Countries: Burundi, Rwanda and DRC
Destinations: Bujumbura, Rusizi National Park, Gitega, Gishora drum sanctuary, Kabira National Park, Nyungwe National Park, Kahuzi Biega National Park, Lake Kivu, Volcanoes National Park, Kigali and Akagera National Park
Itinerary at Glance
Day 1: Arrive Bujumbura
Day 2: Visit to Karera Falls
Day 3: Visit to Gitega, Gisora Drum Sanctuary
Day 4: Boat ride on River Rusizi and Bujumbura city tour
Day 5: Transfer to Nyungwe with en route visit to Kabira National Park
Day 6: Chimpanzee trekking at Nyungwe National Park and transfer to DR Congo
Day 7: Gorilla trekking at Kahuzi Biega National Park and transfer to Karongi
Day 8: Boat ride on Lake Kivu and transfer to Volcanoes National Park
Day 9: Golden Monkey trek and transfer to Kigali for city tour
Day 10: Transfer to Akagera National Parkfor game drives and boat trip
Day 11: Full day game drive and departure.
Overview
The 11 Days Burundi Rwanda DRC cultural, primates and wildlife experience safari, best of Burundi attraction, whereby, you will execute a day Bujumbura city tour, which will reward you with great knowledge of Bujumbura city, as well as visit Rusizi National Park, for great wildlife experience. You will be able to visit Karera waterfalls and the famous Gitega city, home for the famous powerful Burundi drummers at Gishora drum sanctuary. You will as well visit Kibira National Park en route to Nyungwe National Park in Rwanda for Chimpanzee trekking before crossing over to DR Congo for lowland Gorilla trekking at Kahuzi Biega National Park. You will as well as enjoy boat ride on Lake Kivu en route to Volcanoes National Park for golden monkey trekking before proceeding for Kigali city tour with a visit to Kigali genocide memorial, later wind up the tour with a wildlife safari game drive in Akagera National Park. This tour blends culture, with primates and wildlife experiences across the three countries.
High lights.
- Bujumbura city tour
- Visit to memorial
- Boat ride on River Rusizi
- Gishora drum sanctuary
- Gitega city tour
- Karera waterfalls
- Tea tour
- Nature walk in Kibira National Park
- Chimpanzee trekking in Nyungwe National Park
- Gorilla trekking in Kahuzi Biega National Park
- Golden monkey trekking at Volcanoes National Park
- Kigali city tour
- Wildlife experience at Akagera National Park
Day 1: Welcome to Bujumbura!
Day Itinerary
Upon landing at Bujumbura International Airport, you will proceed to the immigration stand, after finalizing with your visa, you will proceed to the exit gate, where you will be met by your guide, brief you shortly and transfer to your booked accommodation in Bujumbura, close to the beach. Spend the afternoon at leisure. Dinner and overnight stay at the hotel.
Overnight stay at: Club du lac Tanganyika
Meal Plan: Breakfast
Day 2: Excursion to the Karera Falls and the southernmost source of Nile River
Day Itinerary
Today, after getting done with our morning breakfast at 7:30 am, we shall leave Bujumbura and drive to Bururi, for a visit to the southernmost source of the Nile River in Rutovu (White Nil), and continue to the extraordinary Karera waterfalls, undertake a hike and walk at the famous waterfalls and as the sun falls down, we shall gather at our booked accommodation, for dinner and overnight stay.
Overnight stay at: Isango Hotel.
Meal Plan: Breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Day 3: Gitega city tour, the former royal site and the sacred drum sanctuary in Gishora.
Day Itinerary
Breakfast will be served on time, before we jump onto our jeep and head to explore Gitega city.
Gitega is the current political capital of the country since 2019, a city located exactly in the middle of the country and the ideal city where one can get acquainted with the historical and cultural heritage of Burundi, in the national museum of Gitega.
Our visit begins at the National Museum of Gitega, then Boma, the former residence of German governor before the First World War; then we drive to Gishora drum sanctuary to meet the famous drummers to attend a fascinating show combining the sound of the drumbeat to dances, heroic poetry and traditional songs. Beautiful cultural performance, shall color our evening, we shall be left with no other choice but to smile, and admire how authentic the drummers are! Later we head to our jeep, and find our way back to Bujumbura.
Overnight stay at: Hotel Club du Lac Tanganyika
Meal Plan: Breakfast, lunch and dinner
Day 4: Boat trip on River Rusizi and Bujumbura city tour
Day Itinerary
After an early morning breakfast at the hotel, we start our trip by driving to Rusizi National Park, which is just roughly 20 minutes’ drive away for a boat trip to the Rusizi National Park which harbors hippos, crocodiles and a number of bird species. We shall be able to reach Lake Tanganyika, watch fishermen go about their day fishing activity on the lake. Later, we return and drive to the DR Congo border, before we drive back and visit the living museum, the memorial stone of the meeting of explorers David Livingston and Henry M. Stanley, return downtown for lunch. Afternoon, visit the various monuments in the city including the Independence Square, the mausoleum of the hero of independence, Prince Louis Rwagasole, the place of unity” Ubumwe”, and later after the tour, we shall transfer to your lodge, for relaxation. Dinner and overnight stay at the lodge.
Overnight stay at: Hotel Club du Lac Tanganyika
Meal Plan: Breakfast, lunch and dinner
Day 5: Visit Kabira National Park and transfer to Nyungwe National Park. Travel time + 5hrs
Day Itinerary.
Today, have an early breakfast and later meet your guide and drive to Kibira National Park which is just 1.3 hrs away from Bujumbura, engage later on a nature walk, with rewards you with a great opportunity to sight a number of birds species, and primates such as baboon, monkeys and chimpanzees. You will later return and drive off to Nyungwe National Park, with an en route lunch. You will arrive in the afternoon for dinner and overnight stay.
Overnight stay at: Emeraude Kivu Resort
Meal Plan: Breakfast, lunch and dinner
Day 6: Nyungwe Chimpanzee trekking experience and transfer to Congo
Day Itinerary
Today’s agenda includes chimpanzee trekking deep in the Nyungwe forest and canopy walk.
After your early morning breakfast, you will drive to the park reception for the early morning briefing before heading to the forest in search of the chimpanzee. During the briefing, grouping of the trekker’s is done, and you will be put into a group of 8 members per group, depending on the number of trekkers, you may be less. Make your way to Cyamudongo in the dark with a local park ranger who knows the forest’s deepest secrets. Follow him to the home of the chimps. Watch the animals wake, stretch, and start their day in the forest. Snap your photos while you can. Once they’re on the move, catching up to them among the tall trees and thick brush is a feat of athletic prowess. This once in a lifetime experience deserves your full attention: Remember the feeling of the mud beneath your hiking boots, the pitch of the primate calls echoing through the trees and the moment you locked eyes with a chimp in one of the few places in the world where you still can.
These cousins to humans can be found and tracked in Nyungwe National Park. A beautiful guided hike through the forest will lead you to these fascinating creatures where you can watch them play and interact up close. Chimpanzee tracking can be done year-round in Nyungwe, rain or shine, and while it is never guaranteed that you will see them, sightings are very common and guides are skillful in tracking them. The experience differs from gorilla tracking as the chimps move through the canopy, so the sightings are a bit more sporadic and exciting, but worthwhile nonetheless. Observe them playing, wild and free, hooting and dashing through the trees. You will later return back and head for lunch. After lunch, DRC visa and you cross over to DR Congo through Rubavo border to your booked lodge for dinner and overnight stay.
Kahuzi Biega National Park
Located in the southeastern part of DR Congo, 30 km away from Bukavu, which is a border post between Rwanda and DR Congo, Kahuzi – Biega National Park is the only national park in DR Congo where visitors have the opportunity to track the famous eastern lowland gorillas in their natural habitat. The park was established in 1970, with the main aim to conserve the lowland Eastern gorillas, which are the major attraction of the park. The park has two fully habituated gorillas that are the major source of attraction. The park covers an area of 6000 km 2 and protects a mountain forest in eastern DRC, which is the most densely populated region of the country. The park is named after the two spectacular extinct volcanoes which dominate its high altitude sector, Mont Kahuzi (3,308m) and Mont Biega (2,790m). Kahuzi Biega National Park is a Safe destination that is managed by Wildlife Conservation Society. The eastern lowland gorilla—also known as Grauer’s gorilla—is the largest of the four gorilla subspecies. It is distinguished from other gorillas by its stocky body, large hands and short muzzle. Despite its size, eastern lowland gorillas subsist mainly on fruit and other herbaceous materials, just like other gorilla subspecies.
Overnight stay at: Orchid Safari Club
Meal Plan: lunch & dinner
Day 7: Lowland Gorilla Trekking Experience at Kahuzi Biega National Park
Day Itinerary
After a delightful breakfast in the morning, you will head for your first briefing at the park headquarters’, where you will as well get the registration, and pick up your assigned ranger guides and drive off to the park trekking starting point, for your lowland gorilla trekking experience. You will later head off with your ranger guide, who will share with you a lot of information about Kahuzi Biega National Park. Upon sighting the gorillas, you will be allowed an ample 1 hour, to watch the gorillas, take video’s and photos of your choices under the guidance of your ranger guide. You will later return and drive off to Rwanda, proceed to Karongi, to your booked lodge, and retire at leisure. Dinner and overnight at the lodge.
Overnight stay at: Cormoran Lodge Karongi
Meal Plan: Breakfast, lunch & dinner
Day 8: Transfer to Musanze. Travel time +5hrs
Day Itinerary
Today after taking your early morning breakfast, you will meet with your driver guide, share a short briefing as usual, and transfer over to Rwanda through Bukavu border and head off to Karongi, where you will visit Lake Kivu, for a boat trip. You will head for a sunrise boat trip on Lake Kivu, which is roughly a two hours boat trip to explore this beautiful Lake and its numerous islands, you will as well be able to spot a number of bird species as well as visit one of the islands called the Napoleon Island. You will engage on a nature walk hike on the Island as you explore the bat caves. You will later return and proceed with your drive to Musanze with en route lunch in Gisenyi. Reach in the afternoon, and spend the evening at leisure or optional visit to Ellen DeGeneres campus of Diane Fossey.
Volcanoes National Park
Bordering the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda in Rwanda, the Volcanoes National Park is best known as a sanctuary for the region’s rare mountain gorillas. Visitors flock here to experience a face to face encounter with these intriguing creatures, making it the most famous park in Rwanda. The park is set high on the jungle-covered slopes of the volcanic Virunga Mountains. Highly regulated treks through the reserve allow visitors to spend an hour at a time with these incredible primates in their natural habitat. While the gorillas are without a doubt the main drawcard, visitors can also look forward to exploring a network of scenic hiking trails, visiting the tomb of the world-famous Dian Fossey and the Karisoke Research Centre, and enjoying a beautiful day hike to the Crater Lake on Mount Bisoke. You can as well as opt for trekking the shy golden monkeys or head for a canoe ride on the twin lakes. The beautiful Buhanga Eco Park, still remains virgin and open to visitors, where you get more cultural insight in regards to leadership and kingship of Rwanda.
Overnight stay at: Ingagi Park View Lodge.
Meal Plan: Breakfast, lunch and dinner
Day 9: Golden Monkey trekking & transfer to Kigali
Day Itinerary
Today after your warm early morning breakfast, you will be picked by our safari driver guide who will transfer you to the park headquarters for briefing and start off your day golden monkey trekking. Just like the gorilla trekking experience, the same applies to golden monkey trekking though not so hectic like gorilla trekking. You will later return to the lodge for lunch. Later, transfer to Kigali, and later drive to visit the Kigali genocide memorial grounds, which honors the memory of the more than one million Rwandans killed in 1994 through education and peace-building. You will be able to watch and listen to some video clips from some of the survivors’ of the incident. If time permits, visit the local markets and craft shops. Dinner and overnight stay at the hotel.
Overnight stay at: Chez Lando Hotel.
Meal Plan: Breakfast, lunch and dinner
Day 10: Transfer to Akagera National Park from Kigali. Travel time +2hrs
Day Itinerary
Today, after your relaxed morning breakfast at your hotel, you will be met, by your safari guide, share a short briefing and later jump into your safari jeeps and leave for Akagera national park, the journey to Akagera national park takes about 2.5 hours depending on the stopovers along the way, with the beautiful unwinding landscape en route to the park, feel free to ask the guide for stopovers to capture some photos. On arrival at the park, we shall proceed to our accommodation after a short game drive and check in for lunch. We ordered lunch and later headed for a brief game drive for game viewing. We will be searching for the big mammals like Elephants, Giraffes, Buffaloes, several Antelope species, and recently the re-introduced Lions and Rhinos. The park is a varied habitat for wildlife and a number of bird species with over 500 bird species in the park making it a birding paradise. After, we head for a sunset boat trip on Lake Ihema watch Hippos and crocodiles in the water or by the shores and meet the buffaloes and elephants wallowing by the water banks. Later return to the lodge for dinner and evening stay.
Akagera National Park.
Bordering with Tanzania to the East, in Rwanda, Akagera National Park, is Rwanda’s only savannah park, patched with a number of bird species, with over 500 bird species can be spotted, and numerous wildlife, including the Big Five. Akagera National Park, has been recently stalked with Rhinoceros, and lions, which has greatly multiplied and improved on the wildlife safari experience in Akagera. The park offers endless day game drives and night game drives including a boat cruise on Lake Ihema. If you’re truly into wildlife safari experience, Akagera National Park is a great add on, on your trip to Rwanda.
Overnight stay at: Akagera Game Safari Lodge
Meal Plan: Breakfast, lunch and dinner
Day 11: Full day game drive and transfer back to Kigali
Day Itinerary
Have an early morning breakfast at your lodge, and order for picnic lunch as well, later meet your safari guide, and head off for a full day game drive to the north of the park, spot countless wildlife, as you try as much as possible, and later have picnic lunch served during the course of the day. You will continue with the game drive up to the northern exit, use the loose before we drive back to Kigali and later be dropped at the lodge or airport to catch up with your afternoon flight. End of service!
Meal Plan: Breakfast, and lunch
The safari includes.
- Transportation on a 4 x 4 safari vehicle
- Accommodation with meals as listed
- En route lunch
- Service of an English speaking driver guide
- Park entrance fee
- Lowland gorilla permit
- Chimpanzee trekking at Nyungwe
- Nature walk in Kabira National Park
- Boat cruise on Lake Kivu
- Boat ride in River Rusizi
- Visit to Gisora drum sanctuary
- Kigali city tour
- Golden monkey permit
- Bujumbura city tour
- Karere waterfalls visit
- Unlimited mineral water per day per person during safari
- Game drives
- Boat trip at Lake Ihema
- Fun and other excursions as mentioned in the itinerary.
The package excludes expenses of personal nature like:
- Visa Fees & flights
- Optional activities
- Tips for guides
- Laundry
- Alcoholic drinks
- International vaccinations
- Health test requirements
- Personal travel Insurance
- Personal shopping bills
- Phone call bills
- Extras while at the hotel
- Items of personal nature
Please contact us for a free detailed quote on the option of your choice. We can tailor a request that suits your interests, and budget, as well as we can change or upgrade the lodge options. Write to us with more details about your safari.