Rwanda gorilla & Lake Kivu safari will give you great opportunities to see the mountain gorillas in Volcanoes National Park and also trek the golden monkeys and then experience a short beach holiday on the famous Lake Kivu which sits in the Rwanda and Democratic Republic of Congo border.
On your arrival at the airport, you will be met by you driver guide and he will introduce you to one of the Africa’s beautiful country Rwanda. You’ll then be transferred by road to your accommodation in the Volcanoes National Park to check in to your lodge. Depending on your arrival time, you’ll be at leisure for the rest of your day. Overnight and dinner to your accommodation.
After an early breakfast the guide will transfer you to the park briefing area. Trekking briefing is at 8am at the headquarters; after you will be in the forest in search of the gorilla. Depending on the gorilla family you are allocated you will either enter the forest by foot, or you will drive a short distance by road to a convenient entry point. The gorilla trekking safari excursion can take anywhere from a few hours up to most of the day depending on the location of the gorilla. A packed lunch will be provided by the lodge.
On returning from your trekking, you’ll be awarded by a gorilla trekking certificate indicating the family trekked with your name to prove that you successfully completed the trekking experience. Overnight and dinner at your lodge.
On a gorilla safari, a reasonable degree of fitness is required as well as hiking shoes, packed food and mineral water, insect repellent, sun screen and a hut. The gorilla tracking experience takes half or a whole day, depending on the movement of these primates. After this gorilla trekking in Rwanda, you will have an incredibly memorable experience for life.
You will be offered an option to hire a porter to help carry your day pack and assist you in the steep sections of the forest. These men and women are locals and are on an organized roster with a set fee of $15. By using this service, you help provide a reliable source of income to the community.
You will need to go and track the primates like the golden monkeys, the baboons, and many others. Or hike the Dian Fossey tomb and the remains of the Karisoke research centre. In the afternoon get ready to transfer to Gisenyi – Lake Kivu. En route visit the Murambi Genocide Memorial Site and the King’s palace reaching Lake Kivu in the evening to relax along the lake shores.
Transfer to lake Kivu, you’ll be at leisure with plenty time to relax, go through your memorable trekking experience pictures, enjoy the views at the lodge terrace and truly appreciate the beauty of this wonderful and fantastic country, though can also opt for some activities offer by both the communities around and the lodge if you may wish to, after you will depart for Lake Kivu where you will enjoy infinity views of the lake and the sunset over the mountain hills.
Lake Kivu is Rwanda’s largest lake, and the sixth largest lake in Africa. There is no better place to bring a mountain gorilla safari to an end than at Lake Kivu where you can swim – there is no danger from hippos, crocodiles or even Bilharzia – you can lounge on sandy beaches and take a dip in the lake and enjoy a refreshing swim in Lake Kivu.
For most it is simply a place to relax and chill out, while other take nature walks, go birding in a boat or on land, explore some of the islands, the nearby hot springs and more. There is a variety of hotels to enjoy from budget to exclusive up-market lodges and hotels. The choice is yours according to what your pocketbook will allow you to spend.
Relaxing and chilling out along Lake Kivu is the best way to bring your Rwanda safari to a memorable end. Lake Kivu is the perfect place to just be instead of doing, the relax, read a book, enjoy the tropical sun, the splendid views of the Lake, the Islands, the Mountains, fishing boats, the smell of the water, the light breeze – once again – Lake Kivu the best place to relax and chill out in Rwanda – you will enjoy your time along the shores of Rwanda’s most scenic Lake
You can water-ski here – go windsurfing or just go and explore the lake on a motorboat of one kind or another. Lake Kivu is known in Rwanda and with past visitors as a place for excellent water-sport activities that are not to be missed. One cannot forget about fishing for some tilapia for lunch or dinner – another relaxing and enjoyable way to enjoy Lake Kivu.
Wind up with the Kigali city tour. Drive to visit the Kigali genocide memorial grounds, which honors the memory of the more than one million Rwandans killed in 1994 through education and peace-building. You will be able to watch and listen to some video clips from some of the survivors of the incident.
Travel through Nyamirambo to the top of Mt. Kigali for views of the city and the countryside; sip milk at a milk bar; visit a market where you’ll taste fruits; go to a public art walk led by a local artist; refuel with a great Rwandan lunch; stop for the best coffee around; travel by water taxi and more!
A visit to the genocide memorial sites is a very emotional activity that will make you sadden by what happened. Honestly speaking, that is expected. No one walks out ‘high – fiving’ and laughing. The strength of the people of Rwanda to move away from that dark past of hate, to their present unity and peace is more than inspiring. Life changing even.
This Kigali city tour is suitable for family or small groups as well as solo and business travelers. The activities of the city tour are easy and therefore very doable for seniors or young children.
