Talk to the Expert
With a Kenyan father, Indian grandparents, and a Portuguese surname, travel is in my blood. I am enthralled by Africa and would happily talk about this diverse continent’s wildlife, cultures, and experiences all day, every day.
Gemma
Africa Specialist
Overview
- 4 Nights
- Private
- June – March
- Easy
- 10hours from London / 16 hours from NYC
Highlights
This week-long private tour of Rwanda gives you a taste for two of the most beautiful national parks in the country. You’ll start your tour in Kigali, where you have a night to relax and recover after your international flight. The following morning, you will fly to Akagera National Park in eastern Rwanda, to spend two nights on safari at Magashi Lodge. This park is diverse in its landscape, made up of wetlands, savannahs and dense forests. As a result, the game viewing is interesting and there are plenty of mammals and birds to enjoy. You will then fly to Volcanoes National Park in the northwest of the country to spend two nights in this breathtakingly beautiful forest. Here you will have the opportunity to go mountain gorilla tracking. Add extra nights on to the end of the itinerary if you would like an extra gorilla trek, or the opportunity to also track the golden monkeys before heading back to Kigali. All of our tours are personalized and suited to you.
Why Book with Us
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Book your trip with us and pay a reduced deposit with the rest 90 days before your departure
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What's Included
- Six nights in 4 or 5* accommodation on a full board basis
- A professional and experienced English speaking guide throughout your trip
- Transportation in 4x4 safari vehicle with pop up roof
- All entrance, concession and community fees
- Rwanda Emergency Evacuation services
- Local house drinks, where indicated
- 24/7 staff support
Day by Day Itinerary
Day 1 Arrival into Kigali
You will arrive into Kigali International Airport, be welcomed by your guide and then transferred you to your hotel. If you arrive in the morning and would like to explore Kigali, we can arrange private walking or guided tours of the city, or perhaps take you to some places of interest, such as art galleries, workshops or museums. If you arrive in the evening, you may choose to have a have a banana wine “Urwagwa” experience. This experience involves making traditional beer from fermentation of mashed bananas. Sorghum or millet is added as a source of wild yeast to facilitate the fermentation process. Alternatively, you can choose to have to a coffee master class. This involves having a short history coffee lesson, harvesting the cherries from the trees in the coffee farm and making your own coffee blend. There is plenty to do in Kigali but similarly if you’d prefer checking in your hotel and relaxing by the pool, that is a possibility.
- Preferred Hotel Kigali Serena Hotel
Day 2 Akagera National Park
Today after breakfast, you will be dropped off at Kigali Airport for your flight to Akagera National Park with a private charter flight. You may choose to have a scenic tour of the park before landing. Upon arrival, you will be met at the airstrip and transferred to Magashi Lodge. Akagera park borders beautiful rising and falling plains, solid broad-leafed forests, and brighter acacia woods that define its favorable nature to animals and visitors. In the afternoon, you’ll have the opportunity to go for your first Rwandan game drive – with the possibility to spot giraffe, buffalo, elephant, crocodile, hippo and spotted hyena among others.
Day 3 Akagera National Park
You’ll start your day with an early morning game drive in Akagera National Park, looking out for a variety of mammals and bird life. With small numbers of vehicles in the park, you’ll appreciate the peace and tranquillity, as well as the diverse flora and fauna. Head back to the lodge for lunch and in the afternoon, you will enjoy a boat ride on the Lake Ihema. 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. This is a great way to experience the park from another angle and viewpoint.
Day 4 Volcanoes National Park – Singita Kwitonda Lodge
Enjoy breakfast at the lodge before flying over to the Volcanoes National Park (or as they say locally the Parc National des Volcanoes). The flight itself will be a special way to see the park. You’ll fly over Rwanda’s dramatic landscape, gradually climbing to the base of the Virunga volcanoes. It’s a good way to understand the sheer size of the Virunga Massif – a volcano and mountain range extending over Rwanda, Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo. You’ll arrive at your lodge in time for lunch and you can spend the afternoon at leisure or explore the town of Ruhengeri. Get an early night before your gorilla trek the next day.
Day 5 Volcanoes National Park – Singita Kwitonda Lodge
Enjoy an early morning breakfast and a hot cup of coffee before heading to Ruhengeri – the park headquarters. Today you will experience the highlight of your trip by visiting the mountain gorillas, who live and are habituated here in the park. After your safety briefing, you will be led by an experienced ranger / guide who will tell you the history and current challenges of the mountain gorillas – an incredible yet endangered species. Your gorilla tracking experience can be anything between 2 and 6 hours, before heading back to the lodge to relax. You can also do optional activities should you wish and have time, such as a visit to the Dianne Fossey grave.
Day 6 Fly back to Kigali and head home
Today, you will either drive or fly back to Kigali, the place it all started. On route, your driver/ guide will explain the history and devastating happenings of the genocide and, should you be interested, you can visit the genocide museum on your city tour. Alternatively, head back to the hotel to relax or connect onto your international fights home or to your onwards destination.
What's not Included
- International flights to/ from Kigali
- Gratuities for local guides
- Gorillas permits
- Visas if required
- Any optional activities not included
Let’s make this itinerary yours.
Speak to our experienced Destinations Experts about designing this itinerary around your budget and needs
Why book with Unforgettable Travel Co.
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100% Financial Protection
We are a licensed and fully bonded tour operator financially protected by both the Civil Aviation Authority (ATOL) and the Association of Bonded Travel Organisers Trust (ABTOT). All clients that travel with us are fully financially protected.
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Destination Experts
Our travel experts live and breathe the destinations they specialise in. This shows in their passionate to create hand crafted trips for our clients. We don’t offer cookie cutter trips, just truly unforgettable journeys unlike any other.
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The Best Guides
What makes our trips extraordinary is the unique immersive experiences we include. We pride ourselves in our black book of sought after expert guides, game rangers and local contacts who believe in our philosophy, unforgettable.
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We Care
From the moment you book your trip, we are on hand 24/7 to assist you throughout your journey. With regional offices around the world, we have ground logistics teams on hand to help you every step of the way.
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