Destination: Rwanda
Parks: Akagera National Park, Nyungwe National Park & Volcanoes National Park.
Itinerary at Glance
Day 1: Airport Transfer to Hotel
Day 2: Discover the past
Day 3: Drive to Akagera National Park for boat
Day 4: Game drive and boat trip in Akagera National Park
Day 5: full day game drives
Day 6: Brief game drive and transfer to Kigali and visit Kigali genocide memorial.
Day 7: Transfer to Nyungwe National Park.
Day 8: Chimpanzee Trek and Canopy walk at Nyungwe National Park.
Day 9: Waterfalls hike and tea tour
Day 10: Kayaking on Lake Kivu
Day 11: Boat tour on Lake Kivu
Day 12: Coffee tour and leisure
Day 13: Transfer to Volcanoes National Park with an en route tour
Day 14: Gorilla trekking at Volcanoes National Park.
Day 15: Mount Bisoke hike at Volcanoes National Park
Day 16: Golden Monkey Trek at Volcanoes National Park
Day 17: Visit Musanze caves and Twin Lakes Boat ride
Day 18: Hike to Dian Fossey Grave
Day 19: Nature walk at Buhanga Eco Park & home stay experience
Day 20: Canoe ride and transfer to Kigali
Day 21: Airport Transfer (Morning flight)
Trip Overview
This 21 days safari will wrap up the best of Rwandan attractions, blending you, all way through from the city suburbs, to all the major Rwandans’ parks, discovering and exploring the hidden secrets within these parks, from the only savannah park of Akagera National Park fueling you with majestic game drive and boat cruise at Lake Ihema, venturing in the jungles of Nyungwe National Park, one of the largest dense tropical rainforest, hiking up the canopy, not leaving behind a trek to see the chimpanzee, as you seek a cool sea breeze at Lake Kivu for water sport adventures, such as kayaking and boat ride, winding up with summit to Mount Bisoke, trek the golden monkeys, get illusion and taste of the cultural insight, and of course, come face to face with the shy primates, our immediate relatives, as our safari highlight. You will as well hike to the graveyard of Diane fossey. You will as well be able to explore almost all genocide memorials, in the country, to learn about the past of Rwanda, and how it managed to recover to the present Rwanda. This will be a safari to remember…….Let’s discover the hidden treasure of Rwanda, the cleanest country in Africa!!!
You will as well, get a great chance, to come face to face with the gentle gorilla!!!!
Trip highlight
- Gorilla trekking
- Chimpanzee trekking
- Golden monkey trekking
- Mount Bisoke hike
- Game drives
- Boat rides
- Waterfalls hike
- Tea tour
- Coffee tour
- Canopy walk
- Culture experience
- Kigali city tour
- Night game drive
- Museum & memorial visits
- Buhanga Eco Park
- Kayaking
- Hike to Dian Fossey Graveyard
Day 1: Airport Transfer to Hotel.
Day Itinerary
Upon arrival at Kigali international airport, you will go through customs and immigration, and you will be met by our company guide who will warmly welcome you to the Land of a thousand hills that Rwanda is known for, and later drive to your booked hotel accommodation for dinner and overnight stay at the hotel.
Accommodation options: Kigali Marriott Hotel (luxury)/ Hotel des Mille Collines (midrange)/ Step Town Motel (Standard).
Meal Plan: Dinner.
Day 2: Discover the Past.
Day Itinerary
Today after a relaxed breakfast, you will head out to discover the dark past and history of Rwanda, learn about this history of the country in line with the past genocide incidence of 1994. You will head for visit to Mount Kigali, and later proceed for Nyamirambo walking tour, visit the locals around, learn about how Kigali start, how the Muslim’s, were part of the genocide, visit local stoles around, and end the walking tour with a local traditional lunch. Later transfer to Bugesera, to visit Nyamata and Ntarama, genocide memorial churches, with authentic experience of the real Rwanda genocide incidence, where Christians who had seek custody in churches, met their last breath. Lunch will be enjoyed during the day. In the afternoon, drive back to Kigali, and if time allows, visit the local market, and craft shops around. Dinner and overnight stay at the hotel.
Accommodation options: Kigali Marriott Hotel (luxury)/ Hotel des Mille Collines (midrange)/ Step Town Motel (Standard).
Meal Plan: Breakfast, lunch & dinner.
Day 3: Transfer to Akagera National Park. Travel time +2.3hrs
Day Itinerary
Today, after your relaxed morning breakfast at your hotel, you will be picked by your safari guide, at your hotel, and thereafter, leave for Akagera national park, the journey to Akagera national park takes about 2.3 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 register at the park reception office and later proceed to our accommodation for lunch. We ordered lunch and later headed for brief afternoon game drive for game viewing in the southern sector of the park, keeping an eye on the lookout for buffaloes, zebras, waterbucks, elephants, and a number of winged ones. You will later return in the evening for relaxation. In the evening, you will go for a night game drive, to explore the park and try to sight some nocturnal, search for some wildlife for roughly 2 hours. Later return to the lodge for dinner and evening stay.
Accommodation options: Ruzizi Tented Lodge (luxury)/ Mantis Akagera Game Lodge (midrange)
Meal Plan: Breakfast, lunch & dinner.
Day 4: Game drive and boat cruise at Akagera National Park
Day Itinerary
After an early morning breakfast at 6:00 am, you connect with your safari guide and leave for an early morning game drive in Akagera National Park to catch up with late hunters and early risers. 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. You will later return to the lodge for lunch. After lunch, we head for a 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, to relax as we wait for dinner and evening stay.
Accommodation options: Ruzizi Tented Lodge (luxury)/ Mantis Akagera Game Lodge (midrange)
Meal Plan: Breakfast, lunch & dinner
Day 5: Fully day game drive at Akagera National Park
Day Itinerary
After an early morning breakfast at 6:00 am and leave for an early morning game drive in Akagera national park to catch up with late hunters and early risers. 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. You will have a picnic lunch. After lunch, proceed with your game drive for more search of abundant wildlife within this great park. The northern sector of the park, rewards with great sightings and it is where lions and other cats are spotted. The sector has more wildlife concentrations. Later drive to your booked lodge for dinner and evening stay at the lodge.
Accommodation options: Ruzizi Tented Lodge (luxury)/ Mantis Akagera Game Lodge (midrange)/ Karenge Bush Camp (mid – range)
Meal Plan: Breakfast, lunch & dinner
Day 6: Transfer back to Kigali
Day Itinerary
You will leave the lodge with after a relaxed breakfast, you may opt to head for a brief game drive before we drive back to Kigali and you will visit the Kigali Genocide Memorial ground in the afternoon. This is where over 250000 victims of Rwandan genocide of 1994 were buried, you will watch short video clips and later visit the grave yards as well, and drive back to your hotel for dinner and overnight stay at hotel.
Accommodation options: Kigali Marriott Hotel (luxury)/ Hotel des Mille Collines (midrange)/ Step Town Motel (Standard).
Meal Plan: Breakfast, lunch & dinner.
Day 7: Transfer to Nyungwe National Park. Travel time +5 hours
Day Itinerary
Enjoy an early morning breakfast at your hotel and checkout of the hotel and drive heading to the western province, and on your way visit the Royal Palace Museum and Ethnographic Museum in Southern Province, this will give you a great history of traditional ways of living among Rwandans and their past way of Kingship leadership. You will have lunch along the way as you proceed to Nyungwe. You will reach in the afternoon at Nyungwe National Park and spend the afternoon at your leisure. Later, your guide will brief you about the next day’s programme of chimpanzee trekking and the timing, before dinner is served.
Accommodation options: Mantis Kivu Marina Bay (luxury)/ Nyungwe Top View Hotel (midrange)/ Gisakura Visitor Center (Standard).
Meal Plan: Breakfast, lunch & dinner.
Day 8: Chimpanzee tracking and tea plantation visit
Day Itinerary
Have an early breakfast, and you will leave your hotel to experience the natural forest of Nyungwe, well known for having 13 species of primates. You will be transferred to the park, where you will meet your trekking ranger guides for briefing before heading for chimpanzee trekking. You will be entitled to one hour on finding the chimpanzees. After doing the chimpanzee trek, return and head for lunch before heading for a tea plantation visit to explore the beautiful Gisakura tea plantations, and learn about how tea is grown and harvested to production process, later return in the afternoon and drive to your hotel for dinner and overnight stay.
Accommodation options: Mantis Kivu Marina Bay (luxury)/ Nyungwe Top View Hotel (midrange)/ Gisakura Visitor Center (Standard).
Meal Plan: Breakfast, lunch & dinner.
Day 9: Waterfalls hike and canopy walk at Nyungwe National Park
Day Itinerary
Today, after our delightful breakfast, you will head off for a waterfall hike in the forest, where you have chances to experience a cool forest breath hike, along with encountering a number of waterfalls in the park. Along the way, you can have an opportunity to sight some primates and bird species. You will later return for lunch before heading for a canopy walk. This 70 meters suspended metallic bridge will give you a great overview of Nyungwe forest and on a lucky day spot one or two more primates in the forest as you take a walk on this bridge and later return in the afternoon for dinner and overnight stay.
Accommodation options: Mantis Kivu Marina Bay (luxury)/ Nyungwe Top View Hotel (midrange)/ Gisakura Visitor Center (Standard).
Meal Plan: Breakfast, lunch & dinner
Day 10: Transfer to Gisenyi for Kayaking
Day Itinerary
Begin your day with a warm delightful breakfast, and later transfer to Gisenyi for an afternoon sun set kayaking on Lake Kivu. You will have roughly 2 – 4 hours exploring the beauty of this wonderful lava lake and later return to your hotel for relaxation, or take a tour of the Rubavu town, formally known as Gisenyi, you explore in and out of this town, including a visit to the hot springs. Dinner will be served on time as you later catch up with the night at the hotel.
Accommodation options: Lake Kivu Serena (luxury)/ Paradise Kivu (midrange)/ Paradise Malahide (Standard).
Meal Plan: Breakfast, lunch & dinner
Day 11: Boat trip at Lake Kivu
Day Itinerary
After a delightful breakfast in the morning, you will head for a boat trip in Lake Kivu, which is roughly a two hours boat trip to explore this beautiful Lake and its numerous islands, you will later return to the lodge, and spend the afternoon at leisure at the lodge, to relax and have a cool time, as you prepare for a big heavy day’s a head of you.
Accommodation options: Lake Kivu Serena (luxury)/ Paradise Kivu (midrange)/ Paradise Malahide (Standard).
Meal Plan: Breakfast, lunch & dinner
Day 12: Coffee Experience
Day Itinerary
Today, after your relaxed breakfast, you will drive to Kirimbiri for a crop to cup coffee experience, you have a great day to experience how the entire process of coffee making is done, you will later blend your own coffee, and later serve yourself, and you will later drive back to the hotel for lunch. After lunch, you will be at your own leisure at the hotel, or opt for a town tour of Gisenyi, visit the hots springs, and local community projects around like Atalier de poupee. Dinner and overnight at the hotel
Accommodation options: Lake Kivu Serena (luxury)/ Paradise Kivu (midrange)/ Paradise Malahide (Standard).
Meal Plan: Breakfast, lunch & dinner
Day 13: Know the Past history
Day Itinerary
Today, after your relaxed breakfast, you will drive to the Volcanoes national park to Kinigi. Kinigi is a tourism area near Volcanoes National Park, where most of the lodges are located since there are no lodges inside of the park. You will visit Rosemond Carr house along the way, to hear the beautiful stories of Rose, for her love of the local people, and the country. Visit the beautiful flower gardens and later proceed to Musanze for lunch before visiting the Ellen DeGenerus campus of Dian Fossey Institute, to learn more about the hard work of this great woman, as well explore the musanze town and its numerous attractions.
Accommodation options: Five Volcanoes Boutique Hotel (luxury)/ DA Vinci Gorilla Lodge (midrange)/ La Palme Hotel (Standard).
Meal Plan: Breakfast, lunch & dinner
Day 14: Gorilla trekking experience at Volcanoes National Park
Day Itinerary
Early morning cup of coffee, then prepare for the briefing from the park officials and thereafter enter the jungle to search for the shy mountain gorillas and enjoy their lifestyle in their real home. After meeting the gorillas, you can sit around these great apes for a whole hour gazing into their big round eyes. On a gorilla trekking, a reasonable degree of fitness is required as well as walking shoes, packed food and mineral water, insect repellent, sunscreen and hut. The gorilla tracking experience takes half or whole day depending on the movement of these primates. After this gorilla tracking experience in Rwanda, you will have an informative memorable experience in life. In the afternoon, you will just relax at your hotel as you wait for dinner and overnight. We can as well opt to drive for Musanze town walk, a visit to the local market is rewarding.
Accommodation options: Five Volcanoes Boutique Hotel (luxury)/ DA Vinci Gorilla Lodge (midrange)/ La Palme Hotel (Standard).
Meal Plan: Breakfast, lunch & dinner
Day 15: Golden monkey at Volcanoes National Park and cultural experience
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. In the afternoon, ready for a village foot safari, to explore the indigenous local life with a taste of the traditional performance at Iby Iwacu cultural center, where you will be inspired by traditional performance, which will color your evening. Dinner and overnight at the hotel.
Accommodation options: Five Volcanoes Boutique Hotel (luxury)/ Da Vinci Gorilla Lodge (midrange)/ La Palme Hotel (Standard).
Meal Plan: Breakfast, lunch & dinner
Day 16: Hike Mount Bisoke at Volcanoes National Park
Day Itinerary
Put on your hiking shoes, grab your back bag after a delightful energizing breakfast and head off to conquer the summit of Mount Bisoke with a packed picnic lunch. Your guide will be right there waiting to transfer you to the park headquarter, where briefing is done, before you drive to the hiking starting point, joined by other hikers if any. You will go hiking, to reach the summit of Mount Bisoke at an Elevation: 3,711 m, one of the Virunga volcanoes, which is thrilling and rewarding, as it gives you a great view of Virunga mountain ranges as you explore flora and fauna along the way. You will as well have a chance to observe the stunning view of the crater on top of the volcano. You will later descend back.
Accommodation options: Five Volcanoes Boutique Hotel (luxury)/ Da Vinci Gorilla Lodge (midrange)/ La Palme Hotel (Standard).
Meal Plan: Breakfast, lunch & dinner
Day17: Visit Musanze Caves and Twin Lake boat tour
Day Itinerary
After your relaxed breakfast, you will be transferred to the park headquarters for briefing before you head off, for cave exploration visit, to explore the beautiful caves of Musanze, this can take roughly 2- 3 hours of visit. You will later return for lunch before you head off to visit the twin lakes, and explore Lake Burera and Kikondo, with a boat trip on the lake. The lakes are patched with a number of bird species. You will later return and drive back to your lodge for dinner and overnight stay.
Accommodation options: Five Volcanoes Boutique Hotel (luxury)/ Da Vinci Gorilla Lodge (midrange)/ La Palme Hotel (Standard).
Meal Plan: Breakfast, lunch & dinner
Day18: Diane Fossey hike at Volcanoes National Park
Day Itinerary
Another day, another hiking experience
Today, after having a wonderful breakfast, you will head for another, wonderful hiking adventure, to explore the Diane fossey tomb and her favorite gorilla Digit, you will learn about the hard work of this amazing woman, who did a lot of great work towards gorilla conservation. The hike can take roughly 6 hours on a return trip, with a great informative guide, who will share with you, much information about gorilla conservation. This will reward you with great natural feel, as you explore the volcanoes. You will later return and drive back for dinner and overnight stay.
Accommodation options: Five Volcanoes Boutique Hotel (luxury)/ Da Vinci Gorilla Lodge (midrange)/ La Palme Hotel (Standard).
Meal Plan: Breakfast, lunch & dinner
Day 19: Nature walk at Buhanga Eco Park & home stay experience
Day Itinerary
This morning meet with your respective park rangers who take you to visit Buhanga Eco Park, this has been a sacred forest where the Rwandese Kings performed initiation ceremonies; today it is a testimonial to past societies that conducted such rituals. There is an opportunity here to go on a trail walk through the park and see where these rituals took place. When you reach one of the ritual sites in the park, you are confronted with a small ditch that is surrounded by a flowery thicket and small lava stones. This is where the kings’ assistants, the Abiru, pick some herbs and add to spring water to make a ritual bath for the king’s coronation. After that we will visit the red rocks for home stay, experience. Dinner and overnight stay at the hotel.
Accommodation options: Five Volcanoes Boutique Hotel (luxury)/ Da Vinci Gorilla Lodge (midrange)/ La Palme Hotel (Standard).
Meal Plan: Breakfast, lunch & dinner
Day 20: Canoe ride & transfer to Kigali
Day Itinerary
After your relaxed morning breakfast, you will head for a canoe ride at River Mukungwa, one of the sacred rivers, patched with great experience. The canoe ride will reward you country side experience and bird life, after canoe ride, you will drive back to Kigali and Visit Belgian camp where they killed the 10 Belgian UN soldiers who were protecting the moderate prime minister before the start of genocide. Later time permitting, we shall visit the art center, and Kimironko local market, before we head for our great last Rwandan dinner. Enjoy the evening at leisure before heading off to sleep.
Accommodation options: Kigali Marriott Hotel (luxury)/ Hotel des Mille Collines (midrange)/ Step Town Motel (Standard).
Meal Plan: Breakfast, lunch & dinner.
Day 21: Departure.
Day Itinerary
Today, our 21 days Rwanda experience tour, comes to an end unfortunately.
After getting done with your relaxed morning breakfast, depending on your flight time, you will be transferred to the airport to catch up with your flight back home. End of service!
This safari package includes.
- Transportation in a 4×4 safari vehicle with a pop up roof
- Accommodation and meals as per itinerary
- 1 Gorilla permits ($ 1500), per person
- 1 Golden Monkey permit, per person
- 1 chimpanzee permit, per person
- Canopy walk
- Waterfall hike
- Museums visit
- Cave visit
- Tea Tour
- Coffee tour
- Nature walk at Buhanga Eco Park
- Twin lakes visit
- Kayaking on Lake Kivu
- Visit to Rosamond Carr House
- Diane Fossey hike
- En-route lunches
- Game drives
- Bisoke hike
- Boat ride at Lake Ihema
- Cultural visit
- Boat ride on Lake Kivu
- Park fees
- Visit to Nyamata & Ntarama memorials
- King Palace visit
- Ethnographic museum visit
- Visit Kigali genocide memorial
- Kigali city tour
- Services of English speaking driver/guide
- Bottle of mineral water during the safari
- Lots of fun on the safari
- Office support service
The package excludes expenses of personal nature like:
- Visa Fees & flights
- Optional activities
- Tips & gratuities
- Laundry
- Alcoholic drinks
- International vaccinations
- Health test requirements
- Porter fees while trekking
- 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.