The 8 days Rwanda safari tour is a 7 nights/8 days Rwanda tour that will offer you an amazing safari in Rwanda giving you a cross-sectional encounter of Rwanda as a tourist destination. The 8 days Rwanda gorilla safari offers you exploring the city of Kigali – one of the fancy cities in the region with inbuilt heritage, Butare area which is the traditional capital of Rwanda with great heritage surrounding including the Royal Nyanza palace, ethnographic museum, and Murambi genocide memorial, the pre-historic forest of Nyungwe National Park with populations of habituated chimpanzees, colobus monkeys and the famous canopy walk, scenic views of Lake Kivu destination, golden monkey tracking and gorilla trekking in Volcanoes National Park including the Urwibutso Ecotourism project en route to Kigali.
Arrive at Kigali International Airport which is the main gateway to Rwanda from your flight. You will find our courteous representative waiting for you to give you a genuine welcome to Rwanda. After, you will be transferred to your hotel for check-in. If it is still early, you can opt for a simple city tour to sites like the Gisozi genocide museum, presidential palace museum and the general landscapes of Kigali city. If it is already late, you rest overnight.
Accommodation: Kigali Serena Hotel (Upmarket/luxury), Hotel Chez Lando (Mid-range/standard) or Murugo Rwanda Hostel (Budget/basic).
After breakfast, embark on the transfer to Nyungwe forest National Park 268km about 6 hours’ drive excluding stops en route. The journey passes through the farmed landscapes of southern Rwanda with stops in Butare to visit the ethnographic museum, Nyanza palace, and Murambi genocide memorial site. You will have lunch en route in Butare before proceeding on your journey to Nyungwe Forest in the afternoon.
Accommodation: Nyungwe Forest Lodge (Upmarket/Luxury), Nyungwe Hill Top View Hotel (Mid-range/Basic) or Gisakura Guest House (Budget/Basic).
After breakfast, embark on the Chimpanzee trekking experience that starts at 08:00 am. You will set off to the montane forest of Nyungwe which is praised to be among those few forests that survived the last ice age in search of man’s close relative – the common chimpanzee. The 2 -5 hours trek is very interesting as it involves passing through the jungle, hiking steep landscapes, and descending on the same terrain amidst bird sights and other wildlife including monkeys. Upon encountering Chimpanzees, you will marvel at their intelligent tactics, how they gather fruit, swing in tree branches, socialize, and their general characteristics for one full hour. After this, you will return to the lodge for relaxation. In the afternoon, you will embark on the rewarding Nyungwe canopy walk that takes you through the views of the Nyungwe forest canopy that is filled with birds and primate species like monkeys. The 90m long and 40m high Nyungwe canopy is an exciting adventure to undertake on Rwanda safari.
Accommodation: You will have dinner and overnight at your previous lodge.
After breakfast, set off for colobus monkey tracking in Nyungwe forest where you have chances of encountering the largest grouping of colobus monkeys in Africa. The colobus monkeys appear in their white and black coat and their appearance makes them unique and worthy of trekking. The colobus monkey tracking on Rwanda safari is beyond colobus monkeys as it involves trekking through the jungle full of birds and other wildlife species, the raising landscape of this mountain forest add spice to this colobus monkey tracking experience. It takes 2 – 5 hours and involves one full hour encounter with Colobus monkeys. Return to the lodge for relaxation and lunch after which you will embark on a nature walk in any of the forest trails to explore the beauty of the pre-historic forest.
Accommodation: You will have dinner and overnight at your previous lodge.
After breakfast, embark on the transfer to Lake Kivu – Gisenyi area 294km about 6 – 7 hours’ drive from Nyungwe. The journey drive exposes you to the scenic hill sides of western Rwanda and the views of Lake Kivu. You will have lunch en route and arrive in Gisenyi in the evening for relaxation and overnight.
Accommodation: Lake Kivu Serena Hotel (Upmarket/Luxury), Hotel Gorillas Lake Kivu (Mid-range/Standard) or Paladise Malahide (Budget/Basic).
Wake up very early to transfer to Volcanoes National Park 110km about 2 hours’ drive to catch up with golden Monkey tracking at 08:00 am. The activity exposes you to the rare and endangered golden monkeys that only dwell in the Virunga volcanoes in Africa. The activity takes about 4 hours and starts at 08:00 from the park headquarters – Kinigi. The trek involves passing the lush vegetation of Volcanoes up to the Bamboo zone where the golden monkeys prefer to dwell. Upon, reaching them, you will marvel at their golden skins and their distinctiveness from other monkey subspecies. You will return from this activity to the lodge for lunch after which you will embark on either a cultural tour to the Iby’iwachu cultural village to encounter the traditional setting of the Kinyarwanda culture or take a walk to the ancient caves which appear like a natural cathedral.
Accommodation: Mount Gorilla View Hotel (Upmarket/luxury), La palme Hotel (Mid-range/standard) or Muhabura Hotel (Budget/basic).
Wake up very early for breakfast such that by 8:00 am, you are already at the park headquarters –Kinigi for briefing and eventual gorilla trekking experience. During this session, you are allocated to a gorilla family to track, and if with a special case, rangers can be consulted for special arrangements. You will head off to the volcanic lush vegetation in search of gorillas. The trek is quite thrilling as you go through amazing landscapes amidst bird sights and another wildlife crossing including monkeys, wild pigs, and if lucky wild elephants. The trek takes 2 – 8 hours as gorillas are unpredictable thus packed lunch is required. The jungle sounds will accompany you up to that long waited moment of direct contact with gorillas. You will see them as they forage, play, socialize, and sometimes charge. The state of wonder that will engulf your heart could leave your camera film with no space for other encounters. The full one hour is enough to optimize this experience after which you will retreat to the starting point to drive to your lodge for relaxation.
After breakfast, embark on the transfer to Kigali 116km about 3 hours’ drive excluding stops en route. You will enjoy the scenic views of the hillsides of Rwanda dubbed the land of a thousand hills before making a stop at Nyirangarama to visit the Urwibutso Ecotourism project an organic fruit and vegetable production and processing center which has worked to ensure sustainable livelihoods of the local people. The restaurant offers a perfect lunch en route. Continue on your journey to arrive in Kigali city in the afternoon.
Airport transfers Transportation by safari van Accommodation and meals as per itinerary Gorilla permits, one per person to be paid in advance Driver allowances En-route lunches Visit the equator and igongo cultural Center.
personal nature expenses of excludes: laundry, tips to local guides, telephone, porter fee while trekking, Air fare, Visa, drinks, personal insurance, personal shopping bills and cigarettes.
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Robert
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