REGO TOURS will take you on a 12 day journey that will make you explore the
best highlights of Rwanda. This fun – filled safari will take you in volcanoes
National park for incredible encounters with the endangered mountain gorillas,
wildlife in Akagera National Park, to the oldest and most beautiful rainforests in
Africa and to the shores of Lake Kivu.
Higlights
- Chimpanzee tracking permits included
- Canopy walk
- Kayaking on Lake Kivu
- Wildlife safari in Akagera National Park.
Introduction
This tour has been tailored to show you the best of this fascinating country “Land
of a thousand hills” from a primate eye view of Nyungwe forest on a canopy
walk, to close encounters with chimpanzees and the gorillas. You will even go
on a wildlife safari in Akagera National park, a fresh big 5 destination.
Itinerary
Day 1: Arrival in Kigali
Day 2: Visit genocide memorial and travel to Nyungwe forest
Day 3: Chimpanzee tracking & Canopy walk
Day 4: Travel to Lake Kivu
Day5: Full day Kayaking tour on Lake Kivu
Day 6: Travel to volcanoes National park
Day 7: Gorilla tracking (optional)
Day 8 : Golden monkey tracking & canoe trip
Day 9 : To Akagera National Park and game drive
Day 10 : Full day game drive in Akagera National Park
Day 11: Private boat safari on Lake Ihema & drive to Kigali
Day 12: Kigali City tour and Departure.
DAY BY DAY: 12 DAY EXTENSIVE TOUR RWANDA.
Day 1: Arrival to Kigali
Welcome to Rwanda; This is a small beautiful country, pronounced by endless
rolling hills as you will experience on your fly – over to Kigali International Airport.
This is a land locked country forming part of the East African community.
A representative from the hotel or our driver will pick you to your hotel.
After refreshing, if time allows, you’re free to explore the city toady, just to
accustom yourself to the weather. This can be arranged through the hotel
reception and activities include; visits to craft markets, browse amongst the
pottery carvings, batik, weaving, musical instruments at your own cost.
Journey time:
Accommodation: Pepponi Hotel
Meal plan: Dinner (if time allows)
DAY 2: Visit Genocide memorial & Travel to Nyungwe forest.
Your Rego Tours guides will you to Nyungwe forest in western Rwanda. If you feel
up for it, you can visit the Genocide Memorial in town before setting off. This is a
place of commemoration for the 250,000 victims burned in mass graves. It’s a
memoir of unfathomable brutality of the 1994 genocide.
On your drive you will go via visit Butare National museum displaying a range of
ethnographic objects that will give you an insight into the rich traditional life and
culture of the country.
At the end of the day you will reach Nyungwe Forest National park, rated
among the world’s oldest and most beautiful rainforest in Africa. Te forest is
home to 13 known primate species residing here. Colobus monkeys,
mangabeys, blue monkeys and our nearest relatives the chimpanzees.
Its also known for birding community possessing zio bird species recorded here,
26of which are endemic to Rwanda. You will have plenty of time to explore the
forest tomorrow
Journey time: 5-6 hours
Accommodation: Nyungwe Nziza Eco lodge
Meal plan: Breakfast, lunch & dinner.
DAY 3: Chimpanzee tracking & Canopy walk
On this day, you will venture deep into Nyungwe Forest National park in search
for chimpanzees.
You will have an opportunity to follow an experienced guide into the forest to
observe these fascinating creatures at a close range. Certainly watching them
go about their daily business of grooming, playing and foraging is a fulfilling
experience.
While your chances of encountering chimpanzees are high during your tracking
excursion, it it never 100% because these wild animals with wills and minds of
there own.
From the trails below, you will now head up high into the forest canopy, east
Africa’s first canopy walks. A network of suspension bridges will lead you on a
two hour walk over a deep gorge, through beautiful and lush vegetation sitting
different animal habitats.
Journey time: 1-2 hour each way
Accommodation: Nyungwe Nziza Eco – lodge
Meal plan: Breakfast and Dinner
DAY 4: TRAVEL TO LAKE KIVU
From Nyungwe rain forest, you travel North along the shores of Lake Kivu. It isone
of the great lakes in the Albertine Rift, creating a natural boarder between
Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
The magnificent shores of Lake Kivu are some of the best island beaches on the
continent. You have an afternoon relaxing at the lodge or take a walk along
the streach of beach just outside the property.
Journey time: 3-4 hours
Accommodation:
Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch and dinner.
PRIMATES, SAFARI & COMFORT.
DAY 5: Full day Kayaking tour on Lake Kivu.
You will be hosted to a full day Kayaking tour which is a fantastic way to explore
Lake Kivu’s scenic coastline and its many beaches, coves and islands.
The active Nyiragongo volcano in DRC can be seen rising above the
surrounding hills. While fishermen in traditional boats ply the blue waters in
search of a livelihood.
As you paddle your way northwards, you will stop along the way for your
packed lunch, and ending at your lodge for the night. Your guide will already
be there waiting with your luggage when you arrive.
Accommodation: Paradise Kivu
Meal plan: Breakfast, packed lunch and dinner.
Optional; Hiking or mountain biking
Lake Kivu offers the best outdoor activities in Rwanda from hiking or mountain
biking the Congo Nile trail, a network of over 200kms of trail along the length of
the lake.
If you are interested in this desiring another day to explore the stunning region,
let our travel consultant know of it at the time of booking.
DAY 6: To volcanoes National Park
Even after stunning scenes in Nyingwe forest and Lake Kivu, Rwanda gets more
scenic as you see Volcanoes National Park. The park contains parts of the
virunga mountain ranges and its five volcanoes that form the border between
Uganda, Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda. The park is also the
gateway to face to face encounters with the iconic mountain gorillas.
While the main draw of visiting volcanoes National Park is to see the real gorillas
in the mist, there are other fantastic activities to experience here like, tracking
excursions to find the rare Golden Monkeys, volcanoes hikes and a visit to the
Dian Fossey research centre.
Journey Time: 4-5hrs
Accommodation : Amarembo gorilla village lodge/ Mt. Gorilla view lodge
Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Optional: Go Gorilla Tracking in Uganda instead for half the price.
As you journey from Lake Kivu, you are closer to the Ugandan border where the
Bwindi Forest and Mgahinga National Park are closer and combined, more than
half the Gorilla population in the world reside.
THE PERMIT PRICES IN UGANDA FOR GORILLA TRACKING ARE AT 700 USD MORE
THAN HALF THE PRICE FOR TRACKING IN RWANDA
Should you feel this is better suited for you budget, we can arrange your gorilla
tracking experience in Uganda we can arrange your gorilla tracking experience
in Uganda instead.
You should skip this visit to volcanoes National Park and head straight to Bwindi
Forest or Mugahinga.
DAY 7 Gorilla tracking (optional), at own cost of additional USD 1500
Encountering the rare and endangered mountain gorillas is an experience of a
lifetime. In company of a ranger, you will be tracking the whereabouts of one
of the habituated family groups who live in the park and can tolerate the
presence of humans for a specified period every day.
Gorilla tracking experience will be exciting, yet a challenging journey along
forested slopes (during rains muddy and slippery) thick vegetation, bamboo
forests before reaching the territory. It takes one to seven hours depending on
their locations.
Seeing the mountain Gorillas in the wild is a humbling experience, that you can
never forget.
Journey time: I hour
Accommodation: Amarembo gorilla village/ Mt. Gorilla view lodge.
DAY 8: Golden monkey tracking & Canoe Trip
This is another day to explore volcanoes National Park today, starting with
Golden monkey tracking early morning.
Golden monkeys are endemic to the volcanic mountains of the virunga range
and typically live in the bamboo vegetation zones near the volcanoes base.
You track them in company of an experienced ranger and once you find them,
you will have one hour to spend watching these active creatures.
In the afternoon, you will head to the base of the volcanoe mountain Muhabura
for a canoeing trip on the twin lakes Bulera and Ruhondo while in the canoes
you will glide across the dark blue water which are surrounded by hills and
stunning views of the virunga volcanoes.
Journey time: 40 -50 minutes
Accommodation: Amarembo gorilla village +250 782 306 622
Meal plan: Breakfast, packed lunch & dinner.
PRIMATES, SAFARI & COMFORT.
DAY 9: To Akagera National Park and game drive.
It’s known to a few people that you can actually go for a wildlife safari in
Rwanda. Akagera National Park is located in North – Eastern Rwanda and
covers 2500km2 of Savanah plains. It’s a habitat for over 500 different species of
birds.
While in the park, you will see many herds of elephants and buffaloes emerging
from the woodlands to drink in the lakes. You could chance seeing a leopard,
spotted hyena or lions. Black Rhinos have been re- introduced to the park after
having been made extinct in 2007, making Rwanda a big five country again.
Journey time:5-6 hours
Accommodation: Akegera game lodge +250 785 201 206
Meal plan : Breakfast, lunch and Dinner.
DAY 10: Game drive in Akagera National Park
This day you will explore the park and its inhabitants. A knowledgeable ranges
will join you in your vehicle to guide you around the park and hopefully help you
to spot the big 5
Accommodation: Akegera Game lodge
Meal plan: Breakfast, packed lunch & dinner.
DAY 11: Private boat Safari on Lake Ihema and drive back to Kigali.
Your final game excursion in Akagera National Park shall be by private boat on
Lake Ihema. From your boat you will see wildlife from a different vantage point
as you cruise along the shoreline. Crocodiles are seen basking on the banks,
hippos and various bird species. Elephants, buffaloes can also be seen at a
close range as they come to drink from the Lake. After lunch back to Kigali.
Journey time: 3-4 hours
Accommodation: Peponi
Meal plan: Breakfast.
DAY 12 Tour of Kigali (optional)
If you have time before you international flight departure you can ask your
guide a city tour of Kigali city before dropping you off to the airport in good time
for your flight. If you have late departure and require a day room please let us
know, we can book this at an additional cost.
PRIMATES, SAFARI & COMFORT.
Not ready to leave, no problem, extra nights at lodge can be booked upon
request. This is at your own cost.
Journey time: 50 minutes :1 hr
Accommodation: Not included
Meal plan: Breakfast
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