12-Day Africa's Two Worlds: Rwanda Gorillas & South Africa's Cape and Safari

This 12 day Rwanda and South Africa safari takes you between two very different parts of Africa: the mountain gorillas of Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda, and Cape Town and a Big Five reserve in South Africa. The trip begins with the gorilla trek and a rest night in Kigali, flies to Cape Town for a city stay, and finishes with game drives in a reserve before you depart from Johannesburg. International flights between the two countries are real logistics here, and we plan the days around confirmed connections.

The two halves of this trip are deliberately different. Rwanda is small, green and cool, with a gorilla trek that asks real effort and gives a quiet hour with a gorilla family. South Africa is wide, warm and easy, with a city on a mountain and a bush lodge where game drives are comfortable. We put the gorillas first because they need the most energy and the earliest start, and the city second because it eases you toward the safari. Read how difficult gorilla trekking in Rwanda is and whether you can combine a Cape Town city tour with a safari.

What most itineraries gloss over is the flight in the middle. There is no assumption of a daily direct service between Kigali and Cape Town, so the plan is built from a real connection, with a rest night in Kigali beforehand, and the days after it are light. The three days in Cape Town are a calm start, and the safari reserve comes last, so that your last days are the easy part. Browse the gorilla trekking and Big Five safari pages, and the Rwanda and South Africa destination pages.

Moderate, with one hard day. The gorilla trek is steep, muddy and at altitude, and takes from one to several hours each way. Everything else is easy: city days and game drives from a vehicle. The challenge is travel: two international legs and one domestic flight, with baggage limits on the small aircraft. Tell us about any health condition, and speak to a doctor about vaccinations and malaria before you go.

June to September is the best overlap: the gorilla trek is easier in the drier months, and South Africa's winter is the best time for game viewing. Cape Town is coolest and wettest in these months, so bring layers. December to February is also dry in Rwanda, while South Africa is hot, and the bush is greener. Tell us your month, and we will advise.

This tour suits travellers who want to see two sides of Africa in one trip and are happy to fly between them. It works for couples, friends and active families with teenagers. For a Rwanda-only version, see the 4-day Rwanda gorilla trekking tour. For a longer private route in East Africa, see the 15-day private Africa safari.

Contact us early. We need your dates to secure the gorilla permit, and we then check the flight connections to Cape Town. We advise on visas for both countries free of charge and confirm hotels and the lodge once you book. Read the best park for the Big Five in South Africa and how booking a gorilla trek in Rwanda works.

For a trip with more community time, see our Signature Journey, the 7-day Rwanda gorilla trekking tour with culture and ReGreen.