11 Days Rwanda Budgeted Safari - Gorillas & Wildlife Tours

Day 1: Arrival in Kigali, Rwanda

1. Kigali
   1h
   On your arrival at Kigali International Airport, you will be welcomed by our company representative along with the drive-guide and transfer you to the Urban CityBlue Hotel(budget), Flame tree village (midi-range), or Mille Collines Hotel (Luxury) for dinner and overnight.
   
   Depending on your arrival time, you may go for a short city tour visit local market and visit to the Genocide Memorial Sites.

Day 2: Transfer to Akagera National Park

1. Akagera National Park
   30m
   After taking your breakfast, you will be transferred to Akagera National Park and on your way, you will enjoy seeing the landscape viewing the beauty of Rwanda.
   
   Arriving early, you will have your lunch at Akagera Game Lodge. After lunch, you will go for a boat cruise on Lake Ihema to see the Nile Crocodiles, Hippos, and Waterbirds.
   
   Dinner and overnight at Akagera Game Lodge.

Day 3: Morning game drive & Transfer to Huye/Butare

1. Akagera National Park
   30m
   After early breakfast, you will go for a game drive up to the northern gate of the park whereby you will get a chance to see the early raisers which are only seen in the morning. Masai Giraffes, Lions and bush backs are among the animals you will see.
   
   After this game drive, you will get transferred to Kigali where you will have your lunch. After Lunch, you will be transferred to Huye/Butare town which was the first capital city of Rwanda.
   
   En route, you will have a stopover in Nyanza museum/King's palace for a cultural description just before visiting the Rwanda National Museum.
   Dinner and overnight at Light House Hotel

Day 4: Transfer to Nyungwe Forest National Park

1. Nyungwe National Park - Rwanda
   30m · Admission ticket included
   Early morning, after your breakfast, our driver-guide will transfer you to Nyungwe National Park. Nyungwe Forest National Park is one of the reasons why Rwanda has become the top tourist destination in the world over. This is not only the place for relaxation but also one of the places for adventure
   and insight into Rwanda‘s single beauty.
   
   Being home to almost 300 species of birds, making it a bird watcher's paradise, it also only beautiful place where you can see up to 13 species of primates, including rare species such as Chimpanzees, the Angolan black and white Colobus Monkeys, the Blue Monkeys, and L'Hoest's Monkeys.
   
   En route, you will stop at the new Visitor's Interpretive Centre to give you more information about the park including tourist activities carried out within the park and then proceed to check in to your hotel and have your Lunch.
   
   In the afternoon, you will go for Colobus monkey trekking. You will hike through lush forests, endless, green tea fields and take in the stunning views of your surroundings.
   
   Dinner and overnight at Nyungwe Top View Hill Hotel (Luxury) or Gisakura Guest House(Budget)

Day 5: Chimpanzees Trekking

1. Nyungwe National Park - Rwanda
   30m · Admission ticket included
   Early in the morning, you will report to the Nyungwe National Park's headquarter for briefing just before going for Chimpanzees tracking.
   This specific activity normally takes between 3 to 5 hours depending on the climate and availability of Chimpanzees, so it is advisable to carry enough water and some snacks.
   
   On your way back, you will visit the local community around, learn more about their living style and at the same time buying some of their locally-made crafts and products.

Day 6: Morning transfer to Kibuye, driving along the shores of Lake Kivu.

1. Visit Lake Kivu Boat tour & Adventure
   30m · Admission ticket included
   Lake Kivu is one of the great lakes in Africa and the largest of the freshwater lakes that gleam in the Albertine (Western) rift of the Great Rift Valley. Lake Kivu stands at 1461m (4,790ft) above sea level establishing it as Africa’s highest lake. The northern shore of the lake is often subject to eruptions
   from nearby Mt Nyiragongo.
   
   Kibuye is Rwanda’s most attractive lake ports, nestled in a series of interwoven and undulating hills and offering visitors spectacular views of the lake, its islands, and the stunning surrounding countryside. It is considered one of Rwanda’s hidden treasures, with its lush green hills and peaceful breeze.

Day 7: Visit to Napoleon Island & transfer to Gisenyi town

1. Visit Lake Kivu Boat tour & Adventure
   30m · Admission ticket included
   Morning hours:
   We will boat cruised to Napoleon Island. It is also known as 'bat island' as it hosts a huge colony of Straw-Coloured fruit bats.
   
   Hiking and get to the summit of it gives you a chance to see the views of other big islands in DR Congo as well as the beauty of Congo Nile Trail.
   Return to the hotel for taking your lunch
   
   Afternoon:
   After a relaxing lunch, we proceed to Gisenyi Town. With its waterfront and sandy beaches and excellent views of Lake Kivu, Gisenyi is a wonderful place to relax, having a captivating feel of a tropical beach resort.
   Overnight in Gisenyi town

Day 8: Gisenyi city tour

1. Gisenyi
   30m
   The morning hours will be spent relaxing and re-energizing or visit the hot spring which will help you learn more about the formation of the Virunga Volcanic Mountains.
   
   The afternoon will be spent touring Gisenyi city. In this beautiful and full of a fun city, you will visit two borders, the bigger one by the names of La corniche and a smaller one known as petite Barriere. The smaller one is very busy being the second most used border in the world, you can imagine the population with luggage and foods on their back. Here, you will clearly see in the DRC.
   
   Visiting the local market and craft shops will be very important as you will meet and interact with local communities.
   
   Return back to the hotel for dinner and overnight

Day 9: Transfer to Musanze

1. Musanze District
   30m
   After your breakfast, you will check out from your hotel in Gisenyi and transfer to Musanze. On your arrival, you will visit the Iby'Iwacu Cultural Village where you will be having a wonderful and interactive experience about Rwandan traditions, culture, and way of life.
   Local dances and drumming will be there. this will be practicing to wear traditional local dress known as "Umushanana". learn more about arrows shooting, traditional healer's medicine.
   
   Dinner and overnight at Classic Lodge (Luxury), Le Bambou Gorilla Lodge (Midi-range) and Muhabura Lodge (Budget).

Day 10: Mount Bisoke Hike Adventure

1. 30m
   Early morning, after your breakfast, transfer to the RDB office in Kinigi for legal formality and briefing before starting the hike.
   
   Mount Bisoke, an active volcano in the Virunga mountains of the Albertine rift, With the elevation of 3,711m from the sea level, straddling the border Rwanda and the DRC, the summit located in Rwanda.
   
   6 hours hike, almost 4 hours to ascend to the summit, and 2 hours to descend back to the starting point, with many rewards awaiting you once you reach the peak, such as a magnificent rare natural beauty crater lake, mountain vegetation, dropping clouds, with the magnificent scenery of the Virunga ranges and so much more. However, it is advisable to organize packed lunch and plenty of water prior to this adventure since it can sometimes last over 6 hours as mentioned above.
   
   On your way back to the starting point, your driver will take you back to the hotel for dinner and overnight

Day 11: Transfer to Kigali

1. Kigali
   30m
   In the morning, after your breakfast, you will be transferred back to Kigali city reaching afternoon and depending on your departure time, you will either be transferred to the airport for your flight back home or be dropped off at your hotel in Kigali for dinner and overnight stay at your own expenses.
   
   END OF 11 DAYS BEST OF RWANDA SAFARI

• Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
• Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries
• Not recommended for pregnant travelers
• Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
• Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness