Explore Rwanda in 9 days – (From $4,390 PP)

Whether it’s trekking the iconic mountain gorillas in the Virunga Massif, wandering among a wide range of wildlife in the Akagera savannah, exploring the beauty of the Nyungwe rainforest or immersing yourself in Rwanda’s unique culture, this lush, mountainous country, which is also known as the Land of a Thousand Hills, has what it takes to make your trip an unforgettable one. For a country that spans just 26,340 km², this luxury 9-day itinerary is designed to give you just enough time to explore all of Rwanda’s major attractions.

Day 1: Arrival and tour of Kigali

When you arrive at the Kigali International Airport, our representative will pick you up and take you to the historic Hotel des Mille Collins, the facility which was the subject of the famed 2004 Holywood movie, Hotel Rwanda. The journey from the airport to this hotel should take no more than 15 minutes.
After a short rest and, depending on the time you have on your hands, our guide will give you a tour of the city. Today’s options include browsing through local craft markets, art galarries and eateries. Kigali is also a pleasant place for strolling and people-watching and a visit to the Nyamirambo neighboughhood is sure to introduce you to the vibrant culture of contemporary urban Rwanda. Depending on your taste, later in the evening you can also visit some of the city’s trendy nightclubs and bars.

Day 2: Game drive in the Akagera National Park

The Akagera National Park is a two-hour drive from Kigali and visitors are required to be at the park entrance by 8am, meaning that your journey will have to start at exactly 6am.
Rwanda’s biggest national park, Akagera spans over 1,085 km² and is situated northeast of the country on the border with Tanzania. Named after the river that runs along the country’s eastern boundary, Akagera is Rwanda’s counterpart to the famous savannah reserves of Kenya and Tanzania.

More than 80 and 500 animal and bird species respectively are residents of this staggeringly beautiful national park, which ranks among the most scenic of Africa’s savannah reserves. Lions, elephants, zebras, cheetahs, hyenas, bufallos, giraffes, monkeys, hippos, bushpigs, warthogs, baboons, crocodiles, leopards, antelopes and a host of other wild animals are some of the sightings you should expect. The park also boasts more than 10 fresh water lakes.

You will be a guest at the exquisite Rusizi Tented Camp, which offers the ultimate jungle experience! All meals will be served here.

Day 3: Boat ride on Lake Ihema and off to Nyanza

On your third day, you will enjoy a boat ride on Lake Ihema, Rwanda’s second-biggest fresh water lake after Lake Kivu. Some of the most interesting sightings here will include waterbirds such as cormorans, fish eagles, African jacana, papyrus gonolek and kingfishers. You will also get the chance to see elephants grazing by the lakeside, crocodiles sunbathing, and hippos playing in water.

Word of caution: The hippo and crocodile are the most dangerous animals on the African continent as they claim more lives than any other terrestrial African animal. Be extra cautious when leaving the car. Our guides, however, are experienced enough to keep you safe.

After lunch and a brief relaxation, we will drive through the beautiful countryside of Bugesera district and head to the Nyamata Genocide Memorial Centre, south of Kigali. Originally a church, this place became the sight of one of the most appalling acts of brutality in Rwanda’s history as over 40,000 Tutsis who had sought refuge here during the 1994 genocide were mercilessly massacred by Hutu extremists. Inside the building, the walls are still blood-stained, clothes of the victims piled on the pews, and the bones and skulls that were recovered are neatly arranged on shelves. Guides here will help you learn more about this tragedy.

In the evening, we shall drive to the Nyanza Heritage Hotel in Nyanza town, Rwanda’s first capital city, for dinner and overnight.

Day 4: Travel to Nyungwe rainforest

Today, you will visit the King’s Palace Museum and the National Art Gallary in Nyanza town before setting off for a one-hour journey to Huye district to explore the National Museum of Rwanda for a peek into Rwandan history, art and culture. Lunch will be served at Mater Boni Consilii.

After luch you will head further south to explore the Nyungwe Forest National Park, the largest remaining tract of montane rainforest in East and Central Africa. The forest is home to more than 1,000 plant species, at least 120 butterfly species, 310 bird species, 32 amphibian species and 38 reptile species.

In addition, 86 different mammal species have been recorded in this forest, 13 of which are primates — colobus monkeys, mangabeys, blue monkeys, dend’s monkey, olive baboon, and grey chimpanzees, among others.

Twenty-seven of Nyungwe’s bird species are Albertine Rift endemics, of which three cannot be found anywhere else on the eastern side of the Albertine Rift: the Albertine owlet, red-collared babbler and Rockefeller’s sunbird. But the real gems here are the great blue turaco, a chicken-sized bird with garish blue, green and yellow feathers, as well as the flycatcher, a long-tailed blue, orange and white bird often seen around the guest house.

In the evening you will settle into your private cottage at the Nyungwe Forest Lodge, one of the best luxury lodges in Rwanda. The spacious cottages offer awesome views of the forest and Rwanda’s undulating hills and valleys.

Day 5: Chimpanzee Trekking

This morning you will be in for a memorable up-close and personal encounter with human’s closest relatives, the chimpanzees! Nyungwe’s chimpanzees can be heard before they can be seen: somewhere deep in the forest, you’ll hear an excited hooting, one voice at first, then several of them that rise into a frenzied crescendo before stopping abruptly or fading away.
The Nyungwe Forest harbours over 80 chimpanzees and four small types of prosimian, small nocturnal primates more closely related to the lemurs and Madagascar than any other primates of the African mainland, according to available records.
After about two-three hours of this memorable expedition, you can relax at the lodge.

After lunch you can go for East Africa’s only canopy walk! This walk takes place above a deep gorge cutting across the massive forest. Lasting about 1½ hours, the metalic walkway is suspended between higher slopes and giant trees, and it’s about 200 metres long with a maximum height of about 40 metres. This offers you a chance to spot blue monkeys and some rare bird species that dwell in the upper levels of the forest.

After the trail you will return to Nyungwe Forest Lodge for dinner before fading off to sleep.

Day 6: The Congo Nile Trail to Karongi

After breakfast you will travel to Karongi, formerly known as Kibuye, on the eastern shores of Lake Kivu, Rwanda’s biggest lake. Time allowing, you can visit the nearby islands and spend some time in nature, visit the Ndaba Falls on the mainland, or take a walk around the town and admire the colonial architecture that has somehow survived the effects of mass tourism and greedy town planners.

Your accommodation for tonight is the semi-luxury Cormoran Lodge, located right on the waterfront. The lodge is ideal for relaxation in the evenings as you enjoy your favourite drink and discuss the events of the day with other tourists.

Day 7: Continue the Congo Nile Trail to Rubavu

Rubavu is about 110 kilometres from Karongi, and just 60 kilometres to Musanze, home to the volcanic mountain-dwelling gorillas. There is a plethora of new stuff in this pristine town that is contigent with Goma, the far-famed city across the border in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Rwanda’s sixth largest town, Rubavu now boasts new hotels, new restaurants, new coffee shops, new resorts…new recreational activities everywhere you look. You will go kayaking on Lake Kivu, visit nearby islands, hike Mount Rubavu, visit the Nyundo School of Music and laze around one of the beaches.

Later in the evening you will be driven to the northeastern town of Musanze, close to the Virunga range of volcanic mountains, home to the unique mountain gorillas.

Your accommodation for tonight is the Le Bamboo Lodge, located near the entrance of the Volcanoes National Park with amazing views of the volcanoes. It’s from here that you will start your gorilla trekking expedition tomorrow.

Day 8: Gorilla Trekking

As your trip draws to an end, you will be treated to one of the most spectacular travel experiences Africa has to offer: Mountain gorilla trekking in the immensely scenic and ecologically diverse Volcanoes National Park!

Starting your day as early as 6am, the head ranger at the park will devide you and other tourists into groups (about 80 tourists trek the mounatin gorillas in this park every day) basing on your interests and fitness.

As you move along the forest, your guide will point out signs of previous gorilla activity, including dung, nests, chewed bamboo shoots, etc.

However, even though you will have to scour this steep forested area for between one to seven hours before coming across the gorillas, you will only be allowed to be with them for only one hour to avoid stressing them. The good news is that you will be taken to one of the habituated gorilla groups that are now acustomed to human presense. Getting up-close and personal with human’s closest relatives in their natural environment is no doubt a humbling and emotional experience! Usually, the gorillas show no aggression, merely curiosity.

Away from the gorillas, you may also get a chance to see some of the over 180 bird sepcies that are resident in this park, including at least 16 Albertine Rift endemics: the francolin, Rwenzori turaco, Rwenzori double-collared sunbird, Rwenzori batis, strange weaver, dusky cromson wing, collared apalis, red-faced woodland warbler and Archer’s ground robin, to name a few.

Day 9: Visit to the Kigali Genocide Memorial Centre and departure

After a relaxed breakfast you will be transferred back to Kigali for a sombering tour of the Kigali Genocide Memerial Centre, the final resting place of more than 250,000 victims of the grotesque 1994 genocide. But this will only be possible if your flight is scheduled for 3pm onwards. You’ll then be driven to the Kigali International Airport to catch your flight back home.

Included in this package: Accommodation, meals, travel within Rwanda, tour guides and park entry fees.