Deluxe Rwanda in Comfort and Style
Tour Introduction
Using some of the best wildlife lodges in the country, this gently paced itinerary also encompasses Rwanda’s top natural history highlights. Starting with four nights in the Volcanoes National Park where you will spend two amazing days gorilla tracking plus a day seeking the rare golden monkey, descend to Lake Kivu for beautiful lakeside scenery and calm relaxation. Then head to Nyungwe forest for troops of chimpanzees and a possible twelve other species of primate, some extremely rare. With a little time in Kigali at the end, you will soon discover why Rwanda is considered one of the most beautiful and friendly countries in all Africa.
Full Itinerary
Arrive Kigali. Met on arrival by your private driver with 4x4 vehicle and drive to your luxury lodge close to the Volcanoes National Park. Free afternoon to relax and explore.
Staying at Sabyinyo Silverback Lodge. Includes Dinner.
After breakfast, check in at the park entrance at 0700 for a thrilling morning of mountain gorilla tracking. The length and difficulty of the walk to the gorillas depends on which group you are tracking and its whereabouts that day; but once there, you can spend a full hour watching these amazing creatures. Lunch at the hotel. Afternoon at leisure to relax or visit the twin lakes of Bulera and Ruhondo.
Staying at Sabyinyo Silverback Lodge. Includes All Meals.
Morning golden monkey tracking with park guides. Free afternoon or optional visit to local forest for wildlife and ancient archaeological site.
Staying at Sabyinyo Silverback Lodge. Includes All Meals.
Another morning of exhilarating gorilla encounters. You will typically be assigned a different group from the previous day. Lunch at the hotel and afternoon free.
Staying at Sabyinyo Silverback Lodge. Includes All Meals.
Depart with you private driver to Lake Kivu and drive south through green terraced hills, past homesteads and through sleepy fishing villages to the small town of Kibuye on the lake shore.
Staying at Cormorana Lodge. Includes Breakfast.
A free day to relax and enjoy the sights and sounds of Kibuye. This sleepy lakeside town has a white sand beach and kayaks for hire, and boat trips are available to nearby islands.
Staying at Cormorana Lodge. Includes Breakfast.
Continue south along Lake Kivu then head inland via a beautiful patchwork of forest and tea plantations to Nyungwe Forest National Park.
Staying at Nyungwe Forest Lodge. Includes All Meals.
Early morning transfer to the Nyungwe Forest National Park to meet with your trackers. Spend morning primate tracking – chimpanzees will be your main quarry, and you may encounter other primates, birds and insects along the way. PLEASE NOTE: the walking here is very steep and slippery; primate troupes may be many hours walk from the park headquarters and are often fast moving. A good level of fitness is essential.
Return to guesthouse for lunch. In the afternoon, enjoy a canopy walkway tour through the forest
Staying at Nyungwe Forest Lodge. Includes All Meals.
Another morning primate trekking in the forest. Free afternoon to relax and enjoy the wonderful facilities of your hotel.
Staying at Nyungwe Forest Lodge. Includes All Meals.
Depart from your hotel and drive to Butare to visit the National Museum. Lunch at local restaurant and then continue to Kigali. Explore the city by foot and enjoy a dinner in a local restaurant.
Staying at Des Milles Collines Hotel. Includes All Meals.
Free morning in the city. If you wish you can visit the Genocide Memorial with your private guide. Transfer to airport in time for flight home.
Includes In-flight Meals.
Tour Accommodation
Overview
Sabyinyo Silverback Lodge is a lavish community-owned lodge in the foothills of the Virunga Mountains with outstanding views towards the mighty peaks of Volcanoes National Park. The lodge is now operated by the Governor’s Camp chain of east African safari lodges.
Accommodation is in eight private and spacious cottages, built with local stone and benefitting from 24 hour electricity. Each cottage has a separate bedroom, dressing room, living room with open fireplace, en suite bathroom with hot water shower and bathtub, and small balcony with stunning views towards the skyline of volcanic cones in the park. The main building houses the restaurant which serves tasty local and continental cuisine. There is also a well-stocked bar, library, games room and sitting area.
Sabyinyo Silverback Lodge is conveniently located close to the park headquarters, ideal for trekking into the park in search of habituated groups of mountain gorillas. The Volcanoes National Park is an area of incredibly beautiful scenery with a skyline of volcanic cones ringed by forests giving way to fertile farming terraces. In addition to gorillas, there is plenty here to enthral the wildlife enthusiast including habituated golden monkeys, elephants, buffalos and around 180 species of bird including 13 endemics.
Swimming Pool
Air Conditioning
Rooms
Facilities
Hot water bathrooms, restaurant, bar, library, games room,
Local Wildlife
Mountain gorillas, golden monkeys, elephants, buffalos, 180 bird species.
Optional Activities
Gorilla tracking, wildlife walks, hiking.
Overview
Cormoran Lodge is a stylish property built of local wood overlooking beautiful Lake Kivu in Kibuye. Accommodation is provided in seven smart wooden cabins with vibrant décor and modern furnishings. All rooms have large en suite bathrooms with attractive stone built into the walls. The rooms are spacious with a small desk and chairs, minibar, TV, tea and coffee facilities, free Wi-Fi and hairdryer. Both twin and double rooms are available as well as a VIP honeymoon cabin which overlooks the crater of Nyiragongo volcano in Congo.
The main building at Cormoran Lodge commands a spectacular view of Lake Kivu. The restaurant in the main building offers a la carte lunch and dinner menus containing a variety of local and continental dishes. Breakfast is a buffet of fresh fruits, yogurts and juices. There is also a well-stocked bar, lounge and sun lounging area on site. For swimming, there is a small jetty a few minutes’ walk from the lodge.
Swimming Pool
Air Conditioning
Rooms
Facilities
Restaurant, bar, Wi-Fi, TV, mini-bar, TV, games room and tea and coffee making facitlies.
Optional Activities
Boat trips, canoeing and water skiing are all available on Lake Kivu.
Overview
Nyungwe Forest Lodge is a five-star luxury hotel set in a lush tea plantation not far from the entrance to Nyungwe Forest National Park. The hotel is the best high-end option for those visiting Nyungwe forest.
The main building houses a bistro restaurant serving beautifully prepared regional and international dishes. Other facilities include a spa treatment room, gym, bar, conference room, outdoor boma (fenced seating area), gift shop and Wi-Fi internet access. The lodge features an outdoor heated swimming pool surrounded by a deck with good views across the tea plantations.
Accommodation is split between fifteen king bed rooms, seven twin rooms and two king bed suites, all beautifully designed with modern furnishings and plenty of space. All rooms are en suite and include an LCD TV, fireplace, air-conditioning, minibar, tea and coffee facilities, safety deposit box, international direct dial telephone and a private deck to relax on.
Swimming Pool
Air Conditioning
Rooms
Facilities
Restaurant, bar, Jacuzzi, outdoor swimming pool, gift shop, laundry and room service, gym, air-conditioning, minibar, safety deposit box, TV, hairdryer, direct dial telephone.
Local Wildlife
Chimpanzee tracking is the most popular activity in the park, yet there is an impressive total of 13 species of primate including L’Hoest’s mountain monkey, grey-cheeked mangabey, Angolan black-and-white colobus, owl-faced monkey, and mona monkey. The park is home to a total of 86 mammal and 120 butterfly species as well as 5 species of chameleons and 280 birds including 26 central highland endemics.
Optional Activities
Chimpanzee and primate tracking in the Nyungwe Forest National Park. There are also many trails to explore plus an excellent canopy walkway.
Overview
The inspiration for the film Hotel Rwanda, Des Milles Collines Hotel is a high comfort, four-star hotel located in a leafy part of downtown Kigali, ideal for sightseeing in the city or as a comfortable overnight base between flights.
The hotel has 112 rooms including junior and superior suites. All rooms are spacious with en suite bathroom and feature modern amenities such as flat screen TV, direct dial telephone, air-conditioning, complimentary Wi-Fi and tea and coffee facilities. Each room also has a balcony with a great view of the city.
The hotel’s Le Panorama restaurant offers fine dining with a good variety of international, local and French dishes on offer. There is also a cafeteria and pool bar for lighter meals and a cocktail bar.
Swimming Pool
Air Conditioning
Rooms
Facilities
Restaurant, 2 bars, private bathroom, flat screen TV, direct dial telephone, air-conditioning, complimentary Wi-Fi, tea and coffee facilities.
Optional Activities
City and market tours of Kigali, visits to the genocide museum.
Route Map
Departure Dates
Travel Information
Are International Flights Included?
No. Please contact us for a quote if required.
Flight Info:
No flights included.
Best Visited:
June to September
Are you ATOL Registered?
Yes. This means we are legally able to book your international flights in conjunction with your ground arrangements so you can book with us with complete confidence. Read more about our ATOL license here.
Jonathan Morris
Area Specialist
Rwanda is a year round destination. The driest months are June to September but you should expect rain at any time.
If you have any questions regarding this Tour, please feel free to contact me on +44 (0)1803 866965
Everyone we ran into in Rwanda was so friendly, kind and proud of their country. The service they provided was excellent. We had a wonderful time getting to know them better.
Our guide was AMAZING. We got to know more about Rwanda and its people because we spent so much time with him. He stopped frequently to point out all the different birds to us or show us a particular view. He helped us get on the gorilla hikes that suited our fitness and interests. He let us know exactly how each day was going to play out so we could be ready with the right clothing and water / snacks.
All the guides for the tours were very knowledgeable and quite entertaining. They were concerned with our enjoyment and our safety. The porters were invaluable – they not only carried your pack (filled w. camera equipment & water) but also helped us up the steep grades and along ledges.
The landscape was as spectacular as the wildlife in Rwanda. Pictures do not do it justice. Seeing three different gorillas families was the highlight but there was so much more to see. The Golden monkeys were gorgeous. Nyungwe was a beautiful park filled with primates and birds. We saw chimps, mona, vervet , blue, mangabeys, mountain and colobus monkeys.
We changed one of the tours (the waterfall one) and went birding for an entire day instead. We saw tonnes of birds including a Great Blue Turaco and many different kinds of sunbirds and hawks.
One day we will get to the UK and actually the meet the wonderful people who plan these incredible vacations for us. Thank you for all the help you give us.