OVERVIEW
This is one of the most enticing safaris in Rwanda where one will experience the best of Rwanda’s attractions beginning from Kigali through the undulating hills to the Nyungwe forest, volcanoes national park to Akagera Park. All these destinations have specific attractions that make you glued in this country of a thousand hills.
HIGHLIGHT
Day 01-Arrival and pick up
Day 02-Drive to Nyungwe forest
Day 03-Chimpanzee trekking
Day 04- Transfer to Kibuye
Day 5: Transfer to Gisenyi.
Day 6: Gorilla tracking
Day 7: Akagera national park
Day8: Game drive & Boat Ride
Day 9: City tour and departure
ITINERARY
Day 1: Arrival and pickup:
It’s on this day that you will be jetting into the country and there and then picked from Kanombe international airport in Kigali by our ever efficient driver and straight away driven to your hotel for dinner and overnight. Check in at Kigali Serena hotel [luxury], The Manor hotel [mid range] or Chez Lando hotel [budget].Meal plan here is F/B.
Day 2: Kigali to Nyungwe forest
Wake up very early in the morning and take your breakfast then after wards embark on your long drive to Butare which is the second largest city to Kigali in Rwanda. It is home to various historical sites of Rwanda like the museum, the university and the research institute. On the way you will visit Nyanza housing the king’s palace. View all kinds of handcrafts like the ceramics, woodcarvings and basketry. Reach Butare in the afternoon for lunch and then drive to Nyungwe forest national park. Check in at Gisakura Guest House or Nyungwe Forest Lodge for dinner and overnight.
Day 3: Chimpanzee tracking
Wake up very early in the morning and have breakfast and together with packed lunch go for chimpanzee briefing and thereafter, enter Nyungwe forest in the company of ranger guides in search for colonies of Chimpanzees and many monkey species like Golden monkeys, Blue Monkeys, red tailed monkeys and grey checked mangabeys, colobus monkeys, plus beautiful forest birds among others. Then in the evening return to your hotel for dinner and overnight. Meals plan is F/B.
Day 4: Transfer to Kibuye town
Have breakfast then depart Nyungwe National Park for Kibuye. You will pass through the green fields of tea plantations and explore the shores of Lake Kivu. Kibuye is the most beautiful among all the three resort towns on Lake Kivu. You will arrive at Kibuye during lunch time. After the Nyungwe activities, some tourists will welcome the relaxing moments on the shores of Lake Kivu.
Lake Kivu is a unique lake whose deep waters contain an enormous quantity of dissolved gas. Check in for dinner and Overnight at either Moriah Hill Resort or Bethany Guest House.
Day 5: Transfer to Gisenyi.
After breakfast head North East, which is parallel to Lake Kivu? You will have the opportunity to see the daily lives of the people at the countryside as it has been lived for centuries, virtually unchanged. This is a very scenic route and provides the opportunity to see the people at work cultivating bananas, cassava, sorghum, beans, rice, potatoes, and even coffee in their steep and tiny fields. In addition, there are several massive tea plantations, villages, innumerable tiny brick works, and many others. Arrive in Gisenyi in time for lunch and then check in at Lake Kivu Serena Hotel for dinner and overnight.
Day 6: Gorilla tracking
Rise up very early in the morning and have breakfast and thereafter proceed to volcanoes national park in Musanze district. Head straight to the park offices for briefing about the gorillas and allocation of gorilla groups and guides. Thereafter get into the tropical rain forest and search for the mountain gorillas starting from where they were the previous day until you find them. You will find them doing their daily chores of feeding their young ones, climbing trees and others just relaxing. Take your best photographs having switched off your flash. This whole exercise takes a maximum of 1 hour and then return to the park offices for your gorilla tracking certificate. Return to the hotel for lunch and some relaxation. Afternoon, take a tour to the lake and see the exceptional caves around the lake and take remembrances photos with lots of fun poses near the caves then return to the lodge for dinner and overnight. Meals here are on F/B basis.
Day 7: Akagera national park
Wake up very early in the morning and have your breakfast then after wards embark on the long journey to Akagera national park. Take an en-route game drive to spot some of the rampant wildlife species. Reach in the evening and check in at Akagera game lodge or Ruzizi Safari lodge for dinner and overnight. Meal plan: F/B
Day8: Game drive & Boat Ride
Have breakfast, after take dawn game drive to spot wildlife species like the lions, elephants, buffaloes, bush and water bucks, warthogs, giraffes among others. Return to lodge for lunch and after in the afternoon take a boat cruise along Lake Ihema and on this cruise expect to spot wildlife and birds at the banks of the Lake. Dinner and overnight as above. Meal plan: F/B
Day 9: City tour and departure
Rise up early in the morning and have your breakfast then driver to Kigali reaching there a little bit earlier and straight away go for a city tour. This will encompass visiting several craft shops with lovely works of art, the Belgium memorial, Kigali historical museum, genocide museum which are a good place to learn about the history of Rwanda. Then later transfer to airport for your return flight and this will automatically mark the end of the safari. The cost of this safari on per person basis will be;
The package includes:
Ground transportation
Accommodation and meals as per itinerary
Gorilla permits per person
Chimpanzee permit
Nature walk
En-route lunches
Full day English guide/driver
Game drives
Boat ride
Visit the twin Lakes and local communities
Visit Dian Fossey Center
Mineral water on board
City tour
The package excludes
The package excludes expenses of personal nature like: Air fare, Rwanda Visa, drinks, laundry, tips to local guides, telephone, porter fee while trekking, personal insurance, personal shopping bills and cigarettes
