Journey Time: Less 1 Hour

Upon arrival at Kigali Int. Airport and completing immigration formalities, be received by our dedicated Safari Guide and have a quick briefing.  After briefing, transfer to the hotel within Kigali City – Check-in to enjoy the rest of your day at leisure.

Overnight:

Midrange: Mille Collines Hotel – or similar

Luxury: Kigali Serena Hotel – or similar    

Meal Plan: Bed and Breakfast

Journey Time: Approx. 03 Hours  

Pick-up time: 08:30AM. Have breakfast at the hotel and head out for a tour of Kigali. Lunch is arranged at a restaurant En-route.  

Explore the Highlights of Kigali City: This Kigali excursion is the best way to enjoy an authentic experience of Rwanda’s hilly Capital and largest city. Kigali ranks among Africa’s cleanest and safest cities; with world-class facilities. On your city tour visit the historical and cultural sites. Visit Kandt House – a former residence of Dr. Richard Kandt. Head to Mount Kigali for cool views, then to the Natural History Museum. Tour the Presidential Museum; once a residence for two former Presidents. Also visit Kigali Genocide Memorial.

En-route to Volcanoes: Make a stopover at Rwanda’s Iconic Twin Lakes (Burera and Ruhondo), for a special moment of photography and sightseeing.

Arrival at the lodge is foreseen late afternoon – Check-in and refresh for dinner at leisure.

Overnight:

Midrange: Ingagi Parkview Lodge – or similar

Luxury Five Volcanoes Boutique Hotel – or similar

Meal Plan: Full Board (Dinner, Breakfast and Lunch)

Pickup Time: 06:00AM. Early breakfast and transfer to park’s Kinigi Office for briefing before prior to the day’s major hike (Packed lunch included).

Planned Activity: Mount Bisoke Climb – Arrival time is 07:00AM for briefing with guide allocation. Your guided hike starts: Rising 3,711 meters above sea level, Mount Bisoke is one of the region’s most hike-friendly and scenic volcanoes, offering an awesome hiking experience. The mountain is part of the eight Virunga ranges. Bisoke is active and prone to possible eruptions; but last erupted in 1957 thus the stunning peak features. Hiking Bisoke is relatively steep but easily conquered by seasoned hikers and requires no prior experience. By taking Bisoke’s most popular trail, will be led to the scenic Crater Lake at the peak – a 6-hour hike based on climbers’ pace (approx. 4 hours summiting and 2 hours descending down the slopes) An alternative trail will lead you to Ngezi Crater Lake – a much shorter hike taking 2 hours to summit and only one-hour descending. However, whichever options taken makes for a full day adventure; you will be treated to sights animals such as buffaloes, elephants, and monkeys as well as various birds – by chance spotting a gorilla or two for 10 minutes but no photography allowed. The other important sight is the Dian Fossey Tomb in the vicinity. What to pack; hiking boots, trousers, an insect repellent, Rain coat, hat, long-sleeved shirt, drinking water and a walking stick.

Return to the lodge later on and be at leisure to recuperate. Dinner included.

Overnight:

Midrange: Ingagi Parkview Lodge – or similar

Luxury Five Volcanoes Boutique Hotel – or similar

Meal Plan: Full Board (Breakfast, Lunchbox and Dinner)

Breakfast, lunch and dinner will be served at the lodge. Enjoy part of this day at leisure until late afternoon. This is the best time relax and be ready for your mountain gorilla trek. Feel free to explore lodge amenities at own cost.  

Late Afternoon: Go for Iby’Iwacu Cultural Experience – Exploring Iby’Iwacu Village is a huge opportunity to meet some of Rwanda’s friendly locals. You will get to learn about their traditional lifestyle and Rwanda’s cultural heritage; and be engaged in activities such as: Community walks, visit the King’s house replica, cultural entertainment, traditional folktales, and observe a traditional banana beer and spirit brewing process.

Be back to the lodge late evening to refresh for dinner and overnight.

Overnight:

Midrange: Ingagi Parkview Lodge – or similar

Luxury Five Volcanoes Boutique Hotel – or similar

Meal Plan: Full Board (Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner)

Journey Time: Approx. 2 – 5 Hours – Based on lodge location

Pick-up Time: 05:30AM. After an early breakfast at the lodge; be handed a lunchbox and mineral water to put in your backpack. Thereafter, proceed to the Park headquarters at Kinigi for registration and briefing.

Volcanoes Gorilla Tracking Experience – Upon completing park formalities, embark onto your once-in-a-lifetime experience of tracking the mountain gorillas in Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park. Upon an encounter with the gorillas, enjoy a magical hour of human-primate interactions and photography. Tracking the gorillas in the light mountain forests on the slopes of the Virunga is a captivating experience; these massive primates are usually hidden in the dense tropical forest, with less than 700 living today, but you will get within meters with any of the family visited today. Gorilla tracking may be fairly strenuous, lasting for an hour at a relatively high altitude of a dense tropical forest – an adventure worth the efforts invested. Wear hiking boots, trousers, and gloves for protection against stinging nettles as well as sufficient water as the rain forest gets hot and humid during the day. In case the trek takes longer than usual, your ranger guide will choose.

From the gorilla trek; you will leave Volcanoes to Lake Kivu. Arrive late afternoon and check-in at the hotel. Dinner is included.

Overnight:

Midrange: Mantis Kivu Marina Bay Hotel – or similar

Luxury: Lake Kivu Serena – or similar

Meal Plan: Half Board (Dinner and Breakfast)

Journey Time: Approx. 03 Hours

Pickup Time: 07:00AM. Start with an early breakfast and go explore Lake Kivu before proceeding to Nyungwe Forest (Lunch is arranged at a local restaurant).  

Planned Activities: Start with a Mountain Bike Tour around Lake Kivu – Cycling along Lake Kivu offers opportunities for viewing a breath-taking landscape (lush green rolling hills and serene lakeside paths) through the region’s dramatic terrain: This is another best way to connect with nature, surrounding local communities and great views at sunrise! Traversing the picturesque villages and towns around Lake Kivu, is a great opportunity to indulge in cultural interactions – seeing hospitable locals and witness their everyday lives.

Take a Boat Cruise on Lake Kivu (Approx. 2 Hours) – Lake Kivu is a true African gem surrounded by scenic rolling hills and misty mountains. By taking a boat ride (approx. three hours), you will be exploring the lake’s crystal clear waters and learning about the region’s culture, ecology and the water-human correlation. A boat trip on Lake Kivu will take you up to Napoleon Island; from where you will spot a large colony of fruit bats and a variety of birds especially the African fish eagle and shoreline fishing villages.

Following the guided adventures; lunch is served and depart Lake Kivu for Nyungwe National Park. Arrive and check-in at the lodge to refresh for dinner and overnight.

Lake Kivu is known for its beautiful scenery, numerous activities, fancy hotels and a perfect place to relax following a strenuous gorilla experience. This is one of the great lakes of East Africa, situated between D.R. Congo to the west and Rwanda to the east. This picturesque lake lies at 1,460M above sea level and covers an area of 2,700km2 with a length of 90km and a width of 48km. Lake Kivu is composed of numerous islands, and Idjwi is the largest of all. At the shores of Lake Kivu, you will find densely populated principal towns such as Bukavu and Goma in Congo and Gisenyi in Rwanda. 

Overnight:

Midrange: Nyungwe Top View Hill Hotel – or similar

Luxury: Virunga Inn Resort & Spa – or similar

Meal Plan: Half Board (Dinner and Breakfast)

Pickup time: 05:00AM. Early breakfast at the lodge and go for an amazing primate trek (Lunch may be served at the lodge or have a picnic within the Forest).  

Planned Activities: Nyungwe Chimpanzee Trek (Morning) – Your planned primate trek begins with briefing at 05:30AM (At either Uwinka, Gisakura or Kitabi).

The forest itself is home to Rwanda’s highest population of chimps (over 400 individuals) with two groups habituated in Nyungwe Forest and also in the nearby Cyamudongo Forest – during the trek, you may encounter other smaller primates (about 13 species); blue monkeys, silver monkeys, owl-faced monkeys, and the rare Dent’s Mona monkey. A team of trackers goes ahead of the team to locate the chimps before communicating to the lead Ranger Guide about where to find them. This exciting activity takes from 2 up to 6 hours or longer depending on where the chimps have been located. Upon close encounter; observe closely and take hundreds of camera shots for a full hour. Take note of their humanlike traits; mating, breastfeed, play and start fights. Picnic lunch or at the lodge.

Afternoon Activity: Forest Canopy Walk – The canopy walk commences from Uwinka (starting point), following a two-hour scenic hike amid sights of butterflies, wild orchids and some endemic birds. Get onto the canopy walkway (70m high and 200m long) high above a narrow valley within an Afromontane forest, which offers a thrilling view of the mediaeval treetops and forest wildlife. In addition to an endless fresh air supply, expect to see the colobus, L’Hoest’s monkeys, red-tailed monkeys and several bird species.

Return to the lodge late evening and stay at leisure. Dinner included.

Nyungwe Forest National Park – Nyungwe has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site, resulting from its outstanding universal value, a significant biological diversity and vital ecological and biological processes. The forest park is one of Africa’s oldest dense rainforest, and Rwanda’s largest, covering 1,019 km2, it is also features bamboo slopes, some grasslands and permanent wetlands. Again Nyungwe supports over 1,068 plant species, 322 bird species, 75 mammal species and 13 primate species.

Overnight:

Midrange: Nyungwe Top View Hill Hotel – or similar

Luxury: Virunga Inn Resort & Spa – or similar

Meal Plan: Full Board (Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner)

Journey Time: Approx. 6 Hours

Pick-up time: 06:00AM. Early breakfast at the lodge and check-out. Thereafter, transfer back to Kigali Airport (Lunch is arranged at a restaurant).Arrive and proceed to check-in for your onward flight, which is based on your flight schedule. A departure flight from 17:00HRS is recommended.

Meal Plan: Breakfast and Lunch