Day 1: Arrival in Kigali, Rwanda
On arrival in Kigali, you will meet with your tour guide at the airport. They will give you a briefing on the itinerary for your 8-day Rwanda Cultural Tour and Gorilla Safari. You will then take a brief tour of Kigali city before driving to Akagera National Park. Upon arrival, you will check in to your lodge or camp for dinner and overnight stay.
Day 2: Wildlife Game Drives in Akagera National Park
On the second day of your 8-day Rwanda Cultural Tour and Gorilla Safari, you will wake up early and go for a morning game drive in the northern part of Akagera National Park. You will have the opportunity to see a variety of wildlife, including elephants, giraffes, zebras, buffaloes, and lions. In the afternoon, you can choose to go for a relaxed boat ride on Lake Ihema or relax at your lodge. You will then have dinner and overnight in the park.
Day 3: Rwandan cultural tour in the Community Homesteads
On the third day of your 8-day Rwanda Cultural Tour and Gorilla Safari, you will visit a pastoralist community in eastern Rwanda. You will learn about the traditional way of life of the pastoralists, including how they raise cattle, milk them, and make dairy products. You will also have the opportunity to participate in some of the activities that the pastoralists do, such as grazing the cattle and milking them. You will also have the chance to interact with the children in the community and learn about their culture.
Day 4: Transfer to Volcanoes National Park
On the fourth day of your 8-day Rwanda Cultural Tour and Gorilla Safari, you will wake up early and have breakfast. You will then drive to Volcanoes National Park, the home of the mountain gorillas. The drive will take about 3-4 hours. Along the way, you will have several opportunities to stop and take photographs of the beautiful scenery. Upon arrival at Volcanoes National Park, you will check in to your lodge and have dinner. You will then have overnight to rest and prepare for the gorilla trekking activity the next day.
Day 5: Gorilla Trekking in Volcanoes National Park
Have an early breakfast and transfer to the park headquarters in Kinigi to attend to a gorilla trekking briefings from the park ranger guides. Immediately after the briefing, you will be driven off to the starting point of the trek where you will follow trails through the misty forest and the jungles of the Virunga conservation area. This experience in the wild is like no other and certainly one you will remember the rest of your life when you come face to face with the mountain gorilla family. You can only spend one hour with them after locating them after which you will start the trek back to the lodge. depending on the time spend searching for gorillas, you may go for evening community walks and interactions with the locals to get the most of your 8 days Rwanda cultural tour.
Day 6: Iby’iwacu Cultural Village Tour
On the sixth day of your 8-day Rwanda Cultural Tour and Gorilla Safari, you will visit the Gorilla Guardians Village, formerly known as Iby'iwacu Cultural Village. You will spend half of the day interacting with the Rwandan people and learning about their traditional way of life. You will learn about their culture, history, and traditions. You will also have the opportunity to participate in some of their traditional activities, such as dancing, making beer, and cooking. In the afternoon, you will visit the homes of some of the locals and learn more about their everyday lives. You will also have the opportunity to prepare and eat a meal with them.
Day 7: Transfer to Lake Kivu
On the seventh day of your 8-day Rwanda Cultural Tour and Gorilla Safari, you will wake up early and have breakfast. You will then transfer to Gisenyi on the shores of Lake Kivu. You will have the opportunity to experience a boat ride to the Napoleon Island, visit the hot springs, or simply relax at the beach or by your hotel. In the afternoon, you will explore the Gisenyi area, especially the fishing village. You will learn about the traditional fishing methods and fish preservation used by the fishermen who ply the waters of Lake Kivu.
Day 8: Return to Kigali
On the eighth and final day of your 8-day Rwanda Cultural Tour and Gorilla Safari, you will wake up at your own pace and have breakfast. You will then transfer to Kigali International Airport for your evening outbound flight.
