Destination: Rwanda
Parks: Nyungwe National Park & Volcanoes National Park.
Itinerary at Glance
Day 1: Airport Transfer to Hotel
Day 2: Kigali city tour
Day 3: Visit Azizi life
Day 4: Transfer to Nyungwe National Park for canopy
Day 5: Chimpanzee Trek and tea tour at Nyungwe National Park
Day 6: Transfer to Karongi for boat
Day 7: Transfer to Volcanoes National Park.
Day 8: Golden Monkey Trek at Volcanoes National Park
Day 9: Kigali walking tour and Airport Transfer (Morning flight)
Trip Overview
Join us on this 9 days, 8 – night’s cultural tour of Rwanda! This country has incredibly welcoming people ready to show you their wonderful home. This experience will allow you to interact and learn more about daily life in rural Rwanda. You’ll visit handicraft projects, and tea & coffee plantations and will be able to learn traditional techniques and fish with local people. You’ll also have the opportunity to journey through Rwandan history on a Kigali city tour and visit the King’s Palace Museum in Butare. In Volcanoes National Park, you’ll visit the Ibyiwacu Cultural Village. Former poachers operate this project, and along with learning more about traditional Rwandan culture, you’ll see how tourism can positively impact local communities and discourage them from poaching the mountain gorillas in the nearby park.
Rwanda has some of the most stunning natural landscapes in Africa, and a trip here would not be complete without experiencing nature. You’ll have the chance to take a canopy walk in Nyungwe National Park and participate in both Chimpanzee and Golden Monkey trekking. Your drives through the country will be incredibly scenic, and you’ll leave with a clear picture of why they call Rwanda the Land of 1,000 hills!
This itinerary is an excellent introduction to the culture of Rwanda. It is perfect for couples, families, or small groups and is completely customizable to meet your travel style, needs, and interests. Let’s explore the wonderful country of Rwanda together!
Trip Highlight.
- Chimpanzee trekking
- Golden monkey trekking
- Canopy walk
- Cultural experiences
- Boat ride on Lake Kivu
- Coffee tour
- Museum visits
- Tea tour
- Kigali city tour
Day 1: Arrival Kigali and transfer to Hotel
Day Itinerary
Today upon arrival at the airport, you will be welcomed by one of our company representatives who will welcome you to the land of a thousand hills, give you a brief introduction about your safari and later, introduce you, to your safari guide, who will meet you and transfer you to your booked accommodation in Kigali.
Rwanda’s capital and biggest city stretches across undulating lush hills surrounded by towering mountains, the largest of which is Mount Kigali, rising 1850 meters above sea level. Kigali is the country’s financial, commercial and cultural hub, served by an international airport and featuring a wide range of accommodation options, restaurants and points of interest, including the Kigali Genocide Centre, an atmospheric market and numerous craft shops. With its interesting architecture, busy streets, meandering boulevards, and green hillsides, Kigali is said to be one of the most attractive cities in Africa and is definitely worth a visit. The city is well organized and known for its neatness and hospital people
Overnight at: Chez Lando Hotel
Meals: Diner
Day 2: Full Day Kigali city Tour
Day Itinerary
Today morning after breakfast at your hotel, Start your day with historical exploration of Kigali city with visits to official landmarks and places from colonial, post-independence, genocide and post-genocide times to have the most educative and incredible historical facts about Rwanda. You will be able to visit Kigali Genocide memorial site where over 250,000 genocide victims were put to rest in mass graves, visit the Belgian camp where they killed the 10 Belgian UN soldiers who were protecting the moderate prime minister before the start of genocide, explore old and new Kigali. You will get to understand Rwanda, and its past history, and later in the evening return to your hotel for dinner and overnight.
Midrange Accommodation: Chez Lando Hotel
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 3: Visit Azizi life and transfer to Butare
Day Itinerary
After your wonderful breakfast at your hotel, you’ll head to the hillside village of Muhanga to visit the local people and learn about their daily lives. You’ll participate in traditional cooking, candle dipping, basket weaving, beehive making, and other everyday activities. Enjoy lunch before continuing your day to Butare. Here you’ll visit the Royal King’s Palace Museum and get a glimpse into ancient Rwandan culture, traditions and past leadership. The afternoon is at your leisure to explore Butare.
Standard Accommodation: Mater Boni Concili Hotel
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 4: Visit Ethnographic Museum in Butare and transfer to Nyungwe for Canopy walk
Day Itinerary
In the morning after breakfast at the hotel, we go to visit the Ethnographic Museum, where you will learn more about Past Rwanda’s kingdoms, discovery of lifestyle of Rwandans from the colonial time up to date, and the colonial architecture that was used you will embark on your journey to Nyungwe National park, driving through unwinding rolling hills and landscapes for roughly 2 hours. Upon arrival head for a canopy walk experience. 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, enjoy the cool breath and later continue to your lodge for relaxation as you wait for dinner and overnight stay.
Nyungwe National Park
The best adventure safaris in Rwanda take you to the heart of the action, to Nyungwe forest. Trips to well-known forests and parks can be disappointing if you don’t get some good sightings of the animals. The secluded trails through the thick foliage and undergrowth are also more exciting as they let you experience the forest as it is- untamed, unpredictable and far removed from all human contact. The most enjoyable way to explore a forest is taking a canopy walk, or following the waterfall trails. Nyungwe National Park in Rwanda is also fed by several river streams, of which is said to be the source of River Nile that serve as watering holes for the animals of the park. It has an estimated 13 primates besides a wide variety of other animals and 310 different species of birds, these include all the 25 species of the Albertine Rift Mountains Endemic Bird Area that occur in Rwanda. Chimpanzee trekking and colobus monkey trekking plus canopy walk, not forgetting the numerous nature walk trails, are one of the leading adventure activities that the park offers. For those who love hiking, Nyungwe forest is your next stopover destination.
Overnight at: Emeraude Kivu Resort
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Diner
Day 5: Chimpanzee trekking and Visit Tea plantation at Gisakura
Day Itinerary
Today, after your early morning cup of African coffee, you will leave your hotel to experience the natural forest of Nyungwe, well known for having 13 species of primates, and transferred to the park for briefing and chimpanzee trekking. You will be entitled to one hour on finding the chimpanzees. After doing the chimpanzee trek, head for lunch before visit the Gisakura tea plantation where you will have a crop to cup tea experience you will visit the tea fields and interact with the farmers on how tea is grown, and harvested, you can also participate in the process of harvesting and then later visit the processing factory to see the other final stages until you tea is served in a cup. Later head to your hotel for dinner and overnight.
Overnight at: Emeraude Kivu Resort
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Diner
Day 6: Transfer to Karongi
Day Itinerary
On this day, you’ll make your way to Lake Kivu. After a relaxed breakfast, you’ll begin your journey and meander your way through the beautiful scenery that will give you a clear picture of why Rwanda is the land of 1,000 hills. The Kivu belt is well known for its beautiful outstanding scenery, appearing in most Rwandan photos, with a background loop of the Congo side. You’ll arrive at your hotel, have lunch, and have the afternoon to relax before heading out on a boat ride on the lake. You’ll visit the different islands and end with a nighttime fishing experience. You’ll learn the traditional techniques from the locals and get to try them out yourself!
Overnight at: Moriah Hills Resort
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Diner
Day 7: Transfer to Musanze via Gisenyi
Day Itinerary
Today you’ll make your way to Musanze on the border of Volcanoes National Park. Your drive will again be incredibly scenic, with views of Lake Kivu, the surrounding hills, and charming villages. Along the way, you’ll stop at the Kinunu Coffee plantation to learn more about the production process. Coffee is one of the many exports Rwanda has and is of the highest quality in the world. You’ll have the opportunity to taste it and take some home. After lunch, you’ll continue with a visit to the women-run projects at Atelier de Poupees. You’ll be able to interact with them and learn more about their handicrafts. You’ll also go to the Madam Rose Carr house museum and learn more about her life and the positive impact she made on Rwanda. In the afternoon, you’ll continue to Musanze to have dinner and spend the night.
Volcanoes National park
Bordering the Democratic Republic of Congo, Uganda and 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 at: Ingagi Parkview Lodge
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Diner
Day 8: Golden Monkey and cultural experience
Day Itinerary
After breakfast, you’ll head out on a trekking experience to find golden monkeys in Volcanoes National Park. You will meet your guide at the park headquarters before heading into the forest. The walk there meanders through local villages and tea plantations, and the scenery is beautiful. Once you find the monkeys, you’ll have an hour to observe them running around, eating, and swinging from the trees. Just like the gorilla trekking experience, the same trekking procedures and guidelines apply to golden monkey trekking though not so hectic like gorilla trekking. You’ll head back to your hotel for lunch before heading to the Iby’Iwacu Cultural Village to learn more about the traditional Rwandan culture. The village is operated by former poachers who welcome guests and show them local hunting techniques, traditional dances, and other aspects of Rwandan life. This evening you’ll head back to the hotel for dinner and much-deserved rest.
Overnight at: Ingagi Parkview Lodge
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Diner
Day 9: Kigali walk and airport departure
Day itinerary
Today marks the end of your Rwandan journey. After breakfast, you’ll head back to Kigali, where you’ll have the chance to visit the Nyamirambo Women’s Center to learn more about life in Rwanda. Time permitting, visit art galleries and Kimironko local market for shopping. You’ll then be transferred to the airport for your flight home. End of service! Meal Plan: Breakfast and lunch
This package includes;
- Transportation in a 4*4 wheel comfortable vehicle
- Accommodation as described in the itinerary
- Meals as described in the itinerary
- Service of an English speaking safari/driver guide
- Chimpanzee permits
- Golden monkey permit per person
- Canopy Walk permits per person
- Park fees
- Museum visits
- Boat trips as mentioned
- Kigali city tour
- All other permits for all the other activities per person
- Bottle of mineral water during the safari
- All activities mentioned in the itinerary
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.