A Rwanda
safari packages wildlife encounters with varied comfort levels, from
budget-friendly group trips to exclusive luxury lodges. Budget packages
($1,800–$2,800) focus on shared vehicles, basic guesthouses, and simple meals,
prioritizing gorilla or chimp permits over amenities. Mid-range options
($2,800–$5,500) balance affordability and comfort, offering lodges with private
bathrooms, smaller safari groups, and buffet dining near park entrances. Luxury
packages ($5,500–$15,000+) deliver private guides, butlers, gourmet meals, and
premium lodges like Bisate or Singita, ensuring privacy and seamless service.
Key costs include the gorilla trekking permit at $1,500, discounted rates for
East African residents, chimpanzee trekking ($90–$150), golden monkey tracking
($100), Akagera entry (~$100/day), and Nyungwe canopy walks ($60–$70).
Together, these choices let travelers tailor Rwanda safaris to budget, comfort,
and adventure preferences.
Budget ($1,800 –
$2,800)
This price point gets you into Rwanda's national
parks without wiping out your savings. Your Rwanda
safari package at this level uses basic guesthouses or tents with shared
bathrooms. You join a group vehicle with up to eight other travelers, which
keeps transport costs down. The trucks are older but reliable 4x4s, and you
share a guide with the whole group. Your days start early, and you eat simple
local meals at roadside restaurants or camp kitchens. The main draw is that you
still see gorillas or chimps, because the permit price is the same for
everyone. What you give up is privacy, fine dining, and air conditioning. What you
gain is a real experience and money left for other trips. This works best if
you are fit, patient with group dynamics, and want to put your dollars toward
the permits rather than the bed. Many travelers pick this for a short 3-day
trip focused only on gorilla trekking.
Mid-Range
($2,800 – $5,500)
A Rwanda safari package in this bracket gives you
comfort without the luxury price tag. You stay in permanent lodges with private
bathrooms, hot showers, and real beds with mosquito nets. Your group is
smaller, often just four to six people in a custom safari jeep with pop-up
roofs for good viewing angles. The lodges sit near park entrances, so you avoid
long morning drives to the trekking start points. Meals are buffet-style with
both local and western options, and you get drinking water included throughout
the day. The guides have more experience and speak better English, because
mid-range operators hire their best staff. You also get more flexibility, like
choosing your trekking group or adding a golden monkey track on the same permit
day. This level suits couples or small friend groups who want reliable service,
good food, and a stress-free schedule. It is the most popular choice for
first-time visitors.
Luxury ($5,500 –
$15,000+)
At the top end, your Rwanda
safari package includes stays at lodges like Bisate or Singita, where each
room has a private veranda overlooking the volcanoes. You get a private vehicle
with your own guide and driver, so you control the pace, stop for photos as
long as you want, and change plans on the spot. The lodges assign a personal
butler to handle your laundry, drinks, and wake-up calls. Meals are plated, not
buffet, with a chef who prepares your order from a daily menu. Your guide
carries your daypack during the trek and arranges a porter for you at no extra
cost. The lodges provide high-end rain gear and boots if yours get soaked. You
also get faster permit allocation, meaning you trek in the first group of the
day when the gorillas are most active. This package removes every small
frustration, so you focus only on the experience. It is for travelers who value
time, privacy, and comfort over budget.
Current Permit
and Activity Prices for Rwanda safari
Gorilla Trekking
Permit ($1,500)
The gorilla permit is the largest single cost for
any Rwanda safari. This $1,500 fee applies to all international visitors who
are not East African residents. The money goes directly to conservation work,
anti-poaching patrols, and local community projects. Your permit gives you one
hour with a specific gorilla family, guided by trained trackers and armed
rangers. You must book this permit months ahead, especially for the dry seasons
from June to September and December to February. The permit is non-refundable,
so plan your travel dates carefully. Many tour operators include this permit in
their Rwanda safari package, but some travelers prefer to buy it directly from
the Rwanda Development Board website. Either way, this permit is mandatory, and
no trekking happens without it. Your physical fitness matters because you may
walk for hours through steep, muddy terrain before finding the gorillas.
Gorilla Permit
Discounts ($200–$500)
East African citizens and residents pay much less
for the same gorilla experience. The discount brings the permit down to around
$200 to $500, depending on your nationality and residency status. This pricing
strategy encourages local and regional tourism while keeping international
rates high for conservation funding. To qualify, you need a valid East African
passport or a resident permit from Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, or Rwanda. The
discount does not apply to other African nationals outside East Africa. Many
regional travelers use this lower rate to do multiple treks across different parks.
Tour operators in Kigali can help you confirm your eligibility before booking.
If you hold dual citizenship, use the passport that gives you the better rate.
This discount makes Rwanda safari package more affordable for people living in
the region.
Chimpanzee
Trekking ($90–$150)
Chimpanzee trekking happens in Nyungwe
Forest National Park, and the permit costs between $90 and $150 per person.
The exact price depends on whether you book the morning or afternoon session,
with morning treks usually costing more. Unlike gorillas, chimps move fast and
swing through trees, so you need good walking shoes and some patience. The trek
lasts two to four hours, and you spend one hour with the chimps once you find
them. Nyungwe has over 500 chimps, so sighting rates are high. Your permit
includes a trained guide who explains chimp behavior and points out other
primates along the trail. You can book this permit one to two weeks in advance,
unlike gorilla permits which need months. This activity fits well into a Rwanda
safari package that covers multiple parks, especially if you want variety
beyond the gorillas.
Golden Monkey
Tracking ($100)
Golden monkey tracking occurs in Volcanoes National
Park, right where the gorilla treks begin. The permit costs $100 per person and
gives you one hour with these bright-orange primates. Golden monkeys live in
bamboo forests at lower altitudes than gorillas, so the walking is easier and
less tiring. You track in small groups of up to eight people, following the
monkeys as they jump between bamboo stalks. They are active and playful, so you
get good photo opportunities throughout the hour. The permit also covers park
entry fees and a ranger guide. Many travelers add this activity to their Rwanda
safari package on a rest day between gorilla treks. You can book this permit
just a few days before, as demand is lower than gorilla permits. It is a good
backup if you cannot get a gorilla slot on your preferred date.
Akagera National
Park Entry (~$100)
Akagera National Park charges about $100 per day for
entry, plus separate vehicle fees. This is not a permit but a daily park fee
that covers road maintenance and ranger salaries. Unlike the volcanic parks,
Akagera is a savannah ecosystem with lions, elephants, giraffes, and rhinos.
You pay this fee for each day you spend inside the park, whether you do a game
drive or a boat safari on Lake Ihema. The fee does not include a vehicle, so
you must arrange your own 4x4 or join a lodge vehicle. If you stay overnight
inside the park, you pay the entry fee only once for that day. Akagera offers a
very different experience from gorilla trekking, and many Rwanda safari package
itineraries include three to four days here. The entry fee is collected at the
park gate, and you can pay by card or cash in local currency.
Park Canopy Walk
($60–$70)
The canopy walk in Nyungwe Forest National Park
costs between $60 and $70 per person. This activity is not a trek but a
suspended bridge walk 50 to 70 meters above the forest floor. The bridge
stretches 160 meters long and gives you a bird's-eye view of the tree canopy
and the monkeys moving below. You walk with a guide who points out bird species
and explains the forest ecology. The whole activity takes about two hours,
including the short hike to reach the bridge. No special fitness level is
needed, but you should be comfortable with heights. The price includes your
guide and safety equipment. You can add this to your Rwanda safari package if
you have a spare day in Nyungwe, or use it as a warm-up before chimp trekking.
Book this at the park reception one day in advance.
Sample Rwanda
Safari Package Prices now
3-Day Big 5
Safari in Akagera ($1,655)
This package focuses entirely on Akagera National
Park, Rwanda's only savannah reserve. For $1,655, you get three days of game
drives searching for lions, elephants, buffalo, leopards, and rhinos. The price
includes park entry fees, a safari vehicle with a driver-guide, and full-board
accommodation at a mid-range lodge inside the park. You also get a boat safari
on Lake Ihema, where you see hippos and crocodiles up close. This package does
not include gorilla trekking, so it suits travelers who want the classic
African safari experience without the high permit cost. The driving distances
are short because Akagera is only 2.5 hours from Kigali airport. Meals are
buffet-style, and drinking water is provided throughout the day. This is a good
choice for families or first-time safari goers who want a straightforward,
no-surprises trip. Book this package at least one month ahead for better lodge
availability.
3-Day Nature and
Chimps Escape ($1,395)
This $1,395 package combines Nyungwe Forest National
Park with Lake Kivu, Rwanda's largest lake. You spend day one driving from
Kigali to Nyungwe, with a stop at the lake for lunch. Day two is for chimpanzee
trekking in the forest, including your permit and a park ranger. Day three
takes you on a canopy walk before driving back to Kigali. Your accommodation is
a basic but comfortable guesthouse near the park entrance, with private rooms
and hot water. Meals are included, mostly local dishes like grilled fish and
plantains. The package price covers transport in a shared 4x4 with up to six
other guests. It does not include gorilla permits, so it costs less than gorilla-focused
trips. This option works well for budget travelers who want primate viewing
without paying $1,500 for a gorilla permit. The total driving distance is about
six hours each way, so be prepared for long road time.
4-Day Gorilla
and Lake Kivu Trip ($2,680)
Serena Hotels offers this package at $2,680 per
person, and it includes the $1,500 gorilla permit. You stay two nights at the
Volcanoes area and one night at Lake Kivu. Day one takes you from Kigali to the
volcanoes, with an afternoon visit to the Iby'Iwacu cultural village. Day two
is the gorilla trek, starting early with a briefing at the park headquarters.
After the trek, you drive to Lake Kivu for a relaxing evening by the water. Day
three includes a boat trip on the lake and a visit to coffee plantations. Day
four drives you back to Kigali for your flight. The accommodation is Serena's
own lodges, which are high-end with good service and reliable food. Transport
is private, not shared, so you control the schedule. This package is a solid
mid-range to luxury option because the permit alone is over half the total
cost, leaving $1,180 for three nights of lodging, meals, transport, and
activities.
7-Day Ultimate
Luxury Safari ($27,466)
This package costs $27,466 per person and covers
seven days of high-end travel across Rwanda. You stay at properties like Bisate
Lodge, Singita Kwitonda, and One&Only Nyungwe House, where nightly rates
exceed $2,000. The price includes private helicopter transfers between parks,
saving you long road drives. You get a private guide and vehicle for the entire
week, with a chef who prepares custom meals. Activities include gorilla
trekking twice, chimp trekking, golden monkey tracking, and a canopy walk. You
also visit Lake Kivu for a private boat cruise with drinks and snacks. The
package covers all permits, park fees, meals, drinks, laundry, and tips. You do
not share anything with other travelers. The high cost comes from the
accommodation, private transport, and personalized service. This package suits
travelers with large budgets who want complete privacy, zero waiting time, and
the best rooms in each park.
Best time to go
for Rwanda safari
The best time for a Rwanda safari is during the dry
seasons, which run from June to September and December to
February. During these months, the trails in Volcanoes National Park for
gorilla trekking are drier and easier to walk, and the vegetation is less
dense, which makes seeing wildlife in Akagera National Park easier as animals
gather around water sources. However, these are also the busiest months,
meaning you need to book your gorilla permits and lodges well in advance
because demand and prices are higher. The rainy seasons from March to May and
October to November make trekking more difficult with muddy and slippery
trails, but this time offers lush green scenery, is better for bird watching,
and can be a rewarding time for chimpanzee tracking in Nyungwe Forest
