Akagera National Park is Rwanda’s Big Five savannah destination.
Rwanda is famous for gorillas, but there is far more to a Rwanda safari. This compact, beautiful country packs Big Five game drives, chimpanzee tracking, rainforest canopy walks, and a vibrant capital into a small, easy-to-travel area. This guide covers Rwanda’s safari destinations beyond the gorillas.
The “land of a thousand hills”
Rwanda is one of Africa’s most scenic and well-organised destinations. Its rolling green hills, good roads, warmth, and safety make it a genuine pleasure to travel. Because the country is small, you can combine gorillas, savannah wildlife, forest primates, and lake scenery in a single, seamless trip, often in a week or less. That variety and ease is Rwanda’s great strength.
Akagera National Park
In the east, Akagera National Park is Rwanda’s classic savannah safari. Once threatened, it has been transformed by a remarkable conservation partnership, and lions and rhinos have both been successfully reintroduced, restoring the Big Five. Today, game drives here reveal elephants, buffalo, giraffes, zebras, and antelope across beautiful landscapes of savannah, lakes, and wetlands, with excellent birdlife and boat safaris too.
Nyungwe Forest
Nyungwe Forest offers chimpanzee tracking and a canopy walkway.
In the southwest lies Nyungwe, one of Africa’s oldest and largest mountain rainforests. It is a paradise for primates, home to chimpanzees and many other monkey species, and chimpanzee tracking here is a real highlight. Nyungwe also boasts a spectacular canopy walkway suspended high above the forest, plus excellent hiking and birdwatching. It is a wonderful contrast to the savannah and the volcanoes.
Kigali
Most Rwanda trips begin in the safe, vibrant capital of Kigali.
Almost every Rwanda trip begins in Kigali, and the capital is worth time in its own right. Famously clean, safe, and welcoming, it has a lively food and arts scene and excellent hotels. The moving Kigali Genocide Memorial offers essential context on the country’s history and its remarkable recovery. As a base, Kigali’s central location makes it the perfect springboard to the rest of the country.
Gorillas and golden monkeys
No Rwanda safari is complete without its primates. Volcanoes National Park in the north offers world-class mountain gorilla trekking and the chance to see rare golden monkeys. These pair naturally with a wider safari for a trip that combines the Big Five, forest primates, and the gentle giants of the Virungas. See our Rwanda gorilla trekking and Volcanoes National Park guides for more.
Plan your Rwanda safari
Rwanda’s compact size makes it ideal for a varied, seamless safari, and it combines beautifully with a wider East African journey. Explore our gorilla trekking and golden monkey guides, or contact us to plan a Rwanda safari alongside our Tanzania and Zanzibar trips.
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