TOUR IN BURUNDI AND RWANDA : GORILLAS, GAME AND CULTURE BURUNDI, AND RWANDA (8 DAYS) – Cultural Tour of Bujumbura City, Visit Kibira National Park for Game, track gorillas in Rwanda, and Cultural tour of Kigali City
Visit Kibira National Park, the most popular park in Bwindi, a tropical natural forest to ponder. It boasts of antelopes, hares, buffalos, cynocephalus and tropical and wild crocodile. Detour to Lake Tanganyika for natural beauty, local fishing villages, and sandy beaches. End Burundi with a visit to Ruvubu (time permitting) and the Source of the Nile at Rutovu. From there, cross over into Rwanda to see gorillas. Visit Parc National des Volcans (PNV) in the north of Rwanda where about 300 mountain gorillas live. There are five habituated gorilla families; Amahoro A, Amahoro B, Group 13, Sabinyo, Umubano and Susa – each of the groups allows up to 8 participants per day. You can track gorillas, climb the Visoke volcano, track the golden monkeys or visit the Karisoke Research Centre, which Dian Fossey the famous primatologist set up, or visit local villages. Visa fees to Burundi and Rwanda US$110.
BURUNDI TOUR : GORILLAS AND GAME IN BURUNDI AND RWANDA (8 DAYS)
(Tour Code BUR2) ITINERARY FOR GORILLAS, GAME AND CULTURE TOUR – BURUNDI AND UGANDA
DAY 1, Arrive Bujumbura
Arrive. Meet, greet and transfer to your hotel to check-in.
Half day tours in Bujumbura, to visit the Snake & Culture Museum; the Islam Culture Centre; City Hall; President's Office and the main attraction of the City, Lake Tanganyika.
Dinner and overnight at Club du Lac Tanganyika Hotel on a Bed & Breakfast basis.
DAY 2, Cultural Tour of Bujumbura
This morning, we visit the Explorers Memorial, a huge rock in the Suburbs of Bujumbura commemorating the meeting between explorers John Speke and Hanington. A visit to a local general goods market, the craft centre and downtown Bujumbura.
Dinner and overnight at Club du Lac Tanganyika Hotel on a Bed & Breakfast basis.
DAY 3, Kibira National Park Burundi
Visit Kibira Forest National Park, for a guided nature walk in this park of animals species. Lunch. In the afternoon, another exploration of the park before returning to Bujumbura for overnight. Dinner and overnight at Club du Lac Tanganyika Hotel on a Bed & Breakfast basis.
DAY 4, To Kigali, Rwanda
Drive eastwards to Kigali in Rwanda. Drive through hills and turns, continuing to the border with Rwanda and on to Butare. Lunch while there and visit the Botanical Gardens and a cultural museum. Arrive late afternoon. [Approximate driving time: 8 hours] Overnight at Hotel des Mille Collines, which was very significant in fighting genocide. (HB)
DAY 5, Kigali to Parc National De Volcans
Morning in Kigali.
Lunch.
To Top
In the afternoon, drive the three hours North of Kigali to Kinigi through Ruhengeri. Enjoy the rolling hills for which Rwanda is well known. [Approximate driving time: 3 hours] O/N: Hotel La Palme/Virunga Hotel/Mountain Gorilla View Lodge (FB)
DAY 6: Parc National des Volcans
Transfer to Kinigi Park Headquarters to track gorillas in Parc National des Volcans. Gorilla tracking through the forest, hills and swamps can be tough, arduous and tiring, sometimes taking up to 8 hours in the forest. But coming face to face with the great primates is well worth the effort.
O/N: Hotel La Palme/Virunga Hotel/Mountain Gorilla View Lodge (FB)
DAY 7: Parc National des Volcans to Kigali
In Parc National des Volcans: Either go gorilla tracking (on payment of US$500 gorilla permit supplement at time of booking), or do any of the following options, at extra cost: Track the golden monkeys or climb the awesome Visoke volcano, or trek to Karisoke Research Centre which was set up by the famous primatologist Dian Fossey, or visit local communities. Alternatively for those who are not up to it, simply relax at Camp.
After the trekking, lunch at Ruhengeri and transfer to Kigali. On your way to Kigali, several stops will be made to admire the scenery. Rwanda is the country with over thousand hills! O/N: Hotel Chez Lando or Hotel des Mille Collines (B-L-D).
Day 8: Kigali visit and Departure
Pick up at your hotel, you will have your Kigali city trip including the Genocide Memorial centre at Gisozi. Transfer to the Airport for your departure. (BB)
Kigali, the capital of Rwanda, is an attractive city spread over many hills for which Rwanda is well known. The City has a pleasant, buoyant air and its people are some of the most friendly in the world. The markets, the handicraft shops and the genocide sites are some of the main places of interest. The range of hotels and restaurants is steadily increasing. Time permitting, visit the Nyabugogo market, the Moslem quarter in Nyamirambo, the Franco-Rwanda cultural centre and a genocide memorial.
Martin Wynn
