This is a cultural trip to Rwanda which combines both cultural visits and Gorilla tracking in Parc National des Volcans. On this trip, you will visitNyungwe Forest in South West of Rwanda, for chimpanzees tracking, visit Parc National des Volcans (PNV) in the north of Rwanda which habituates approximately 300 mountain gorilla species. On addition to gorilla tracking, you may also climb the Visoke volcano and track other primates including golden monkeys. You will visit the Dian Fossey’s Karisoke Research Centre on a village walk and Rwanda genocide museum.
Day 1: Arrival
On your arrival at the airport, you will meet and greet with our driver guide who will then Transfer you to Kinigi at the foothills of the Volcanoes. O/N: Hotel La Palme or Virunga Hotel Ruhengeri or Mountain Gorilla View Lodge (BB)
Day 2: Parc National des Volcans (Gorilla tracking)
After breakfast, you will drive to the Park Headquarters for briefing by the guides before heading for gorilla tracking in the park. Tracking can be hard and challenging hence requires physical fitness of the participants. Tracking can take as long as up to 9 hours of a walk in the forest searching for the gorillas. However an hour of interaction with these closest relatives to human is indeed a rewarding experience. O/N: Mountain Gorilla View Lodge or Hotel La Palme (FB)
Day 3 : Golden Monkey tracking and Volcano climbing
You will climb Bisoke volcano and or Karisimbi volcano stunning scenery, crater lake which give nice views and forested slopes with bamboo forest. You will track golden monkeys which are listed a mong the endagered animal species, you may also visit the grave of Dian Fossey and the Research Centre he established at Karisoke. Drive back to Kigali for and overnight. O/N: Chez Lando Hotel (BB).
Day 4 : Parc National des Volcans– Kibuye
Enjoy a gentle breakfast after which you will go to Lake kivu in Kibuye. Drive through beautiful sceneries of tea plantations en route. Arrive Kibuye at the shores of Lake Kivu and take a late afternoon rest at the shores of cool water. O/N: Molia Resort (FB).
Day 5 : Lake Kivu– Nyungwe Forest
Enjoy a relaxed morning at the shores with sunrise before taking a gentle drive to Parc National des volcans. You will see stunning sceneries of hills/volcanoes en rout to Kinigi where you will rest in your hotel overnite: O/N: Mountain Gorilla View Lodge or Hotel La Palme (FB)
Day 6: Chimp tracking and Nature walk – Nyungwe Forest
You will go primate tracking in the forest in search for chimpanzees, and colubus monkeys. You will continue on a guided nature walk in the forest searching for birds including; the black and white casqued hornbill, turaco and many others, the forest has over 300 species of birds. On the forest walk you will also see gisakura water falls. O/N: Gisakura Guest House (FB)
Day 7: Nyungwe Forest
In Nyungwe Forest NP: guided nature walk or primate treks. Of a particular interest are the large social groups of Angolan Colobus (Colobus angolensis), which may be over 300 individuals. These are the largest troops of this species known in the world! Nyungwe forest counts 25% of the African Primates. O/N: Gisakura Guest House (FB)
Day 8: Nature walk – Nyungwe Forest NP to Lake Kivu
After breakfast you will go for a nature walk in the morning before leaving for Lake kivu in Kibuye. Drive through beautiful sceneries of tea plantations en route. Arrive Kibuye at the shores of Lake Kivu and take a late afternoon rest at the shores of cool water. O/N: Molia Resort (FB).
Day 9: Nyungwe – Butare.
After breakfast you will depart for Butare the second largest city of Rwanda. It hosts the National Museum, Universities and research institutions. On your way to Butare you will Visit the Botanical Gardens and the locally revered hot springs in Rugarama. O/N Ibis hotel or Hotel le petit Prince (FB).
Day10: Cultural excursion
This day starts with an early morning breakfast before visiting cultural centers in and around Butare. You will visit the National Museum which is one the best ethnographic museums of East Africa. It’s has good information on the cultural history of Rwanda and the region. The design and concept of the museum was realized in co-operation with the Royal Museum for Central Africa of Tervuren, Belgium. The modern building has different sections and displays a wide collection of monochrome pictures, traditional artefacts and objects, tools and different craft products. Traditional ceramics and baskets (handicrafts) are manufactured and can be bought as souvenirs. Lunch at Butare and later we will drive to Kigali.On your way to Kigali, you will visit Nyabisindu the former Mwami’s palace (King’s palace) and the seat of the feudal monarchy. O/N: Gisakura Guest House or similar (FB)
Day11: Kigali city tour
Go for a tour of the city including a visit to Genocide Memorials; In Rwanda where you will find Memorials to remember the genocide of 1994. The most important Genocide Memorials are those of Kigali (Gisozi) and Murambi (Gikongoro) and the most prominent one at Nyamata (some 70km south of Kigali) where the history of the genocide is explained. Explore the markets, handicraft shops, the Moslem quarter in Nyamirambo, and the Franco-Rwanda cultural centre.
Day12: Departure.
Transfer to Airport during time for your flight for departure. (HB)
Tour Ends.
