​

​

Day 1: Kigali City Tour

 

On your arrival at Kigali International Airport meet and greet with your guide after a briefing about your tour, drive to your hotel for check in.

Afterwards, depending on your arrival time, your guide will take you for a city tour which includes among others the Gisozi genocide memorial site. This takes you 4 hours, here you learn and comprehend the history of genocide in Rwanda and other countries of the world.

Thereafter proceed to Kimilonko Market one of the busiest and biggest market in the city here you will enjoy and buy most of Rwanda traditional delicious food staffs and interact with local people, continue to visit Nyarutarma Golf club then proceed to Belgium memorial site and Richard kandt historical museum here you will be at the exact point where Kigali city started by a Germany colonialist and administrator 1907. Lunch at one of the city restaurants

After Lunch Ntarama and Nyamata Genocide memorial sites.

After lunch, your guide/driver will take you to Ntarama and Nyamata Genocide memorial sites outside Kigali. This will give you evolution of 1994 genocide tragedy happened in Rwanda. Though here there is no charge for entrance, but you may generously fill to give something to assist for preservation of these genocide sites, your offer will be highly appreciated. Back to Kigali overnight at your hotel, Dinner and overnight stay at your hotel.

Accommodation options available (all on full board basis)

Upmarket: Serena Kigali Hotel                                           

Mid-range: Flame Tree Hotel

Lower Budget: Step Town Hotel

Full board

Day 2: Kigali – Akagera National Park - Game Drive

Have breakfast at the hotel and drive through Rwanda's phenomenal landscapes to Akagera National Park.

Relax as we wait for lunch at Akagera Game Lodge. Proceed with the southern game drive alongside the Lake Ihema circuit where a plenty of animals can be seen, including elephants, Masai giraffes, buffaloes, zebras, hippos, Nile crocodiles and also many other mammal species. This game drive will also enable you to clearly view the gentle hills blending beautifully with lowland swamps and water bodies.

In the evening, you can relax at the lodge poolside, or take evening walks around the hotel where you can see various bird species or participate in day-to-day local pastoral lifestyle.

Accommodation options available (all on full board basis)

Upmarket: Rusizi Game Lodge

Mid-range: Akagera Game Lodge

Lower Budget: Akagera Game Lodge

Full board

Day 3: Akagera National Park - Kigali

After breakfast you will have your second game drive in the southern sector of Akagera National Park.

In the afternoon take a motor boat excursion trip on Lake Ihema to see the giant crocodiles and hippos. After, drive back to Kigali for dinner and overnight.

Upmarket: Serena Kigali Hotel

Mid-range: Flame Tree Hotel

Lower Budget: Step Town Hotel

Full board

Day 4: Kigali - Nyungwe - Rwanda Cultural Tour

An early morning breakfast is followed by a drive to Nyungwe Forest.

On the way visit Nyanza King’s Palace, the National Museum of Butare.  Nyanza was the headquarters of the ancient Rwanda Kingdom before the arrival of the Europeans. The compound has the ancient palace constructed by King Mutara in 1934.

Next to it is the reconstructed King’s hut as it was on the arrival of the Europeans. It is tastefully decorated with the traditional mats and utensils.  

The Butare Museum is reputed to be the best ethnographic museum in East Africa. It is the home of the national ballet-intoro dancers.

Have lunch at Butare and proceed to Nyungwe National Park.

Accommodation options available (all on full board basis)

Upmarket: Nyungwe Forest Lodge

Mid-range: Nyungwe Top Hill Lodge

Lower Budget: Gisakura Guesthouse

Full board

Day 5: Nyungwe Forest National Park | Chimpanzee Trekking & Cultural Tour

Have breakfast enter Nyungwe Forest in search for 13 primates species and over 300 bird species, making it a bird watcher's paradise!

Nyungwe Forest is one of the destinations in the world where you can see up to 13 primates species; these include chimpanzees, the blue monkeys, L'Hoest's monkeys, endangered golden monkeys and the Angolan black and white colobus monkeys among others. Nyungwe forest has huge concentrations of habituated primates whose troops can include 400 to 500 individuals! This is a unique tourism phenomenon.

Nyungwe forest is a nature lover’s paradise.  The only remaining mountain rain forest in East and Central Africa, Nyungwe boasts of 260 species of trees and shrubs, over 200 species of orchids and giant lobelias, 275 Species of birds of which 25 are endemic, colorful butterflies and 13 recorded species of primates (25% of Africa’s total) including the chimpanzees.

The forest is ideal for walks with beautiful waterfalls cascading in this serene environment.

Accommodation options available (all on full board basis)

Upmarket: Nyungwe Forest Lodge

Mid-range: Nyungwe Top Hill Lodge

Lower Budget: Gisakura Guesthouse

Full board

Day 6: Colobus Trails of Nyungwe & Lake Kivu

After breakfast enter Nyungwe Forest to track the Nyungwe colobus monkey at Uwinka.

The Uwinka troop is reputed to be 400 strong is reputed to be the largest troop of arboreal primates in Africa. A walk in the forest is a whole learning experience conducted by knowledgeable guides well versed in botany, ornithology and interspecies relationship in this forest.

Enjoy a breath-taking scenery of the Virunga Mountains and the green vegetation enroute. You will have lunch enroute and proceed to Lake Kivu or relaxing on the shores.

Enjoy the rolling hills for which Rwanda is well known.

Accommodation options available (all on full board basis)

Upmarket: Serena Lake Kivu Hotel

Moderate: Paradise Malahide.

Low Budget: Paradise Malahide.

Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner.

Day 7: Volcanoes National Park & Golden Monkey Tracking

Have breakfast and drive to Volcanoes National park to catch up with the golden monkey tracking activity.

These are the most endangered primate species at Parc des Volcans. In the evening, you may go for cultural walk to Iby’wachu for cultural entertainment by the Banyarwanda community.

Transfer to Kinigi Park Headquarters to track gorillas in Parc National des Volcans. Gorilla tracking through the forest, hills and swamps can be tough, arduous and tiring, sometimes taking up to 8 hours in the forest. But coming face to face with the great primates is well worth the effort.

Accommodation options available

Up-market: Mountain Gorilla View Lodge

Moderate: Le Bambou Gorilla Lodge | La Palme Hotel | Volcanoes Gorilla Lodge

Low Budget: Kinigi Guest House | Muhavura Lodge.

Day 8: Parc National des Volcans - Gorilla Trekking

Have breakfast and go to ORTPN offices for briefing after that set off in the forest for gorilla trekking.

A thrilling trek through the refined foothills of the Virungas provides inspiring views in all directions. Then, suddenly, the trail enters the national park, engrossing trekkers in the strange closeness of the rainforest, alive with the calls of colorful birds and chattering of the rare golden monkey, and besieged with fresh spoor of the mountains' elusive populations of buffalo and elephant.

Through gaps in the forest canopy, the marvelous peaks are sighted, easily easy to get to and among the uppermost in Africa, indicating an ascent. Gorilla trekking is quite strenuous but a worthwhile on encounter of these gentle giants. The enthusiasm of your coming across with these apes will wipe away your intricacy of the strenuous trek.

Spend time watching gorillas, watch the adults feeding their young ones, brushing and resting as the youngsters play from vines in a pleasurably playful display

Accommodation options available (all on full board basis)

Upmarket: Mountain Gorilla View Lodge

Mid-range: Le Bambou Gorilla Lodge

Lower Budget: Kinigi Tourist Guesthouse

Full board

Day 9: Parc National des Volcans | Golden Monkey Trekking & Kigali

Have early breakfast at the lodge and enter the forest in search for golden monkeys and other primates. The trek will expose you to excellent birding and other primates like colobus monkeys, blue monkeys, red-tailed monkeys and grey-cheeked mangabeys among others.

After the trek, proceed to Kigali Airport for your scheduled flight back home

Please note that this is a guideline program that may be customized according to traveler's needs and preferences. The variations are normally made to improve the tour and your experience.