This 10-day itinerary for a Rwanda encounter begins and concludes at Kigali International Airport. You will have the opportunity to experience stunning aerial views of the region through helicopter transfers to various destinations, including Misty Volcanoes National Park, Gisenyi, and Nyungwe National Park, before returning to Kigali. During your adventure, you will trek to see the Great Apes—the Mountain Gorillas and the Golden Monkeys—in Volcanoes National Park, visit the Rwanda-DRC border, engage in a range of water activities on Lake Kivu, and hike to observe the Chimpanzees and Colobus Monkeys while enjoying a canopy walk in Nyungwe National Park.
Detailed 10 Days Rwanda Encounter
Day 1: ARRIVAL
Upon your arrival at Kigali International Airport, you will complete immigration procedures before meeting your driver guide, who will take you to your hotel for your overnight stay.
Accommodation: Marriott Hotel Kigali (Luxury Option) or Onomo Hotel Kigali (Mid-range Option)
Day 2: HELICOPTER JOURNEY FROM KIGALI TO MUSANZE / VOLCANOES NATIONAL PARK
Following breakfast at the hotel, you will be transported to Kigali International Airport for a helicopter flight to Musanze. Upon arrival, you will be greeted by your driver-guide, who will escort you to your lodge. Lunch and dinner will be served at the lodge.
- Accommodation: One and Only Gorillas Nest (Luxury accommodation) or Five Volcanoes Boutique Hotel (Moderate accommodation)
- Meal plan: B, L, D
Day 3: GORILLA TREKKING
Following an early breakfast at the lodge, you will head to the park headquarters for a briefing before driving to the trailheads for the start of your exciting adventure.
You will be trekking the Mountain Gorillas, which are part of the Great Apes family, in Volcanoes National Park, Rwanda. This trek can take anywhere from 2 to 6 hours. The park is home to 12 habituated groups of Mountain Gorillas spread throughout its area. You’ll have the opportunity to observe one of these groups for an hour as they engage in their daily activities such as playing and eating.
After your trek, you will return to the lodge for lunch and spend the remainder of the day relaxing and enjoying the lodge’s amenities.
- Accommodation: One and Only Gorillas Nest (Luxury accommodation) or Five Volcanoes Boutique Hotel (Mid-range accommodation)
- Meal plan: B, L, D
Day 4: GOLDEN MONKEY TREKKING
After another early breakfast at the lodge, you will proceed to the park headquarters for a briefing and then drive to the trailheads for your next highlight: trekking the Golden Monkeys, which typically lasts about 4 hours. You will spend an hour observing these playful and curious primates as they enjoy their day, jumping from bamboo branches. After the trek, you’ll return to the Resort for lunch and then have the rest of the day to enjoy the lodge facilities.
- Accommodation: One and Only Gorillas Nest (Luxury accommodation) or Five Volcanoes Boutique Hotel (Mid-range accommodation)
- Meal plan: B, L, D
Day 5: HELICOPTER FLIGHT FROM MUSANZE / VOLCANOES NATIONAL PARK TO GISENYI
After breakfast, you will take a helicopter flight to Gisenyi where you’ll meet your driver-guide for a transfer to your hotel. Lake Kivu, one of Africa’s major lakes, is situated in the town of Rubavu in Gisenyi, straddling the border between Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo. It’s located in the Albertine Rift, which is part of the larger East African Rift system. Lake Kivu drains into the Ruzizi River, which flows south into Lake Tanganyika in Tanzania. There will be an opportunity to visit the border and observe the activities there. Enjoy lunch, dinner, and an overnight stay at your hotel.
- Accommodation: Lake Kivu Serena Hotel (Luxury accommodation) or Cleo Lake Kivu Hotel (Mid-range accommodation)
- Meal plan: B, L, D
Day 6: FULL DAY IN GISENYI
Lake Kivu
On this day, you will engage in various water activities on Lake Kivu such as kayaking, windsurfing, sport fishing, hiking, and biking along the lakeshore, among other options. Following lunch, you can unwind at the beach. Dinner and an overnight stay will be at the hotel.
- Accommodation: Lake Kivu Serena Hotel (Luxury Option) or Cleo Lake Kivu Hotel (Standard Option)**
Day 7: HELICOPTER FLIGHT FROM GISENYI TO NYUNGWE NATIONAL PARK
After enjoying breakfast at your lodge, you will take a helicopter flight to Nyungwe National Park. There, a driver guide will greet you and transport you to your new lodge. You will have lunch, dinner, and spend the night at the lodge.
- Accommodation: One and Only Nyungwe House (Luxury Option) or Mantis Kivu Marina Bay (Standard Option)**
- Meal Plan: B, L, D**
Day 8: CHIMPANZEE TREKKING AND CANOPY WALK
On this day, you will leave the lodge with a packed breakfast and drive to the park headquarters for a briefing, after which you will head to the forest starting points. During your trek, you can expect to see various bird species and primates. You will have the opportunity to observe the chimpanzees for an hour as they go about their daily activities before returning to the lodge for rest and lunch.
In the afternoon, you will return to the park headquarters for a briefing about the canopy walk, where you can enjoy the forest from a unique perspective on the only canopy walkway of its kind in East Africa. Dinner and an overnight stay will follow.
- Accommodation: One and Only Nyungwe House (Luxury Option) or Mantis Kivu Marina Bay (Standard Option)**
- Meal Plan: B, L, D**
Day 9: COLOBUS MONKEY TREK
Nyungwe Forest National Park
After breakfast at the resort, you will head to the park headquarters for a briefing before starting your Colobus Monkey trek. These Old World monkeys of the Colobus genus are indigenous to Africa, characterized by their black fur and white markings on their necks and backs. As you walk through the rainforest, you will be amazed by the large groups of them, with approximately 400 individuals making up the largest group of Angolan Colobus Monkeys in Africa. This trek is less strenuous compared to the chimpanzee trek, and you can expect to see many of them at the treetops as they traverse from branch to branch. You will return to the resort in time for lunch and the remainder of the day will be at your leisure to enjoy the resort facilities.
- Accommodation: One and Only Nyungwe House (Luxury Option) or Mantis Kivu Marina Bay (Standard Option)**
- Meal Plan: B, L, D**
Day 10: HELICOPTER FLIGHT FROM NYUNGWE NATIONAL PARK TO KIGALI – DEPARTURE
After breakfast at the lodge and checking out, you will head to catch your helicopter flight to Kigali International Airport for your international departure flight.
- Meal Plan: B, -, -**
