Day 1: Pick up from a Hotel and Kigali City tour

Enjoy your breakfast and thereafter, have Kigali city tour; visit the Batwa pottery and dance center, the Gisozi genocide memorial site, the new handicraft village, the old town of Nyamirambo, and the Kimironko fruit market. And then later you will be transferred to the hotel for your dinner and overnight.

Day 2: Leave Kigali. Visit Butare for cultural tour and overnight in Nyungwe forest National Park

After you breakfast in the morning, head to Butare; an intellectual city of Rwanda and the second largest after Kigali. Visit the Butare National Museum (supreme museum in East Africa) which is one of the best sources of information about the cultural history of this country and entire south western region.

Before Butare, visit Nyanza palace; presently Nyabisindu, the former King’s palace (Mwami) and the base of the feudal kingdom. Later you will have an exciting concert of the national ballet with the intore dancers. The performance is regarded by many as one of the most epic on a Rwanda safari. Proceed to Murambi genocide memorial museums after lunch in Butare, later connect to Nyungwe Forest National park, dinner and overnight.

Day 3: Full day primates walk in Nyungwe forest

Head to Uwinka tourist information Centre for a short briefing after a cup of coffee/tea. Start you hike in Nyungwe forest in search for commonest species such as large communal troops of Angolan Colobus, which may be over 300 in number, and many bird species. It may be a tiring walk but guides always make it more lovely and informative by giving you information about the flora and fauna that you encounter while on the walk.

After your packedlunch, the exploration resume along distinct beautiful trails available then encounter the superb waterfall trail of Gisakura is probably the most thrilling along .The afternoon trek may take 2 – 3 hours, and it will also expose you to more birds and primate species such as the such as the endangered Golden Monkeys.  Return to your Lodge for dinner and overnight.

Day 4: Chimpanzee Tracking

Report for briefing about how to behave while tracking chimpanzees after your breakfast. Enter the forest in a guidance of park ranger guides to search for these amazing creatures. Enjoy our cousins for a maximum of one hour and take unforgettable photos. A trek into Nyungwe forest gives an opportunity to encounter with blue monkeys, L’Hoest’s monkeys around Uwinka after a less vigorous hike.

You will connect to the Bigugu Mountain trail which takes you to the highest peak in Nyungwe Forest at 3000m above sea level. Along the expedition, bird lovers are absolutely in for a treat as Nyungwe hosts so many Albertine rift endemics that you will encounter along the trek to Bigugu Mountain. Return to your Lodge for dinner and overnight.

Day 5: Transfer to lake Kivu/Kibuye

After a relaxed morning breakfast, drive to Kibuye, north-west wards through the green gardens of tea plantations before exploring the shorelines of Lake Kivu. The most beautiful resort is Kibuye of the three towns on Lake Kivu.

To refresh from trekking and hiking in Nyungwe forest, you may spend the rest of the day at leisure on the white sand beaches, enjoying exclusive sun bathing, swimming while interacting with the residents around.

Accommodation options: Lake Kivu Serena Hotel/Hotel Paradise Malahide/Water Front Resort.

Day 6: Sunrise boat Cruise and transfer to Volcanoes National park (Kinigi region)

Enjoy the speed-boat trip to Gisenyi after your breakfast. You will find fishing villages of Lake Kivu and also have a chance to interact with people of Idjwi Island; it is believed to be the eighth inland islandin the world and largest in Africa. Goma was extremely shocked by the eruption of the Nyiragongo volcano which is 3470 meters above sea level erupted on January 2002 and exhausted part of Goma town.  The eruption ruined the homes of over 120,000 people and caused over 100 victims. Your go to see this site will show fantastic capabilities of the local population to surmount this natural upheaval. The driver guide will transfer you to Kinigi for dinner and overnight.

Day 7: Gorilla trekking and visit the twin lakes Burera and Ruhondo

Transfer to the briefing point with your packed lunch, meet park rangers for briefing that takes less than 30minutes about the great primates’ experience, very eager to see the only left Mountain gorillas in the world that might have led to the murder of an American Zoologist Dianne Fossey as she tried to research about them and also save them from poachers.  Trek for the gentle giants, meet and stay with them for the maximum of one hour and take photographs.

Return to the lodge, have lunch and in the afternoon, take a short excursion to discover the beautiful lakes of Lake Bulera and Ruhondo located in Muhabura region on the foothills of the three extinct volcanoes – Sabyinyo, Muhabura and Gahinga. Here you will have a magnificent view of the Virunga chain of Volcanoes. Return for dinner and overnight at your lodge.

Day 8: Transfer to Kigali International Airport

After breakfast, you will transfer to Kigali for lunch and last minute shopping and thereafter, transfer to the airport and catch your flight back home. This will mark up the end of the 8 days all around Rwanda safari.

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Day 1: Pick up from Kigali International airport

Upon your arrival at airport, you will be welcome by our driver guide who will brief you about the 5 days wildlife and gorilla safari in Rwanda and transfer you to a pre-booked hotel. After lunch depending on the time of arrival, visit and enjoy Kigali city as you learn about the Rwandan Culture Dinner and Overnight at a hotel.

Day 2: Transfer to Akagera National Park and afternoon/evening game drive

Enjoy a cup of coffee/tea and later transfer to Akagera National Park for Game drive with endless chances of spotting different species of antelopes, over 624 bird species including the rare shoe bill stock, papyrus genolek and the big 5 animals that is buffalo, Lion, elephant Leopard and Rhino and so much more.

Day 3: Visit Imigongo Art & Craft Centre and travel to volcanoes national park

Drive to Imigongo art & craft Centre after a cup of coffee/tea, the community with based activities where you can learn to produce banana and sorghum beer, (local beers) acquire the ethno botany skills, make your own as you enjoy the beautiful handicrafts made out of banana leaves, wood carvings, and experience traditional dancing, drumming and singing.

You also won’t miss learning how to make a traditional dish together with a local family dinner. Later proceed on the drive to northern based Volcanoes National park for dinner and overnight.

Day 4: Gorilla trekking and Buhanga forest

Trek one of the last remaining Mountain Gorilla families in the world after your breakfast; some people call it a lifetime experience. You will begin with a briefing at the park headquarters which takes about 30minutes; enter the forest led by an armed ranger in search for the beautiful creatures in their natural environment. You will be allowed an hour to interact with the gorillas as you watch them while taking photos.

Gorilla trekking takes 2-6 hours depending on where you locate the gorillas because they loiter around the jungle in search of food.

Afternoon excursion into Buhanga sacred forest located outside of the park 8km from Musanze town. This is a historical forest where all Rwandan Kings were initiated. Dinner and overnight at Overnight.

Day 5: Return to Kigali international airport & Departure

Transfer to Kigali international airport after breakfast to catch up your next flight and this will mark the end of the 5 days’ wildlife and safari in Rwanda.

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Day 1: Travel to Volcanoes National park

On arrival, our driver guide will welcome you and brief you on all the details concerning your 3 days safari adventure, before embarking on an 80km journey to the North in Volcanoes National Park (Pac National des Vulcans) from Kigali. This is roughly two hours’ drive.

The guide will take you to visit the Genocide memorial center, have lunch and transfer to the park in the afternoon.

Accommodation options:

Muhabura Hotel – Budget.
Le’ bambou Gorilla Lodge – Moderate.
5 Volcanoes Lodge – Luxury.

Day 2: Trek the Gorillas and visit the Twin Lakes

Gorilla trekking is one of the most fascinating experiences any one on earth ought not to miss. After having an early tasty breakfast, the driver guide will take you to the park headquarters at about 7:00am for trekking briefing exercise. After that, embark on the amazing adventure in the gifted wilderness.

This activity requires some physical fitness by the hikers, but with your good hiking boots, a walking stick, bottle of water, the event will be made simple and better. On many occasions, Gorilla trekking lasts for between 2 to 6 hours depending on how far the Gorillas have moved.

This is a very interesting experience seeing the primates play, guard each other, feed, and the silverback interact with its subordinates among others. Other treasures in this jungle include the golden monkeys, elephants, buffaloes, birds among others.

Afterwards, head back to the lodge for lunch and thereafter, visit the twin lakes; Burera and Ruhondo as well as taking a walk in the community to watch traditional dances of the locals. Return to the lodge for dinner and overnight

Accommodation options:

Muhabura Hotel – Budget.
Le’ bambou Gorilla Lodge – Moderate.
5 Volcanoes Lodge – Luxury.

Day 3: Depart for your flight via Kigali international airport

Wake Up to an early Morning breakfast, before you check out from the lodge. Head to Kigali International Airport for your departure flight. However, the guide will drive you through Kigali city where you will have a chance of shopping some souvenirs in the local craft markets. Have lunch and proceed to the airport for a flight.

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Day 1: Airport / hotel pick up and travel to Nyungwe Forest National Park

After a very hefty breakfast, embark on a six hour drive to Nyungwe forest for a life time primate experience. The route passes through Nyanza district and eventually Huye where you will have a stopover to visit the ethnographic museum in Huye. The ethnographic museum which is also the national museum of Rwanda showcases the historic and rich cultural aspects of Rwanda using guides and some ancient books from ages.

After the museum experience, have lunch before continuing on a journey to Nyungwe forest. Catch the amazing views of the famous ‘thousand hills’ through the winding road as you proceed to the lodge for dinner and overnight stay.

Accommodation

Nyungwe Forest Lodge – Luxury
Nyungwe Top View Hill Lodge – Midrange
Gisakura Guest House – Budget

Day 2: Chimpanzee Trekking and Canopy walk

After a very early morning breakfast, head to the park for briefing session at Uwinka. The guides will explain to you what it takes to do chimpanzee trekking and all you need to know, as well as telling you the right trail to follow. Nyungwe forest has two main trail heads where Chimpanzee trekking takes place, and they include the Uwinka trail and another at Cyamudongo section.

Nyungwe forest is arguably one of the richest destinations with lush evergreen flora, hosting over 200 species of trees and flowering plants, 13 species of primates including, Colobus monkeys, Vervet monkeys, red-tailed monkeys, 300 bird species with several Albertine rift endemics and several species of butterflies.

If it is Cyamudongo, the driver guide will transfer you to the starting point. Upon completing the wonderful session, have lunch before heading for a canopy walk in the afternoon. When all is done, get back to the lodge for dinner and overnight stay.

Accommodation:

Nyungwe Forest Lodge – Luxury
Nyungwe Top View Hill Lodge – Midrange
Gisakura Guest House – Budget

Day 3: Transfer to Kigali Airport

After your breakfast, start a journey back to Kigali from the amazing 3-day chimpanzee trekking safari. Start your morning with some photo moments in memory of the beautiful destination before transferring to Kigali international airport or your hotel.

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This archetypal African savannah landscape entangled with acacia woodland is interspersed with open grassland. At this point, herds of elephant and buffalos emerge to drink water at the lakes, giving chance to the lucky visitors to view all and stumble across a leopard, a spotted hyena or even a stray lion. You will also see many Hippos, Zebras, and Impalas, warthogs, buffaloes and Giraffes among others.

Day 1: Arrival at Kigali International Airport

Upon arrival at Kigali International Airport (Kanombe), our professional guide will happily welcome you going ahead to brief you about this rewarding 3 days tour. Proceed for a city tour where you will check on some of the Genocides Memorial sites as well as local Craft and fruit markets.

The local guides will explain to you some of the facts about the land of Rwanda a as well as the sad story of the innocent men and women who were killed during the genocide. Then embark on your 3-4 hour journey to Akagera National Park, possessing an increasing number of wildlife, and several water bodies. On arrival, check in to your lodge for dinner and overnight stay.

Accommodation:

Luxury: Ruzizi Tented Camp / Magasha Tented Lodge
Midrange: Akagera Game Lodge
Budget: Dereva Hotel

Day 2: Have a Game Drive & Boat cruise in Akagera National Park

Immediately after an early morning breakfast, head to the park to start your quest for the early morning hunters heading to the battle field to secure some meal as well as the night hunters coming back to rest.
Some of the wildlife to spot include; elephants, buffalos, hippos, lions, Masai giraffe, gazelles, impala, baboons, Oribis, Bruchell’s zebra, Topi, Roan antelopes, bush baby, leopard and bushbuck, and many more.

After your delicious lunch meal, proceed for a boat-cruise on Lake Ihema, While enjoying this activity, feed your eyes with some of the aquatic animals such as Crocodiles and Hippos besides the river banks, coupled with large concentration of over 525 bird species both migratory and savanna related.

In addition to those, unique species such as Shoe billed stocks and papyrus gonolek can be encountered. There are also several endemics species which include the jacanas, ibis, sand pipers and herons. Retire to your lodge for dinner and overnight stay.

Accommodation:

Luxury: Ruzizi Tented Camp / Magasha Tented Lodge
Midrange: Akagera Game Lodge
Budget: Dereva Hotel

Day 3: Head back for your flight

After your very sweet and comfortable night, wake up to a very sumptuous breakfast before starting a 3 hour journey to Kigali international airport to catch-up with your flight. The driver guide will drive you through a route that will expose you to some scenic views of the hills and plantations.

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