7 Days Burundi Rwanda Safari | Gorilla Trekking & Wildlife Adventure

Day 1: Arrival in Bujumbura – Burundi City Tour

Upon arrival at Bujumbura International Airport, you will be warmly welcomed by your professional safari guide and transferred for a city tour of Burundi’s former capital.

Visit key attractions including the Livingstone–Stanley Monument, local markets, craft centers, and the shores of beautiful Lake Tanganyika, one of Africa’s Great Lakes.

You may also visit Rusizi National Park where hippos, birds, and crocodiles can often be spotted near the river delta.

Later, transfer to your hotel for relaxation and overnight stay.

Accommodation and Meals
Luxury: Hotel Club du Lac Tanganyika
Mid-range: Roca Golf Hotel
Budget: City Hill Hotel
Meals: Dinner

Day 2: Gitega Cultural Experience

After breakfast, depart Bujumbura and drive toward Gitega, Burundi’s political capital and cultural center.

Visit the National Museum of Gitega where you will learn about Burundi’s royal history, traditions, music, and cultural heritage.

Continue to the famous Gishora Drum Sanctuary to experience Burundi’s traditional royal drumming performances, recognized as an important part of the country’s cultural identity.

Enjoy scenic countryside views, traditional villages, and rolling green hills throughout the journey.

Return to your lodge for dinner and overnight stay.

Accommodation and Meals
Luxury: Tropitel Gitega
Mid-range: Helena Hotel Gitega
Budget: Gitega Guest House
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Day 3: Transfer from Burundi to Kigali, Rwanda

After breakfast, begin your cross-border journey from Burundi into Rwanda.

Enjoy scenic drives through the beautiful landscapes of both countries often referred to as the heart of East Africa’s rolling hills region.

Arrive in Kigali, Rwanda’s clean and vibrant capital city, in the afternoon.

Depending on arrival time, enjoy a Kigali city tour including visits to the Kigali Genocide Memorial, local craft markets, art galleries, and cultural centers.

Later, transfer to your hotel for dinner and overnight stay.

Accommodation and Meals
Luxury: Kigali Serena Hotel / Radisson Blu Kigali
Mid-range: Hotel Des Mille Collines / Heaven Boutique Hotel
Budget: Onomo Hotel Kigali
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Day 4: Transfer to Volcanoes National Park

After breakfast, depart Kigali and drive north toward Volcanoes National Park, home to the endangered mountain gorillas.

Enjoy breathtaking views of Rwanda’s rolling hills, volcanic mountains, rural villages, and scenic countryside during the drive.

Arrive at your lodge near the park in time for relaxation while enjoying spectacular views of the Virunga Mountains.

You may also enjoy optional cultural experiences including visits to local communities or the Iby’Iwacu Cultural Village.

Accommodation and Meals
Luxury: Bisate Lodge / One&Only Gorilla’s Nest
Mid-range: Mountain Gorilla View Lodge / Le Bambou Gorilla Lodge
Budget: Kinigi Guest House
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Day 5: Gorilla Trekking Experience

Wake up early for breakfast before proceeding to the park headquarters for a briefing by ranger guides about gorilla trekking rules and safety procedures.

Enter the lush rainforest slopes of Volcanoes National Park and begin your unforgettable gorilla trekking adventure.

The trek may take a few hours depending on the movement of the gorilla family, but every moment through the forest offers beautiful scenery and exciting wildlife encounters.

Once the gorillas are located, spend one magical hour observing them as they feed, groom, rest, and interact naturally in their forest habitat.

This once-in-a-lifetime wildlife experience is considered one of Africa’s greatest adventures.

After the trek, return to the lodge for relaxation and overnight stay.

Accommodation and Meals
Luxury: Bisate Lodge / One&Only Gorilla’s Nest
Mid-range: Mountain Gorilla View Lodge / Le Bambou Gorilla Lodge
Budget: Kinigi Guest House
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Day 6: Transfer to Akagera National Park

After breakfast, depart Volcanoes National Park and journey east toward Akagera National Park, Rwanda’s only savannah national park.

The drive offers spectacular scenery through Rwanda’s rolling hills, lakes, and rural landscapes.

Upon arrival, enjoy an afternoon game drive in search of elephants, buffaloes, giraffes, zebras, antelopes, lions, and numerous bird species.

Akagera National Park is home to the Big Five and offers beautiful landscapes of savannah, lakes, wetlands, and woodland ecosystems.

Accommodation and Meals
Luxury: Magashi Camp / Ruzizi Tented Lodge
Mid-range: Akagera Game Lodge
Budget: Akagera Transit Lodge
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Day 7: Morning Boat Safari & Return to Kigali

After breakfast, enjoy a relaxing boat safari on Lake Ihema where you may encounter hippos, crocodiles, elephants, buffaloes, and numerous water birds along the shoreline.

The cruise offers excellent wildlife photography opportunities and beautiful scenery across Akagera’s wetland ecosystem.

Later, begin your return journey to Kigali where you will be transferred to the airport or your hotel, marking the end of your unforgettable Burundi and Rwanda safari.

Accommodation and Meals
Meals: Breakfast & Lunch