ugandaAdventures11

Day 1; Arrive Kigali Airport.

Our tour guide will receive you upon you arrival and he will transfer you to your hotel around Akagera National park. Akagera National Park is composed of wetland, woodland and savannah and it has the lowest point of Rwanda, and hence warmer and drier depending on different seasons. You can go for an evening game drive and look for the Giraffe, Buffalo, Elephant and variety of bird species and is know to have one of the legendary bird species, the shoe bill stock which is some times seen at the shores of Akagera Lake. Dinner and over night at

Accommodation; Akagera game lodge/ tented camps

Day 2;- Morning game drive in Akagera national park

You will have a day for game drive searching for animals that are known to be in this park that you may have missed seeing in the previous day’s evening game drive in Akagera National park. Akagera National park’s game drive tracks have been invigorated and those who enjoy African game drives will be at a treat. Return to the lodge for mid morning breakfast and then have lunch. Later in the afternoon, you will go for a boat ride on the nearby lakes. The boat ride will expose you to so many water birds and animals that come along the shores to take water. Dinner and over night at your lodge

Day 3; Akagera National Park – Kigali

You will have an early morning game drive just after breakfast and then head to Mt Mutumba (1825M above sea level), you have a Picnic lunch from there. The mountain provides a very nice and scenic view of the park. From her you will transfer to Kigali where you spend the night and have you dinner at your lodge in Kigali. If you missed the City tour the previous day, you can visit the Kigali’s genocide memorial centre in Kigali before you retire for dinner and over night at

Luxury; Kigali Serena/

Moderate; The luxury hotel, gorillas’ golf hotel.

Budget; Chezlando

Day 4; Transfer to Nyungwe National Park.

After breakfast, you will drive to the south western part of Kigali to Nyungwe Forest national park,. Nyungwe forest is on a higher altitude and simply placed on a 970 square kilometers land and it apparently creates its own climate from its own biodiversity. Nyungwe proffers a numerous biodiversity and it is the largest protected high altitude rain forest in East Africa and a river catchment area for the Nile, the Congo Rivers and so many others.

It is apart of Albertine Rift Valley system, the forest has so many species which include , mammals , reptiles, birds, primates, amphibians and plants hence worth the efforts for those who visit it . For that reason, it has got high numbers of species endemism and if you get an opportunity to visit the forest, you can expect to see lots of mammals, bird, reptile, amphibian and plant species makes it worth the effort to visit. You can later on visit the different museums and genocide memorial centers and Nyanza en route and then have lunch en route. On arrival in the evening, you will indulge in an evening forest walk and thereafter retire for dinner at

Luxury; Nyungwe forest lodge,

Budget; Gisakura guest house.

Day 5; Chimpanzee Tracking

After your breakfast, you will drive breakfast head quarters for briefing before you start your chimpanzee tracking in Nyungwe forest. The time taken to track chimpanzee is 1-4 hour which means you will be out of the jungle by lunch time. During the hike , you will encounter other primates species in the park like the Silver monkey, Owl faced monkey ,Rwenzori collobus, L’Hoest’s monkey, the Grey cheeked Mangabey and many others After the trek, you will return to the lodge fro lunch. Later in the afternoon if chimpanzee tracking ends early, you can go for a canopy walk

Day 6; Nature walks

You will go for a nature walk this time to search for Colobus monkeys but this is subject to availability of permits and it will be done at an extra cost. The guides will this time explain to you the names of the birds that you will meet along this trail together with the flora and Fauna. Return to the lodge for lunch. Later relax as you wait for dinner and over night at your lodge.

Day 7; Nyungwe- Kibuye

After break fast, you will drive to the Bugarama hot water springs which is the largest and biggest natural spring in Rwanda passing via Cyamudongo natural forest. You can have a warm bath in the hot springs if time allows but this must be Pre – arranged. We will later drive to River Rusizi for a day trip with lunch and then later transfer to Kibuye town.

Budget; Moriah hill resort/ kibuye guest house

Midrange; Bethanie/Hotel Eden rock

Day 8;  Drive from Kibuye to Gisenyi

After having your breakfast, you will then drive to Gisenyi or you can get there by boat and once there, you will have time to relax. Either way; your journey will be enjoyable for both pass through picturesque areas hence making the adventure enjoyable. Dinner and over night at

Luxury; Kivu Serena Hotel/ Gorillas hotel Kivu

Midrange; Kivu Sun Hotel / Hotel Ubumwe

Budget; Stipp hotel/palm garden resort

Day 9; Transfer from Gisenyi to PNV

After breakfast and you will go for a nature walk along the shore of Lake Kivu and then take a boat ride along Lake Kivu, have lunch later on. In the afternoon, you will travel to Parc Des Volcanoes that is where you will have you dinner at either.

Luxury; Sabyinyo silver back, Virunga lodge,

Midrange; Mountain Gorilla View Lodge, Gorilla nest lodge

Budget; Hotel La Palme/Muhavura Hotel / Kinigi guest house.

Day 10; Gorilla Safari Rwanda

After breakfast, you will carry your packed lunch and head out for briefing at the ORTPN offices before you start gorilla tracking with your rangers. You will then start tracking gorillas in Rwanda during which you will come face to face with one of the most charming and thrilling beings in the world. After gorilla tracking, once you meet them, you will have time to stay with the gorillas for 1 hour and then go back to your lodge. If you still have some time, you can go visit the twin lakes of Ruhundo and Bulera but this is optional otherwise you can relax as you wait for dinner and over night at your lodge.

Day 11; Golden Monkey Trek.

You will have to wake up early in the morning and then go for briefing at the ORTPN Offices again in preparation for your Golden monkey trekking. Golden monkeys are yet another tourist’s attraction in this forest, they are there in big numbers and a number of tourists are interested in golden monkeys aside from the mountain gorillas. You will have both your lunch and dinner at your lodge as golden monkey tracking does not take long hours which means by lunch time you will be through.

Day 12; Dian Fossey Tombs Trek.

After breakfast, you will go for a visit at the grave of the late famous gorilla s research – Dian Fossey. The trek takes about 3 hours and your rangers will explain all the history of how the lady and give you all the details you may need to know regarding her research. Later in the afternoon after lunch, you will drive back to lodge and there you will have your dinner at either;

Day 13: Karisimbi Hike

You will assemble at the ORTPN Offices for registration, briefing and allotment of Ranger Guides who will escort you through trek the Mt. Karisimbi as well as hiking gear rentals. Mountain Karisimbi gets its name from a Rwandese word that means “white shell” in English, because it is often white-capped summit. The Karisimbi is the 5th highest snow capped mountain of Africa. The climb that must start early in the morning   and it takes 6 hours. Start the climb via the Bisoke side, then later the first stopping place which is at an altitude of 3.700 m , You will pitch your tents here and have dinner and overnight half way up of Mt. Karisimbi (Camping gear is required) Packed dinner for your stay on the mountain may be available if arranged prior.

Day 14; Descend and transfer back to Kigali.

You need to wake up early and descend from very top of Mt. Karisimbi. You can always take photos of the beautiful scenery and friendly plants. Descending down the volcano may take about 6 hours and then your guide will be there to transfer you back to Kigali. End of Rwanda Safaris with AA safaris and Tours Ltd.