On arrival into Kigali International Airport, you’ll be met by a local representative and transferred to your hotel. Spend the day relaxing ahead of your tour or take the time to explore Rwanda’s capital, first founded in 1907 as a German settlement.
In the morning, visit the city’s Genocide Memorial to learn about Rwanda’s sobering history, from the pre-colonial era to the devastating massacre of 1994. Afterwards, leave Kigali and head towards Akagera National Park, passing banana plantations along the way as you take in Rwanda’s fertile landscapes. In the afternoon, embark on a game-viewing drive through the mishmash of savannah grasslands, acacia woods and swampy wetlands that make up this 1,122 square-kilometre park. Look out for the Big Five alongside giraffes, zebras, warthogs, antelopes, hippos, crocodiles and more as you explore this sprawling expanse, set on the banks of the Akagera River
Keep an eye out for lions, leopards, elephants, black rhinos and Cape buffalo as well as a colourful array of waterbirds as you delve deeper into the plains today. While you’re exploring, learn about the conservation efforts at the park, which only two decades ago was overrun with cattle and at risk of being lost to farmland. In the evening, embark on a sunset boat trip along the river as you watch the sky blaze orange above these scenic landscapes
Venture back into the park for a final day of game-viewing in Akagera and enjoy a picnic lunch amid the verdant plains. In the afternoon, drive back to Kigali and prepare for your next wildlife adventure; Nyungwe National Park. Overnight at Kigali Serena Hotel.
Today you’ll be driven towards Nyungwe National Park to see one of Africa’s oldest rainforests. Stop at Butare on the way to explore Rwanda’s second largest city, often coined its intellectual capital with several academic institutions found here, and visit the nearby town of Nyanza to explore the King’s Palace – a former royal residence which has been reconstructed in its traditional thatched style. Stop by the Ethnographic Museum in Huye to see artefacts, clothing and crafts from centuries past, before tucking into lunch at a local restaurant. Continue on to Nyungwe and settle in to your hotel ahead of tomorrow’s explorations
Head out early in search of chimps on a morning hike through Nyungwe Forest. You might spot one swinging through the trees, or eye the endemic L’Hoest’s monkey, alongside 12 other species of primate that call the park home. Keep an eye out for cerval cats, mongoose, leopards and colobus monkeys, and get your binoculars ready for some world-class birdwatching, including blue-headed sunbirds, the white-headed wood-hoopoe and the red-collared babbler. In the afternoon, head back to your hotel on the banks of Lake Kivu to relax at the pool and spa, or opt to visit a local tea plantation.
Wave goodbye to the monkey-clad rainforest as you head off on a scenic drive to reach Gisenyi, a peaceful town on the eastern shores of Lake Kivu. Here you’ll find an idyllic sandy beach flanked by swaying palms, with kayaking on the water, mountain biking in the hills and hiking by the coast among the activities on offer. Get active or simply while away the hours on the beach as you take in the serene landscapes and terraced hills that characterise the Great Rift Valley.
Spend the day relaxing by the shore or continue your adventures amid postcard-pretty scenes – the day is free for you to enjoy.
It’s a big day today as you head towards the infamous Volcanoes National Park, home to some of the world’s last remaining mountain gorillas, as well as the rare golden monkey. You’ll set off early for Ruhengeri – a small, French-speaking town and the gateway to the park – before embarking on the adventure of a lifetime; a gorilla trek amid the towering peaks and emerald rainforest that make up this 62-square-mile paradise. Look out for these fascinating creatures as you hike from two to six hours, seeking out the creatures that have put Rwanda on the map among wildlife-lovers across the world. Afterwards, return to your lodge to relax around the fire and take it all in
Re-enter the park today to embark on your second gorilla trek and head out in search of a different family. Along the way, keep an eye out for other creatures too – golden monkeys, spotted hyenas, buffalo, elephants, bushbuck and other species all call these hills home, alongside a number of exotic-looking birds, including at least 29 species endemic to the Virunga Mountains and the Rwenzori Mountains
It’s time to bid farewell to the peaks and primates today as you head back to Kigali on a scenic drive through fertile hills laced with coffee, tea and banana plantations. On arrival, transfer to the airport for onward travel or your flight home.
