paradise Malahide / Cormoran Lodge
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Day 4: Transfer to Volcanoes National Park – Cultural Experience
After breakfast, depart Lake Kivu and take a scenic drive toward Volcanoes National Park in Musanze District. Upon arrival, check in at your lodge and enjoy lunch. In the afternoon, participate in a Rwandan cultural experience at the Iby’Iwacu Cultural Village, where you’ll meet local communities, enjoy traditional dances, learn about ancient hunting techniques, and take part in drumming sessions. This experience provides insight into Rwanda’s pre-colonial lifestyle and its living heritage.
Return to your lodge for dinner and a relaxing evening surrounded by the volcanic landscape.
Accommodation: Five Volcanoes Boutique Hotel / Da Vinci Gorilla Lodge / Mountain Gorilla View Lodge
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Day 5: Drive Back to Kigali – Gift Shopping & Drop-Off
Enjoy breakfast at your lodge, then depart for Kigali with scenic views of Rwanda’s countryside along the way. On arrival, enjoy gift shopping at local craft markets for souvenirs such as handmade baskets, jewelry, and coffee. Depending on your schedule, you may also take a short Kigali City Walk before being transferred to Kigali International Airport for your flight home.
Meal Plan: Breakfast & Lunch
Included in 5 Days Nyungwe Safari and Lake Kivu Adventure
- All ground transportation in a 4×4 safari vehicle
- Professional English-speaking guide/driver
- Accommodation and meals as per itinerary
- Chimpanzee trekking permit
- Canopy walkway fees
- Boat ride on Lake Kivu
- Cultural village experience
- Museum and historical site visits en route
- Bottled drinking water throughout the tour
Excluded in 5 Days Nyungwe Safari and Lake Kivu Adventure
- International flights and visa fees
- Travel and medical insurance
- Optional activities not mentioned in the itinerary
- Personal expenses (drinks, laundry, tips, souvenirs)
- Porter or guide gratuities
End of Tour
Your 5 Days Nyungwe Safari and Lake Kivu Adventure ends with unforgettable memories of Rwanda’s rainforests, wildlife, and cultural hospitality. From chimpanzees swinging through the canopy to sunsets over Lake Kivu and local cultural rhythms in Musanze, this journey perfectly captures Rwanda’s harmony between nature, people, and tradition.
Starting from US $ 3,000 per person
Discounted prices per person as the number of people rises. Prices for children are fixed as $ 150 per child.
| No of People | Up To | Price per person |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | – | $ 3700 |
| 2 | – | $ 3200 |
| 3 | – | $ 2800 |
| 4 | – | $ 2500 |
| 5 | – | $ 2300 |
| 6 | – | $ 2100 |
| 7 | 15 | $ 2000 |
Posted on Tripadvisor patty eVerified 100% recommended I was originally in Tanzania for a safari but decided to add the gorilla trek at the end of my trip because the flight was too long to fly to Africa from California again at my age. I booked through Viator. From the beginning, communication with Universal Adventures was positive. They were prompt to answer any questions. And a few days before the excursion, they sent me my driver's name and WhatsApp number. His name is Christian.We communicated through WhatsApp, and he was very prompt to reply back. He was early to pick me up at 4:30am. I had another person in the car. The car was clean. Its a long drive to the meeting place. We stopped for breakfast pastries at a local shop( they take credit cards and had a clean breakfast. We then drove to the meeting place where we met up with our group. There they had hot drinks like coffees, lattes, teas, etc. We then had to drive to the beginning of the mountain. It was a long drive as the roads are not paved. My group was assigned the Isimbi gorilla family and our guide was Jolie. My porter was Adolf. I was the least active one in the group but the crew never made me feel bad. After what I thought was a 4 hr hike (it was really 1 hr and 26 minutes) we found our gorilla family. We had plenty of time to take pictures with them. After we were done, Christian took us to a rooftop restaurant. The food was delicious! I recommend this excursion 100%. The company is awesome and very professional.Posted on Tripadvisor Juliet KVerified Gorilla Experience in Rwanda! Easy ride, the trip was one in a life time experience. The driver (Christian) was very nice and kind and made the trip smooth! Everything was great.Posted on Tripadvisor zoe457Verified Amazing experience seeing the gorillas of Rwanda! Amazing experience seeing the gorillas. Dodos picked me up in Kigali and was very helpful through the whole process. He even had cold drinks when I finished the gorilla trekking. Highly recommend!Posted on Tripadvisor Trevor BVerified Great way to see Kigali! Our guide Christian was knowledgeable and kind. He showed us all the highlights including the moving Genocide Memorial. His personal stories and insights into Rwandan society were invaluable. It was truly a pleasure to spend the day with him in Kigali.Posted on Tripadvisor Destination709424Verified Gorilla Trekking Me and my partner have always dreamed of doing gorilla trekking so when Christian helped this come to life it was surreal! As tourists we felt incredibly safe and welcomed with Christian he was super knowledgable and happy to share lots of description and reasoning with all our questions to help us learn and understand the culture. We also did a cultural village visit, Golden Monkey Trek, Diane Fossey Museum and women’s centre. All suggested and planned with Christian from Universal Ventures Rawanda. Any requests we had were never too much for Christian he was always happy to help. I would 110% recommend Christian to all my friends and family who I know want to come to Rawanda. Thankyou for making our dreams come true!Posted on Tripadvisor Geti LVerified 100% would recommend Amazing team and guide. I didn’t have to think about anything since they planned everything from airport pick up till drop off. Best value for buck but also great attitude and support. Got permission to visit the Pablo family thanks to our guide!Posted on Tripadvisor Yanis RVerified Thanks Kim for that wonderful day Kim was my guide for my experience with the gorillas. He made the day so comfortable. Everything was perfect! We also had many conversations about everything. I definitely recommend traveling with him!!Posted on Tripadvisor Aglaia OVerified Amazing Rwanda gorilla trek! Playful babies, calm silverback, great guides. Book permits well in advance. My gorilla trekking experience in Rwanda was absolutely incredible. We found the gorillas within about an hour of hiking, and seeing them up close was unforgettable. The baby gorillas were especially playful and entertaining to watch, constantly moving around and interacting with each other. In contrast, the silverback was calm, quiet, and completely self-focused — somehow both powerful and peaceful at the same time. The gorillas were not scary at all, and we never felt threatened during the experience. The guides were fantastic: experienced, knowledgeable, and very entertaining throughout the trek. One of our guides even shared stories about crossing paths with Dian Fossey, which made the experience feel even more special and connected to Rwanda’s conservation history. One important tip: make sure to secure your trekking permit well in advance, as spots are limited and can sell out quickly. A truly once-in-a-lifetime experience that I would highly recommend.Posted on Tripadvisor MARCELLE EVerified Gorilles Kigali Nous avons choisis la parcours long mais ca valait le coup. Nous en avons pris pleins les yeux les guides étaient top le trajet depuis Kigali pas trop long avec le chauffeur de l'agence , NEZA qui a vraiment été super du début à la fin . Il nous été d’une grande aide.le responsable de l’agence et était super et disponible il nous a aidé pour toutes les démarches.Posted on Tripadvisor Teresa BVerified The trek was perfect! We saw a beautiful family of gorillas including two Silverbacks! The best experience of my life! Seeing gorillas in their natural habitat was incredible! A truly serene experience. The tour was well planned and could not have been more perfect. The entire team guided with professionalism and love. My porter, Jacqueline, was wonderful and took great care of me. My personal guide/driver, Kim, was a delight! I learned much about Rwanda from him on the drive. I was surprised he greeted me with champagne toast! The day could not have been better.
