8 Days Rwanda Tour (Rwanda Vacation Package) − DETAILED SAFARI ITINERARY

Day 1: Arrive In Rwanda Via Kigali International Airport & Transfer to the Hotel.

On arrival at Kigali International Airport, our company representative will be there to welcome you to Rwanda, the ‘Land of a Thousand Hills.

After loading your luggage into the vehicle, he will drive you to your booked hotel in Kigali for relaxation, dinner, and overnight before starting on your exciting 8 days Rwanda tour.

Rwanda’s capital, Kigali is nestled along scenic hilltops. With its bustling streets and meandering roads, Kigali is a city transformed, gaining a reputation for being one of the cleanest, greenest, and safest in Africa.

The city features a variety of restaurants and points of interest, including the Kigali Genocide Centre, an atmospheric market, art galleries, and numerous craft shops.

Accommodation:-

Luxury: – Serena Hotel Kigali/Radison blu/Hotel Mille Collines

Midrange: – Hotel Chezlando

Meal Plan: – Dinner

Activities & Services:-

• Pick from the Airport
• Transfer to a hotel

Day 2: Do Kigali City Tour On Foot.

Kigali City Tour During A Rwanda safari

Day 2 day of your 8 days Rwanda vacation package starts at 8 am with a delicious breakfast at the hotel. Then visit the Kigali Genocide Memorial, an incredible site, constructed on the burial site of 250,000 victims of the 1994 Rwanda genocide against the Tutsi tribe. Learn about events that led to the tragic 100 days during which nearly a million Rwandans were butchered by their neighbors.

The center is extremely moving, challenging, educational, and ultimately inspiring as well as a great place to understand the cause, tragedy and the tremendous progress and reconciliation the nation has achieved to date.

After the memorial tour, take a city drive and visit local markets, art galleries, and craft centers plus other fascinating sites. You can even opt to have lunch at Hotel des Mille Collines, one of the historic places in Kigali. Tonight, relax and enjoy your dinner as you prepare for the amazing trip ahead.

The highlight of The Day: – Discovering Rwanda’s heartbreaking history at the Kigali Genocide Memorial.

Accommodation:-         

Luxury: – Hotel des Mille Collines/Serena Hotel Kigali/Radisson blu

Midrange: – Hotel Chezlando

Meal Plan: – Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Activities & Services: –

• Kigali Genocide memorial
• Kigali city tour

Day 3: Transfer to Musanze (Ruhengeri) & Do Musanze Caves Walk.

Musanze Caves Walk Adventure Vacation Safari In Rwanda

Day three of the 8 days Rwanda tour starts with a relaxed breakfast. Then take a scenic 2-3-hour drive to Volcanoes National Park.

This stunning park of 160km² encompasses 5 of the 8 Virunga Volcanoes. It is home to around 300 highly endangered Mountain gorillas, hundreds of golden monkeys, and other rare creatures such as duikers, elephants, forest hogs, and birds.

On arrival, embark on a guided 2-hour adventure tour underground the ancient Musanze caves which were formed about 65 million years ago by the basalt lava flow from Sabyinyo and Bisoke volcanoes. The caves feature 31 entrances and stretch to 2km inside.

After the cave tour, relax and enjoy your dinner as you prepare for volcano hiking tomorrow.

The highlight of the day: – Musanze Cave tour

Accommodation:-

Luxury: – Bisate Lodge/Mountain Gorilla View Lodge/Virunga Lodge

Midrange: – Da Vinci Gorilla Lodge

Budget: – Muhabura Hotel

Meal Plan: – Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Drive distance & time: – 116km/2-3 hours

Activities & Services: –

• Transfer to volcanoes
• Musanze cave tour

Day 4 & 5: Hike Mount Karisimbi in Volcanoes National Park & Explore to Dain Fossey Site.

Diane Fossey Tomb

Your days four and five on this 8 days Rwanda vacation package will be spent hiking the dramatic Mount Karisimbi, which is the highest volcano in the Virunga Mountains and it is also the highest mountain in Rwanda.

On day four, enjoy a good breakfast at 6 am and transfer to the park offices at 7 am. Meet the park guides, the chef, and the porters, and start your trek.  Over the day, hike through different vegetation zones with a variety of rare birds, plants, and animals. Your camp for the night will be at 3,700m. Here, enjoy a well-earned rest and a hearty meal before settling into your sleeping bag for the night.

On day five, wake up early at 5.30 am to make the push for the summit. Although no climbing skills are required, the final ascent is physically demanding. After around 2 hours you should reach the top. You’ll be on the edge of the Congolese border, and on a clear day, the views from the top are beautiful.

You’ll then head back down the volcano and re-join your vehicle and guide at the car park. The descent typically takes around six hours. Transfer to your lodge and spend the rest of the relaxing.

The highlight of the days: – Hiking on the magnificent Karisimbi volcano

Accommodation:-

Luxury: – Mountain Gorilla View Lodge/Virunga Lodge/Bisate Lodge

Mid-range:- Da Vinci Gorilla Lodge

Budget: – Muhabura Hotel

Meal Plan: – Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Optional Activities:-

• Track rare Golden monkeys
• Dian Fossey hike
• Mount Bisoke hike

Day 6: Do Gorilla Trekking in Volcanoes National Park & Transfer to Gisenyi.

Mountain Gorillas In Rwanda Volcanoes National Park

Today is the day that some of your dreams may just come true because you are going on a gorilla trek. Rise early for breakfast at 6 am. Then have your packed lunch and transfer to the park offices by 7 am for a briefing.

At about 8 am, you will embark on an unforgettable trek deep into the jungle through Volcano National Park Forest alongside a park ranger to search for mountain gorillas.

Gorilla trekking in Rwanda can take anything from 30 minutes to 7 hours and is relatively tiresome, so be prepared for a challenge. But know that if you spot these gentle giants (we share 98% of our DNA with them) it will all be worth it.

You’ll spend one hour observing their nature and habits before returning to the starting point. Here, meet your safari driver guide and transfer to Gisenyi (Lake Kivu) about a 2-hour drive arriving in the afternoon for relaxation, dinner, and overnight.

Lake Kivu beaches offer remarkable evening experiences like swimming, beach sports, boat cruise, and kayaking among others.

The highlight of the day: – Tracking rare Mountain Gorillas

Accommodation:-

Luxury: – Serena Resort Lake Kivu

Midrange: – Paradise Kivu Resort/Cormoran Lodge Kibuye

Budget: – Hotel Paradis Malahide

Meal Plan: – Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Drive distance & time: – Approx. 110km or 2 hours

Activities & Services:-

• Gorilla trekking
• Transfer to Gisenyi – Lake Kivu

Day 7: Drive to Nyungwe Forest National Park. Drive along the Congo Nile Divide.

After breakfast on this day seven of your 8 days Rwanda adventure safari, embark on a very scenic 7-8 hour drive south.

You’re slowly heading for the beautiful Nyungwe National Park Forest, but you have some serious sightseeing en route. You’re treated to endless views of the tea and coffee plantations, and panoramic views of the rolling hills as you drive along the scenic Congo Nile Divide trail. On arrival, check in to your lodge for dinner and overnight.

Nyungwe covers over 1000km² of montane rainforest – the largest intact area of mountain forest in East/Central Africa. The forest is home to over 500 chimpanzees and 12 other primate species. Nyungwe also hosts over 60 species of other mammals, a multitude of orchids, over 120 butterfly species, and over 300 bird species.

The highlight of the day: – The Scenic Drive along Congo Nile Divide Trail

Accommodation:-

Luxury: – One & Only Nyungwe House

Midrange: – Nyungwe Hill Top View Hotel

Budget: – Gisakura Guesthouse

Meal Plan: – Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Drive distance & time: – Approx. 294km or 7-8 hours

Activities & Services: – Transfer to Nyungwe

Day 8: Do Adventurous Nyungwe Forest Canopy Walk & Transfer Back to Kigali

After an early breakfast today, have your packed lunch and transfer to the park visitor center to meet your excellent local park ranger/guide.

After a briefing at 5.30 am, follow your guide on a thrilling trek into the depths of Nyungwe in search of chimpanzee communities. Chimp tracking in Nyungwe takes 2-5 hours. And with rugged terrain and dense vegetation, the trek can be relatively tiresome but the pace is slow and the rainforest environment – with its array of birds, butterflies, monkeys, and unique plants – is captivating.

Your guide will be a wildlife specialist, and you’ll have plenty of time during the trek to ask questions. Upon reaching Chimps, see our distant cousins as they play and interact in their natural habitat – an incredible sight. You have a full hour to enjoy these precious creatures and you are free to take as many photos as you wish!

After the amazing adventure, enjoy your packed picnic lunch as set off back to Kigali to mark the end of this incredible 8 days Rwanda tour vacation.

The highlight of the Day: – Tracking wild Chimpanzees on foot

Meal Plan: – Breakfast & Lunch

Activities & Services:-

• Chimpanzee tracking

Optional Activities:-

• Canopy walk in Nyungwe Forest
• Tea plantation visit

End of the 8 Days Rwanda Tour (Rwanda Vacation Package)

Getting There For The 8 Days Rwanda Tour (Rwanda Vacation Package)

8 Days Rwanda Tour (Rwanda Vacation Package) − SAFARI INCLUSIONS

• Gorilla Permit for Rwanda gorilla tours and safaris
• Chimpanzee Permit (for chimpanzee trekking safaris)
• Full Board Accommodation on Safari
• Transportation in either 4X4 Safari Van or 4X4 Safari Land Cruiser all with Pop up roof & AC
• Fuel
• Professional English Speaking driver guide. Any other foreign language speaking guide can be arranged on request.
• Entrance fees to the tourist sites including Protected areas mentioned
• Activity fees of the tourist activities mentioned
• Bottled water while on safari
• Border crossing fees (for cross-border safaris)

8 Days Rwanda Tour (Rwanda Vacation Package) − SAFARI EXCLUSIONS

• General tips for the driver guide, site guides, and service staff at the lodges
• Laundry Services
• Other Beverages/drinks of personal nature like Alcohol
• International Flights (Arranged on request)
• Domestic Flights (Arranged on request)
• Visas
• Optional Activity fees
• Other extras not mentioned in the Itinerary
• Airport Transfer (Arranged on request)
• Accommodation in Kampala or Kigali unless it is part of the Itinerary (Arranged on request)

14 Days Uganda Rwanda Adventure Safari