8 Days Akagera & Nyungwe National Parks

Arrival

On arrival at Kigali International Airport clear Rwanda customs & immigration formalities and proceed to Arrivals where you will be welcomed by our company representative, He will introduce you to the country of thousand hills and transfer you to the hotel for meals and accommodation.

Accommodation Option:

Luxury: Raddison blu, Marriot hotel, Serena Hotel
Mid-range: Des milles collines), Ubumwe Grand Hotel
Meal Plan: Breakfast and Dinner

Kigali Genocide Memorial and fly to Akagera National Park for Boat cruise and night game drive

The people of Rwanda embrace peace and reconciliation. They are committed to fight the ideology of genocide. The memorials found throughout the country are moving testimonies in memory of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi and the people who lost their lives. After breakfast at 8 am, you will be picked by our driver guide and head to Kigali Genocide Memorial; the final resting place for more than 250,000 victims of the Genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda, This memorial also serves to educate about genocide around the world in the 20th century. From here you will continue with a leisure lunch at Hotel de Mille Collines popular in Hotel Rwanda movie. Later at 1:30pm, you will board a scheduled flight to Akagera National Park.

Here, you will meet with our professional drive guide ready to escort you at the lodge and help you with checking in formalities.  Later you will go for a Sunset boat cruise on Lake Ihema; the second largest lake in Rwanda after Lake Kivu. On this amazing expedition, you will sail along the water edge which is covered with several trees, drift past numerous giant hippos and see several crocodiles some in the shallows of the water and other basking on the shore. In addition, you will see a number of water birds so professional birders will be able to identify a large number of birds. Later in the evening, you will go for a night game drive to spot akagera’s nocturnal wildlife. Meals and accommodation at the lodge.

Accommodation option

Middle-Range: Akagera Game Lodge
Luxury: Ruzizi Tented Lodge
Meal Plan: Lunch& Dinner

Full Game Drive

Home to Africa’s big five in Rwanda, famous for its panoramic views, exciting wildlife, and easy access, Akagera National Park lies in eastern Rwanda, hugging the border with Tanzania. It’s characterized by woodland, swamps, low mountains and savannah. Rolling hills of Acacia bush with panoramic views across scattered grassland, patches of thick forest and mosaic of swamp -fringed lakes along the meandering Akagera watercourse contribute to this park’s almost unrivalled diversity and scenic beauty. The varied terrain shelters various wildlife including zebras, giraffes, elephants, lions and hundreds of bird species, such as the rare shoebill stork. In the southern part of the park, vast Lake Ihema is home to hippos and crocodiles.After an early cup of the finest Rwandan coffee/tea, with a packed lunch, you will head for a game drive. The day game drive offers you the opportunity to spot a variety of wild animals such as elephants, buffalos, lions, Masai giraffe, gazelles, impala, baboons, oribi, Butchel’s zebra, topi, bush baby, leopard and bushbuck not to forget water lovers like Crocodiles and Hippos, coupled with large concentration of bird life; over 525 species identified.  Meals and accommodation the Hotel.

Accommodation option

Middle-Range: Akagera Game Lodge 
 Luxury: Ruzizi Tented Lodge
Meal Plan: Lunch& Dinner

Fly to Kigali

Spend your morning relaxing at your lodge observing animals from your verandah. Later after lunch at 2:45 pm you will fly back to Kigali, Meals and accommodation at the hotel.

Accommodation Option

Luxury: Raddison blu, Marriot hotel, Serena Hotel
Mid-range: Des milles collines), Ubumwe Grand Hotel
Meal Plan: Breakfast and Dinner

Fly to Nyungwe National Park

Nyungwe rain-forest national park is located in the Southwestern region of Rwanda, at an elevation of over 1600m, sounds and sights collaborate to create a magic experience as you journey through the majestic rainforest. The park holds the source of Africa’s great rivers, feeding the Nile in the east and Congo River in the west, and is known as the most endemic species -rich in Africa. It is a home to habituated chimpanzees and 12 other primate species, birds with over 300 species, butterflies and moths abound and the forest comprises of more than 243 species with canopy reaching 70m high in places, orchids and over 1000 plant typesAfter breakfast, relax at the hotel and later fly to a Nyungwe National Park, you will ride above the land of a thousand hills to get a Birdseye view of Rwanda’s endless rolling green hills and pristine water banks.

Accommodation Option

Super Luxury: One and only Nyungwe house
Mid-range: Nyungwe Top View Hill Hotel
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Chimpanzee trekking and canopy walkway

After breakfast, hike into the depth of Nyungwe rainforest for chimpanzee trekking.  The adventure includes traversing through the vines and thorny bushes across the forest floor along the muddy trails and before long you will find yourself in the middle of a group of chimpanzees. Chimpanzees still rule the landscape here, flourishing in a place that has been untouched by man. You will have a sure real intimacy with the chimpanzees observing them as they go about their day to day activities and you can tell that they are biologically similar to yourself.

Later after lunch you will go for canopy walkway that gives an exhilarating perspective on the ancient treetops, bird’s eye view of the Albertine Rift endemic species and countless butterflies, for meals and accommodation at lodge.

Accommodation Option

Super Luxury: One and only Nyungwe house
Mid-range: Nyungwe Top View Hill Hotel
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Waterfall hike and Umuyove trail

After breakfast, you will head for waterfall hike, Nyungwe’s biggest waterfall and the inspiration for the trail’s name – isumo is waterfall in Kinyarwanda. At roughly 17 m in height, it is even more impressive for the force with which it shoots through a narrow gap into a stunning amphitheater, lined with fluttering fronds of ferns, flowers and lianas, all thriving in the mist zone of the fall. There are caves in the overhanging cliffs, and a rainbow in the spray on sunny days. Three km to the east, and 100 m higher in elevation, lies the bottom of the thirteen square kilometer Kamiranzovu Marsh, which drains over the rim of this water-carved canyon. After waterfall hike you will head for lunch and later proceed with Umuyove Trail hike. This is one of the famous hikes within the park and its filled with fantastic views of the waterfalls and the orchids along with many other wild flowers for you to enjoy the hike. The Umuyove means Mahogany and many of these trees line this trail which makes it a more enjoyable hike. On this hike, you will also meet birds and primates. The trail is only 5.5 km and it takes 3.5 hours.

For meals and accommodation at the Lodge

Accommodation Option0

Super Luxury: One and only Nyungwe house
Mid-range: Nyungwe Top View Hill Hotel
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

After breakfast, relax at the lodge and later fly to Kigali to connect with your international flight.