Starting with an airport pickup and transport to the Kigali Marriott Hotel, the 12-day Rwanda Gorilla, Chimpanzee, Lake Kivu, and Akagera Tour begins. The tour travels to Nyungwe Forest National Park the following day after receiving the results of the COVID test. There, the first activity is chimpanzee trekking, followed by an afternoon canopy walk. The next day involves a hike to the Kamiranzovu waterfall and a tour with the Colobus monkeys before arriving at Cormoran Lodge in Kibuye. The journey continues to Gisenyi on Lake Kivu the following day for a sunset boat cruise, and the next day it travels to Volcanoes National Park for gorilla trekking. Two further days of gorilla trekking, a trip to Lake Burera, and wildlife drives in Akagera National Park are included in the remainder of the itinerary.
Kigali
7:00am
Tour at a glance:
| Day | Location | Accommodation | Meals | Activity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kigali City | Hotel Des Mille Collines | D | Trsf |
| 2 | Nyungwe N. Park | NYUNGWE Top View Lodge | BL | Trsf, Museum |
| 3 | Nyungwe N. Park | NYUNGWE Top View Lodge | BL | Chimps Trek, Canopy |
| 4 | Nyungwe N. Park | Cormaran Lodge | BL | Water fall, Tsf |
| 5 | Lake Kivu/Rubavu | Hakuna Matata | BL | Trsf, Boat cruise |
| 6 | Volcanoes N. Park | Ingagi Park View Lodge | BL | Trsf |
| 7 | Volcanoes N. Park | Ingagi Park View Lodge | BL | Gorilla Trek |
| 8 | Volcanoes N. Park | Ingagi Park View Lodge | BL | Golden Monkeys |
| 9 | Akagera N. Park | Akagera Game Lodge | BL | Trsf |
| 10 | Akagera N. Park | Akagera Game Lodge | BL | Game drive, Boat |
| 11 | Kigali | ————- | B | Check out |
| Meal Plan: BB-Bed and breakfast, BL-Breakfast and Lunch, D-Dinner, FB-Full Board, Flt- | ||||
Below are the key highlights of this tour
Upon arrival at Kigali airport disembark from the aircraft; proceed to the arrival lounge where you will be welcomed by our Representative- greetings – and immediate transfer at your Kigali Hotel for Dinner and Overnight.
Overnight: Kigali Marriott Hotel – https://www.kigalimarriotthotel.com
Meal Plan: Bed and Breakfast
After a morning breakfast and after obtaining your COVID Test Results at around 9:00am your Guide will meet you, present his COVID Valid certificate; briefing about your tour and transfer to Nyungwe Forest National Park which takes about 6 ½ hrs drive via Butare visiting enroute, the famous National Museum at Butare.
Overnight: Nyungwe Top View Hill Hotel – www.nyungwetopviewhotels.com
Meals Plan: Full Board
After an early morning breakfast at around 5:30 am, you will drive to this park for the starting point of your chimpanzee trek. Two species of chimpanzee occur in Africa. There is the Bonobo and the Common Chimpanzee Pan troglodytes (often shortened to Chimpanzee, and sometimes referred to as the Robust Chimpanzee). The largest remaining populations occur in central Africa (Gabon, DR Congo and Cameroon). About only 400 individuals, the population in Rwanda is an endangered one. However; it should be mentioned that it is not guaranteed to see the chimps as they are unpredictable and can move long distances in one day.
Nyungwe National Park is the largest block of montane forest in East and Central Africa and it is an incredibly rich area of biodiversity. Return to the lodge for lunch. After the trek return to your Hotel, have lunch and in the afternoon enter the forest again for the canopy walk trek.
The Canopy walk: The Canopy walk is located in the middle of Igishigishi trail and is the biggest walkway in East Africa which is, at its highest point, situated at 90 above the ground, which should enable trekking tourist to gain inside of the upper tree level as well as their inhabitant such as different primate, birds and Orchids. The whole process of planning and building the canopy took at least five years during which there were mainly 250 men constantly involved in the construction process.
After the tour you will return to your Lodge and the rest of the evening enjoying the breeze of the nature of the surroundings.
Overnight: Nyungwe Top View Hill Hotel
Meals Plan: Full Board
After an early morning breakfast, you will go for the nature walk for visiting the Kamiranzovu waterfall one of the huge falls in Nyungwe and the said to be the source of numerous rivers and the nile. The forest comprises amongst many things at least 200 tree species over 280 bird species and more than 100 different types of colorful butterfly which make it a true feast of the senses for the nature lover.
Return to the lodge for lunch and around 2:30 pm, check out from the Hotel and go for the Colobus Monkey Trek.
Colobus Monkey trekking: you will have the opportunity to do the Colobus monkey trekking. The most famous of Nyungwe’s primates is the Ruwenzori colobus a race of the further wide spread Angola colobus which is confined to the Albertine Rift. The Ruwenzori colobus is extremely arboreal as well as acrobatic leaf-eater, simply differentiated from any different primate discovered in Nyungwe by its contrastive black general color in addition to snow-white whiskers, shoulders plus tail tip.
Some stops will be made on the way to admire the views and the scenery of the beautiful mountains surrounding the Lake Kivu, the beautiful islands in the lake.
Upon arrival you will check in your lodge, Dinner and overnight.
Overnight: Cormoran Lodge – www.cormoranlodge.com
Meals Plan: Full Board
After a leisure morning breakfast at around 10:00 am, we depart to Gisenyi another beautiful part of Lake Kivu in the Western Part. The drive is an easy drive and the most scenic of the albertine lift valley and with a chance to see the Nyiragongo active volcano on the way to Lake Kivu and the journey takes around 3 hour and half from the your Hotel in Kibuye. A lot of stops will be made on your way to admire the views and scenery and upon arrival to your lodge you will check in for dinner and overnight. Upon arrival to your Hotel you will immediately check in to your room, have lunch, relax on the beach and get ready for the sunset boat cruise around Lake Kivu. At 4:30 am in the late afternoon take a Local boat cruise and visit the Local fishing village, the hot water springs, the beautiful peace island and the surroundings of Lake Kivu.
Overnight: Hakuna Matata Lodge – www.hakunamatatahotel.com
Meals Plan: Full Board
After breakfast, in the morning at around 8:00 am, you will first take a short tour around Gisenyi town and later proceed to the Volcanoes National Park.
The Journey from Gisenyi to the Volcanoes will take approximately 2 Hours and through the land of thousand hills. The Volcanoes National Park joins Mgahinga National Park in Uganda and Virunga National Park in the Congo to form a large Trans-frontier park in which around 380 of the 730 or so remaining mountain gorillas in the world reside.
Overnight: Ingagi Park View Lodge – www.ingagiparkviewlodge.com
Meal Plan: Dinner
Wake up for an early morning breakfast and at around 6:30AM, we head to the Kinigi park Head quarter.
Today, your gorilla trek is sure to be the highlight of your tour. We will be at the Kinigi ranger station by 7am, where we are allocated guides and briefed before heading into the forest. We will track one of the Ten Habituated Gorilla groups in Rwanda. Move in a company of experienced ranger guides through the forest while searching for mountain gorillas. Only eight people are able to track each habituated group. Time taken while searching for these great apes, rangers between 2 to 6 hours depending on the movement of the gorilla groups as their territory can range up to 40km. The park rangers and guides will clear the way and assist you through the forest. Once the gorilla group is located you will spend an hour with them as they feed, rest and play.
After the Gorilla trekking, you will return to your Lodge refresh a bit and the reminder of your day is at leisure.
Overnight: INGAGI Park View Lodge
Meals Plan: Full Board
After an early morning breakfast at around 7am, you will report again to the park headquarters for another experience with different endangered species in the volcanoes “the Golden Monkeys” It is normally an easy trek which might take between 1 – 2 hours. The golden monkeys are the rare species of old world monkey now found only in the Virunga mountain range. Now endangered it is one of the species on the endangered red list. It lives in social groups of up to 90 individuals usually led by one adult male.
After the Golden Monkey Trek you will return to your lodge, refresh a bit, have lunch and later get ready to go to visit one the twin Lakes ( Ruhondo & Burera ):
These are beautiful lakes located at the base of Volcano Muhabura and close to the boarder with Uganda. They are surrounded by steep hills with a backdrop of the Virunga Volcanic mountains. Discover the impressive landscape at the twin lakes Burera and Ruhondo! The two Lakes had once been united, until a lava eruption of Mt. Sabyinyo divided them in the middle. This trip offers you a short walk through the “Land of a thousand hills” and will always be accompanied by beautiful views of the surrounding area, the locals and beautiful smiles and waves of the locals. Visit the women association of local hand craft made and weaving, their homes and learn about their daily leaving and the agricultural practice.
Overnight: INGAGI Park View Lodge
Meals Plan: Full Board
After breakfast at around 8 am, depart for the Akagera national park the home for the savanna animals via Kigali. Arriving in Kigali we shall do a short tour of this beautiful city and after all visit the genocide memorial site; a grim reminder of the senseless massacre of innocent’s lives in 1994.
The drive from Kigali to the Akagera National Park will generally take around 3 Hours passing through Rwanda’s phenomenal landscapes and living style. Upon arrival to your lodge which is located in the park, some few miles away from the southern park entry gate and offering a nice view of Lake Ihema and Shakani for dinner and overnight.
Overnight: Akagera Game Lodge – www.akageragamelodge.com
Meal Plan: Full board
Early morning game drive starts with a spectacular sunrise and early morning bird songs. Today will be a long game viewing which takes around 5 – 6 Hours from the south to the northern circuit where we will exit from.
Enjoy the beautiful scenery and landscape through the northern. Plenty of animals can be seen, including elephants, giraffes, buffaloes, zebras, hippos, crocodiles and also many other mammal species.
Known as one of the most scenic savannahs in East Africa, the game drive in Akagera provides you with the opportunity to also view gentle hills blending beautifully with lowland swamps and water bodies.
After we will have our picnic lunch in the park and drive to the Lake Ihema and later at around 4pm, we go for the sunset Boat cruise along the shores of Lake Ihema, Rwanda’s second largest lake, yield some great aquatic bird sightings.
This boat trips will give you the opportunity to get close to the crocodiles, monitor lizards and plentiful water birds including numerous African fish eagles, marabou stork, crowned cranes, open-billed stork, cormorants, herons and egrets. If you are lucky you may even get to see the elusive shoebill stork.
We will return to your Lodge for dinner and overnight after the boat cruise.
Overnight: Akagera Game Lodge
Meals Plan: Full Board.
Today is your day for packing and get ready to be transferred to Kigali for your out bound flight. We shall leave the Hotel at around 8am; do a short game drive while we are exiting the park to proceed to Kigali. The drive from Akagera to Kigali takes around 3 hours. Arriving in Kigali we will first visit interesting spots which may include; the craft market. Also engage in last minute shopping in one of the friendliest African capitals, before returning to the airport for your onward international flight back home.
End of the Tour – Welcome back
