Day 1 – Kigali
Bed and Breakfast
On arrival at Kigali International Airport you will be welcomed by our representative and transferred to the hotel for overnight in BB at The Heaven Boutique Hotel / Flame Tree Village Hotel.
Day 2 – Volcanoes National Park
Full Board.
After breakfast start the Rwanda tour and we can organize for you the city tour of Kigali, for visiting cultural and traditional sites, including the handicraft and local markets, the museum and the memorial centre. After lunch, leave Kigali and head to Ruhengeri (Musanze) at the gate of Volcanoes National Park. Check in at your lodge, dinner and overnight at Five Volcanoes Lodge (deluxe) / Tiloreza Volcanoes Ecolodge / Villa Gorilla Lodge (C) or Mountain Gorilla View Lodge / Ndaza Escape Hotel (E).
Day 3 - Trekking in Volcanoes National Park
Full Board.
After breakfast, (Optional) choose atrekking in Volcanoes NP:
- Gorilla tracking in search for one of the habituated families of the mountain gorillas;
- The golden monkeys trekking, a species of monkeys endemic to the Virunga habitat;
- The Old Karisoke center walk down Mount Visoke, a walk to visit the tomb of Dian Fossey and her mountain gorillas; the activity starts at 8.
- Hike in Buhanga ecological park. The activity starts at 7. This is a really hidden gem of Rwanda, a 31 hectares sacred forest which was the location of the first king of Rwanda, Gihanga.
Return to the lodge at leisure.
In the afternoon we recommend visiting the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund’s Ellen Campus, with the Conservation Gallery where the story of mountain gorilla conservation is explained from Dian Fossey to date. Not to miss also the Azizi Life Gorillas Gift Shop.
In Kinigi town there are also some eco-tourism programs where you can attend the Intore dances.
Dinner overnight at Five Volcanoes Lodge (deluxe) / Tiloreza Volcanoes Ecolodge / Villa Gorilla Lodge (C) or Mountain Gorilla View Lodge / Ndaza Escape Hotel (E).
Day 4 – The South West of Rwanda
Full Board.
- After breakfast, leave Ruhengeri (Musanze) to the South Western Rwanda along the shores of Lake Kivu. Stop over for lunch in Kibuye, a pretty town on the lake, where you have stunning sceneries. In the afternoon proceed to Cyangugu, on the Southern coast of the lake. The small town is the gateway to Nyungwe Forest National Park. Dinner and overnight at Mantis Kivu Marina Bay Hotel (C) (supplement Munazi Eco Lodge / Nyungwe Top View Hill Hotel) or Essencia Kivu Hotel / Emeraude Kivu Resort (E).
Note: Today journey might take up to 7 hours according to the conditions of the roads.
Day 5 – Primates Trekking in Nyungwe Forest National Park
Full Board.
With packed breakfast, at 6 am you enter Nyungwe forest for the trekking to see the primates like the beautiful Angolan colobus. The park is spread for over 970 sq km of green hills, the largest uncontaminated piece of tropical forest in Eastern Africa. Nyungwe hosts 13 species of primates, including the chimpanzee, the Rwenzori colobus, the Hoest Monkey, the silver monkey, owl faced monkey, red tailed monkey, velvet monkey and olive baboon. Ensure you carry with you water and picnic breakfast.
After lunch from the lodge, proceed to the border with Democratic Republic of Congo. Dinner and overnight in Bukavu, on the shores of Lake Kivu, at Lodge Coco / Orchids Safari Club.
Day 6 – Kahuzi - Biega National Park
Full Board.
After early breakfast, drive to Kahuzi Biega National Park for the trekking of the lowland gorillas. Kahuzi-Biega about 600 sq km, is where the first gorilla tourism was started in the 70th. At the moment in 2012 there are three habituated families of lowland gorillas and the trekking is a real experience of a Congolese jungle. Bring with you the packed lunch from the hotel as well as be prepared with trekking gear. In the afternoon drive back to Bukavu and explore at leisure the port, the old town and local markets or visit the project for conservation of the chimpanzee (Centre pour la Conservation des Primates). Dinner and overnight in Bukavu, atLodge Coco / Orchids Safari Club.
Day 7 – Rusizi – Bujumbura
Full Board.
After early breakfast, leave Bukavu in the direction of Burundi and along river Rusizi. The road is panoramic and traverses the highlands before descending to the semi arid savannah near Lake Tanganyika. Arrive in Burundi in Bujumbura for lunch. In the afternoon you can visit Rusizi reserve, the delta of Rusizi River where, from the view points, you can observe African dwarf crocodiles, hippos, water snakes and many species of water birds including the African white faced duck, kingfisher, black herons, pelikans. Dinner and overnight at Club du Lac Tanganyika Hotel.
Day 8 – Gitega – Gishora
Full Board.
After breakfast, your Burundi tour heads to Gitega in the central Burundi. The first stop over is in Bugarama, to discover the life style of the Batwa, the local handicraft and bee culture. Visit the historical site of the Treaty of Kiganda, where you see the walk of the coronation of the traditional king. Lunch in restaurant. Gitega is the second largest town of the country, with its typical colonial architecture. It hosts the National Museum with its ethnographic and archaeological collections. In the afternoon visit Gishora, the village of the sacred royal drums, where in a special theatre you can assist to the performance of Burundian dancers and musicians. Dinner and overnight in hotel budget, Matengo Hotel.
Day 9 – Rutana - Nyanza
Full Board.
After breakfast head to Southern Burundi and the region of Nyanza. You reach the town of Rutana and visit the Southest source of river Nile and the commemorative pyramid. Moreover, visit the Muhweza thermal water hot spring. Lunch. In the afternoon you arrive on Lake Tanganyika and at leisure visit the local production of palm oil. Dinner and overnight in hotel budget on the lake, Saganianza Hotel.
Day 10 - Cultural Dances and transfer to the airport.
Bed and Breakfast
After breakfast, visit Makamba for the performance of the Agasimbo dancers. Your tour to Burundi will end with the transfer to Bujumbura International Airport for the evening flight (or you can take the extension for the chimpanzee trekking in Gombe Stream).
Gombe Stream Chimpanzee Sanctuary 3 days 2 nights
Day 10 – Gombe Stream National Park
Full Board.
After breakfast, drive to the border of Tanzania where you board the boat to Gombe Stream National Park, in Tanzania. Prepare your passport for the formalities. Lunch. Gombe Stream is one of the most interesting projects for the conservation of the chimpanzees and there are no roads connecting to these mountains on Lake Tanganyika. Dinner and overnight at Gombe Stream Tanapa Bandas.
Note: It is possible to book at Gombe Forest Luxury Lodge with a corresponding supplement.
Possible Extension
Gombe Stream Chimpanzee Sanctuary 3 days 2 nights
Day 11 – Gombe Stream National Park
Full Board.
After breakfast, the whole day is dedicated to the activities of the chimpanzee trekking in Gombe Stream. Lunch. In the afternoon you might decide to trek through the forest up to the Jane Goodall Mountain. Dinner and overnighit at Gombe Stream Tanapa Bandas.
Day 12 – Gombe – Bujumbura
Bed and Breakfast
After breakfast, drive back to the border of Burundi by boat. Proceed to Bujumbura. Reserved to the transfer to Bujumbura International Airport for the evening flight.
