These 9-days Cultural tours and Gorilla trekking Safari will take you to the Akagera National Park to encounter game drive and boat ride, cultural Village visit, visit twin Lakes, Butare then go for the amazing volcanoes gorilla tracking in their typical mist, relax at Lake Kivu and you can enjoy the fresh fried fish and then end the trip with Kigali city tour to a famous historical site and shop souvenirs and curios!
Highlights of 9 days Cultural tour and Gorilla Trekking Rwanda
- Game viewing in Akagera National Park.
- Mountain Gorilla tracking in Volcanoes National Park.
- Travel in a Customized 4WD safari vehicle.
- 8 nights’ accommodations.
- Delicious meals.
- Morning Boat ride on Lake Kivu.
- Cultural tours & Community Excursion.
- Village visits.
- Airport transfers.
Detailed Itinerary for 9-days Cultural tours & Gorilla trekking in Rwanda
Day 1: Arrival at Kigali and Transfer to the booked accommodation
You will be picked up by your guide/driver upon your arrival at the Airport and thereafter transfer to hotel for dinner and overnight. You will be briefed by the tour guide about typical cultural tours and some of the things to expect, feel free to ask questions and get clarity on some things you may need to know.
Accommodation Options
- Up Market: Kigali Serena Hotel
- Mid-range: Classic Hotel
- Budget: Flame Tree Village Kigali
- Meal plan: Dinner
Day 2: Kigali City Tour
You will wake up to a delicious Rwandan breakfast and the driver will pick you up to begin the city tour to historical sites in Kigali. Visit to Kigali Solaire, Stade regional, Kigali Genocide memorial site, Kandt Museum, Belgian camp. Transfer to Bugesera in the afternoon to visit the reconciliation village, Nyamata and Ntarama genocide churches. Later you will return to the lodge for dinner and overnight.
Accommodation Options
- Up Market: Kigali Serena Hotel
- Mid-range: Classic Hotel
- Budget: Flame Tree Village Kigali
- Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 3: Transfer from Kigali to Akagera National Park
Wake up early and have your breakfast, and thereafter transfer to Kirehe; with lunch en-route, visit Imigongo and practice ancient artisan in the region, and watch the waterfalls in Rusumo on the border of Tanzania and Rwanda. After with leisurely scenic drive, proceed to Akagera National Park, home to wild game species, and check into your safari lodge for dinner and overnight.
Accommodation Options
- Up Market: Akagera Game Lodge
- Mid-Range/ Budget: Golf Hills Residence
- Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 4: Early Morning Game drive and Village visit.
With breakfast or just a cup of tea at dawn, you will head out for an early Game drive and birding in Akagera National Park. You are bound to see a variety of wildlife and bird species, later return and rest as you wait for your lunch. You will have lunch and then prepare to depart to the northern part of the park to visit the pastoralist heritage experience. Return to the lodge for dinner and overnight.
Accommodation Options
- Up Market: Akagera Game Lodge
- Mid-Range / Budget: Golf Hills Residence
- Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 5: Early morning Game drive and a Boat ride on Lake Ihema
After your breakfast, take a stunning boat ride on Lake Ihema to spot aquatic wildlife like crocodiles, schools of hippos and over 50 species of water birds like pelicans, and sunbirds among others. You will later return for your lunch and get some time for relaxation before an evening game drive. You will be on the lookout for more wildlife that you may have missed on the previous morning game drive. Later return to the lodge for dinner and overnight.
Accommodation Options
- Up Market: Akagera Game Lodge
- Mid-Range/Budget: Golf Hills Residence
- Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 6: Visit Akagera National Park and Twin Lakes
Wake up early in the morning, have your breakfast and check out of the hotel/lodge and thereafter transfer to Ruhengeri for ethno botany tours. Have lunch en route and then visit the twin lakes of Burera and Ruhondo. This will be accompanied by community project initiatives like brick-making sites and beehive locations among others. You should then embark on your journey to your hotel/lodge for dinner and overnight.
Accommodation Options
- Up Market: Mountain Gorilla view lodge
- Mid-range: Le’bambou gorilla lodge
- Budget: Kinigi guest house
- Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 7: Mountain Gorilla tracking Rwanda
You will wake up very early in the morning, have breakfast and set out for your briefing before the Gorilla tracking activity in the volcanoes forest. There are a number of things that you ought to carry for this activity like walkable shoes, rain gear, a hut, sunscreen and insect repellent are much required while in tropical rainforest. You will have a break to have your launch and later after Gorilla trekking, visit Buhanga forest for Kinigi Cultural Village with dinner and overnight.
Volcanoes National Park Gorilla Trekking Adventure
Accommodation Options
- Up Market: Mountain Gorilla view lodge
- Mid-range: Le’bambou gorilla lodge
- Budget: Kinigi guest house
- Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 8: Community Excursion – Lake Kivu
After your breakfast, you will check out of your hotel/lodge and transfer to the beautiful Lake Kivu. On your way, you will visit the Banana and Sorghum beer production plants and you could even have a taste if you dare. You will then proceed to the shores of Lake Kivu to relax. Dinner and overnight.
Accommodation Options
- Up Market: Lake Kivu Serena Hotel
- Mid-range: Paradis Malahide
- Budget: La Petite Colline Guest House
- Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 9: Visit Butare and transfer to Kigali
After breakfast, transfer to Butare, “the intellectual town of Rwanda”. Visit the Basilica of Kabagayi, the ancient King’s palace at Nyanza, National Museum and drive back to Kigali Airport for your return flight after you have had an en-route lunch and souvenir shopping (Optional). Meal plan: Breakfast and Lunch.
9-days Cultural tours & Gorilla trekking in Rwanda include.
- Airport transfers.
- Accommodation and meals as per itinerary.
- Transportation by safari vehicle.
- Gorilla tracking Permits.
- Nature walk.
- Visit Lake Kivu and boat ride.
9-days Cultural tours & Gorilla trekking in Rwanda exclude.
- Airfares.
- Rwanda Visa.
- Luxury drinks.
- Laundry.
- Tips to the local guide.
- Telephone fees.
- Porter fees when tracking.
- Personal insurance and shopping.
- Any other item not mentioned above.