Rwanda’s culture is very rich and quite fascinating. Visit Rwanda with us and have a memorable experience on our cultural tours. Take a wildlife tour to Akagera National Park or track primates in Nyungwe Forest National Park in addition to your Rwanda cultural experience. Contact us today to reserve your Rwanda Cultural Safari.
We suggest our clients combine a Rwanda Cultural Tour with a Safaris and primates visits. Detailed below is one of the best options to embrace Rwanda culture and combine a cultural tour with a safari:
The 14 Days Rwanda Cultural Experience will allow you to explore Rwanda in the most remarkable and cultural style. You will be able to discover beautiful attractions in three famous National Parks in Rwanda and undertake the Congo Nile trail Hiking exploration that will give you a deeper insight into Rwandan culture with stunning sceneries.
You will also be able to do incredible activities like a Canopy walk in Nyungwe, Trek Golden Monkeys in Volcanoes, visit Buhanga Eco Park, visit Lake Kivu, and visit Tea plantations among other magical adventure activities in East Africa.
Day 1: Arrival in Kigali and transfer to Hotel
Get immersed in Rwanda culture from the start! 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 your safari and later transfer you to your booked accommodation.
Day 2: Full-Day Kigali City Tour
Begin the morning with breakfast at your hotel. Start your day with a 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 the Kigali Genocide memorial site where over 250,000 genocide victims were put to rest in mass graves, and visit the Belgian camp where they killed the 10 Belgian UN soldiers who were protecting the moderate prime minister before the start of the genocide. Explore old and new Kigali, visit Kimironko local market, and in the evening return to your hotel for dinner and overnight.
Day 3: Visit Azizi life and transfer to Butare
In the morning after 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, traditional cooking, Candle Dipping, and bee hive making. Enjoy a day full of interactions, fun, feasting, and wonderful experiences.
After we will head to Butare and visit the Royal Kings Palace in Nyanza. En route to Butare, you will gain insight into the past leadership of Rwandan kings, their traditions, and cultures. After proceed to Butare where you will spend your overnight.
Day 4: Visit the Ethnographic Museum in Butare
In the morning after breakfast, we go to visit the Ethnographic Museum, where you will learn more about Past Rwanda kingdoms, discover the lifestyle of Rwandans from colonial times up to date, and view the colonial architecture that was used. In the afternoon you will visit the Catholic Church in Butare as you tour this town, gaining a deeper understanding of Rwandan culture.
Day 5: Transfer to Nyungwe National Park & Canopy Walk
Early morning after breakfast, 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-meter suspended metallic bridge will give you a great overview of the Nyungwe forest. On a lucky day, spot one or two more primates in the forest as you walk on this bridge and later continue to your lodge for relaxation as you wait for dinner and overnight stay.
Day 6: Visit the Tea plantation & afternoon Boat ride in Kibuye
Today you will continue your Rwanda Cultural Tours by visiting the Gisakura tea plantation where you will have a crop-to-cup tea experience. Visit the tea fields and interact with the farmers on how tea is grown, and harvested. You can also participate in the harvesting and visit the processing factory to see the other final stages until your tea is served in a cup.
Later, head to Kibuye along Lake Kivu shores, you will have fantastic views of the country of a thousand hills. In the afternoon, enjoy a boat ride in Lake Kivu and visit Napoleon and Amahoro Islands for short hikes where you will discover the rare Angola fruit bats, watch numerous bird species, and enjoy the beauty and history of the island. Return to the lodge for dinner and overnight.
Day 7: Transfer to Gisenyi – Congo-Nile Trail Excursion
This day of your Rwanda Cultural Tours is for discovering the historical Congo-Nile trail en route to Gisenyi or Rubavu. You will be able to explore the beauty and unique sites found along the trail which include experiencing coffee and tea tours, local livelihoods, and fishing with local fishermen using traditional boats.
Day 8: Community Projects in Gisenyi – Rubavu district
In the morning after breakfast, you will visit the community projects for women that make art craft materials, at Atalie 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 Carr Museum.
Day 9: Buhanga Eco Park and Afternoon Canoe Ride
This morning, drive from Gisenyi to Musanze on your Rwanda Cultural Tour. Upon arrival you will visit the Buhanga Eco Park, this is a sacred forest where the former Rwandese Kings performed initiation and ritual ceremonies, you will be able to take a nature walk through this park and see where these rituals took place.
Visit the small ditch that is surrounded by a flowery thicket and small lava stones where the king’s assistants, the Abiru, would pick some herbs and add spring water to make a ritual bath for the king’s coronation. After this forest walk, we will visit the Red Rocks for a homestay experience. In the afternoon after having Lunch you will enjoy the canoe ride in the twin lakes that will reward you with a view of the volcano chain and bird-watching opportunities. Return to your hotel for dinner and overnight.
Day 10: Golden Monkey Trekking and Ibyi’wacu Cultural Village
On this day after you’ve had your warm breakfast you will be picked up by your driver guide to the park headquarters. Same as gorilla trekking, you will be briefed about golden monkey trekking rules and later head into the jungle forest to try and catch a glimpse of these shy, endangered golden monkeys.
You will spend roughly 2 – 4 hours in search of the primates, which is not as strenuous as the gorilla trek. One hour will be given to you to spend observing the lifestyle and behaviors of the primates in the forest. They are usually swinging from tree to tree which is an incredible sight.
Return to the lodge for your lunch and in the afternoon visit the Ibyiwacu cultural village to get an insight into the traditional lifestyle of Rwandans, and enjoy the traditional performances that will spice up your day on this Rwanda Cultural Tours
Day 11: Transfer to Akagera National Park
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 evening at your leisure.
Day 12: Morning Game Drive and Afternoon Boat trip
After morning breakfast, you will be picked up by your driver at the park headquarters where you will have a short briefing about your game drive.
Day 13: Full-Day Game Drive in Akagera
After morning breakfast, you will be picked up by your driver to continue your Rwanda Cultural Tours. Head to the park headquarters for a short briefing about your game drive. After this, drive to the park to start your incredible game-viewing adventure. You will drive heading to the north where there is a heavy animal concentration.
Searching for animals, you will have the opportunity to spot numerous Wildlife animals including the African Big 5 such as Lions, Elephants, Buffaloes, and rhinoceros. On a good day, you might even 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.
After a certain point, you will have your picnic lunch in the park, after proceeding with your game drive before driving back to your lodge.
Day 14: Transfer Back to Kigali and Departure
After a morning breakfast, embark on your journey back to Kigali, if time permits visit kimironko market before dropping off at the airport to catch up with your departure flight.
End of Rwanda Cultural Tours combined with safaris.
