DAY ONE: Arrival in Kigali

Arrival at Kigali International airport, you will be met and  transferred to our hotel for the night. You have time to relax in comfort at the Hotel.

Accommodation: Overnight and dinner at Heaven Boutique Hotel.
Meal Plan: Dinner

DAY TWO: Visit to the Kigali Genocide memorial

Beginning your tour with a short drive from the city centre to the Genocide Memorial where you will take a journey of quiet reflection on the country’s past. Sobering, moving and incredibly important. It’s also important to understand the remarkable journey Rwanda has undertaken in the 25 years since the genocide.

Lunch at New Cactus. This is a classic local restaurant which serves great African food with a lovely view of the city.

In the afternoon, we will leave for Akagera National Park. Driving about 2.5 hours with the beautiful landscape en-route to the park. On arrival you will check-in and spend the rest of the day at leisure.

Accommodation: Overnight and dinner at Akagera Game Lodge.
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

DAY THREE:   First day of Akagera National Park game drive

Today morning right after your breakfast, we shall proceed to a game drive in search for the big mammals like elephants, giraffes, buffaloes, several antelope species, and recently the re-introduced lions and rhinos. The park is a varied habitat for wildlife and a birders haven with over 500 bird species in the park.

Drive and come back for lunch at the lodge. Right after you will go for an innovative tour named “Behind-the-scenes” meeting and talking to rangers, antipoaching patrols and community-projects managers. It’s a fascinating insight into the world of modern wildlife conservation in East Africa and the day-to-day running of a protected zone, thereafter in the afternoon, go for a boat trip on Lake Ihema watch Hippos and crocodiles in the water or by the shores.

Accommodation: Overnight and dinner at Akagera Game Lodge.
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

DAY FOUR:   Second day of Akagera National Park

Today you will take a walk known as Walk the Line Tour, a 7km mid-range to difficult walk along a section of the boundary fence line on the Akagera National Park. You have the chance to walk in the guide footsteps approximately two hours through nearby village. You’ll meet cattle herders and farmers along the way, and you’ll see a variety of birds, especially in the morning.

These activities provide the opportunities of engaging with people about their daily lives and excited of sharing their stories. Meanwhile the income from these activities is shared with the participating community members and it gives additional revenue, directly through tourism to the families living along the boundary of the park, showing the benefits of tourism and thus creating long term support for the conservation of Akagera National Park.

You can take a packed lunch to enjoy at one of the picnic spots or share a lunch with the local community. Then later return to the Lodge.

As dusk comes you will go for a night drive to spot all the daylight wildlife heading off to bed somewhere, as whole new cast of rarely seen characters emerges. A night drive gives you the opportunity to see some of these creatures – including, if you’re lucky, leopards and hyenas.

Accommodation: Overnight and dinner at Akagera Game Lodge
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

DAY FIVE: Akagera National Park to Kigali via Umusambi Village experience

We will rise early right after breakfast on the way to Kigali, 20-30 minutes before you reach the city you will go to visit Umusambi Village home of Grey Crowned Cranes one of Africa’s most majestic and beautiful birds with their yellow crown of feathers, tipped with black. These majestic birds have been disabled as a result of captivity and are unable to be returned to the wild. Their new permanent home provides an enriching environment for them to enjoy nature again. The village is a unique conservation project started providing a sanctuary for over 50 endangered Grey Crowned Cranes saved from the illegal pet trade. With only an estimated 748 cranes in the wild in Rwanda, they were rapidly heading towards extinction. Rwanda Wildlife Conservation Association have been working hard to stop the illegal trade, raise awareness and return many of the captive cranes to the wild.

Your visit will go through the village walking trails, after having your packed lunch you can proceed with the ongoing care and veterinary expertise for the disabled cranes, upkeep and maintenance of the site to ensure the cranes continue to have a safe and beautiful home, educating local children about wildlife conservation and a wider conservation activities to ensure that cranes are no longer poached for the pet trade and crane population numbers continue to rise. Later in the afternoon proceed to your Hotel.

Accommodation: Overnight and dinner at Heaven Boutique Hotel.
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

DAY SIX: Azizi Overnight experience

Your experience begins with a drive to a village near to Muhanga, where you and your Azizi Life interpreter will be welcomed by your rural community hosts. Your day will involve a selection of activities, as you will become part of the community for the day. You can optionally help to prepare either your lunch or dinner, both of which you will eat with your hosts and members of the local community.

Your overnight experience, staying in the home of your host is a unique opportunity to participate in the life of a rural artisan and her family with plenty of time to chat, laugh and learn about each other’s lives. After this and the embers of the fire die away, then it’s time to start preparing for bed.

Accommodation: Family Host
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

DAY SEVEN: Cultural & heritage experience on the way to Nyungwe

After breakfast, you will drive to Nyanza for a visit to King’s Palace Museum. You will love the fascinating King’s Hut which is made as authentic as possible and you will enjoy the sacred horned cows and several halls house items coming from different aspects of life. Trace the evolution of traditional clothing and types of residences through the centuries. After we will proceed to National art gallery set in a wide King’s building on top of the gorgeous Rwesero Hill, it displays both traditional and contemporary Rwandan artwork which testifies to the originality of Rwandan creativity. Later we will proceed to the Ethnographic Museum This beautiful museum sits in wide, tranquil gardens at the edge of Huye city. Thereafter head for an en-route lunch proceeding to Nyungwe National Park.

Accommodation: Overnight and dinner at Nyungwe Top View Hotel.
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

DAY EIGHT: Nyungwe National Park

After breakfast, you will embark into Nyungwe National Park the largest block of montane forest in East Africa. Nyungwe National Park has a community-based management system that is being used to conserve the forest. This is whereby The Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) is collaborating with local communities to establish ways of conserving the beauty of Nyungwe forest.

Subject to there being availability for the whole group, starting at 5am, today you’ll join a guided hike through the dense forest of Nyungwe National Park to track chimpanzees. This is a phenomenal wildlife experience that is on par with gorilla tracking. Whilst the trek is undoubtedly exciting, it can be challenging as the chimps are very mobile and they’re always running around in the canopies, on the move from one place to another.

If there are not enough chimpanzee permits available for the group, this activity will be replaced with a stunning walk through the forest to see a spectacular waterfall. Following much easier trails this is a beautiful experience.

You will return to Top View Hotel for lunch and then, in the afternoon you will drive to Karongi. Overnight and dinner at Cormoran Lodge (mid-range) or Mantis Cleo Kivu Hotel (superior).

Accommodation: Overnight and dinner at Mantis Cleo Kivu Hotel.
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Activities: Walk in NNP looking for Chimpanzees (**Please note there are only 16 permits and they are sold on a first come basis) or we will go on a guided forest walk to the waterfall

DAY NINE: Kayaking on Lake Kivu

Morning breakfast and we will begin our kayaking adventure from here, weaving through the islands scattered around this region of the immense Lake Kivu. We will have a picnic lunch stop over on one of the islands, then later in the afternoon, you can choose to either continue by kayak or transfer by motorboat to arrive at Bishayu Island, which will be our destination for the day.

Tonight, we’ll be camping beneath the stars, so settle into the blissful tranquillity of the island with a drink in hand. Our chef will prepare freshly grilled locally caught tilapia (if available) or a delicious vegetarian meal. After dinner, relax around the fire or explore the hidden corners of this beautiful island under the moonlight.

Accommodation: Overnight at the camp on the summit of the small island…
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

DAY TEN: Cyimbili Coffee tour

After waking to a beautiful dawn chorus and breakfast on the island you will board on the motorboat heading to Cyimbili. On arrival you will go on a fascinating coffee tour to see how a local co-operative grows coffee beans and then selects, prepares and of course roasts them into the best cup of coffee in the world. After lunch in Cyimbili, you will transfer towards Gisenyi finishing with a short walk on part of the Congo Nile Trail along the lakeshore on your way to the Hotel.

Accommodation: Overnight and dinner at Paradise Hotel.
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

DAY ELEVEN:  Karisoke Gorilla Exhibit and Handspun Hope

After breakfast, you will start your day with a transfer to Musanze and go for a visit at Karisoke Gorilla Exhibit at the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund headquarters. You will go for a complete behind-the-scenes tour. This tour offers a behind-the-scenes look at the ongoing gorilla research and conservation activities of the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund International. The tour is guided by a senior gorilla expert, who will explain the content of the exhibit and will lead guests to the lab areas, where visitors can meet with scientists.

You will go for lunch then in the afternoon you will visit the Handspun hope an insight into a fascinating women’s cooperative who are designing knitwear, such as warm jumpers, hats and scarves made from merino wool are a fashion statement in New York, Paris and London. And now they are handmade in Rwanda from handspun wool.

Meet the shepherds and members of the cooperative to see a successful, practical and viable project that is transforming an entire community.

The real jobs created by Handspun Hope mean that the (mostly) women they employ have a work-based solution to poverty that is restoring dignity to formally impoverished people. It is helping them to move into economic self-sufficiency so that they can become leaders of change in their families and surrounding communities. Later transfer to your lodge.

Accommodation: Dinner and overnight at Le Bambou Lodge
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

DAY TWELVE: Twin lake walk and Mukungwa River Canoe Trip

Start with a relaxed morning and breakfast followed by a transfer to the Twin Lakes. You will start your walk through stunning tracks and a number of small villages. The lakes are surrounded by steep hills with a backdrop of the volcanic mountains. The views of the lakes from the hillside are amazing. You will be enjoying Rwanda’s spectacular countryside, a number of birds before coming face to face with one of the most gorgeous lakeside view set for a picnic lunch next to the lake.

In the afternoon continue by car transfer to the Mukungwa River and then do the canoe trip. Here, with an expert Kingfisher Journeys guide, you will gain another unique perspective of Rwanda’s countryside while passing working farms surrounded by the foothills of the volcanoes. You will see many species of birds and keep an eye out for the otters.

Later transfer back to your lodge.

Accommodation: Overnight and Dinner at Le Bambou Lodge.
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

DAY THIRTEEN:  Mountain Gorilla Trekking

Early Breakfast and embark for Gorilla Trekking into the Volcanoes National Park to encounter the majestic mountain gorillas in their natural habitat. Come back for lunch. Finally, at the end of an incredible visit transfer back to Kigali.

Overnight at Heaven Boutique Hotel. Dinner at your choice of nearby restaurants including: Heaven, Khana Khazana and the Rendezvous restaurant on the roof of the Ubumwe Grande hotel.

Accommodation: Ubumwe Grande Hotel
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

DAY FOURTEEN:  Free Day at Leisure and Departure

A relaxed day in Kigali and departure. Transfers to airport. We hope you have had an incredible journey and will return to travel again with us one day.

Meal Plan: Breakfast

*Please note this itinerary may change slightly but the expedition leader will keep you posted and updated. Terms and conditions apply due to availability.