9 DAYS MYSTIC EXPERIENCE RWANDA

After enjoying breakfast in the morning, you will proceed to check out. The next leg of your journey involves a scenic 3-hour drive to Akagera National Park, with a lunch stop en-route. Upon arrival, you’ll proceed to your lodge for check-in.

Later in the afternoon, at 4:30 pm, an exciting sunset boat ride on Lake Ihema awaits you. Akagera National Park, situated in the eastern part of Rwanda along the Tanzanian border, takes its name from the Akagera River, which flows along its eastern boundary, forming a network of lakes. The park’s landscape features rolling hills covered with acacia woodland, interspersed with open grasslands and lakes surrounded by swamps, creating a stunning and diverse natural environment.

Dinner and Overnight: Ruzizi Tented Lodge- Full Board

Spend a full day immersed in the wonders of Akagera National Park, engaging in both morning and afternoon game viewing sessions. Witness the beauty of diverse wildlife, including elephants, buffalo, giraffe, zebra, and various antelope species that gracefully roam the open plains of the park. Capture glimpses of the park’s majestic big cats during your exploration. Enjoy a delightful experience with picnic snacks and a bush-packed lunch served within the park, enhancing your safari adventure. As the day comes to a close, return to the lodge in the evening for a well-deserved shower, reflecting on the incredible sights and experiences of the day.

Dinner and Overnight: Ruzizi Tented Lodge- Full Board

Following breakfast, you will proceed to check out and embark on a short game drive as you exit the park. The journey to Musanze, approximately a 5-hour drive, will include a stopover in Kigali for lunch. Upon continuing the drive to Musanze, you will enjoy another meal en route. Upon arrival in Musanze, if time permits, you will have the opportunity to visit the Dian Fossey Foundation. Subsequently, you’ll check in at your lodge for dinner and an overnight stay.

Dinner and Overnight: Bisate Lodge - Full Board

Begin your day with an early morning breakfast before departing for the park headquarters. Here, you’ll undergo a briefing and be assigned to Gorilla groups, accompanied by experienced rangers. Following this, you will embark on a gorilla trek through the Volcanoes National Park, with the specific route determined by the current location of the gorillas.

After an unforgettable gorilla trekking experience, you’ll return to your lodge in time for a well deserved lunch. After a satisfying lunch, your next stop is the Ibyi’Iwacu Ex-Poachers Cultural Village.

Offering a captivating Rwandan cultural experience. Nestled at the foothills of the Sabyinyo Volcano in Kinigi, this award-winning conservation initiative, also known as ‘ex-Poachers,’ is a testament to the transformation of former poachers into conservationists. The village is a replica of a traditional Rwandan village, complete with a king’s palace and four traditional huts. Upon arrival, guests are warmly welcomed with cultural drums, song, and dance. A knowledgeable village guide will then lead you through various exhibitions, showcasing aspects of Rwandan culture, traditions, and customs. Explore traditional rural life, cookery, weaving, grinding, fire making, and more. Learn about the village’s unique history, including the transition from poaching to conservation, and the benefits derived from this transformation. The tour concludes with an opportunity to experience the captivating Rwandan cultural dance, and you can also purchase local curios and crafts such as traditional baskets (agaseke), calabashes, hammocks, wooden crockery, dancing bows, arrows, and beautifully crafted drums of all sizes.

After you will visit Ellen DeGeneres Campus of the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund.

The Ellen Campus represents a huge expansion of our teaching and laboratory spaces, enabling us to not just increase but transform our programs to study gorillas and their critical forest habitat and bring educational opportunities to early career African scientists and members of the local community. Later, you’ll return to the lodge for dinner and an overnight stay.

Dinner and Overnight: Bisate Lodge - Full Board

Following breakfast, proceed with the check-out process. The next leg of your journey involves a drive to Rusizi, approximately a 5-hour journey. During the trip, you’ll make a stopover at Karongi for lunch. Following lunch, enjoy a relaxing boat ride on Lake Kivu.

Nyungwe National Park

Nyungwe rainforest National Park in southern RWANDA is one of the most beautiful and the largest remaining stretch of montane forests in East Africa. It is home to a wide variety of mammals and 13 species of primates including Chimpanzees and large troops of Angola Colobus Monkeys that inhabit her fairytale world of ancient trees, bushes, and shrubs species some dating back to the ice ages; all grown over steep and fertile green valleys and ridges surrounded by beautiful tea plantations. Amidst her well-maintained hiking trails, guests enjoy regular guided Forest Hikes down to stunning valleys with beautiful waterfalls; Track the semi-habituated family of Chimpanzees at dawn as they de-nest, or track large troops of Black & White Angola Colobus Monkeys in Gisakura or down in the valleys below. Nyungwe is also a bird lovers’ paradise with numerous species including many endemics recorded. A guided Bird Walk from Uwinka will return many species ticked. The adrenaline-pumping Nyungwe Canopy Walk, a foot-wide suspension bridge hanging over huge pylons across two ridges at 80m above a deep valley’s ground is the only one of its kind in East and Central Africa. With your specialist guide, enjoy stunning views over the forest canopy extending as far as the Virunga volcanoes; and learn about unique canopy species of plants, mammals, birds, and butterflies as the bridge sways in the breeze and your heart threatens to pop out, still amazing anyway. At the adjacent tea plantations, we offer cultural encounters meeting and mingling with local peasant farmers as they harvest tea, an activity they eagerly welcome our guests to participate in as they share their stories. In the evening, you may partake of the tea tasting ceremony offered at Nyungwe Forest Lodge. There is so much to do and love in Nyungwe Forest National Park, one of Rwanda’s best-kept secrets.

Wake up at 04:30 with a packed breakfast, and then venture into the forest for an exciting chimpanzee tracking experience. Known for their highly sociable nature, chimpanzees form complex communities, often exceeding 100 individuals. Throughout the day, these communities break down into smaller units foraging for food, a behavior anthropologists term ‘fission-fusion.’ After your chimpanzee tracking adventure, return to the hotel for a well-deserved shower and enjoy a satisfying lunch.

In the afternoon, you will reach the park to experience the canopy walkway. After this thrilling adventure, proceed to your hotel in time for dinner and an overnight stay.

Canopy walkway

Now’s your chance to relive your Indiana Jones fantasies as you swing on the adrenaline filled canopy walk. The construction of a 160m-long and at times 70m-high canopy walkway is a big draw for visitors after an unusual experience. You won’t encounter much wildlife while on the metallic suspension bridge, but you’ll certainly appreciate the jungle anew from this unique monkey’s-eye perspective. Access to the canopy walkway, which is on the Igishigishigi trail, involves a preliminary 20- to 30-minute hike from Uwinka This is also the perfect place for birdwatchers. Nyungwe has something of a legendary status among birdwatchers in East Africa, and is by far the country’s top spot for birdwatching with some 300-plus species, which include no fewer than 27 Albertine Rift Valley endemics.

Dinner and Overnight: One& Only Nyungwe House – Full Board

Following your morning breakfast, proceed with the check-out process. Embark on a drive back to Kigali, which is approximately a 6-hour journey, and don’t forget to bring packed lunches. Once in Kigali, visit the King’s Palace Museum, and enjoy an “Inyambo” traditional cow parade.King’s Palace Museum Nestled on a hill approximately 2km southwest of Nyanza town, this captivating museum places its focus less on ancient history and more on the opulence of royal residences. The centerpiece of the exhibits is a meticulously crafted replica of a king’s palace. Engage in a guided tour that unveils the architectural idiosyncrasies within the royal compound. Gain insights into intriguing details, such as the peculiar entrance design of the royal beer brewer’s hut and the unique circumstances surrounding the woman entrusted with caring for the king’s milk, who was never able to marry. Explore the nuances that make this museum a fascinating glimpse into the intricacies of Rwandan royalty. Upon your arrival in the evening, proceed to check in at your hotel in Kigali.

Dinner and Overnight: Kigali Serena Hotel – Half Board

Enjoy a leisurely late morning breakfast at your accommodation. Complete the check-out process at your hotel, ensuring all arrangements are settled. You will pend some time exploring local markets or shops to purchase souvenirs, allowing you to take a piece of the Land of Thousand Hills with you. Have a farewell lunch at a local restaurant, savoring the flavors of Rwandan cuisine. Use the afternoon for any last-minute activities, relaxation, or additional exploration, depending on your flight schedule. Depending on your flight departure time, you will be transferred to Kigali Airport.

End of Your Memorable Stay!