Journey Overview
Embark on a Rwandan adventure and have incredible encounters with two of the world’s great ape species; mountain gorillas and chimpanzees. Travel into the heart of Nyungwe National Park in search of the resident chimpanzee community before traveling up to the misty valleys of Volcanoes National Park and watch a gorilla family feed and play amongst the lush green fern. The mystical jungle floor will take a piece of your emotions and physical energy, so be prepared to store some unforgettable memories on the Rwanda Safari adventure.
Highlights
Go in search of black rhino and lion on 4x4 game drives in Akagera National Park.
Experience the famous canopy walkway.
Indulge in a variety of wellness experiences in the heart of Nyungwe National Park.
Come face to face with endangered mountain gorillas on a gorilla trekking experience.
Witness Rwanda’s lush, natural beauty and warm, friendly people.
Kigali city tour including the sobering Kigali Genocide Memorial Centre.
Hotel/lodge : One & Only Nyungwe House
Meal : Breakfast, lunch, and dinner, accompanied with select alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages
Detailed Itinerary
Day 1: Arrival – Kigali
The arrival of your flight at Kigali International Airport, meet and greet assistance, you will be warmly welcomed by our Vazquez Tours & Travel Ltd representative outside customs and immigration hall, safari briefing then introduction to your driver-guide. Thereafter you will be transferred to Kigali Serena Hotel, the drive from Kigali International Airport to Kigali Serena Hotel is approximately 20 minutes.
This is a lovely hotel which we use as a base in Kigali, with all the comforts you could ever need during your stopover. Each room’s, design and detailing reflect the hotel’s Pan-African heritage with sophisticated furnishings perfectly complemented by plush fabrics in bright colour palettes. There are two restaurants here you can enjoy this evening.
Hotel/lodge : 5-Star Kigali Serena Hotel
Meal : Dinner only
Day 2: Kigali to Nyungwe National Park
Breakfast at the hotel, check-out and settlement of extras. Drive south to Nyanza, the historical seat of the Rwandan Kingdom, to visit the ancient King’s Palace Museum (Rukali). Continue to Nyungwe Forest National Park. Along the way, observe traditional Rwandan daily life in the villages.
Arrive at One & Only Nyungwe House, an ultra-luxury hideaway immersed in nature. You will be met by the resort staff and guided to the reception, assisted with check-in.
Nestled on the edge of the vast and ancient Nyungwe rainforest, within the lush green expanse of a working tea plantation, One & Only Nyungwe House in Rwanda offers guests opportunity to go where few have gone before, with once-in-a-lifetime experiences in one of the world’s most exceptional natural locations. Immersed in wild beauty surrounded by awe-inspiring jungle views, every element of the resort has been carefully considered, with inspired farm-to-table dining, spa and wellness offerings that embrace nature and local traditions, and curated, authentic experiences discovery.
Hotel/lodge : One & Only Nyungwe House
Meal : Breakfast, lunch, and dinner, accompanied with select alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages
Day 3: Chimpanzee trekking – Canopy walk experience
Meet the Nyungwe National Park’s most charismatic residents on a signature chimpanzee discovery trek. Your experienced guides will lead you through the protected jungle that borders Nyungwe House, the natural home of one of East Africa’s rare chimpanzee populations and troops of Colobus monkeys. A rustle of leaves, and then, through the branches, you will spot a chimpanzee gazing down from the fig trees. Or perhaps you will a troop of tree-dwelling chimps catapulting off through the canopy. Every trek is different, and the jungle’s charismatic chimpanzees are full of surprises.
After the chimpanzee trekking, you will return to the lodge for an early lunch. After you will be driven to your guided canopy walk. The Canopy Walkway consists of three bridges and three towers and is a total length of the walkway is 160m. The walkway is embedded in a guided tour along Igishigishi Trail. Taking this tour, a specialized park guide will not only show you the forest canopy but also explain why it is an integral part of the tropical rainforest ecosystem.
Hotel/lodge : One & Only Nyungwe House
Meal : Breakfast, lunch, and dinner, accompanied with select alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages
Day 4: Nyungwe to Musanze /Volcanoes National Park
Breakfast at the hotel, drive to Musanze /Volcanoes National Park through Kibuye with spectacular views of Lake Kivu. Arrive at The Bishop’s House Rwanda, you will be met by the lodge staff and guided to the reception. Assisted with check-in, followed by a sumptuous hot lunch.
The Bishop’s House is a luxurious, colonial style boutique hotel with just nine elegant bedrooms, located just a stone’s throw from the wilds of the Volcanoes National Park that is home to Rwanda’s famous mountain gorillas and a myriad of spectacular wildlife.
We adore this lovely property for its colonial style architecture and furnishings which truly sets it apart from others in the area. With just nine luxuriously decorated rooms, this is a haven of tranquility, surrounded by flora and fauna along with sights and sounds of nature, making it the perfect location to unwind and enjoy the calm of the land of a thousand hills. All rooms are furnished with large, antique hand crafted four-poster beds on a wooden floor that envelopes the occupant in warmth and grandeur in the en-suite bathrooms you will be met with hot showers and bathrobes warm and soft to the touch.
You can take your time to ease into your home from home before your big day tomorrow - trekking to find those beautiful gorillas in their natural habitat!
You can take your time to ease into your home from home before your big day tomorrow - trekking to find those beautiful gorillas in their natural habitat!
Hotel/lodge : The Bishop’s House
Meal : Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, all soft drinks, local beers, house wine, and laundry services
Day 5: Gorilla Trekking Experience – Volcanoes National Park
After an early breakfast, you will be collected at the lodge and driven to the Volcanoes National Park to be allocated a gorilla tracking group. At Approximately 07h00 you will receive a briefing by your trackers, and then drive to the trailhead for the start of an amazing adventure.
Your exhilarating trek, in the footsteps of the rare and endangered Mountain Gorillas, the largest living primate on earth, starts in the cultivated foothills of the Virungas with stirring views in all directions. Upon entering the national park, her paths littered with fresh spoor of the mountains’ elusive buffalo and elephant, trekkers will be immersed in the mysterious intimacy of the rainforest, alive with colorful bird calls, butterflies, etc.
Our experienced trackers, who spent their entire lives in or close to this forest, soon bring us up close with the family. Upon sighting the gorillas, you will stay with them for a magical hour as they go about their daily life, feeding, playing, resting, and raising their young. Coming face to face with a giant silverback must truly be one of the greatest wildlife experiences on earth!
Following this magical experience, you will then make your way back down the mountainside. Arriving back at the ranger station you will enjoy a short transfer back to your lodge where you then have the remainder of your day at leisure.
Hotel/lodge : The Bishop’s House
Meal : Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, all soft drinks, local beers, house wine, and laundry services
Day 6: Musanze to Kigali – Question Coffee Master Class – Departure
Breakfast at the hotel, check-out and drive back to Kigali city. Upon arrival, visit the Question Coffee café for a master class session, lunch at Select Boutique Hotel. Later, transfer to Kigali International Airport, assisted bid farewell to your driver-guide and proceed to check-in for your outbound flight. Wishing you an excellent trip!
Lunch will be at Heaven restaurant in Kiyovu. Later, transfer to Kigali International Airport, assisted bid farewell to your driver-guide and proceed to check-in for your outbound flight. Wishing you an excellent trip!
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