RWANDA CULTURAL TOURS

Below are different trips to Rwanda cultural, Historical sites, Towns, Cities, Genocide Memorial Sites organized by Jewel Safaris. Learn, experience and interact with the locals while in Rwanda, Africa.

1 Day Rwanda Cultural Tour

After breakfast you will drive to Omwami’s palace in Nyanza, you will then continue to the locally revered hot springs of Rugarama near Nyungwe Forest in South West of Rwanda, the largest afro-montane forest in Central Africa. With over 10000sq.km in size, Nyungwe - the undisputed giant in Central Africa – is rich in birds, butterflies, over 300 bird species and a large host of chimpanzees, monkeys and other primates. A visit to the forest is really rewarding and addictive. Proceed to Gisenyi, where Ross Carr’s orphanage with thousands of orphans is found. Explore Gisenyi and enjoy the lake breeze from Lake Kivu. End your trip with the North, in Ruhengeri, where the Batwa pigmies, an animist community that was recently resettled and track gorillas. For those who wish, visit genocide memorials as well, in Gisenyi, Butare and Ruhengeri. Back to Kigali, the Capital, an attractive city spread over many hills for which Rwanda is prominent. Enjoy local dances and see local cultures. Local crafts can be bought.

 

 

10 Day Rwanda Cultural Adventure

Day 1: Arrival in Kigali
on arrival you will be met by our guide who will transfer you to the hotel for dinner and overnight at Hotel des Mille Collines/Hotel Chez Lando or similar.

Day 2: Kigali - Butare
After breakfast you will depart for Butare the second largest city of Rwanda. It hosts the National Museum, several academic (University) and research institutions. On your way to Butare you will visit Nyanza (currently Nyabisindu) the former Mwami's palace (King's palace) and the seat of the feudal monarchy. You will visit the National Museum which is the finest ethnographic museum of East Africa.
Dinner and overnight in Butare or Nyungwe

Day 3: Butare Cultural visits
After breakfast you will visit the Botanical Gardens and the locally revered hot springs in Rugarama. You will have lunch at Butare and later on drive to Nyungwe Forest NP. Dinner and overnight at Gisakura Guest House or similar

Day 4: Nyungwe Forest
After breakfast you will visit Nyungwe Forest NP: the large social groups of primates include the Angolan Colobus (Colobus angolensis), which may be over 300 individuals. These are the largest troops of this species known in the world! Nyungwe forest counts 25% of the African Primates!
Dinner and overnight at Guest House of Gisakura

Day 5: Nyungwe Forest to Kibuye
Drive via Kibuye on the stunningly beautiful Lake Kivu to Gisenyi; Kibuye is one of the three resort towns on Lake Kivu and is the most beautiful. You will arrive in time for lunch, after lunch you will take a boat tour on the lake to see the various islands. Dinner and overnight at Molia Hill Resort

Day 6: Kibuye - Gisenyi
After breakfast, either drive to, or you will have an enjoyable speed-boat trip to Gisenyi (on payment of a $200pp boat supplement + visa fees $110). The trip is not only an encounter with local people; fishermen, fishing villages but also with the residents of Idjwi Island (Congo) who are rowing long distances in their dugout canoes to visit the Rwanda markets. You will have lunch at the villages. Dinner and Overnight at Stipp Hotel or Serena Kivu Sun

Day 7: Gisenyi – Kinigi
After breakfast you will visit Ross Carr’s Imbabazi Orphanage. Stroll about at lake and visit other local villages. Imbabazi Orphanage was founded by Mrs Rosamond Halsey Carr in late 1994 at Mugongo to care for the genocide orphans. She witnessed all Rwanda's historical events, including the vinegary genocide of 1994. She is the author of “Land of a Thousand Hills: my life in Rwanda.” You will then have lunch and we drive to Ruhengeri and Kinigi for an overnight at your hotel. Dinner and overnight at Hotel La Palme/Virunga Hotel/Mountain Gorilla View Lodge

Day 8: Rwanda Gorilla trekking
After breakfast you will report at the ORTPN headquarters where your driver/guide will accomplish the necessary formalities for you. You will meet your ranger guide(s) for a briefing about the greatest animal experience ever. Then we will drive you to the slopes of one of the Virunga volcanoes for your gorilla trekking.
After the trekking, you will have lunch at your hotel or at Ruhengeri and in the afternoon, you will go for an excursion to explore the beautiful lakes in the region: Lake Bulera & Ruhondo. Dinner and overnight at Hotel La Palme/Virunga Hotel/Mountain Gorilla View Lodge

Day 9: Golden monkey tracking
After breakfast you will visit to the Golden Monkeys: the little-known Golden Monkey (cercopithecus mitis kandti) is listed as “endangered”, the newly habituated groups of about 40 individuals are the only ones in Africa. You will have lunch and the transfer to Kigali for overnight at your hotel. [Approximate driving time: 3 hours] dinner and overnight at Chez Lando Hotel or Mille Collines

DAY 10: Kigali visit and departure
After breakfast you will go for a city tour including a visit to the markets, the handicraft shops and the Genocide Memorial Centre at Gisozi, which takes a few hours. It’s a touching visit! Have lunch and transfer to the airport for your departure flight