Day 1: Arrival in Kigali

It is always a beautiful day in Africa. Upon arrival in this beautiful country well known for its endless rolling green hills, you will be picked up and driven to your hotel by our well-trained safari guide. If time allows, you are free to explore the city today. There are many activities in Kigali that are easily arranged through the reception at your hotel, for example, craft markets with leather and fabrics, pottery, carvings, weaving, musical instruments, batik, and city tours among others.

Main destination: Kigali

Accommodation: Heaven Boutique Hotel

Meals and drinks: Dinner (Other meals not included)

Drinking water (Other drinks not included)

Journey time: 20 minutes

Day 2: Visit Genocide Memorial and Transfer to Travel to Nyungwe Forest

Today after your breakfast will drive you to Nyungwe Forest in western Rwanda. Depending on the time we have, we may visit the Genocide Memorial in town before setting off. The Memorial is a place of commemoration for the 250,000 victims of the genocide buried in mass graves here and an important remembrance of the unforgettable brutality that occurred in 1994. The exhibit is a very emotional and educational experience, where you will learn about the darkest hour in Rwanda’s recent history.

After we drive on and visit Butare National Museum about 135km from Kigali, displaying a range of ethnographic objects that will give you an insight into the rich traditional life and culture of the country. And later we finish off with arrival at Nyungwe Forest National Park, one of the world’s oldest and most beautiful rainforests in Africa known for 310 bird species, 13 known primate species residing here, from the great chimps to colobus monkeys, blue monkeys, and mangabeys,

Main destination: Nyungwe Forest

Accommodation: Top View Hill Hotel

Meals and drinks: All meals included

Drinking water (Other drinks not included)

Journey time: 5-6 hours

Day 3: Chimpanzee Tracking & Canopy Walk

Wake up to a beautiful cool morning, grab a cup of coffee, and amazing warm breakfast in Africa after which we head for a chimpanzee tracking experience in Nyungwe Forest you will have the opportunity to follow an experienced guide into the forest to observe these fascinating creatures at a close range. Watching them interact with each other and go about their daily routine of grooming and playing.  From the trails below the foliage, you will head up high into the forest canopy. The network of suspension bridges will lead you on a 1.5-hour walk over a deep gorge, through beautiful vegetation.

Main destination: Nyungwe Forest

Accommodation: Top View Hill Hotel

Meals and drinks: All meals included

Drinking water (Other drinks not included)

Journey time: 1-2 hours each way

Day 4: Transfer to Lake Kivu

After a hearty breakfast, we will travel north along the shores of Lake Kivu, one of the African Great Lakes in the Albertine Rift, that forges a natural border between Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo. The magnificent shores of Lake Kivu have some of the best inland beaches to ever see. Upon arrival, enjoy the afternoon relaxing at the lodge or take a walk along the long stretch of beach just outside the property.

Main destination: Lake Kivu

Accommodation: Rushel Kivu-Master Room

Meals and drinks: All meals included

Drinking water (Other drinks not included)

Journey time: 3-4 hours

Day 5: Full-Day Kayaking Tour on Lake Kivu

With amazing scenery continue the exploration of Lake Kivu with views of beaches, coastline, and islands, Fishermen in traditional boats ply in the natural waters as they go about their livelihoods, and more interestingly, the active Nyiragongo Volcano in DRC seen surrounded by hills. We shall paddle northwards, stop for a packed lunch along the way, and end our water journey at our lodge for the night where your guide will be there waiting for you with your luggage when you arrive.

Main destination: Lake Kivu

Accommodation: Paradise Kivu

Meals and drinks: All meals included

Drinking water (Other drinks not included)

Day 6: Transfer to Volcanoes National Park

More scenery during your Rwanda safari and we tell you it gets even better at the Volcanoes National Park. The national park contains parts of the Virunga Mountain Range and its 5 volcanoes that form the border between Rwanda, Uganda, and the Democratic Republic of Congo. The park is also the home of the mountain gorillas observed in the mist. While there other activities travelers can also find the golden monkeys, visit the Dian Fossey research center, volcano hikes.

Main destination: Volcanoes National Park

Accommodation: Mountain Gorilla View Lodge

Meals and drinks: All meals included

Drinking water (Other drinks not included)

Journey time:

Optional: Go Gorilla Tracking in Uganda instead for half the price!

Please note that while at Lake Kivu, you are close to the Ugandan border and Bwindi Forest and Mgahinga National Park where you can do gorilla tracking for USD 700, which is more than half of the cost of gorilla permit costs for tracking in Rwanda. Not only that, Uganda has more than half the gorilla population in the world if this is good for your budget then we can skip volcanoes national park and head straight to Bwindi or Mgahinga where you will so your tracking otherwise, we can do gorilla tracking in Rwanda.

Day 7: Gorilla Tracking

Encountering mountain gorillas in the wild is one of the best experiences you can have, one that you are sure to remember for the rest of your life. Therefore let’s enjoy our breakfast and head for the big day this exciting journey is piloted by an armed guide, who is not only open but very knowledgeable to answer the questions you may have about the gentle giants.

Gorilla tracking can take from 1 to 7 hours depending on the location of the gorillas on any given day. Once the family of gorillas has been located, you will be allowed to enjoy 1 hour out of the world primates in their natural environment whose habits and mannerisms remind us so much of our own.

Main destination: Volcanoes National Park

Accommodation: Mountain Gorilla View Lodge

Meals and drinks: All meals included

Drinking water (Other drinks not included)

Journey time: 15-30 minutes each way

Day 8: Golden Monkey Tracking & Canoe Trip

Another day with primates, the golden monkeys, yes that’s right these are endemic to the volcanic mountains of the Virunga Range and typically live in the bamboo vegetation zones near the base of the volcanoes. With a ranger, you head into the forest to locate the golden monkeys and are rewarded one hour to spend watching these active creatures. later, in the afternoon we head out on a canoeing trip on the Twin Lakes – Bulera and Ruhondo, which are located at the base of the volcano Mount Muhabura. In modern canoes, you will have a smooth flow across the dark blue waters of these stunning lakes, surrounded by rolling hills and scenic views of the Virunga volcanoes.

Main destination: Volcanoes National Park

Accommodation: Mountain Gorilla View Lodge

Meals and drinks: All meals included

Drinking water (Other drinks not included)

Journey time: 30-40 minutes each way

Day 9: Transfer to Akagera National Park & Game Drive

Akagera National Park is 2500 km² located in northeastern Rwanda. The park has a variety of wildlife and we expect to see black rhinos that were re-introduced, buffaloes, elephants, and so many others. It is also evident that the park is a habitat for over 500 different species of birds so let’s drive where we can find these unique companions of nature.

Main destination: Akagera National Park

Accommodation: Akagera Game Lodge

Meals and drinks: All meals included

Drinking water (Other drinks not included)

Journey time: 5-6 hours

Day 10: Full-Day Game Drive in Akagera NP

You will have a mouth-watering breakfast along with a cup of coffee and we engage in an all-day game drive in Rwanda’s famous Akagera national park while here, buffaloes, elephants, rhinos, lions, and especially leopards if lucky maybe we do all this with an accompaniment of knowledgeable ranger who joins us in our vehicle who may have the perfect knowledge on where to locate the big 5.

Main destination: Akagera National Park

Accommodation: Akagera Game Lodge

Meals and drinks: All meals included

Drinking water (Other drinks not included)

Day 11: Private Boat Safari on Lake Ihema and Transfer to Kigali

Today is another beautiful day in Africa enjoys a boat cruise on Lake Ihema where you see Crocodiles on the banks of the lake, hippos, and bird species. You may even see buffalo and elephants at close range as they come down to the shoreline for a drink Later we head to Kigali where will enjoy our last night.

Main destination: Kigali

Accommodation: Heaven Boutique Hotel

Meals and drinks: All meals included

Drinking water (Other drinks not included)

Journey time: 3 hours

Day 12: Return to Kigali

Have breakfast today and head to the airport. You may also take time to do a city tour if you have time before your international flight departure today. You can ask our guide to take you on a city tour of Kigali before dropping you off at the airport for your flight.

Main destination: Kigali

Accommodation: No Accommodation

Meals and drinks: Breakfast (Other meals not included)

Drinking water (Other drinks not included)

Journey time: 20 minutes

2 People (1 room)	$5708 pp
3 People (2 rooms)	$5501 pp
4 people (2 rooms)	$5071 pp
5 people (3 rooms)	$5074 pp

Included

• 1 Chimp permit per person (for non-residents)
• 1 gorilla permit per person
• Park fees (for non-residents)
• All activities mentioned (unless clearly labelled as optional)
• Meals (as specified in the day-by-day description)
• All accommodation (unless clearly labelled as an optional upgrade)
• Round-trip airport transfers
• A professional driver/guide
• All transportation mentioned 4WD safari van (unless clearly labelled optional)
• Drinking water in the vehicle
• All taxes/VAT

Excluded

• International flights (from/to the client’s home country)
• Additional accommodation before and at the end of the tour
• Personal items (souvenirs, travel insurance, visa fees and other personal items)
• The government imposed an increase in taxes and/or park fees
• Tips: tipping guideline of $15 per person per day for the guide and crew

Please note:

It is not possible to ‘reserve’ gorilla tracking permits. Therefore we can only purchase them after you have booked and down-payment made.

The bookings with the lodge mentioned in the itinerary depend on availability. Reservations will only be made after your booking. Just in case the hotels listed are fully booked during the requested period, we will let you know and then book a hotel of the same standard for you

Transport

Our standard safari vehicle offered for budget and mid-range tours is a 4wd Safari Van with a pop-up sunroof where each passenger can have their own window seat.

If you wish to up things a bit and get an even smoother ride, then you can opt for an upgraded vehicle for your travel. For this, we use a full-size 4wd Toyota Land cruiser

Travelling with 1-4 people is often preferred and suitable for African safari because of the terrain besides that, it is an elevated durable and pop-up roof that will reward you with a great view.

We also have 4wd Extended Toyota Land Cruiser Travelling which seats 5-6 people and is spacious, elevated, and strong with a pop-up sunroof for exceptional views and a fridge inside to keep our drinks cool.