Day 1: Visit Gisozi genocide memorial & transfer to Akagera National Park
Having a well prepared breakfast at your place of residence in Kigali city, you will embark on the journey to Gisozi genocide memorial site to visit and pay tribute to the counts of Rwandese who lost their dear lives during the unforgettable era of genocide that befell Rwanda in the year 1994. The empty skulls are paraded in the building with the respective details, a sorrowful experience that may fill your eyes with tears while at the same time bringing fresh memories of what exactly transpired during that fateful era.
After this encounter, you will embark on the journey to Akagera National Park in the East of Rwanda driving through magnificent low lying rural landscapes with amazing panoramic views covering a distance of over 135km about 2 ½ hours’ drive. The attractive locally kept long horned cattle in Rwamagana district grazing in their impressive herds will add an ingredient of scenic views as the terrain changes from the hilly landscapes of the central to the plain landscapes of the east which the Akagera occupies. Arrive late in the afternoon for relaxation, dinner and overnight.
Accommodation:
Luxury: Ruzizi Tented Camp
Midrange: Akagera Game Lodge
Budget: Dereva Hotel
Day 2: Morning game drive & afternoon boat cruise on Lake Ihema
After an early cup of warm coffee, embark on the morning game drive with the beautiful sun rises clearing exposing the plain rolling savannah landscapes of the park with a short savannah grassland intertwined with woodlands stretching long to the boarder of Tanzania scattered with countless numbers of wild game. The game drive in the morning exposes you to numerous families of elephants, buffaloes, Masaai giraffes, various antelopes like Impala, bushbucks, water bucks among others, the predators including leopards among other wild game that flourish within this natural shelter. A long stretch to the overhanging slopes of Mutumba generates a rewarding experience on your safari in Rwanda. This activity lasts for 3-4 hours after where you will return to the lodge for relaxation and a buffet lunch. In the afternoon, you will embark on a journey to Lake Ihema for a soothing boat cruise with its banks filled with countless populations of both aquatic and terrestrial animal species which include among others the hippos, buffaloes, and the Nile crocodiles plus a wide range of bird species that dwell within the swampy vegetation and the opportunity to encounter the Rwanda’s second largest lake. Retire from dinner and overnight thereafter.
Accommodation:
Luxury: Ruzizi Tented Camp
Midrange: Akagera Game Lodge
Budget: Dereva Hotel
Day 3: Transfer to Nyungwe Forest National Park. Visit the Nyanza palace en route in Butare
After a sumptuous breakfast served in a calm environment, embark on the trip to Nyungwe Forest National Park in the south west of Rwanda, 403km about 8 hours’ drive excluding halts en route. You will make a stopover in Butare sector to the Nyanza palace, the residence for the two Rwandan monarchs; king Musinga and his predecessor, king Rudahigwa. The traditional hut at the site which is the house of King Rudahigwa was traditionally crafted in an attractive architectural design with an authentic Rwandese cultural attachment which is well preserved. The charming Inyambo cows with their long horns also add a great meaning to the site worthy visiting. You will have lunch in Butare before proceeding to Nyungwe arriving in the evening for relaxation, dinner and overnight.
Accommodation:
Luxury: Nyungwe Forest Lodge
Midrange: Nyungwe Hill Top View Lodge
Budget: Gisakura Guesthouse
Day 4: Chimpanzee trekking in the morning and afternoon Nyungwe Canopy walk.
After breakfast, you will get on an experiential trek for chimpanzees in the hard-to-penetrate, dense prehistoric forests of Nyungwe. The trek starts at 8am with an early briefing session at the park headquarters before going on to the forest in search of the human’s closest cousins the Chimpanzees. Treading beneath this dense forest and eventually having direct encounter with these chimpanzees for one (1) hour makes the chimp trek unforgettable.
The species live happily and flourish within their natural habitats and they are so impressive to look at for as long as you visit Rwanda, as they chomp fruits, quietly leaping from a tree to the other, rolling themselves on the trees, mating and socializing freely. The activity usually lasts between 2 – 5 hours after which you return to the lodge for lunch and a short relaxation.
In the afternoon, you assemble at Uwinka Visitor center to embark on the famous Nyungwe Canopy walk which is the first of its kind in East Africa and the third in the whole of Africa. The canopy walk way is raised to over 40m above the ground and it is 90m long hanging over a steep deep valley blanketed by a thick forest offers quite impressive scenic views of the landscapes and the floral and faunal species that are found in this area. Retire in the evening to the lodge for relaxation and overnight.
Accommodation:
Luxury: Nyungwe Forest Lodge
Midrange: Nyungwe Hill Top View Lodge
Budget: Gisakura Guesthouse
Day 5: Transfer to Lake Kivu (Gisenyi)
After breakfast, embark on the journey to Gisenyi Lake Kivu driving along the Congo Nile Divide trail with the un-equalled views of Kivu Lake and the resort town of Kibuye. The journey is approximately 294km, about 7 hours’ drive. You will arrive in the afternoon for relaxation, dinner and overnight.
Accommodation:
Luxury: Lake Kivu Serena Resort
Midrange: Water Front Resort
Budget: Paradise Malahide
Day 6: Spend the whole day relaxing at the lake and transfer to Volcanoes National Park in the evening.
After a relaxed breakfast, embark on a soothing boat cruise on Lake Kivu which is the largest lake in Rwanda that stretches to the Democratic Republic of Congo. The cruise avails visitors with an unforgettable recreational adventure on the lake while exploring its Virgin Islands and fresh vegetation. Retire from the activity and relax on the banks. In the evening, you will embark on the transfer to Volcanoes National Park 110km about 2 hours’ drive arriving in the evening for relaxation, dinner and overnight.
Accommodation:
Luxury: Mount Gorilla View Lodge
Midrange: Le Bambou Gorilla Lodge
Budget: Muhabura Hotel
Day 7: Mountain gorilla trekking & relax at the lodge.
After a thrilling breakfast from your respective lodge in a chilly morning, you will assemble at the Volcanoes Park Headquarters in Kinigi at 8am for a pre-tour briefing and consequently embark on a journey to search for the mountain gorillas. The park rangers will give you the gorilla trekking rules and regulation with the dos and don’ts involved while sipping a thrilling Rwandese cup of hot coffee and listening to the soothing melodramatic cultural songs by the gorgeous Intore dancers clearly exposing the authentic tradition and the rich history of the Rwandese people.
Embark on the eagerly awaited gorilla tracking experience, penetrating amidst the forested jungles of the Volcanoes in search of the gorilla group assigned together with the eight team mates combined together with you to track a given group. The duration for this activity tends to range between 2 – 8 hours and the encounter with these unique species is an unusual experience. The hike amidst the jungle while viewing the lovely Rwandan flora and fauna, the impressive panoramic views and magical scenic landscapes of the Virungas would definitely leave you mesmerized. The eventual one hour direct contact with these world’s rarest animals eye to eye with them is worth remembering and getting attracted to their thick beautiful fur while being entertained by the playful young gorillas puts your stressful minds and thoughts into a state of relaxation and happiness quite worth the expensive price of a gorilla ticket.
Return from this encounter and return to the lodge for relaxation.
Accommodation:
Luxury: Mount Gorilla View Lodge
Midrange: Le Bambou Gorilla Lodge
Budget: Muhabura Hotel
Day 8: Golden monkey tracking and Musaze caves tour in the afternoon.
After breakfast, embark on the breath taking golden monkey tracking in the forested steep slopes of the Virunga Volcanoes. The golden monkey tracking just like gorilla tracking starts at Kinigi park headquarters at 8am with briefing before starting a hike to the forest that harbors these critically sought after primate species that are well known to be existing only in the Virunga massif. The golden monkeys have got a golden patch on their back making them very attractive species for the first time visitors to look at. They harbor and reproduce from the dense bamboo forest zones of the park and a one on one encounter with them lasts 1 hour while the entire activity can stretch to 4 hours.
Retreat from the activity and retreat to the lodge for lunch and in the afternoon, you embark on Musaze caves exploration. The Musaze caves are cathedral like natural features that aided as hiding places where the Rwandan Royals sought refuge and acted as stores for supplies during the sorrowful times in the traditional war ragged Rwanda. Retire in the evening relaxation, dinner and overnight.
Accommodation:
Luxury: Mount Gorilla View Lodge
Midrange: Le Bambou Gorilla Lodge
Budget: Muhabura Hotel
Day 9: Hike the Dian Fossey Grave & transfer back to Kigali.
After breakfast, undertake a hike to the Dian Fossey grave to pay tribute to this celebrated gorilla conservationist of her time. She is worldly renown for dedicating her time towards the life and survival of gorillas and thus paying a visit to this site honoring her remarkable sacrifice is much rewarding. The activity goes for about 4 hours and includes a breath taking hike to the center, bordered both sides by Karisimbi and Bisoke Volcanoes forming its name Karisoke.
Retreat from the activity and embark on the transfer to Kigali city 116 km about 3 hours’ drive to mark end of a gorilla trekking safari in Rwanda.
End of safari with Love Uganda Safaris
