Tour Highlights.

DAY 1: ARRIVAL.

DAY 2: KIGALI EXPLORATION.

DAY 3: TRANSFER TO AKAGERA NATIONAL PARK

DAY 4: HOT AIR BALLOON AND BOAT CRUISE AT IHEMA.

DAY 5: FULL DAY GAME DRIVE.

DAY 6: TRANSFER TO VOLCANOES NATIONAL PARK.

DAY 7: GORILLA TREKKING.

DAY 8: DIAN FOSSY AND IBYIWACU CULTURAL VILLAGE.

DAY 9: GOLDEN MONKEY AND TRANSFER TO GISENYI.

DAY 10: LAKE KIVU EXPERIENCE.

DAY 11: TANSFER TO NYUNGWE AND CANOPY WALKWAY.

DAY 12: CHIMPANZEE TREKKING AND WATER FALL HIKE.

DAY 13: TRANSFER TO KIGALI AND EN ROUTE ETHNOGRAPHIC MUSEUM

DAY 14: DEPARTURE.

Detailed Itinerary.

DAY 1: ARRIVAL.

Arrival at Kigali international Airport, after all the airport formalities our representative will warmly welcome you outside the immigration and customs hall. Transfer to your hotel of residence. Have a briefing about the tour with our representative. Take a rest so as to prepare for a fresh start of the trip.

Accommodation: RADISSON BLU.

DAY 2: KIGALI EXPLORATION.

Early morning breakfast, start a historical-minded exploration of Kigali city with visits to landmarks from colonial, post-independence, genocide and post-genocide times i.e. Kigali Genocide memorial site where genocide victims were put to rest in mass graves, Campaign against Genocide museum, Belgian camp where they killed the 10 Belgian UN soldiers who were protecting the moderate prime minister before the start of genocide, visit Local markets and Inema art center.

Lunch and transfer to Eco-tourism park urban wetland nyandungu which provides visitors with a chance to visit a medicinal garden which showcases indigenous and native plants that have been found to possess medicinal value, the Papal Garden, whose name is derived from the historic visit by Pope John Paul II to Rwanda in 1990, various water ponds located in the park named after different lakes in Rwanda including Muhazi, Kivu, Ruhondo and Ihema which provide a comfortable place for visitors to take a health break amidst the serene natural environment. All this provides a birding experience to visitors.

Accommodation: RADISSON BLU.

DAY 3: TRANSFER TO AKAGERA NATIONAL PARK.

Morning breakfast and check-out from the hotel and clear any other requirements. Transfer to Akagera national park. On arrival, check-in formalities in your hotel.

Accommodation: MAGASHI CAMP.

DAY 4: HOT AIR BALLOON AND BOAT CRUISE AT IHEMA.

Hot Air balloon gives a unique safari experience of sailing high above nature and wildlife of Akagera National Park which is a lifetime experience. It gives magnificent views of the park and Lake Ihema and thus spotting the different animal species like buffaloes, antelopes, leopards, rhinos, lions among others and the beautiful landscape that creates a spectacular scenery. The Hot Air Balloon climbs as high as 100m to 1000m above the park’s scenic savanna-covered landscapes inhabited by the big 5 and other vast species of wildlife.

Have lunch and transfer to Lake Ihema. Boat trips on Lake Ihema give visitors a chance to explore the rich biodiversity in and around the lake. While on a boat trip, visitors are able to see wildlife animals like hippopotami and crocodiles. The lake is well known for having the largest hippo concentration in all of East Africa. In addition to this, visitors can also view lots of bird species such as the Papyrus Gonolek, jacanas, herons, sandpipers, malachite kingfisher, the hawk, and the rare shoebill stork among others. Lake Ihema is mainly characterized by relatively large seasonal and perennial papyrus swamps. It is in these swamps that visitors have a high chance of sighting different bird species.

Accommodation: MAGASHI CAMP.

DAY 5: FULL DAY GAME DRIVE.

Early morning breakfast, transfer to the Akagera national park reception for briefing. After all the park formalities, start a game drive in the park in search for the big 5 that include lions, Rhinos, Leopards, Elephants and buffaloes plus the 12 species of antelopes including the biggest antelopes such as the eland cape and roan antelopes, some of the 525-bird species including 4 rare birds of Akagera, reptiles, amphibians, plants, magnificent landscapes. Akagera National Park has the highest concentration of birds per square kilometer.

The full day game drive is done in the northern and southern parts of the park.

DAY 6: TRANSFER TO VOLCANOES NATIONAL PARK.

Morning breakfast, checkout formalities and settle any other requirements. Embark on a journey to volcanoes national park. Have lunch in Kigali and proceed to volcanoes national park.

Accommodation: ONE AND ONLY GORILLA NEST.

DAY 7: GORILLA TREKKING.

Early morning breakfast and transfer to the park reception. Arrival at the park reception for registration, briefing and grouping. After all the park formalities, embark on the lifetime experience of trekking the endangered mountain gorillas. Once the gorillas are spotted, you are allowed to spend one hour looking at them playing and feeding while taking pictures with short videos. However some gorilla families are elusive and therefore trekking may take the whole day. Get back to the basement for a lunch and take a much needed rest.

Accommodation: ONE AND ONLY GORILLA NEST.

DAY 8: DIAN FOSSY AND IBYIWACU CULTURAL VILLAGE.

Morning breakfast, transfer to the park reception for a briefing on the do’s and don’ts of the park and then start a nature walk to the Dian Fossey tomb. A famous American primatologist Diana Fossey started work in Volcanoes National Park in 1966 and was killed in 1985 while doing what she liked most, protecting the mountain gorillas. A visit to her tombs in the park is one of the rewarding things for her great work to save and conserve mountain gorillas. Fossey spent 20 years in Rwanda, where she supported conservation efforts, strongly opposed poaching and tourism in wildlife habitats, and made more people acknowledge the sapience of gorillas.

After lunch, transfer to Ibyiwacu cultural village for community tours. Ibyiwacu cultural village gives visitors a chance to share with local people on home and heritage treasures including lifestyles, activities, artifacts and ways of living of Rwandans. Ibyiwacu Cultural Village showcases the ways of living, traditional lifestyles and dances.

Accommodation: ONE AND ONLY GORILLA NEST.

DAY 9: GOLDEN MONKEY AND TRANSFER TO GISENYI.

Early morning breakfast and transfer to the park reception for a briefing, registration and grouping. After all the park formalities, embark on the journey to Golden monkey trekking. It is now believed that they are the only feasible population of Golden Monkeys residing in Volcanoes National Park. They are beautiful and endangered primates which have become quite habituated to humans, making it possible to observe.

Have lunch and transfer to Gisenyi.

Accommodation: LAKE KIVU SERENA HOTEL.

DAY 10: KAYAKING AND SAND BEACH.

Morning breakfast and start an adventure of the Lake Kivu waters through different activities which include kayaking that gives visitors a chance of discovering the beautiful sceneries of the blue and clear waters of Lake Kivu while paddling at your pace in the tranquility and enjoying the fresh breeze.

After lunch, enjoy the sand beach with activities which include beach soccer, swimming, sun bathing among others. This gives visitors an experience of a fresh breeze on the waters of Lake Kivu. Swimming in the lake is done following the set rules and guidelines of the beach.

Accommodation: LAKE KIVU SERENA HOTEL.

DAY 11: TANSFER TO NYUNGWE AND CANOPY WALKWAY.

Early morning breakfast, check-out formalities and settle any other requirements. Transfer to Nyungwe National park through the Kivu belt. On arrival, check-in to the hotel and have lunch.

After lunch, transfer to the park reception for a briefing on the do’s and don’ts of the park. After all the park formalities, start an amazing canopy walk on a 70m bridge raised above the beautiful green canopy of the ancient Nyungwe Forest. From the bridge, one can identify a number of amazing birds while enjoying the beautiful scenery of the nyungwe forests.

Accommodation: ONE AND ONLY NYUNGWE HOUSE.

DAY 12: CHIMPANZEE TREKKING AND WATER FALL HIKE.

Early morning breakfast and transfer to the Park headquarters for briefing and grouping. After all the park formalities, embark on a journey to Chimpanzee tracking. The visitors get an opportunity to view chimpanzees very closely. Learn about their everyday life of the which is very close to human features and making them our closest relatives. Research shows that chimps have got 99% of the DNA of human beings.

Get back to the lodge for lunch and after transfer to the Park reception for a briefing and start the hike to the famous Waterfall and enjoy the views of the ancient forest with different flora and fauna plus very beautiful trails along the way. This gives visitors a chance to spot different bird species and different plant species.

Accommodation: ONE AND ONLY NYUNGWE HOUSE.

DAY 13: TRANSFER TO KIGALI AND EN ROUTE ETHNOGRAPHIC MUSEUM.

Morning breakfast, check-out formalities and settle any other requirements. Transfer to Kigali.

En route Ethnographic museum located in Huye district. This is also referred to as the national museum of Rwanda. It is very rich in history and visitors get a chance to explore how Rwandans lived, their dressing, norms, Rwandan dishes, and entertaining methods among others.

Accommodation: RADISSON BLU.

DAY 14: DEPARTURE.

Morning breakfast, check-out formalities and settle any other requirements. Transfer to Kigali International Airport and wish you and a good bye.

Tour inclusions

• touring,

• Full Board Accommodation,

• Full time English Speaking Professional Driver/Guide,

• All tour activities as detailed in the itinerary,

• Bottled water while on safari and ground transfers as per itinerary

• Ground transfers as mentioned in the itinerary

• Return Airport transfer

• All government taxes

• Entry & Park fees

• Private Safari Vehicle

Tour Exclusions

• Tips,

• Photography where charged

• Laundry services,

• Beverages/ drinks,

• International flights,

• Visas,

• Items of a personal nature,

Optional activities and any other extras not detailed in the above itinerary

When Packing:

Don’t forget a windbreaker or a light raincoat. When tracking gorillas you will be in a rain forest, so it will more likely than no rain. You will need good walking shoes, socks that’s for hiking, Gorilla trekking, chimpanzee trekking. Garden gloves are also recommended to avoid stinging nettles. A light sweater for the evening is recommended and generally long sleaves and trousers worn at this time will help keep the mosquitoes away. If you enjoy swimming, bring your swimming costume, the main hotels in Kigali all have swimming pools. If your itinerary includes Lake Kivu at either Karongi or Rubavu, you will have the opportunity to swim in the lake but kindly follow the advice of the guide. A torch should be recommended for every adventure destination and Rwanda is no exception.