DAY 1: ARRIVE KIGALI INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT
On arrival at Kigali International Airport, you will be met by Amahoro driver/guide and be transferred to your hotel in Kigali arriving for overnight on bed and breakfast.
Driving distance: 15 Minutes
Activity: 0
Overnight: Scheba Hotel
Meal Plan: Bed & breakfast
DAY 2: INTER-CULTURAL KIGALI TOUR
After an early morning breakfast depart for Nyamirambo women center arriving for a walking tour that begins at the Women’s Center with a traditional snack, a quick Kinyarwanda language lesson, and an introduction to the Center and its activities. It then weaves through Nyamirambo, one of Kigali’s oldest neighborhoods. Along the way guides lead you into a women’s hairdressing salon where the adventurous type can get a free braid; into a family compound to pound cassava leaves; by two mosques and a lookout view over Kigali; and into a tailor shop to feel the fabrics you’ll otherwise see styled on the streets. The tour concludes with a traditional lunch made and served in the home of Aminatha, NWC’s best cook. From market to meal, every step of the process of cooking is shared by Aminatha and participants in this tour. After buying the produce and ingredients at several markets we walk just around the corner from the Center to Aminatha’s home. There you will get to work at a wooden table in her courtyard, chopping countless vegetables and starting the charcoal stoves. Under the guidance of Aminatha six traditional delicious and gratifying dishes are prepared and then shared by all involved. Later drive to Kimironko market to shop for a kitenge fabric; an attire associated with the African culture and can be worn in different ways. It can be worn as a dress, skirt or just as a headscarf and skilled artist as well make earings from them. Most Africans choose to wear them during special occasions and cultural events as it has been known to be a part of African tradition. Drive back to the hotel for dinner and overnight.
Driving distance:
Activity: Inter-cultural tour
Overnight: Scheba Hotel
Meal Plan: Lunch, Dinner, Bed & breakfast
DAY 3: DEPART FOR AKAGERA NATIONAL PARK
After breakfast depart for Akagera National Park located along the eastern border of Rwanda, where the typically hilly countryside gives way to the savannas of the Great Rift Valley. Dominated by lakes, swamps and marshland, the area boasts a huge compliment of nature and wildlife that cannot be found elsewhere in the country. We will arrive before lunch at the lodge. Have lunch then in the afternoon your exploration starts with a boat trip on Lake Ihema which is a very rewarding for seeing the large number of hippos, the huge Nile crocodiles and many birds. They are the most interesting part of the park especially for birders.Return to your hotel for dinner and overnight.
Driving distance: 3 hours
Activities: 1 Hour Boat Exploration
Overnight: Akagera Game Lodge
Meal Plan: Full board – Lunch, dinner, Bed & breakfast
DAY 4: AKAGERA NATIONAL PARK
After breakfast leave the lodge by 07:00 hrs to engage on a full day game drive and your exploration starts with a visit to the giraffe valley. Akagera National Park is characterized by woodland, swamps, low mountains and savannah. The varied terrain shelters wildlife including zebras, giraffes, elephants, lions and hundreds of bird species, such as the rare shoebill stork. In the southern part of the park, vast Lake Ihema is home to hippos and crocodiles. Later drive back to your hotel at around 16:00 hrs for the evening at leisure then later dinner and overnight.
Driving distance: 3 Hours
Activities: Full day Game drive
Overnight: Akagera Game Lodge
Meal Plan: Full board – Lunch, dinner, Bed & breakfast
DAY 5 : DEPART FOR RUHENGERI
After breakfast depart for a 3 hours drive to Kigali arriving in time for lunch then on to Ruhengeri area the the second largest town in Rwanda, with its stunning backdrop of five volcanic mountains – The Virungas. Arrive in the hotel for check in and late afternoon at leisure then later dinner and overnight.
Driving distance: 5 Hours
Activities: 0
Overnight: Ingaji Parkview Lodge
Meal Plan: Full board – Lunch, dinner, Bed & breakfast
DAY 6: GOLDEN MONKEY TRACKING + IBY’IWACU VILLAGE VISIT
This day is set out for Golden Monkey tracking in the Volcanoes National Park. Entering dense stands of bamboo interspersed with open glades; you will make your way deep into golden monkey territory. Guides lead visitors to the habitat of groups of ‘habituated’ golden monkeys – monkeys that have become accustomed to human presence. Though viewing is kept to a maximum of one hour, travelers can get an up-close look at the golden monkey in its natural habitat. Adult monkeys frolic in plain view, feeding on bamboo leaves and leaping from perch to perch. Females carry their young, completely comfortable among onlookers. Later visit Iby’iwacu Cultural Village a Non-Profit umbrella organization that aims at improving the lives of reformed poachers and communities around Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park through provision of conservation incentives, supporting community enterprise development and livelihood based projects. Return to your hotel to freshen up and have lunch then later dinner and overnight.
Driving distance: 45 minutes
Activities: 1 Golden Monkey Trek
Overnight: Ingaji Parkview Lodge
Meal Plan: Full board – Lunch, dinner, Bed & breakfast
DAY 7: REDROCKS INTER-CULTURAL EXCHANGE CENTER
After an early breakfast your day starts with a cultural village tour. This tour gives you a unique platform to understand the inside way of the Rwandan cultural and historical norms. As you listen to personal stories from different individuals in society, it’s like watching the world they have lived pass you by, but repulsing as people with smiles share anticipations of a better future and learning the important things and grasping the clear perspective of a nation transforming together. Arrive at Redrocks intercultural exchange center for lunch then later walk with your guide to the local Nkotsi market and shop for dinner which you will later help prepare and share; then later stay for the night.
Driving distance:
Activities: Inter-Cultural exchange
Overnight: Redrocks Inter-Cultural Exchange Center
Meal Plan: Full board – Lunch, dinner, Bed & breakfast
DAY 8: DEPART FOR BWINDI NATIONAL PARK (UGANDA)
After breakfast join the local brew makers at the center to understand the chemistry about the process of brewing a local beer from bananas fruits. If you find the activity interesting enough you can join the women in squeezing the juice out of the bananas and drink a glass of juice (Optional). Understand how long juice takes to turn into alcohol after adding in sorghum floor. Enjoy the big glass of our local brew. Among other activities they also do basket weaving and with your visit this local community will be proud of this activity and families supported financially. Experience the traditional Rwanda dancing as well as drumming lessons and pottery. Later check out of your rooms and drive to Ruhengeri for lunch before departing for Cyanika border for immigration formalities before entering Uganda. Drive on to your hotel arriving for dinner and overnight.
Driving distance: 4 Hours
Activities: Inter-Cultural exchange
Overnight: Ichumbi Gorilla Lodge
Meal Plan: Full board – Lunch, dinner, Bed & breakfast
DAY 9: GORILLA TRACKING ADVENTURE IN BWINDI NATIONAL PARK UGANDA
Today, after an early morning breakfast prepare yourself for an encounter with the Mountain Gorillas. Bwindi Impenetrable Forest boasts both Mountain Gorillas and Chimpanzees – the only forest in Africa which can make this claim in fact. It also hosts five other species of primate, 113 species of mammal, over 200 butterflies and 360 birds. Given the fact that gorilla tracking time is unpredictable, it is difficult to foresee how many hours you will actually hike. The escapade of tracking the gorillas in the superb ecosystem of the park will be passionate for the adventurers. It may take 2hrs up to 9 hours or more and you should be prepared to walk long distance in steep and muddy conditions, sometimes with rain overhead, before you encounter any gorillas. “The excitement of seeing the gorillas makes it all worthwhile!” The briefing will be given on how to handle or behave with these gentle giants always. This is a fantastic and privileged opportunity to get up close and personal with Uganda’s very own ‘Gorillas in the Mist. Later drive back to Cyanika border to clear with the immigration before reentering Rwanda and on to Kigali arriving at your hotel for dinner and overnight.
Driving distance: Depends on the family you trek to
Activity: Gorilla Tracking
Overnight: Scheba Hotel
Meal Plan: Lunch, Dinner, Bed & breakfast
DAY 10: KIGALI CITY TOUR +DEPART
After breakfast your day starts with a tour of the city. Named in 1907 by Dr. Richard Kandt, the first colonial resident governor of Rwanda; Kigali city is surrounded by lush hills of green and is referred to as the land of a thousand hills. Get to visit interesting spots which may include; the craft market, Gisozi genocide memorial site & Kigali museum. Also engage in last minute shopping in one of the friendliest African capitals, before returning to the airport for your onward international flight back home.
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Driving distance: ½ Hour
Activities: Kigali city tour
Overnight: 0
Meal Plan: Breakfast