Why we love it
Rwanda offers one of travel's most moving encounters: an hour with mountain gorillas.
We shape the journey around the season, the right places to stay and the way you like to travel, pairing it beautifully with a Kenya safari or Zanzibar where it suits.
the plains at first light
Best for
Gorilla trekking, rare encounters
Best time
June to September, December to February
Style
Rare, emotional, immersive
Pair with
a Kenya safari or Zanzibar
Atlas note
We tailor the routing, the stays and the pace entirely around you.
the plains at first light
Out where the maps run thin and the wild sets the pace.
Where to stay
The hotels we recommend in Rwanda.
A handful of stays we would book first, each arranged as part of a bespoke itinerary shaped around you.
Swipe to explore · the stays we would book first
Volcanoes N.P.★★★★★
One&Only Gorilla's Nest
Mountain gorillas.
Nyungwe Forest★★★★★
One&Only Nyungwe House
Chimps and canopy walks.
The places
Where to go in Rwanda.
The corners of Rwanda we know best, what to see in each, when to go and how we would shape the days. Swipe each card for more, and open the panels for the detail.
Swipe to explore · the regions worth knowing
The north-west · the Virunga volcanoes
Volcanoes National Park
The home of Rwanda's mountain gorillas, set among the misty Virunga peaks. Days begin with a trek into bamboo forest for an hour with a habituated family, and the lodges here are among the finest in Africa.
Don't miss
- Mountain gorilla trekking
- Golden monkey tracking
- The Dian Fossey hike
- Twin Lakes of Burera and Ruhondo
- The Iby'Iwacu cultural village
- The volcano-foothill lodges
The south-west · ancient rainforest
Nyungwe Forest
One of Africa's oldest rainforests, alive with chimpanzees and thirteen species of primate. The days here are spent tracking troops through the trees and walking the famous canopy bridge high above the green.
Don't miss
- Chimpanzee tracking
- The canopy walkway
- Colobus monkey troops
- The waterfall trail
- Tea estates on the fringes
- Birdwatching in the canopy
The east · lakes and savannah
Akagera
Rwanda's only savannah park, a conservation triumph where the Big Five once more roam free. Game drives cross open plains and lakeshore, and a boat safari on Lake Ihema brings hippo, crocodile and herds at the water.
Don't miss
- Big Five game drives
- A boat safari on Lake Ihema
- Reintroduced lions and rhino
- Behind-the-scenes conservation
- The lakeside picnic lunch
- The eastern wetlands
The west · lakeside calm
Lake Kivu
A vast, serene lake along the western border, the perfect place to unwind between treks. The shoreline towns of Gisenyi and Kibuye offer quiet beaches, gentle boat trips and long, slow afternoons by the water.
Don't miss
- A private boat on the lake
- The Congo Nile Trail
- Gisenyi's lakeside beaches
- Kayaking the quiet coves
- A coffee-estate visit
- Sunset over the islands
Signature experiences
Once in a lifetime.
The rare days we open up across Rwanda, from the famous to the few-ever-see. Each one arranged privately, as part of your journey.
Swipe to explore · rare days out
Volcanoes National Park · the great encounter
An hour with the mountain gorillas
A guided trek into the Virunga forest for a privately permitted hour beside a habituated gorilla family.
Volcanoes National Park · the rarer primate
Tracking the golden monkeys
A morning following troops of bright golden monkeys through the bamboo on the volcano slopes.
Nyungwe Forest · into the canopy
Chimpanzee tracking in Nyungwe
An early start into ancient rainforest to find a troop of chimps as they wake and move through the trees.
Nyungwe Forest · high above the green
A walk across the canopy bridge
A guided crossing of Nyungwe's suspended walkway, level with the treetops and the birdlife within them.
Lake Kivu · on the water
A private boat on Lake Kivu
Your own boat to drift between the lake's quiet islands and coves, with sundowners as the light softens.
Akagera · at the water's edge
A boat safari on Lake Ihema
A quiet cruise among hippo, crocodile and the herds that gather at the shore as the day cools.
Akagera · behind the scenes
A morning with the conservation team
Out with the rangers who track and protect Akagera's lions and rhino, a rare look at the work behind the park.
The north-west · from the air
A helicopter over the volcanoes
Lift over the Virunga chain and the Twin Lakes, the rainforest and the crater rims laid out beneath you.
Things to do
What to do in Rwanda.
The icons worth seeing, and the rare, one-off experiences we can quietly open up for you.
Not to be missed
- Trek to the mountain gorillas
- Golden-monkey tracking
- A canopy walk in Nyungwe
- Relax on Lake Kivu
Rare & remarkable · by private arrangement
Beyond the obvious.
The experiences we quietly open up for travellers who want something few others will ever have.
- A second private gorilla permit and guide
- A helicopter transfer to the volcanoes
- A behind-the-scenes conservation experience
In frames
Rwanda, in frames.
A few moments to set the mood. Click any image to view it larger.
Good to know
Rwanda, answered.
When is the best time to visit Rwanda?
June to September, December to February. We will refine the timing around your dates, the weather and the wider journey.
Who is Rwanda best suited to?
Gorilla trekking, rare encounters. Tell us how you like to travel and we will tell you, honestly, whether it is the one.
Can Atlas&Co. arrange the full Rwanda itinerary?
Yes. We shape the whole journey, including the stays, transfers, guides and the details, and can pair it beautifully with a Kenya safari or Zanzibar.
shall we?
Every Rwanda journey we plan is private and made to measure.
Tell us your dates and how you like to travel, and we will shape the stays, the routing and the details around you.