Itinerary
Day 1: Kigali Upon arrival at Kigali international airport, you will be met by our representative and you will be transferred to your Kigali Hotel for overnight. Overnight: The Retreat By Heaven (Dinner, Bed and Breakfast)
The Retreat by Heaven The Retreat by Heaven is an entirely eco-friendly solar powered boutique hotel featuring locally crafted sustainable teak wood furniture, expansive custom built rooms with peaked ceilings, front and rear private patios, bathrooms with indoor and outdoor rain showers, air conditioning, custom made ceiling fans, minibar, tea/coffee set up, Large flat screen TVs with exclusive premium channels, and complimentary purified water.
Day 2: Kigali – Volcanoes National Park (2.5 hrs) In the morning, you will have a city tour of Kigali including a visit to the Genocide Museum a grim reminder of a senseless massacre of innocent’s lives in 1994. Learn about Rwanda’s history from pre- colonial times to the 1994 genocide and how this country has dealt with that past. Tour more and see
the new developments in Rwanda. You will visit different commercial “quartiers”, business and residential areas, an optional visit to one of the Kigali markets and some of the best handicraft shops in Kigali which display a variety of art and crafts depicting the local and cultural heritage of Rwanda. Kigali is one of the friendliest and cleanest of Africa’s cities attracting numerous visitors and investors to the capital.
You will have lunch in Kigali; Afterwards, depart to Musanze the base for Gorilla trekking at the Volcanoes National Park. The town itself, located only 25km from Uganda border, is relatively a small city. The constant flow of humanity is quite remarkable. The Town has great views of the surrounding volcanoes. Overnight: Sabyinyo Silverback Lodge. (Full Board) (Inclusive of local beverages and laundry service)
Sabyinyo Silverback Lodge The lodge situated in the foothills of the mighty virungas, the chain of 15,000 ft volcanoes stretching through Rwanda, Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo, affords wonderful views of the volcanoes and the surrounding countryside. Guest cottages and the main building have been beautifully constructed and appointed.
Day 3: Volcanoes National Park – Gorilla Trekking Early breakfast at your lodge; 0630 hrs: transfer to the Volcanoes National Park HQs 0700 hrs: Registration, where the park staff determines which group of gorillas you will visit. The park staff discusses your fitness level and advises you of the trekking times and conditions to the various groups based upon their location in the park. Once the trekkers are put into groups, each group’s Lead Guide briefs the trekkers of the trekking procedures as well as the “do’s and don’ts” while in the presence of gorillas. After the briefing, trekkers return to their respective vehicles for the drive up the mountain to the starting point. Porters may be hired for the trek to carry your backpack and gear. The cost, US$10 per person/per day.
Please remember to bring your passport for registration, appropriate water proof hiking boots and a light rain coat. To protect from stinging nettles, we recommend long pants and long sleeved tops. A pair of old gardening gloves can help grabbing onto the vegetation while most hotels/lodges provide a walking stick that come in very handy especially when hiking downhill. A small waterproof backpack is an excellent idea to carry a light snack, bottled water as well as protection for your camera.
After the trek, join your driver guide for a transfer back to your lodge. Overnight: Sabyinyo Silverback Lodge. (Full Board) (Inclusive of local beverages and laundry service)
Day 4: Golden monkeys trekking – Volcanoes National Park – Kigali – Departure (2.5 Hrs) Have an early breakfast at your lodge; 0630 hrs: transfer to the Volcanoes National Park HQs 0700 hrs: Registration at the Volcanoes National Park Offices followed by a transfer to your Trail head. Golden Monkeys are among the most endangered primates in Africa and is believed the only viable population of these monkeys is in the Virunga Volcanoes. The golden monkey is a distinct species of guenon – Cercopithecus Kandti and is endemic to the Albertine Rift.
After the trek, rejoin your driver guide for a transfer back to your lodge for lunch. Later, you will enjoy the scenic drive back to Kigali and proceed to the airport for your evening departure flight.