Rwanda Grand Loop
Connect Akagera, Volcanoes National Park, Kibuye, Nyungwe, and the southern Royal Palace.
This itinerary extends the typical national loop offered by travel agencies: start with a safari in the east, head north for mountain gorillas and golden monkeys, bypass Rubavu to reach Kibuye, and then enter Nyungwe to track chimpanzees, returning to Kigali via Huye and Nyanza. You will see three primate species and the savannah, but the cumulative driving time is long. The trade-off is skipping Gisenyi and spending your Lake Kivu stay in Kibuye.
June–September is the driest period; permits and mountain lodges must be booked months in advance. The March–May rainy season makes mountain roads slow.
Day by day
Day 1 · Arrive in Kigali City
Kigali（Kigali Genocide Memorial、Kigali Car Free Zone (Imbuga City Walk)、Kimironko Market）
About 30 minutes from the airport to Kiyovu. Take taxis in the afternoon for city sightseeing; most one-way trips are within 20 minutes.
The morning of the last Saturday of each month is Umuganda (community work day), during which traffic is restricted.
Stay: Kiyovu
Day 2 · Head East to Akagera for a Boat Cruise
Charter a car in the morning and drive east for about 2.5 hours to the South Gate. Take a boat cruise on Lake Ihema for about 1–2 hours in the afternoon.
Boat cruise departures are limited; reserve your afternoon slot before arriving at the park.
Stay: Southern Akagera National Park
Day 3 · Full-Day Game Drive in Akagera
Kilala Plains, Northern Akagera
Bring a packed lunch and drive from the southern woodlands to the northern plains. The full-day game drive takes about 8 hours, returning to your lodge by evening.
Stay: Southern Akagera National Park
Day 4 · Cross the Country to Volcanoes National Park
Musanze & Volcanoes National Park（Red Rocks Cultural Centre）
Drive north via Kigali to Musanze, taking about 5–6 hours in total. Arrive at the Red Rocks Cultural Centre in the afternoon.
Stay: Kinigi
Day 5 · Track Mountain Gorillas
Musanze & Volcanoes National Park（Mountain Gorilla Trekking、Ellen DeGeneres Campus of the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund）
Arrive at the Kinigi park headquarters before 7:00 AM for briefing and grouping, then drive to the trailhead for a hike ranging from 1 to 6 hours round-trip.
Limited to ages 15 and above; you will spend about 1 hour with the gorillas. Porters are available for hire.
Stay: Kinigi
Day 6 · Golden Monkeys and the Twin Lakes
Musanze & Volcanoes National Park（Golden Monkey Trekking、Twin Lakes Burera & Ruhondo）
Track golden monkeys for about 2–3 hours in the morning, then drive about 1 hour in the afternoon to the Twin Lakes viewpoint.
Stay: Kinigi
Day 7 · Cross the Mountains to Kibuye for a Lake Cruise
Nyungwe Forest & Huye（Kibuye (Karongi), Lake Kivu）
Drive south via Mukamira and Ngororero, then turn west to Kibuye, taking about 5 hours. Enjoy a lake cruise in the evening.
This route bypasses Gisenyi and the Rubavu District. It is longer than the lakeside road, so an early departure is recommended.
Stay: Kibuye Lakeshore
Day 8 · Bisesero to Gisakura
Nyungwe Forest & Huye（Bisesero Genocide Memorial）
Drive south along the Lake Kivu belt road for about 2.5–3 hours, detour uphill to Bisesero midway, and then continue to the tea plantation.
The turnoff to Bisesero has poor road conditions; check with locals after rain.
Stay: Gisakura
Day 9 · Chimpanzee Tracking and Tea Plantation
Nyungwe Forest & Huye（Chimpanzee Trekking (Cyamudongo)、Gisakura Tea Estate）
Drive to Cyamudongo in the early morning (about 1–1.5 hours), hike for 2–4 hours, and return to Gisakura in the afternoon.
Cyamudongo is about 10 kilometers from the DRC border; verify official travel advisories before departing.
Stay: Gisakura
Day 10 · Canopy Walk to Huye
Nyungwe Forest & Huye（Nyungwe Canopy Walkway、Murambi Genocide Memorial）
Drive from Gisakura to Uwinka (about 1 hour), do the canopy walk for about 2 hours, and then drive east for about 2 hours to Huye.
Military and police patrols are common on the forest highway; avoid driving at night. Canopy walk slots must be reserved in advance.
Stay: Huye
Day 11 · Museum and Royal Palace back to Kigali
Nyungwe Forest & Huye（Ethnographic Museum of Rwanda、King's Palace Museum、Rwesero Art Museum） → Kigali
Visit the Ethnographic Museum in the morning, drive north to Nyanza (about 45 minutes), and return to Kigali in the afternoon (about 2 hours).
It is best to book a late evening departure flight. Photography is not allowed inside the Royal Palace.