Detailed Itinerary 

Day 1: ARRIVAL AT THE AIRPORT – TRANSFER TO HOTEL IN KIGALI

On arrival at the Kigali International Airport, you will meet and greet your guide from Palms Travel Bureau Ltd. You will receive a briefing from the guide and then transfer to your hotel in Kigali for an overnight. Dinner is not included.

Overnight at Hotel des Mille Collines (poolside rooms) (-/-/-)

Day 2: KIGALI (CITY TOUR) – TRANSFER TO AKAGERA NATIONAL PARK

After breakfast at the hotel, you will go for a city tour. You will have a chance to see the Parliament and walk through the commercial area of Kigali City. You will then proceed to the crafts village for handcrafts/souvenirs shopping. Afterwards, you will visit the genocide memorial center in Gisozi. After the memorable experience, we will have lunch and then proceed to Akagera National Park for an overnight (approx. 3 – 4 hours).

Dinner and overnight at Akagera Game Lodge (B/L/D)

Day 3: AKAGERA NATIONAL PARK

With our packed breakfast, we will go for an early morning game drive (is approximately 6-7 hours) in the northern area of the park, where we will have a chance of spotting some nocturne animals like hyenas, leopards, etc and warthogs, buffalos, giraffes, hartebeests, Oribis, bushbucks, waterbucks and many other antelopes. We will return to the lodge for lunch and relax for a few minutes. In the afternoon we take a boat cruise on Lake Ihemba on a look out for schools of hippos Maasai giraffe, gazelles, impala, baboons, oribi, Butchel’s zebra, topi, bushbaby, leopard and bushbuck, crocodiles and numerous bird species (about 550 species) like Goliath heron, pelican bee– eater, kingfisher, hornbill, cormorant and the rare shoebill stork.

Dinner and overnight at Akagera Game Lodge(B/L/D)

Day 4: AKAGERA NATIONAL PARK – TRANSFER TO NYUNGWE FOREST NATIONAL PARK

After very early breakfast, we will depart to Butare the second largest city of Rwanda. Butare is famous because it houses the National research Institutions and the National University. It is regarded as the academic city of Rwanda. The traditional Ballet of Rwanda is one of Africa’s longest established and least exposed musical traditions. In fact, the art form was refined over centuries in the courts of the Rwandan Mwami (kings). In Butare, you will also visit the famous national dance group “The Intore Dancers”. This is the best dance group you should not miss. The ‘Dance of Heroes’ is performed by men wearing grass wigs and carrying spears. The background is a dance performed by returning warriors, celebrating victory in battle. You will visit the Mwami (kings) palace and the National Museum which is regarded as the best Museum in East Africa before proceeding to Nyungwe Forest National park. 

Dinner and overnight at Nyungwe Top View Hill Hotel (B/L/D)

Day 5: NYUNGWE FOREST NATIONAL PARK

Early breakfast and drive to Nyungwe Forest National Park headquarters for briefing before setting off to track the chimpanzees. You should be at the briefing point at least 06:00hrs. Nyungwe Rainforest boasts of 13 rare primate species, the World’s largest ever recorded arboreal troop of black/white colobus monkeys, I’hoestes, red colobus, blues, red tailed and gray– cheeked mangabey, etc; over 300 species of birds and 100 types of orchid. Return to the lodge for lunch and in the afternoon you can take a walk in the tea plantations.

Dinner and overnight at Nyungwe Top View Hill Hotel (B/L/D)

Day 6: NYUNGWE FOREST NATIONAL PARK – TRANSFER TO KINIGI

Early breakfast and transfer to Kinigi at the base of the Virunga Mountains. We will drive via Kigali city (approx 6-7 hours) where we have lunch and then proceed through the stunning scenery of lush green hills and valleys (Rwanda is commonly referred to as “the Land of a Thousand Hills” and sometimes as the “Switzerland of Africa”) to Kinigi (approx. 2½ hours).

Dinner and overnight at Mountain Gorilla View Lodge (B/L/D)

Day 7: KINIGI – VOLCANOES NATIONAL PARK

Early breakfast and transfer for about 10 minutes to Volcanoes National Park headquarters at the base of the base of Sabyinyo Mountain (Sabyinyo means “old man’s molar teeth”) for briefing before setting off for mountain gorilla trekking. The guides and ranger are very experienced. They will brief you on the behaviors of the mountain gorillas as well as the strict rules that you are supposed to obey. Each habituated group is supposed to be visited by only 8 people a day and once you have located them, you only have one hour to take photos. Thereafter, you will walk back to the starting point. Note, you are supposed to carry with you repellants, use trekking shoes, carry a rain jackets since it’s a volcanic area, it can rain at anytime, no flashes are allowed and each person must carry a minimum of 2 litres of mineral water. Since we cannot tell where the mountain gorillas will be waiting for you, you are also requested to take packed lunch (the hike can take between 3 – 8 hrs, in altitudes exceeding 7.400 feet).

Dinner and overnight at Mountain Gorilla View Lodge (B/L/D)

Optional activity (price not included):

You can go for aguided eco village walk (gifts/presents are expected by the villagers visited) as well as visit the cultural centre. You will have the chance of meeting some of the members of the Batwa, also referred to as Pygmies (they are the original inhabitants of the Great Lakes region). NOTE that the possibility of realizing this activity will depend on the time the gorilla trekking takes.(Cost per person US$30)

Day 8: KINIGI – TRANSFER TO KIGALI (DEPARTURE)

Breakfast and transfer to Kigali International Airport for your departure flight. We recommend departure flights after 13:00hrs to avoid inconveniences. (B/-/-)

****End of services provided by Palms Travel****