11 Days – Game Drive Primates Gorilla Safari STDLuxury – Rwanda

Arrive by at Kigali International Airport; after completion of customs and immigration formalities you will be met at the airport by Our representative, briefing on your trip and introduction to your Safari driver guide. Thereafter, be transferred to your Kigali Hotel.  

Accommodation options:

Hotel Des Mille Collines on Bed and Breakfast or

Kigali Serena Hotel on Bed and Breakfast

Breakfast at your hotel. Visit to the Genocide Memorial site a grim reminder of a senseless massacre of innocent’s lives in 1994. Learn about Rwanda’s history from pre-colonial times to the 1994 genocide; learn about other genocides in the world and how this country has dealt with that past.

Leaving Kigali with Marabou Storks & the Black Kite soaring over the city, set off along the Rwamagana – Kayonza road to Akagera National Park. You will come across a lot of bird’s activity along the way. Banana plantations abound, with vegetable and Fruit markets lined along the roads.

Enter the national park for an afternoon Game viewing. Akagera, is set at a relatively low altitude on the border with Tanzania; Akagera National Park is dominated scenically by a labyrinth of swamps and lakes that follow the meandering course of the Akagera River.

Accommodation options:

Akagera Game Lodge. (Full board) or

Ruzizi Tented Camp (Full board)

Early breakfast, enter the park for Game drives; Akagera is home to a variety of game, and an exciting reserve in which to spend a few days. It offers an interesting contrast to the more mountainous central and western parts of Rwanda. There are plenty of animals around inclusive of big five and the birdlife is quite exceptional. Mammals include a healthy population of Elephant and Buffalo, plus 11 species of antelope including Impala, Common Duiker, Defassa Waterbuck, … Hippos are present in impressive numbers in the lakes and rivers and Zebra and Giraffe still roam the more open acacia dotted plains. After game viewing, you will enjoy the sunset boat ride. 

Accommodation options:

Akagera Game Lodge. (Full board) or

Ruzizi Tented Camp (Full board)

Breakfast at your hotel. Re-enter the park for another game drive with pack lunch boxes, then drive back to Kigali.

Accommodation options:

Hotel Des Mille Collines on Bed and Breakfast or Kigali Serena Hotel on Bed and Breakfast

Breakfast at your hotel,

Drive to Nyungwe National park via Butare, the second largest city of Rwanda and regarded as the intellectual city of Rwanda. Butare hosts the National Museum, several academic (Universities) and research institutions. Visit Nyanza (currently Nyabisindu) the former Mwami's Palace (King's palace) and the seat of the feudal monarchy. The palace has been reconstructed to its 19th century state and shows a traditional dome that can be compared with the Kabaka's palace of Buganda. You will also visit the Butare National Museum in Huye which is one the bets set-up, if not the finest ethnographic museum of East Africa. A good source of information on the cultural history of Rwanda.

Lunch at a local restaurant in Butare.

Afternoon drive to the wonderful rainforest reserve of Nyungwe at an altitude range of between 1600 M-2950 M above sea level with temperatures varying between 0°C and 30° C; average day temperatures 15°C. Nyungwe receives rainfall ranging 1800-2500 mm per year. Rainy season is September to May. Dry season June to August with some dry weeks in December and January. The main features and attractions in Nyungwe forest include Largest montane rain forest remaining in Africa, Mt. Bigugu (2925M), Kamiranzovu marsh (13 Km²).

Nyungwe forest has 260 species of trees and shrubs and Over 100 species of orchids and giant lobelias. For those interested in botany, the flora in Nyungwe comes as an added bonus

Accommodation options:

Mantis Kivu Marina Bay (Full Board) or

One&only Nyungwe House (Full board)

Early breakfast at your lodge.

0400 hrs: Transfer to Nyungwe Forest National Park offices. 

0430 hrs: Hike into Nyungwe Forest, the natural habitats for a huge population of Chimps. Chimpanzees are great apes that are closely related to humans.

During the morning's walk we are also likely to encounter troops of primates.  Nyungwe Forest hosts these intelligent primates who are an endangered species. The forest harbours more than 275 endemic and migratory bird species

recorded Including the Ruwenzori turaco, Ross’s turaco, Grey –cheeked hornbill, Red-throated alethe, Red-breasted sparrow hawk, White-headed wood-hoopoe, Kungwe apalis, Ruwenzori batis, Blue-headed and Regal sunbirds.

Afternoon, relax or enjoy the many optional activities in Nyungwe or visit the nearby areas including a tea farm / factory.

Accommodation options:

Mantis Kivu Marina Bay (Full Board) or

One&only Nyungwe House (Full board)

Depart to Gisenyi a scenic drive that takes you over the Albertine (western) Rift, a part of the Great Rift Valleys. Gisenyi city lies on the eastern shores of Lake Kivu on the northwest part of Rwanda. Lake Kivu is one of the greatest Lakes in Rwanda, an extraordinarily beautiful inland sea enclosed by steep, green terraced hills along eastern Rwanda. Gisenyi has a beautiful sandy beach lined with swaying palms and colonial-era hotels that exude an atmosphere of tropical languor.

Overnight: Lake Kivu Serena hotel. (Full board)

Breakfast at your hotel.

Enjoy Lake Kivu Kayaking/Paradis Malahide experience.

Dinner and Overnight: Lake Kivu Serena hotel. (Full board)

Have breakfast at your hotel,

Spend your day at leisure, after lunch drive to Ruhengeri, the base for Gorilla trekking at the Parc National des Volcans. The town itself, located only 25km from Uganda boarder. The constant flow of humanity is quite remarkable. The Town has great views of the surrounding volcanoes. People are very friendly here and although a former Belgian colony (and thus French-speaking), many people speak English here.

Accommodation options:

Gorilla Mountain View Lodge (Full Board) or

Bishop’s House (Full Board)

Early breakfast at your lodge

0630 hrs; Transfer to the Volcanoes National Park HQs

0700 hrs; Registration where the park staff determines which group of gorillas you will visit. The park staff discusses your fitness level and advises you of the trekking times and conditions to the various groups based upon their location in the park the previous evening. There are a total of 96 gorilla permits available each day with a maximum of eight trekkers visiting any one group.

Once the trekkers are put into groups, each group’s Lead Guide briefs the trekkers of the trekking procedures as well as the “do’s and don’ts” while in the presence of gorillas; After the briefing trekkers return to their respective vehicles for the drive up the mountain to the starting point.

Porters may be hired for the trek to carry your backpack and gear; Cost, US$10 per person/per day. We advise that you utilize this service.

Trekking can take from two to six or more hours if the gorillas move before the park rangers locate them the next morning.  The guides stop frequently to allow trekkers a chance to rest and take photos along the way.

After the trek, rejoin your driver Guide for a transfer to your Lodge for lunch and spend the rest of your afternoon at leisure

Accommodation options:

Gorilla Mountain View Lodge (Full Board) or

Bishop’s House (Full Board)

Breakfast at your lodge,

Optional - Today you may choose to go for another Gorilla Trekking to observe the famous Rwanda

mountain gorillas (subject to gorilla permits being available) Or the Endangered Golden Monkey Trekking or other activities in the Volcanoes National Park.

After the trek, rejoin your driver Guide for a transfer to your Lodge for lunch.

Depart from foothills of the Virunga volcanoes and drive south through a scenic drive to Kigali past coffee, tea and banana plantations. Everything and everywhere, sheer green and hanging on the hills; Rwanda truly - land of a thousand fertile green hills.

Transfer to Kigali International Airport for your departure flight.