How many nights do I need?

We suggest 5–9 nights. Our Rwanda packages can be extended or shortened to suit you.

Can I combine Rwanda with another destination?

Yes. Many travellers pair it with a neighbouring destination — use the trip builder or mention it in your inquiry.

Mountain gorilla resting among bamboo leaves and chewing a stem in Rwanda

Africa · 2 holiday packages

Rwanda

Q: Do I need a visa?

Requirements depend on your nationality. Please check official government guidance; we can point you to the right resources.

Mountain gorillas and the land of a thousand hills

Explore packages Customise your trip

Why go to Rwanda

Trek to meet mountain gorillas, then unwind on Lake Kivu — Rwanda is compact, green and deeply memorable.

Most travellers begin in Kigali. Our specialists typically suggest 5–9 nights to see the highlights without rushing — longer if you’d like to combine regions or add beach time.

Best time: Jun–Sep, Dec–Feb
Suggested length: 5–9 nights
Packages from: $5,533 pp
Main gateway: Kigali
Time zone: UTC+2
Currency: Rwandan franc (RWF)

Rwanda at a glance

Republic of Rwanda

Capital: Kigali
Region: Eastern Africa, Africa
Currency: Rwandan franc (RWF)
Languages: English, French, Kinyarwanda
Dialling code: +250
ISO codes: RW · RWA · 646
Local time: —Africa/Kigali

Country details are maintained by our travel specialists. Live weather is provided by an external service and updates automatically.

Live weather

Kigali

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Best time to visit

Recommended: Jun–Sep, Dec–FebPossible, with trade-offs

Key attractions & experiences

Volcanoes National Park

Rwanda's home of the mountain gorilla, protecting the forested slopes of five Virunga volcanoes. Treks start from the park headquarters at Kinigi, with golden monkeys, crater hikes and Dian Fossey's grave as further highlights.

Nyungwe National Park

A vast montane rainforest on the Congo-Nile divide, inscribed as Rwanda's first UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2023, with chimpanzee tracking, colobus monkeys, waterfalls and a walkway above the treetops.

Lake Kivu

Rwanda's largest lake stretches along the western border, with the lakeside town of Rubavu in the north, the hilly bays and islands of Karongi in the middle and Rusizi in the south.

Akagera National Park

A savannah, lake and wetland park on Rwanda's eastern border, jointly managed by RDB and African Parks since 2010. Lions and rhinos have returned, making it the country's only Big Five destination.

Destination guide

Explore 18 places in Rwanda

Landmarks, sacred sites, islands, parks and food streets — each with its story, the best time to go and what’s nearby.

18 places in Rwanda

National park

Kinigi, Musanze District, Northern Province

Volcanoes National Park

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National park

Nyamasheke, Western Province

Nyungwe National Park

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Nature

Rubavu, Karongi and Rusizi, Western Province

Lake Kivu

Rwanda's largest lake stretches along the western border, with the lakeside town of Rubavu in the north, the hilly bays and islands of Karongi in the middle and Rusizi in the south.

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National park

Kayonza District, Eastern Province

Akagera National Park

A savannah, lake and wetland park on Rwanda's eastern border, jointly managed by RDB and African Parks since 2010. Lions and rhinos have returned, making it the country's only Big Five destination.

Explore

Entrance sign of the Kigali Genocide Memorial Centre in Gisozi

Heritage

Gisozi, Gasabo District, Kigali

Kigali Genocide Memorial

The national place of remembrance on Gisozi hill, where more than 250,000 victims of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi are laid to rest. Exhibitions, gardens and survivor-led guiding help visitors understand what happened and why it must never recur.

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Market

Kimironko, Gasabo District, Kigali

Kimironko Market

A huge covered market in eastern Kigali where locals buy fruit, vegetables, fish and household goods, and visitors come for colourful kitenge fabric, made-to-measure tailoring and woven baskets.

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Orange-tiled rooftops of Nyamirambo with green trees and Kigali's hills stretching to the horizon

City

Nyamirambo, Nyarugenge District, Kigali

Nyamirambo and the Green Mosque

Kigali's most colourful neighbourhood and its historic Muslim quarter, centred on the green-and-white Al-Fatah Mosque, with tailors, milk bars, street food and community-run walking tours.

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Colourful mural-covered façade of Inema Arts Center, Kigali

Museum

Kacyiru, Gasabo District, Kigali

Inema Arts Center

An artist-founded gallery and community art centre in Kacyiru, showing bold contemporary Rwandan painting and sculpture, with resident artists, classes and a garden café.

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New Year fireworks bursting over the illuminated dome of the Kigali Convention Centre and the neighbouring hotel at night

City

Kigali, City of Kigali

Kigali City

Rwanda's capital spreads across green hills, with tidy tree-lined streets, a pedestrian car-free zone downtown and the striking domed Kigali Convention Centre, which glows in changing colours at night.

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All things to do in Rwanda →

Rwanda holiday packages

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NatureAdventure

Rwanda · 6 nights5★ Lodge

Gorillas & Lake Kivu

Gorilla trekking permit
Lake Kivu
Kigali city tour

Includes accommodation · private transfers · daily breakfast · guided sightseeing

Indicative from

$5,533 pp

NatureAdventure

Rwanda · 9 nights4★ Lodge

Rwanda Primate & Savannah Safari

Chimp tracking
Akagera game drives
Gorilla trek

Includes accommodation · private transfers · daily breakfast · guided sightseeing

Indicative from

$6,232 pp

Want something different?Build a Rwanda trip around your own dates, pace and interests.Customise your trip

Sample itinerary

Gorillas & Lake Kivu

7 days · 5★ lodge · indicative from $5,533 pp. Every day can be adjusted.

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Day 1
Arrive in Kigali
You’re met on arrival and taken by private transfer to your lodge. The rest of the day is free to settle in — your travel specialist will have left a welcome pack with local tips.
Day 2
Volcanoes National Park
Permit-based treks to habituated mountain gorilla families. Your local guide shares context and stories along the way, with time to explore independently afterwards.
Day 3
Nyungwe Forest
Canopy walkway and chimpanzee tracking. Your local guide shares context and stories along the way, with time to explore independently afterwards.
Day 4
Lake Kivu
Lakeside rest days in Gisenyi or Kibuye. Your local guide shares context and stories along the way, with time to explore independently afterwards.
Day 5
Day at leisure
A free day to explore at your own pace. Suggested: gorilla trekking, canopy walks, coffee-farm visits. Optional excursions can be pre-booked as add-ons.
Day 6
Volcanoes National Park
Permit-based treks to habituated mountain gorilla families. Your local guide shares context and stories along the way, with time to explore independently afterwards.

Food, culture & things to do

Food

Brochettes, isombe, Rwandan coffee

Culture

Intore dance and community tourism

Shopping

Agaseke baskets and coffee

Activities

Gorilla trekking, canopy walks, coffee-farm visits

Practical information

Language: Kinyarwanda, English, French
Currency: Rwandan franc (RWF)
Time zone: UTC+2
Gateway: Kigali
Best for: Wildlife, Hiking, Photography, Wellness

Entry requirements depend on your nationality. Please check official government guidance before you travel — your specialist can point you to the right resources.