Remarkable Rwanda is one of the world’s most captivating and sort after destinations. From near destruction in the tragic 1994 genocide to a never before seen reconciliation, recovery and period of peace and stability, Rwanda is now considered a leader in the region and an innovative developing country which bans plastic bottles, is the 7th safest place to walk alone at night in the world and has the world’s highest representation of women in Parliament.
The Land of a Thousand Hills also has the perfect game drive and boat safari in Akagera National Park, rare Mountain Gorilla trek in Volcanoes National Park and the history and colorful culture of Rwanda it’s a wonderful and full experience.
DAY 1: ARRIVAL KIGALI – TRANSFER TO YOUR HOTEL.
Welcome to Kigali Rwanda! Our team at Silverback Luxury Tours will welcome you on arrival at Kigali International Airport and introduce you to your driver/guide for this tour and transfer to your hotel for overnight at KIGALI SERENA HOTEL.
DAY 2: KIGALI CITY TOUR AND TRANSFER TO VOLCANOES NATIONAL PARK.
Today after break fast we shall proceed to the inspiring Kigali Genocide Memorial:
Kigali Genocide Memorial
This is an extremely moving, challenging, educational and ultimately inspiring memorial and great place to understand the cause, tragedy and successful rebuilding post genocide.
The reconciliation and rebuilding has been miraculous and these memorial are built to inform, educate and prevent such a tragedy to ever occur again.
The tour is very transparent and educational but very somber and humbling when you realize that over 250,000 deceased are buried on the site of the memorial. Guaranteed you will feel every emotion during this visit.
The most common question that goes through your mind is “would I be capable of that level of forgiveness if I found myself in this situation”. That’s true inspiration.
After the memorial visit we take you to experience some more inspiring women of Rwanda and we begin with the Nyamirambo Women’s Centre for some local activities.
Nyamirambo Women’s Centre (NWC), a Rwandan NGO, was launched at the end of 2007 by 18 Rwandese women living in Nyamirambo, Kigali. Together they created a project which aimed to address gender-based violence, gender inequality and discrimination. Today, NWC’s mission is to provide education and vocational
training to women who do not have the means to pay for such training on their own, so that they can gain better opportunities for employment.
At the end of 2013 NWC launched the product line “Umutima,” which means “heart” in Kinyarwanda. With this project, NWC trains and employs women from the community to create a large variety of women’s accessories, children’s clothing, and home decor products. At the moment there are over 50 women employed by Umutima as seamstresses. Umutima and NWC have grown into a unique, self-sustaining model where the profits earned
through Umutima are used to fund NWC initiatives, in addition to providing benefits and a fair wage to the seamstresses.
Walking Tour of Nyamirambo
This tour begins at the Women’s Center with a traditional snack, a quick Kinyarwanda language lesson, and an introduction to the Center and its activities. It then weaves through Nyamirambo, one of Kigali’s oldest neighborhood. Along the way guides lead participants into a women’s hairdressing salon where the adventurous type can get a free braid; into a family compound to pound cassava leaves; by two mosques and a lookout view over Kigali; and into a tailor shop to feel the fabrics you’ll otherwise see styled on the streets. The tour concludes with a traditional lunch made and served in the home of Aminatha, NWC’s best cook.
After lunch Nyimirambo will show and teach you their traditional artisan skills through a Sisal Basket Weaving Workshop. All around Rwanda one can see sisal basketry products. In this workshop, visitors are given a chance to try their own hand at the time-intensive and historically significant practice of basketry. The workshop begins with an overview of the cultural history of sisal, followed by an in-depth explanation of the process of from harvest to final product. Participants then get a
Later you begin the scenic 2.5-hour transfer to Volcanoes National Park, Rwanda. En route there will be some opportunities for some scenic photos and your driver guide will brief you on your tour plans.
You will arrive at your accommodation and you will be assisted with check in. have dinner and overnight at MOUNTAIN GORILLA VIEW LODGE.
DAY 3: MOUNTAIN GORILLA TREK AND OPTIONAL ACTIVITIES.
Today you have a unique and privileged experience to trek and meet at close quarters the rare Mountain Gorilla. There are only around 1060 of these magnificent creatures left in the world with around 1/3 of those in the Volcanoes National Park.
Early in the morning after breakfast you will be taken to the park headquarters where you will be educated on the trek, Gorilla behavior and assigned in to groups of suitable fitness.
The trek can take between 2-6 hours depending on the movements of the Gorillas. The Rushaga District of Bwindi has the most Gorilla families in Bwindi with a recently habituated troop now accessible. This is considered one of the great natural animal encounters on the planet.
The rangers will lead you deep into the forest in search for the Gorillas. You will move up and down the rugged terrain until you finally meet these harmonious creatures that will entertain you with performances for about 1 hour once you find them.
After the trek we return to your accommodation to freshen up and take lunch and Prepare for your afternoon activities, you have option between:
- Ibyiwacu Cultural Village
Dinner and overnight at MOUNTAIN GORILLA VIEW LODGE.
DAY 4 – DIAN FOSSEY GRAVE VISIT AND KARISKO RESEARCH CENTER.
After an early breakfast, you will go for the hike up to Dian Fossey grave, an American primatologist who dedicated her live conserving the lives of the mountain gorillas until she was killed and her body buried there next to Digit, a visit to the Dian Fossey Tomb is one of the most sought after safari activities carried out while visiting Volcanoes national park for a gorilla trip. The trek involves a 30 minutes’ drive from the park headquarters to the trail head to access the Karisoke research camp where visitors walk for 10 minutes to the park boundary.
The walk from the park boundary to the research center where the Dian’s grave is, takes about 1 to 1.5 hours and during this walk there is good views of forest and on the way you may get a chance to see the shy hogs, forest elephants, a variety of primates and bird species.
This hike is an incredible experience physically, emotionally and intellectually. It is so inspiring to learn about someone who was so dedicated and left a legacy that exists even today. The hike involves moving through the forests and hiking up the slopes and therefore requires some relative degree of fitness and patience. Return to your lodge, refresh, lunch and later your driver guide will take you to Karisoke research center to explore more about gorillas and diane fossey research.
Dinner and overnight at MOUNTAIN GORILLA VIEW LODGE.
DAY 5: GOLDEN MONKEY TREK. TRANSFER TO KIGALI FOR YOUR DEPARTURE.
This Morning we will take an early breakfast and leave the lodge around 7am to be at the park head quarters for a briefing on today’s trek.
Often called the little primates, Golden Monkeys are an endangered species but are thriving here in Volcanoes National Park. There’s nowhere better in the world to trek and watch these unique and playful primates. After a briefing from the park rangers we set off. Usually the trek is an easier one than the Mountain Gorillas but these are wild animals that move around so the trek can be 30 minutes to several hours depending on their movements. Once located you will spend a wonderful hour watching them watch you and interact with each other.
After lunch at your accommodation we head off on the scenic 2.5 -hour drive to Kigali to catch up with with your evening flight. We will have dinner together in Kigali before we transfer you to Kigali International Airport for your flight back home.
From the team at Silverback Luxury Tours and Tours, we wish you safe travels and may your incredible memories of this tour stay with you long after you return home.
