Rwanda Short Safaris
Two to four day Rwanda safaris, planned around the days you have and the flight you need to catch.
For longer trips and lodge levels, see our luxury Rwanda safaris.
A short Rwanda safari lasts two to four days. The shortest trip we recommend is a three day gorilla trek, which starts from US$3,460 per person sharing with the gorilla permit included. A two day trek is possible, and four days add golden monkey tracking. These are guide prices, and your written quotation shows the final total.
Key facts at a glance
- Price from
- US$3,460 per person sharing for a 3 day gorilla trek, permit included. A 2 day Akagera safari is US$1,025. Guide prices, final price in a written quotation
- Trip length
- 2 to 4 days
- Best season
- June to September and December to February
- Group size
- Your own party. We do not mix clients. Gorilla groups take 8 visitors a day
- Starts and ends in
- Kigali
- Includes
- Your own vehicle and guide, accommodation, park fees, airport transfers, the gorilla permit on every gorilla trek, reusable water bottles
- Permit
- US$1,500 per person. Minimum age 15
Rwanda short safari itineraries
These are the Rwanda short safaris we plan most often. Each one is a starting point. We change the nights, the lodges and the order to suit your flights and your pace.
The 2 Day Akagera National Park Safari is the right choice if wildlife is the priority and you have one night to spare. The 2 Day Gorilla Trekking Tour is the shortest way to meet the gorillas: one night near the park, one trek. Our 3 Day Gorilla Trekking Rwanda trip is the shortest gorilla trek we recommend, and the 3 Day Luxury Gorilla Trekking Rwanda trip is the same shape at a higher lodge level. The 4 Days Rwanda Gorilla Safari and Golden Monkey Trekking adds a second primate activity and time in Kigali.
If you have one day only, see our 1 day gorilla trek from Kigali. For five days or more, browse our Rwanda safari packages. For the highest lodge level we plan, see our ultra luxury Rwanda safari.
| Itinerary | Days | Nights | Park | Level | Price from (US$ per person sharing) | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 Day Akagera National Park Safari | 2 | 1 | Akagera | High end | 1,025 | Wildlife with one night to spare |
| 2 Day Gorilla Trekking Tour | 2 | 1 | Volcanoes | Mid-range | 2,700 | One trek, tight schedule |
| 3 Day Gorilla Trekking Rwanda | 3 | 2 | Volcanoes | Mid-range | 3,460 | The shortest trek we recommend |
| 3 Day Luxury Gorilla Trekking Rwanda | 3 | 2 | Volcanoes | Luxury | 4,000 | The same trip at a higher lodge level |
| 4 Days Rwanda Gorilla Safari and Golden Monkey Trekking | 4 | 3 | Volcanoes, Kigali | Mid-range | 3,500 | A second primate activity and time in Kigali |
The per person price falls as the group grows, because the vehicle and guide are shared. Your written quotation shows the exact total.
What is included, and what is not
Included in every itinerary:
- Your own vehicle and a professional driver-guide
- Accommodation
- Park fees
- Golden monkey tracking, in every itinerary that lists it
- Gorilla trekking permit, on every itinerary that includes a gorilla trek
- Airport transfers
- Reusable water bottles
- Planning and a written quotation, with no fee and no obligation
Not included: international flights, visas, travel insurance, tips and personal items.
Arranged on request, priced separately:
- Porters: about US$10 a day, tips optional
- A single room for a traveler who does not share: a single supplement applies, quoted with your itinerary
Visas, insurance and flights are the responsibility of the traveler. We recommend travel insurance for every guest. Payment and cancellation terms are in our booking policy.
Who a short safari suits, and who should add days
Best for travelers who:
- Are in Kigali for a conference and have a day or two to spare.
- Are adding Rwanda to a trip through another country.
- Are visiting for the first time with limited leave.
- Want one clear highlight, such as a gorilla trek or a day in Akagera, done well.
Not ideal for travelers who:
- Want gorillas, Akagera and Nyungwe in one trip of three days. It cannot be done, because of the driving distances.
- Want to choose their gorilla family. The park assigns the family on the morning of the trek, and nothing is guaranteed.
- Want a slow pace with days at the lodge. Plan five days or more.
Traveling as a family? See our family luxury Rwanda safaris. Traveling as a couple? See our luxury Rwanda honeymoon safaris. For a fully tailored route, see our private Rwanda luxury safari.
What a short Rwanda safari costs
All prices are per person, for two travelers sharing a room. They are guide prices with the gorilla permit included, and the final price comes in a written quotation. The vehicle and guide are shared, so the per person price falls as the group grows: one traveler pays more than two, and a group of four pays less than two.
Three things move the price of a short trip: the lodge level, the number of travelers and the number of nights. The permit is a fixed cost of US$1,500 per trekker, so a shorter trip saves on nights and not on the permit.
- Rooms are shared in pairs. A traveler who does not share pays a single supplement, quoted with your itinerary.
- The price bands for a 3 day gorilla trek by lodge level are in the table below.
- The 1 day trek from Kigali is US$1,950 per person sharing, permit included.
| Level | Per person sharing |
|---|---|
| Mid-range | 3,460 to 3,900 |
| Luxury | 4,000 to 5,500 |
| Ultra-luxury | 5,800 to 8,000+ |
The low season permit saving does not apply to most short trips. From November to May the permit is US$1,050 instead of US$1,500, but only when you also spend at least two nights in Akagera or Nyungwe. A trip of two to four days in Volcanoes National Park alone does not qualify.
For every cost and what is in it, read our Rwanda safari cost guide. To see how lodge levels differ, read how luxury and mid-range safaris compare.
How many days you need, and what a short trip can and cannot do
How many days for what
Two days give you one highlight. On the gorilla tour we collect you in Kigali on day one and drive to Volcanoes National Park, which takes 2.5 to 3 hours. You trek the next day. The 2 day Akagera safari is one night in the park, with game drives and a boat trip on Lake Ihema. Akagera is 2.5 hours from Kigali.
Three days is the shortest gorilla trek we recommend. The extra night near the park lets you start the trek rested, and it removes the pressure of doing the drive and the trek back to back.
Four days add a second primate activity, golden monkey tracking, and time in Kigali, including the Genocide Memorial.
The trek itself
The whole trek takes 2 to 8 hours, depending on where the gorilla family is on the day, and you spend one hour with the gorillas. The park assigns the family on the morning of the trek. For how the trek day works and what to wear, read our gorilla trekking in Rwanda guide. To compare every gorilla trip we offer, see Rwanda gorilla trekking.
Plan the flight around the trek
On a short trip, the trek is the one fixed point, and a flight can put it at risk. Tell us your arrival and departure flights when you ask for a quotation, and we plan the days around them. Our advice on same day flights is in the note from Eric below and in the FAQ. Gorilla permits are non-refundable once purchased, so we do not build a plan that depends on a tight connection.
What a short trip cannot do
- It cannot cover three parks. Kigali to Nyungwe is 7 hours by road, and Volcanoes to Nyungwe is 5 hours.
- We do not recommend combining Volcanoes and Akagera in a short trip. Very few guests do it, and the driving takes the time you came for.
- It cannot use the low season permit saving unless two nights are spent in Akagera or Nyungwe.
- It leaves little room for delay. If a flight or a road is late, there is no spare day.
When to add a day
Add days when you want a second park, a second primate activity or a slower pace. Five to seven days usually cover two parks. For the best months to plan around, read the best time for gorilla trekking. For a traveler who is in Kigali for one day only, we also plan Kigali day trips.
Why plan with Hope Tours Africa
- Local expertise. We are based in Kigali. Eric Sabi has worked in Rwanda tourism since 2012.
- Honest limits. We tell you what a short trip cannot do before you pay for it.
- One costing method for every guest, in a written quotation.
- Licensed Rwanda safari company, founded in 2021.
- Single-use plastic free operations. Reusable water bottles on every tour.
To go further, see the destination pages for Volcanoes National Park, Akagera National Park and Nyungwe Forest.
A note from Eric
The shortest trip I recommend for gorilla trekking is three days.
We always advise guests not to trek if they have a flight the same day, unless it is a night flight, from about 8 pm onward.
Gorillas, Akagera and Nyungwe in three days is not possible. When a guest asks for it, we tell them, mostly because of the driving distance from one park to another.
Eric SabiFounder, Hope Tours Africa
What guests say
5.0 from 44 TripAdvisor reviews.
Questions about Rwanda short safaris
More questions about the gorilla trek itself? See our Rwanda gorilla trekking FAQs.
How many days do you need for a Rwanda safari?
Three days is the shortest gorilla trek we recommend. It gives you a night near Volcanoes National Park before the trek and a calm drive back to Kigali. Two days work for one gorilla trek or one Akagera safari. Four days add golden monkey tracking. For a second park, plan five to seven days.
Can you see gorillas in Rwanda in 2 days?
Yes. On day one we collect you in Kigali and drive to Volcanoes National Park, which takes 2.5 to 3 hours. You trek the next day and drive back afterwards. The gorilla permit is US$1,500 per person. Two days leave little room for delays, so we suggest three days when your schedule allows.
How much does a 3 day Rwanda gorilla safari cost?
Our three day gorilla safaris start at US$3,460 per person for two travelers sharing, with the permit included. Luxury trips start at US$4,000 and ultra luxury trips at US$5,800. These are guide prices. The per person price falls as the group grows, and your written quotation shows the exact total.
Does the low season permit saving apply to a short trip?
From November to May the gorilla permit costs US$1,050 instead of US$1,500, but only when you also spend at least two nights in Akagera or Nyungwe. A trip of two to four days in Volcanoes alone does not qualify, so the standard permit price applies. Trips with a second park usually need five days or more.
Can I fly out on the day of my gorilla trek?
We advise guests not to trek on the day they fly, unless it is a night flight from about 8 pm onward. A trek can take 2 to 8 hours, and the drive from Volcanoes to Kigali takes 2.5 to 3 hours. Send us your flight times with your request, and we plan the days around them.
Can I see gorillas, Akagera and Nyungwe in 3 days?
No. It is not possible, because of the driving distances. Kigali to Nyungwe takes 7 hours, Volcanoes to Nyungwe takes 5 hours and Kigali to Akagera takes 2.5 hours. We would rather tell you now than sell a rushed trip. Five to seven days usually cover two parks.
Is 3 or 4 days better for a first visit?
Choose three days if gorillas are your priority. Choose four days if you also want golden monkey tracking, which is included in the 4 day trip, and time in Kigali. Both trips use Volcanoes National Park as the base, so the fourth day adds an activity and not more driving.
Do I share the vehicle with other guests?
No. Your vehicle and guide are for your party only, and we do not mix clients. Gorilla groups are formed by the park and take up to 8 visitors a day, so other trekkers may join your group. The park assigns the gorilla family on the morning of the trek, and we cannot promise a particular family.
How booking works
- Tell us your plans. Send your dates or month, your arrival and departure flight times, the number of travelers and each person’s age (the gorilla trekking minimum age is 15), country of residence, the places and activities you want, your lodge level, your budget range and how you prefer to be contacted. We reply within 24 hours, usually within 1 to 4 hours. There is no fee to plan and no obligation.
- We plan and quote. We send a tailor-made itinerary and an official quotation in US$. Website prices are per person guide prices, and the quotation shows the total for your group.
- Confirm your booking. For bookings made more than 90 days before departure, a deposit of 50 percent of the total tour cost is due. Your booking is confirmed when we receive the deposit and issue written confirmation. Bookings within 90 days are paid in full.
- Pay the balance. The balance is due 60 days before departure, unless we agree otherwise in writing.
Included in the price: your own vehicle and guide, accommodation, park fees, airport transfers and the gorilla permit on every gorilla trek. Not included: international flights, visas, travel insurance, tips and personal items.
Payment is by bank wire transfer or credit card. Credit card payments carry a 4 percent processing charge. Gorilla permit fees are non-refundable once purchased. Read the full terms in our booking policy.
Contact: WhatsApp +250 788 602 524, info@hopetoursafrica.com.
Plan your Rwanda safari with Eric and his team.
Speak with a safari specialist
WhatsApp: +250 788 602 524 · Email: info@hopetoursafrica.com · Phone: +250 788 602 524