Day 1, Arrival in Kigali
Upon arrival at the Airport, you will be personally met by our company representative who will transfer you to your Hotel in Kigali for dinner and overnight stay at Kigali Serena Lodge (Luxury), Golf Hills Residence (Mid range) or Chezlando Hotel/Step Town Hotel/Okapi Hotel (Budget)
Day 2, Transfer to Butare
After breakfast, you will transfer from Kigali to Butare which is the 2nd biggest city of Rwanda and it’s therefore regarded as the intellectual city of Rwanda. This is so because the city hosts National Museum, The National University and several other Universities, and so many research institutions. En route to the town, you will visit Nyanza currently Nyabisindu for an exploration of the former Mwami’s palace (King’s palace) and the seat of the feudal monarchy. Upon reaching Butare, you will visit the National Museum which is one the well set-up if not the finest ethnographic museum of East Africa. It’s a good source of information on the cultural history of Rwanda and the region. Dinner and overnight stay in Butare town
Day 3, Butare tour and transfer to Nyungwe
After breakfast at your Hotel, you will visit the botanical Gardens and also the locally revered hot springs in Rugarama. Return back for lunch and in the afternoon, transfer to Nyungwe Forest National Park with a brief stopover at the Uwinka offices for the information concerning the presence of the semi-habituated groups of chimps and colobus monkeys. Dinner and overnight stay at Gisakura Guest House (Budget) or Nyungwe forest Lodge (Luxury)
Day 4, Chimpanzee trekking in Nyungwe
Early morning after breakfast you will visit Nyungwe National Park for a day’s chimp trek with in this forest. First you will get a briefing from the ranger guides and then later you will enter the forest to search for the chimpanzee and other primates such as: Angolan Colobus (Colobus angolensis), Red tailed monkeys, Varvet monkeys and so on. Dinner and overnight stay at Gisakura Guest House (Budget) or Nyungwe forest Lodge (Luxury)
Day 5, Transfer to Gisenyi via Kibuye
After breakfast, you will transfer to Gisenyi via Kibuye. The journey will take you through beautiful countryside, crossing valleys full of agricultural produce. Kibuye is one of the three resort towns on Lake Kivu and is the most beautiful among them. You will arrive in time for lunch in Kibuye after which you will take a speed boat to Gisenyi town. On the boat trip, you will encounter local people, fishing villages and the fishermen and the residents of the Idjwi Island (Congo) who are rowing long distances in their dugout canoes to visit the Rwanda markets. Reach Gisenyi in time for Lunch. Spend the rest of the afternoon resting. Dinner and overnight stay at Stipp Hotel (Budget) Serena Kivu Sun Hotel (Luxury)
Day 6, Transfer to Kinigi
After breakfast, you will leave the beautiful Gisenyi town and transfer to Kinigi with en route stopover at the Ross Carr’s Imbabazi Orphanage. The Orphanage was founded by Mrs. Rosamond Halsey Carr in late 1994 at Mugongo to care for the genocide orphans. After the tour you will have lunch and transfer to Kinigi where you will reach in the evening. Dinner and overnight stay at Le Bambou Gorilla Lodge (mid range) or Kinigi Guest House (Budget ) Mountain Gorilla view Lodge (Luxury)
Day 7, Gorilla tracking in Rwanda
After breakfast at your Lodge, you will get a short briefing from the ranger guides before you set off for your wonderful gorilla trek. Like in Uganda, you are also allowed to stay with the Gorillas for only one hour. You will utilize this time to watch the Gorillas as they go about their daily activities, take photographs and Video coverage and so on. Trekking in Rwanda is not as tiresome as it in Uganda and also the tracking time is not as long as that of its neighbour Uganda. Return back to the lodge for lunch and in the afternoon, you will visit the Twin Lakes of Burera and Ruhondo for a cultural experience. Dinner and overnight stay at Le Bambou Gorilla Lodge (mid range) or Kinigi Guest House (Budget ) Mountain Gorilla view Lodge (Luxury)
Day 8, Dian Fossey trek and transfer to Uganda via Kisoro
After breakfast, you will go for morning Dian Fossey’s grave trek on Mt. Karisimbi and Karisoke. Here you will get to know more about this historical lady who is well-known for saving so many Gorilla lives from the poachers and also encouraged Mountain Gorilla conservation. After this you will transfer to Uganda by crossing the border at Cyanika and then to Kisoro. Dinner and overnight stay at Kisoro Tourist Hotel (Mid range) or Kisoro Traveler’s Rest Hotel (Luxury) or 3 Way Gorilla Resort (budget)
Day 9, Golden Monkey tracking in Mgahinga National Park
Early morning after breakfast, you will track the rare Golden Monkeys in Mgahinga National Park. These great primates can be found in the thick and cold jungles within the forests in the Park. Golden Monkey tracking is very advantageous and you will also come across other primate species and a lot of bird species. Return to your lodge for lunch after which you will go for sightseeing on Lake Mutanda. Dinner and overnight stay at Kisoro Tourist Hotel (Mid range) or Kisoro Traveler’s Rest Hotel (Luxury) or 3 Way Gorilla Resort (budget)
Day 10, Transfer to Lake Bunyonyi
After an early morning breakfast, you will transfer to Lake Bunyonyi via Kabale region also known as the Switzerland of Africa. Spend the afternoon resting and have your dinner and overnight stay at Bunyonyi safaris resort (Luxury) or Bunyonyi Arcadia Cottages (Mid range)/Bunyonyi Overland camp (Budget) (B-L-D)
Day 11, Full day at Lake Bunyonyi
After breakfast, you will dedicate the whole of this day at the Lake relaxing. In the afternoon, you will take a boat ride to some of the Islands on the lake and get to know their history. Dinner and overnight stay at Bunyonyi safaris resort (Luxury) or Bunyonyi Arcadia Cottages (Mid range)/Bunyonyi Overland camp (Budget) (B-L-D)
Day 12, Transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park
After breakfast, you will drive to Queen Elizabeth National Park via Ishaka and the Ishasha sector for a brief stopover and game drive to see the rare tree climbing lions and other game safaris. You will arrive late afternoon where you will relax at your lodge after checking in as you prepare for dinner and overnight stay at Mweya Safari Lodge/Jacana Safari Lodge (Luxury), Katara Lodge/Queen Elizabeth Bush Lodge (mid range) or Simba safari camp (budget) (B-L-D)
Day 13, Game drive and launch cruise
After a morning breakfast, you will take on a morning game drive to catch-up with the early risers and predators while returning to their hideouts. You are most likely see the grazing, Elephants, Lions, spotted Hyenas, bush buck, water buck, stripped jackal, warthogs and if you are lucky you can as well spot the Leopard. Return back to your lodge for lunch after which you will take on an afternoon Launch cruise along Kazinga Channel which joins Lakes Edward and George. The cruise will offer you views of animals like the hippos, buffalos, Kobs and the Nile crocodile and a lot of bird species. Dinner and overnight stay at Mweya Safari Lodge/Jacana Safari Lodge (Luxury), Katara Lodge/Queen Elizabeth Bush Lodge (mid range) or Simba safari camp (budget) (B-L-D)
Day 14, Transfer back to Rwanda
After breakfast, you will leave Uganda and transfer back to Rwanda via the Uganda-Rwanda Katuna border. Reach Kigali in the afternoon and spend the rest of the time, relaxing at your hotel. dinner and overnight stay at Kigali Serena Lodge (Luxury), Golf Hills Residence (Mid range) or Chezlando Hotel/Step Town Hotel/Okapi Hotel (Budget)
Day 15, Kigali city tour and departure
After breakfast, you will set out for a city tour which will take you around the Genocide Memorial sites and other interesting places. Later depending on the time of your flight, you will be transferred to the Airport to catch your flight back home
