Rwanda 8-Day Luxury Private Tour

Yes. Your driver, vehicle and guides are for your party only, and the route is tailored with you before you book. Lodges, restaurants and parks are of course shared with other guests, and the primate treks are done in small ranger-led groups, as the park rules require.

Every package uses carefully selected properties. The Luxury Package uses high-end 4-star and standard 5-star hotels and lodges; Premium Luxury moves up to selected 5-star lodges and boutique stays; and VIP All-Inclusive uses the most luxurious properties available at each stop, with suites where possible. Your proposal names every hotel, lodge and room type before you book.

Visa and entry. Rwanda issues visas on arrival to every nationality. Citizens of Commonwealth, African Union and Francophonie countries receive a free 30-day visa; others, including US citizens, pay a fee on arrival or can apply online in advance through the government’s Irembo portal. If you combine countries, the East Africa Tourist Visa (US$100) covers Rwanda, Uganda and Kenya for 90 days. Your passport should be valid for at least six months, with a blank page. Plastic bags are banned in Rwanda and may be taken from you at the airport. Rules depend on your nationality, so please check them before you travel.

Gorilla trekking. Your permit is included and booked as soon as you confirm, since numbers are limited. The Rwanda Development Board sets the rules: trekkers must be 15 or older, each group has at most eight visitors, you keep at least 7 m from the gorillas and the time with them is one hour. Reaching your family can take from about 30 minutes to four hours or more each way, on steep and muddy slopes. If you have a cold or flu you may not be allowed to trek, so tell us early if you feel unwell. Golden monkey tracking, which you can add, is for ages 12 and over. Chimpanzee tracking in Nyungwe is included in this trip. The minimum age is 18 for chimpanzee tracking on our tours, and it starts very early, when the chimpanzees are most active.

Health. Malaria is present in parts of Rwanda, including Lake Kivu, and a yellow fever vaccination certificate is required if you arrive from a country with a risk of yellow fever. See your doctor or a travel clinic six to eight weeks before you go about vaccinations and malaria prevention, and follow your doctor’s advice.

Weather and what to wear. June to September and December to February are the drier months and the easiest for trekking; it rains more from March to May and in October and November, but treks run all year. Volcanoes National Park is cool, especially in the evening. For the forest, bring a waterproof jacket, long trousers, long sleeves, gloves for the nettles and boots with a good grip; neutral colors are best.

Fitness. Average fitness is enough for most of the trip, and the trek is the main effort, at altitudes of about 2,500 to 3,000 m. Rangers try to match families to each group’s fitness, and hiring a local porter at the start makes a real difference. Chimpanzee tracking can mean one to three hours on steep forest trails, and the canopy walkway suits anyone comfortable with heights. The lakeside drives take about three and a half hours each.

Umuganda. On the last Saturday of each month, Rwanda stops for Umuganda, community work from about 8 to 11 a.m., when traffic and many shops pause. We plan your drives around it.

Children and single travelers. Children aged 6–12 have a reduced price and infants aged 0–5 travel free. Because of the age limits above, children cannot join the gorilla trek or the chimpanzee tracking, so we plan a different morning for them. A single supplement applies if you travel alone; ask us for it.

Tips. Tips are not included and are always your choice. As a guide, about US$15–20 per day for your driver-guide (per party), around US$10–20 per person for the ranger team on each trek, about US$15–20 for a porter on top of the porter fee, and US$10–15 per guest per day for lodge staff, usually into a shared tip box. US dollars and Rwandan francs are both welcome.

Safety. Rwanda is one of the safest and best-organized countries in Africa to travel in. We follow official travel and health advice, including any health screening at the airport, adjust the route if needed, and stay in touch with you throughout your journey.

The long dry season from June to September and the short dry spell from mid-December to February are the most comfortable times, with easier trails for gorilla trekking. Gorillas can be seen all year, and the green seasons bring fewer visitors, though March to May is the wettest period. Kigali and the highlands stay mild year-round.

Yes, for travelers who would like both chimpanzees and gorillas in one trip. The route takes in Nyungwe Forest, Lake Kivu and the Virunga volcanoes, with a domestic flight to save the longest drive and two nights in each place after Kigali. The gorilla trek needs reasonable fitness and the minimum age is 15; chimpanzee tracking on our tours is for ages 18 and over. Permits are limited, so we recommend booking several months ahead.

Absolutely. This itinerary is a starting point, designed for a first visit. Share your interests, travel dates and preferred style of stay, and we can add a spare day after the gorilla trek, golden monkey tracking or a few nights in Akagera, or upgrade your lodges. Returning to Rwanda? Ask us about a tailor-made journey. Your written proposal confirms everything.

Send us your preferred dates, the number of travelers and the kind of trip you would enjoy. Your travel specialist will confirm the route, lodges, permits, included services and total price. A 30% deposit secures your reservations, and the payment schedule is set out in your proposal.

Your written proposal sets out the deposit, payment dates and cancellation terms before you book. Refunds depend on those agreed terms and on the arrangements reserved for your journey. Gorilla permits are issued by the park authority and are usually non-refundable, so we explain this clearly before you pay.

Prices are per person in USD for the complete 8-day private tour, based on two adults sharing a double or twin room. Groups of four adults save approximately 20% per person and groups of six approximately 30%. VIP prices are starting prices. Your final quote confirms any seasonal supplements, optional upgrades and all included services.