13 Days Best of Rwanda Wildlife and Culture
The 13 Days Best of Rwanda Wildlife and Culture will give you the opportunity to explore Rwanda in the most remarkable and cultural style, you will be able to discover the beautiful attractions in all the three famous National Parks in Rwanda, undertake the Congo Nile Trail Hiking exploration that will give you a deeper insight about Rwanda and its cultures with stunning sceneries. Request a Quote You will also be able to do incredible activities like Canopy walk in Nyungwe National Park, Trek Golden Monkeys in Volcanoes National Park, visit Buhanga Eco Park, visit Lake Kivu, and visit Tea plantations among other magical adventure activities like community projects. You will also learn more about Rwanda, past up to the present situation, and get to know how far the country has moved.
Day 1: Arrival Kigali and transfer to Hotel
Today upon arrival at the airport, you will be welcomed by one of our company representatives who will welcome you to the land of a thousand hills, give you a brief introduction about this 13 Days Best of Rwanda Wildlife and Culture and later transfer you to your booked accommodation
Accommodation options:
- Standard: Chez Lando Hotel
- Midrange: Parkin by Radisson Blu
- Luxury: Kigali Marriott Hotel
Meals: Diner
Day 2: Full Day Kigali City Tour
Today morning after breakfast at your hotel, Start your day with historical exploration of Kigali city with visits to official landmarks and places from colonial, post-independence, genocide and post-genocide times to have the most educative and incredible historical facts about Rwanda. You will be able to visit Kigali Genocide memorial site where over 250,000 genocide victims were put to rest in mass graves, visit the Belgian camp where they killed the 10 Belgian UN soldiers who were protecting the moderate prime minister before the start of genocide, explore old and new Kigali and in the evening return to your hotel for dinner and overnight.
Accommodation options:
- Standard: Chez Lando Hotel
- Midrange: Parkin by Radisson Blu
- Luxury: Kigali Marriott Hotel
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 3: Visit Azizi Life and Transfer to Butare
In the morning after the breakfast, you will head to Muhanga to join the locals at their hillside, to participate in their daily life activities as artists, you will be able to learn how they make the local basket weaving,learn traditional cooking, Candle Dippingand bee hive making. Enjoy a day full of interactions, fun, feasting and wonderful experiences. After we head to Butare and visit the Royal Kings Palace in Nyanza en route to Butare where you will have an insight about the past leadership of Rwandan kings, their traditions and cultures and after proceed to Butare where you will spend your overnight.
Accommodation options:
- Standard: Hotel Maison Sifa
- Midrange: Mater Boni Consilii Hotel
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 4: Visit Ethnographic Museum in Butare
In the morning after breakfast, we go tovisit the Ethnographic Museum, where you will learn more about Past Rwanda’s kingdoms, discovery of lifestyle of Rwandans from the colonial time up to date, and the colonial architecture that was used you will embark on your journey to Nyungwe National park, driving through unwinding rolling hills and landscapes for roughly 2 hours. Upon arrival head for a canopy walk experience. This 70 meters suspended metallic bridge will give you a great overview of Nyungwe forest and on a luck day spot one or two more primates in the forest as you take a walk on this bridge and later continue to your lodge for relaxation as you wait for dinner and overnight stay.
Accommodation options:
- Standard: EAR Ken Barham Guest House
- Midrange: Maravilla Kivu Resort
- Luxury: Nyungwe Top View Hill Hotel
Meals: Breakfast , lunch and Diner
Day 5: Chimpanzee Trekking and Visit Tea Plantation
Today, after your early morning cap of African coffee, you will leave your hotel to experience the natural forest of Nyungwe well known for having 13 species of primates, and transferred to the park for briefing and chimpanzee trekking. You will be entitled to one hour on finding the chimpanzees. After doing the chimpanzee trek, head for lunch before visit the Gisakura tea plantation where you will have a crop to cup tea experience you will visit the tea fields and interact with the farmers on how tea is grown, and harvested, you can also participate in the process of harvesting and then later visit the processing factory to see the other final stages until you tea is served in a cup.Later head to your hotel for diner and overnight.
Accommodation options:
- Standard: EAR Ken Barham Guest House
- Midrange: Maravilla Kivu Resort
- Luxury: Nyungwe Top View Hill Hotel
Meals: Breakfast , lunch and Diner
Day 6: Transfer to Gisenyi with enroute boat trip and coffee tour
In the morning, after breakfast, you will embark on a scenic drive to enjoy a delightful boat trip on Lake Kivu. This excursion will include visits to several captivating islands, offering unique experiences and stunning views. Later, you will continue your journey along the Congo Nile Trail, a remarkable route where you can immerse yourself in the beauty of the landscape and discover unique attractions. Along the way, you’ll have the opportunity to participate in a coffee tour and gain insights into the local livelihoods, enhancing your cultural experience. In the afternoon, you can unwind and relax at your hotel, enjoying the serene atmosphere as you prepare for dinner and your overnight stay.
Accommodation options:
- Standard: Palm Beach Resort
- Midrange: Kivu Paradise Resort
- Luxury: Lake Kivu Serena Hotel
Meals: Breakfast , lunch and Diner
Day 7: Community projects in Gisenyi – Transfer to Musanze
In the morning after breakfast, you will visit the community projects for women that make art craft materials, at Atalier de pupe, spend time interacting with them and learning how to weave, and come up with beautiful art crafts such as baskets, beads, and have an insight about the traditional lifestyle and later drive to go visit the Madam Rose Carr house Museum. Later continue to Musanze around volcanoes National park for diner and overnight.
Accommodation options:
- Standard: Garden Palace Hotel
- Midrange: Mountain Gorilla View Lodge
- Luxury: Five Volcanoes Boutique Hotel
Meals: Breakfast , lunch and Diner
Day 8: Buhanga Eco Park and afternoon boat trip in twin lakes
This morning, drive from Gisenyi to Musanze and on arrival you will visit the Buhanga Eco Park, this has been a sacred forest where the former Rwandese Kings performed initiation and ritual ceremonies, you will be able to take a nature walkthrough this park and see where these rituals could take place and in the afternoon after having Lunch you will enjoy the boat trip in the twin lakes that will reward with the view of the volcanoes chain and bird watching opportunities. Return to your hotel for dinner and overnight.
Accommodation options:
- Standard: Garden Palace Hotel
- Midrange: Mountain Gorilla View Lodge
- Luxury: Five Volcanoes Boutique Hotel
Meals: Breakfast , lunch and Diner
Day 9: Optional Gorilla or Golden Monkey Trekking and Ibyi’wacu Cultural Village
On this day after you’ve had your warm breakfast you will be picked by your driver guide to the park headquarters to be briefed about Gorilla trekking or golden monkey trekking rules and later head into the jungle forest trying to catch a glimpse of these shy but yet jumpy endangered Gorilla trekking or golden monkeys depending on your choice. You will spend roughly 2 – 4 hours in search and also one hour you will be given unto you to spend with the primates observing their lifestyle and behaviors in the forest as they are usually swinging from tree to tree which will give you a wonderful adventure. Return to the lodge for your lunch and in the afternoon visit the ibyi’wacu cultural village to get an insight about traditional lifestyle of Rwandans, enjoy the traditional performances that will spice up your day.
Accommodation options:
- Standard: Garden Palace Hotel
- Midrange: Mountain Gorilla View Lodge
- Luxury: Five Volcanoes Boutique Hotel
Meals: Breakfast , lunch and Diner
Day 10: Transfer to Akagera National Park for night game drive
In the morning, after a relaxed breakfast we will embark on a transfer to Akagera National Park driving through unwinding hills. Upon arrival in the park relax at your lodge spending your afternoon at your leisure by waiting the night game drive. After return to your lodge for diner and overnight.
Accommodation options:
Midrange: Akagera Game Lodge
Luxury: Ruzizi Tented Lodge
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Diner
Day 11: Morning Game Drive and Afternoon Boat trip
After morning breakfast, you will be picked by your driver to the park headquarters where you will have a short briefing about your game drive, after this drive to the park for you game drive, Have encounters with Wildlife species including the big 5 animals among other animals such as antelopes, giraffes, primates like monkeys, zebras etc. you will return to the lodge as lunch time is approaching, enjoy your lunch in the afternoon go for a boat trip on lake Ihema. This boat ride is magical and it gives you the opportunity to watch animals such as crocodiles, hippos, elephants and other animals that come to quench their thirst on the lake, view numerous bird species while you enjoy the amazing calm nature and wilderness. Return back to the lodge for dinner and overnight.
Accommodation options:
Midrange: Akagera Game Lodge
Luxury: Ruzizi Tented Lodge
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Diner
Day 12: Full Day Game Drive in Akagera and transfer to Kigali
After morning breakfast, you will be picked by your driver to the park headquarters where you will have a short briefing about your game drive, after this drive to the park to start your game drive safaris, you will drive heading to the north where there is always much animal concentration, searching for animals and you will be able to watch numerous Wildlife animals including the African Big 5 such as Lions, Elephants, Buffaloes, rhinoceros and on a good day, you may as well spot a leopard. Other animals to watch in the Akagera include zebras, warthogs, different kinds of antelopes like the impalas, elands, spot some primates like baboons, monkeys and watch numerous bird species. At a certain point you will have your picnic lunch in the park, after proceed with a transfer back to Kigali for diner and overnight.
Accommodation options:
- Standard: Chez Lando Hotel
- Midrange: Parkin by Radisson Blu
- Luxury: Kigali Marriott Hotel
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 13: Kigali walk and airport departure
After getting done with your relaxed morning breakfast, you will be transferred to the airport to catch up with your onward flight. Depending on your flight time( if it is in the afternoon ) We will have the city tour by visiting the Nyamirambo Women Centre for walking around in Kigali suburb to experience the way of living for Rwandans prior to your departure flight. End of 13 Days Best of Rwanda Wildlife and Culture!
This 13 Days Best of Rwanda Wildlife and Culture includes: Request a Quote
- Transportation in a 4*4 wheel comfortable vehicle
- Accommodation as described in the itinerary
- Meals as described in the itinerary
- Service of an English speaking safari/driver guide
- Chimpanzee permits
- Golden monkey permit per person
- Canopy Walk permits per person
- Buhanga Eco park Visit
- Game Drives
- Park fees
- Museum visits
- Boat trips as mentioned
- Night game drive
- Kigali city tour
- Nyamata and Ntarama memorial visit
- Boat Trips
- All other permits for all the other activities per person
- Bottled mineral water for drinking on safari
- All activities mentioned in the itinerary
This 13 Days Best of Rwanda Wildlife and Culture excludes:
- Optional activity: Gorilla permit($1500) and Golden monkey: 100$
- Travel insurance cover
- International flight
- Porters
- Items of a personal nature i.e., telephone/internet usage, laundry, alcoholic beverages, etc.