SUMMARY
Day 1: Kigali
Day 2: Nyanza and Nyungwe Forest
Day 3: Nyungwe Forest
Day 4: Lake Kivu
Day 5: Lake Kivu – Kibuye
Day 6: Musanze
Day 7: Volcanoes National Park, Twin Lakes, and Kigali
ITINERARY
Day 1: Kigali
Welcome to Rwanda! We’ll be waiting for you at the Kigali airport when your plane lands, where we’ll welcome you and escort you to the hotel for dinner and to rest after the flight.
Day 2: Nyanza and Nyungwe Forest
After breakfast, we’ll drive to Nyungwe Forest National Park, considered the best-preserved mountainous forest in Central Africa.
On the way, we’ll stop in Nyanza to visit the King’s Palace Museum, a reconstruction of a royal residence reminiscent of ancient African tribal buildings. Once in Nyungwe, we’ll check into the hotel where we’ll have dinner and rest until the next day.
Day 3: Nyungwe Forest
We’ll wake up early to go in search of chimpanzees after breakfast. We’ll walk through tea plantations and delve deep inside the Nyungwe rainforest to discover the 13 species of monkeys that live here.
For an hour, we’ll observe these primates from a distance as they play, rest, and eat. It’ll also be a perfect opportunity to see other native animals such as birds, butterflies, and reptiles After the activity, we’ll return to the hotel and you’ll have the rest of the day free to relax until dinner.
Day 4: Lake Kivu
On this fourth day, we’ll have breakfast and drive to the Uwinka Visitor Center. Here we’ll enjoy an exciting trekking route across hanging bridges, from which we’ll enjoy breathtaking views of the forest to the beautiful soundtrack of the thousands of singing birds.
Afterward, we’ll return to the hotel for a light lunch before transferring to Lake Kivu, one of the largest lakes in Africa. The road trip will take about two hours, but it’ll fly by as you enjoy the stunning landscapes of Rwanda.
Once we arrive at the hotel, we’ll have dinner and you can rest until the next day.
Day 5: Lake Kivu – Kibuye
The morning of the fifth day will be spent exploring the impressive Lake Kivu. We’ll take a boat ride and visit the town of Kibuye, which is closely linked to the Rwandan Civil War. Afterward, you can relax with a swim in the lake alongside some animals. It’ll be an unforgettable moment!
After lunch, we’ll spend the afternoon observing the cows, monkeys, and birds native to the area. We’ll then transfer to the hotel, located within the Volcanoes National Park, where we’ll spend the night. Did you know that this area is a wildlife refuge for mountain gorillas?
Day 6: Musanze
We’ll leave the hotel at dawn to drive to Musanze, in northern Rwanda. Upon arrival, we’ll give a brief history intro of the Volcanoes National Park and its work as a gorilla protection area. We’ll spend the day exploring and learning all about gorillas!
Once inside the Rwandan jungle, we’ll walk to a place where we’ll be able to get close to and hang out with these huge apes. You’ll be able to sit next to them and observe how they interact with each other, as well as take amazing pictures.
After this experience, we’ll return to the hotel for lunch, and in the afternoon we’ll visit the Gorilla Guardian village, where we’ll learn more about the conservation of these magnificent primates.
Day 7: Volcanoes National Park, Twin Lakes, and Kigali
The last day will be spent meeting other local inhabitants of the Volcanoes National Park: the golden monkeys.
We’ll start the experience with a walk to see these small and agile monkeys as they jump from tree to tree. Golden monkeys are characterized by their bright color and are much more elusive than gorillas, so keep an eye out for their movements!
Then, we’ll return to the lodge to refresh and recharge with a delicious lunch and then head out to the twin lakes Ruhondo and Burera. Here we’ll take a canoe ride to enjoy breathtaking views of the mountains of the region and finally return to Kigali, where we’ll arrive in the late afternoon.
Once there, we’ll take you to the airport or to a hotel if you wish to continue your stay in Rwanda.
Safari Cost:
Per person US$ 3,780
Children under 15 not permitted
Accommodation
The tour includes 6 nights of full board accommodation in the following 3 and 4-star hotels:
- Kigali (1 night): Hotel 2000
- Nyungwe (2 nights): Nyungwe Eagle Nest
- Lake Kivu (1 night): Rwiza Lodge
- Volcanoes National Park (2 nights): Indani Volcanoes Resident
