Day 1: Arrival in Kigali
Upon your arrival, you will be met by your tour guide who will take you to your hotel in Kigali for an overnight stay. Depending on your arrival time, we would have a city tour of Kigali to include a visit to the genocide memorial centre at Gisozi as well as the local craft markets.
Accommodation on bed and breakfast basis at:
Kigali Serena Hotel/Hotel des Mille Collines/Chez Lando Hotel
Day 2: Drive to Akagera National Park
After breakfast, you will head to Akagera National Park for wildlife viewing. This is the only park in Rwanda where you can do a game drive and view savannah based wild animals. The Park is one of the most complex Savannah ecosystems in Rwanda and in East Africa as a whole with abundant birdlife, beautiful landscapes, and the big game animals. Upon arrival, you will go for a cone ride on Lake Ihema which will reward you with stunning views of the Park’s water loving animals.
Accommodation on Fullboard basis at:
Ruzizi Tented Camp/Akagera Game Lodge
Day 3: Full day game viewing in Akagera National Park
After breakfast, you will set off for a full day game viewing safari within the Park carrying your packed lunch. Explore the park and search for the big game found only in this park in Rwanda for instance; Giraffes, Elephants, Lions, and Buffaloes and so on. Return in the evening to your lodge for dinner and an overnight stay.
Accommodation on Fullboard basis at:
Ruzizi Tented Camp/Akagera Game Lodge
Day 4: Transfer back to Kigali and Kigali City Tour
After breakfast, depending on the success of the previous day, we will have a game drive through the park and later, depart for Butare which is the second largest city of Rwanda. Enroute to Butare, we shall visit Nyanza the former Mwami’s (King’s)palace and the seat of the federal monarchy as well as the National Museum at Butare, which is one the finest ethnographic museum of East Africa. If time permits; we shall appreciate a performance of the Urugangazi group of Intore-dancers before we have our lunch. After lunch, we shall continue south to Nyungwe Forest National Park. At Nyungwe, we shall have activities ranging from tracking the Angola Colobus Monkeys, Chimpanzee tracking, nature walks in the forest as well as the canopy walk.
Accommodation on Fullboard basis at:
Nyungwe Forest Lodge/Nyungwe Top View Hill Hotel/Gisakura Guest House
Day 5: Nyungwe Forest National Park
After an early breakfast, you will continue to Uwinka tourist information center for a briefing. This day, you will explore the largest high altitude rainforest of East Africa, and today, you will choose to either track the large social groups of Angolan Colobus monkeys, which are over 300 individuals or meander along the different beautiful trails available out of which the marvelous waterfall trail of Gisakura is probably the most rewarding.
Accommodation on Fullboard basis at:
Nyungwe Forest Lodge/Nyungwe Top View Hill Hotel/Gisakura Guest House
Day 6: Chimpanzee Tracking in Nyungwe Forest National Park
Today we shall set off into the forest to track chimpanzees, this activity requires a very early morning start and usually, you are advised to wake up at around 4:00am. In case it is too much an activity or the circumstances surrounding the waking up so early, you may opt for another guided primate walk or one of the hikes on the well-maintained trails.
Accommodation on Fullboard basis at:
Nyungwe Forest Lodge/Nyungwe Top View Hill Hotel/Gisakura Guest House
Day 7: Depart from Nyungwe Forest NP to Gisenyi on Lake Kivu
After breakfast we shall go toGisenyi, passing through the green fields of tea plantations before exploring the shores of Lake Kivu. Gisenyi is a city in Rubavu district in the Western Province of Rwanda with a population of about 106,000 according to the 2009 update. Gisenyi is contiguous with Goma, the city across the border in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The afternoon is about relaxation and marvelous moments on the shores of Lake Kivu. The more energetic can also take a walk around this magnificent area.
Accommodation on Fullboard basis at:
Lake Kivu Serena Hotel/Paradise Malahide Hotel
Day 8: Gisenyi to Parc National des Volcans
Today we have a leisurely breakfast as you choose from having a speed boat to stroll the shores of Lake Kivu or just relax and enjoy the sunrise while at the lake shores before having lunch at the hotel. After lunch, we shall drive for about 1 and a half hour to Ruhengeri the gorilla tracking capital of Rwanda.
Accommodation on Fullboard basis at:
Virunga Lodge/Sabyinyo Silverback Lodge/Mountain Gorilla View Lodge/Le Bambou Gorilla Lodge/Kinigi Guest Gouse
Day 9: Gorilla Tracking in Parc National des Volcans
After breakfast you will report to the park headquarters in Kinigi where your guide will get the necessary formalities for a gorilla family to track. You will meet your ranger guide(s) for a briefing about the gorilla tracking formality and how everything will be conducted from the start to the finish point, also you will be briefed on how you are to conduct yourself in the forest before and after encountering the gorillas. Return afterwards for lunch at your hotel or at Ruhengeri. Time permitting, we shall have an excursion to explore the beautiful twin lakes of Burera and Ruhondo in the region or just conduct a village walk in Ruhengeri or visit the Iby’Iwacu traditional village, where the local community displays the traditional ways of living.
Accommodation on Fullboard basis at:
Virunga Lodge/Sabyinyo Silverback Lodge/Mountain Gorilla View Lodge/Le Bambou Gorilla Lodge/Kinigi Guest Gouse
Day 10: Optional activities and transfer to Kigali
In case you wish to take another day tracking the gorillas in parc National des Voclans, today is the days and we recommend you visit one of the groups with a longer hiking time; the Susa group which is located on the slopes of the Karisimbi volcano and has more than 35 members will give you a great sense of achievement.
Alternatively, you may opt for other hikes in the park to include: A walk to visit the Golden Monkeys. Listed as “endangered”, the habituated groups of about 40 individuals are the only ones to be found in Africa, an excursion to Dian Fossey’s grave of and the former Karisoke Research Center or a hike to the top of the Bisoke volcano (3.711 m) and its beautiful crater lake. Afterwards, drive back to Kigali, enjoying the beautiful scenery along the way.
Accommodation on bed and breakfast basis at:
Kigali Serena Hotel/Hotel des Mille Collines/Chez Lando Hotel
Day 11: Kigali visit and departure
Depending on your departure flight time, you may choose to go for craft shopping at the local craft markets or relax at your hotel. After lunch, you will be transferred to the airport for your flight out.