What Are the Best Things to Do in Rwanda Besides Gorilla Trekking?

Rwanda offers a lot to do besides gorilla trekking: a Big Five safari in Akagera, chimpanzee tracking and a canopy walk in Nyungwe, golden monkey tracking, volcano hikes and the Dian Fossey trail, Lake Kivu and the Congo Nile Trail, Kigali's museums and markets, and cultural and community visits. Many of these cost far less than the US$1,500 gorilla permit that the Rwanda Development Board (RDB) charges foreign visitors, and most can be done in a day or two from a base.

Here are fourteen ideas, grouped by region, with the main facts for each. Fees and rules change, so confirm them with your operator. We checked the details in October 2026. If you want a ready-made route, see a Rwanda itinerary without gorilla trekking.

A lively morning with an endangered primate in the bamboo forest. The permit is US$100 for foreign adults and the minimum age is 12. See the golden monkey permit guide.

A three- to four-hour hike to the Karisoke site and Dian Fossey's grave. The permit is US$75 for foreign adults and the minimum age is 15. See the hike cost guide.

Bisoke, Muhabura, Gahinga and Karisimbi are climbs of different difficulty. Read the 10 best hiking trails in Rwanda.

A guided walk of about two and a half hours through lava tubes, at US$50 for foreign adults according to the RDB with a minimum age of 12.

Dance, crafts and village life near the park. Read whether the Iby'Iwacu Cultural Village is worth visiting.

Rwanda's only savanna park has lion, leopard, elephant, buffalo and rhino. See can you see the Big Five in Rwanda and what it costs.

Hippos, crocodiles and water birds, from a boat.

A quiet lake close to Kigali with lodges and boat trips; the 4-day Akagera and Lake Muhazi safari includes it.

An early start in a mountain rainforest with one hour with the chimpanzees. See the chimpanzee trekking cost.

A suspension walkway high above the forest. Read the Nyungwe travel guide.

Walks through tea fields and fern gullies to waterfalls such as Isumo.

A ridge route of about 227 km that you can walk or cycle in sections. Read how many days you need and what it costs.

Rubavu, Karongi and Rusizi have lakeside lodges, boat trips and sunset cruises.

The Kigali Genocide Memorial, the Kandt House Museum, craft markets and cafes. Read our Kigali city tour guide and how to experience Rwanda like a local.

A useful way to plan is to compare permit fees, using the Rwanda Development Board (RDB) booking pages for foreign adults. A gorilla permit is US$1,500. Golden monkey tracking is US$100, the Dian Fossey hike is US$75 and the Musanze caves are US$50. Akagera lists park entry from US$100 for one day or night, with game drives and boat trips on top. The Nyungwe chimpanzee permit is reported by operators at around US$150, though we could not confirm it on the RDB pages. So a traveller who skips gorillas can add four or five paid activities for the price of one permit. That is why many repeat visitors build a trip around the other experiences.

North (Musanze). Early starts, cool air, mud on your boots, volcano views when the cloud lifts, and a rest afternoon. East (Akagera). Warm, dry and open, with dawn and dusk drives and a long lunch in between. South-west (Nyungwe). Damp, quiet and green, with an early start for the chimpanzees and mist over the tea fields. West (Lake Kivu). Slow, with lake light, boat rides and village paths. Kigali. Busy but orderly, with memorials, markets, coffee and music in the evening. Mixing two of these regions gives variety; mixing four in a week leaves you in the car.

• Couples: Lake Kivu sunsets, a canopy walk, and a private game drive in Akagera.
• Families with children under 15: Akagera boat trips, the Musanze caves (from age 12), golden monkeys (from age 12) and cultural visits. Read gorilla trekking with kids for the age rules.
• Walkers and cyclists: the Congo Nile Trail and volcano hikes. See the Congo Nile Trail cost.
• History and culture: Kigali, the Kandt House Museum and community visits. Read the best cultural experiences in Rwanda.
• Birders: Nyungwe, Akagera and the lakes. See best places for birdwatching in Rwanda and Uganda.

Roads are paved and generally good, but distances add up. Kigali to Musanze takes about two to two and a half hours, Kigali to Akagera about two and a half hours, and Kigali to Nyungwe five to six hours. A private vehicle and driver-guide is the most flexible way, and it lets you stop for tea fields and viewpoints. Internal flights exist for a few luxury routes, such as our 5-day luxury Rwanda safari, which flies to Akagera. Allow a full day for each long transfer.

Pack for four environments: warm days and cool nights on the savanna in Akagera, rain gear and sturdy shoes for the forest and the volcano slopes, a swimsuit and sun protection for the lakes, and smart-casual clothes for Kigali. Layers work better than heavy items. Bring binoculars for Akagera and Nyungwe, a daypack, and a refillable bottle. Respectful clothing matters at memorials and in villages, so keep shoulders and knees covered in those places. Our packing list has more detail.

The dry months, June to September and December to February, are best for Akagera and for walking. The wetter months, March to May and October to November, turn Rwanda green, thin out the crowds and can lower lodge rates, but they add mud to forest paths and the Congo Nile Trail. Rain usually arrives in short, heavy showers, so mornings are often clear. Read the Volcanoes National Park guide for the northern weather pattern.

• Visitors on a smaller budget, repeat visitors, and travellers with children under 15
• Anyone who wants variety in a small country

• Travellers who want only gorillas

• Packing too many places into a short trip. Pick one or two regions.
• Ignoring drive times. Nyungwe is far from Kigali.
• Forgetting to book permits. Golden monkeys and chimpanzees also have limited places.

For most travellers it is a Big Five safari in Akagera or chimpanzee tracking in Nyungwe.

Five to ten days depending on how many regions you visit.

Generally yes. Read is Rwanda safe to travel.

Yes. Fees and age limits change, so confirm them with the RDB booking pages or your operator, and ask them to check availability for your dates.

You can do two or three regions in a week. Trying four leaves little time to enjoy any of them. See a Rwanda itinerary without gorilla trekking.

Tell us your interests and dates, and we will design the route. Talk to Our Tour Specialist or see the 5-day golden monkeys and Musanze caves tour.

Source: Visit Rwanda.