RWANDA

EXPERIENCE THE LAND OF A THOUSAND HILLS.

10 DAYS RWANDAN EXPERIENCE – INCLUDES AFRICAN SAFARI AND GORILLA TREKKING!

CAD 10,000

Interested in joining a group? We still have spots.

Group travel date: July 8-17, 2024

For booking/ enquiries, please email – travel@celebrateafricatours.com

ITINERARY

Day 1. Arrival Day

Welcome to Kigali, Rwanda! We hope that you are ready to experience this wonderful country because this is truly going to be a remarkable journey for you. History, culture, nature, dance and immense joy await you. 

On arrival at the Kigali International Airport, you will be warmly welcomed by our wonderful team and transferred to your hotel at the lovely Mille Collines Hotel located in the heart of Kigali. There is so much history to this location and we will be sharing that with you on this tour.

Please take your time to rest from your flight, walk around the hotel to familiarize yourself and later enjoy a sumptuous dinner.

Day 2. Kigali City Tour

Today you will enjoy a day outside under the African sun as you tour around Kigali. Kigali is nice and warm at this time of the year. Be sure to bring your sun-screen, sun glasses and a sun-hat. 

Walking is a great way to get to know the city and interact with Rwandans who are known to be friendly and welcoming. After a brief orientation tour in the city, we’ll venture a little farther out to surrounding neighbourhoods so you get to enjoy the diversity of the city. Our tour will lead us to the Kigali Genocide Memorial. This is an important site of heritage to learn about the country’s colonial past and the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi and how the country is rebuilding to foster a peaceful thriving society.

Lunch will be served at a local restaurant before we continue to see more of the city in the afternoon. Included in the afternoon tour is a visit to the Nyandungu Urban Wetland Ecotourism Park. Nestled away from the city, it offers visitors a space to disconnect from the busy-ness of the city and connect with nature. It’s an urban haven for nature and bird lovers.

You’ll end your day with a welcome dinner at a local restaurant.

Day 3. Visit Reconciliation Village

Today is a uniquely special day as you will spend more time to get to know Rwandans through their stories of hope, faith, courage, and resilience. 

The day’s activities include a visit to Nyamata Church Genocide Memorial and engage in conversation about the Church and the Genocide. 

You will then experience community in Reconciliation villages – community-driven spaces in which survivors of the genocide live side-by-side with perpetrators of the genocide. You will visit on of the villages near Kigali to meet and interact with the community members to hear their stories and have conversations about the inclusive future that they are collectively re-building. 

There will be many meaningful activities to engage in at the village together with community members including traditional Rwandan lunch preparation. 

Upon return to Kigali you will enjoy your leisure evening time in the city which you can choose to experience the night life of check out favourite local dinner spots. 

Day 4. African Safari and Authentic Rwandan Cultural experience 

Today, we head East and into the wild!

After breakfast, we’ll drive to Akagera National Park for an African Safari adventure. En route, we will stop by the Women’s Opportunity Centre, a training centre for more than 300 women – many of whom are survivors of war. More than a training centre, it is a “community hub that fosters collaboration, support, and solidarity among genocide survivors.” You’ll have the unique opportunity to interact with this wonderful community of women as they share about their hand-crafted creations and Rwandan culture. If you’re up to try a traditional Rwandan beer, this would be your chance 🙂 We’ll also have a taste of traditional Rwandan food prepared by the women at the centre. 

We’ll then proceed to Akagera National Park. You’ll check into you hotel room at the Akagera Game Lodge. The rest of the afternoon is free for you to rest as you take in the amazing Sahara views in the park. 

You wouldn’t want to miss the night game drive after your dinner. It’s a fun experience spotting nocturnals as they go hunting or the rare herd of rhinos grazing. 

Day 5. Full day game drive in the park and behind the scenes 

You’ll start your day with an early morning game drive. Mornings are great times to spot the big Five. You will have picnic lunch in the park followed by a “behind the scenes” with park rangers to learn about conservation efforts and community involvement. 

Enjoy a beautiful evening sunset on Lake Ihema. Akagera National Park is special in East Africa because of its many lakes. 

Day 6. All roads lead to Volcanoes National Park! 

Today, we leave the wild and head to the rainforest Virunga Massif – home of the Mountain Gorillas. En route, you will visit a local market where you can purchase some delicious local fruit. Lunch will be at a local restaurant in Kigali. 

Enjoy the beautiful changing scenery of land’s rolling hills as you head to Ingagi Park View Lodge – a lovely eco-friendly lodge where you will spend the night. 

You’ll have the evening for rest and gazing at the beautiful volcanoes mountains as you imagine your hiking experience the next day as you visit the majestic inhabitants of the forest. In case you somehow missed it, we’re talking about Mountain Gorilla families. Once in danger of extinction, now a thriving species.

Day 7. Gorilla Trekking 

Today is the big day! In many ways, this is a climax of the tour as gorilla trekking is one of the most famous activities for visitors in Rwanda.

After an early breakfast you’ll be driven to the trekking station for briefing and meeting your expert guides. You can ask all the questions you have about your trek. The guides will be more than happy to answer you and provide all the guidance you need for this remarkable encounter. You will be told about the Mountain Gorilla family that you will visit today. We hope you encounter the cute baby Gorilla “Narame” [A Rwandan name meaning long life]- graciously named by Idris and Sabrina Elba! No guarantees though 🙂

After a fun and mesmerizing encounter with the Mountain Gorillas, you will enjoy a much deserved lunch and rest.

You will finish off the day with a visit of the Ellen Degeneres Campus of the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund. You’ll learn more about this gentle giants and the incredible conservation work of Dian Fossey and her life.

Dinner will be served back at the hotel.

Day 8. Nyungwe National Park – Oldest natural rainforest in Africa!

Not only is it the oldest natural rainforest in Africa, it’s also home to more than 1,000 animal, bird and plant species.

So we just had to make sure that you check it out. You’ll spend the day in nature taking walking and enjoying all that the rainforest has to offer. There are lots of actives to engage in from hiking to a beautiful waterfall or walking on a canopy for a supremely elevated view of the forest.

After your chosen experience, we’ll head over to Kivu Marina Bay Hotel for lunch and you’ll have the rest of your day spend as you wish either resting or walking around to get to see more of this side of Rwanda.

Day 9. Nyanza King’s Palace Museum

The drive from Nyungwe national Park to Nyanza King’s Palace is simply breathtaking. The beautiful Lake Kivu’s waters and it’s small islands set against lush green rolling hills will be imprinted on your mind like a picture.

We’re approaching the tail-end of the tour and what a wonderful way to wind down by visiting the King’s Palace museum! What happened to the last King of Rwanda? How did his house look like? Who was allowed to prepare the King’s meals? We’ll find out more about the Rwandan Kingdom through a guided tour.

Lunch will be served at a local restaurant in Nyanza before we proceed to Kigali.

We will end the tour the same way we started with a shared farewell meal together as we symbolically say good-bye to Rwanda.

Day 10. Departure

Breakfast will be served and all visitors can leave at leisure to their on-ward destination. You’re welcome to do some last minute shopping in nearby souvenirs stores. We hope you’l be joining us on our next tour in Tanzania!