Take this Rwanda culture and gorilla safari experience the authentic Rwandan culture and heritage coupled with the amazing gorilla trekking experience. The drive to the countryside of Rwanda will grant you beautiful views of the Rwandan landscape of a thousand hills. You will visit Akagera national park and thereafter a pastoral home to engage in activities surrounding the cow.
Safari Highlights for Rwanda Culture and Gorilla Safari
- Game drive
- Cultural and community experiences
- Boat ride
- Gorilla tracking
- Photography moments
Itinerary for Rwanda Culture and Gorilla Safari
Day 1: Arrival for a cultural experience of Rwanda
Today you start the amazing experience touring Rwanda on this culture and gorilla safari. Kagera Safaris driver guide will pick you from the airport on your arrival.
Drive time – 20 minutes
Day 2: Kigali City Tour and Reconciliation village
You will start the morning with a tour of the genocide reconciliation village outside of Kigali city and hear the stories of genocide survivors as they live alongside the perpetrators. You will start with a visit to the Nyamata church. Here, hundreds of Tutsi were killed as they used it as point of protection.
Return to the city for lunch, we will visit a restaurant that serves local dishes just incase you are open to try them.
After lunch, visit the Kigali genocide memorial to learn more about this genocide throughout the country. The memorial also has mentions of other locations
B, L & D
Day 3: Transfer to Akagera National Park | boat safari
After breakfast, start the journey to Akagera National Park with stopovers for photography and washrooms. When you arrive at the park, check in to your lodge and order lunch. After lunch, join the boat safari on Lake Ihema in search of Crocodiles, Hippos, birds etc.
Drive time – 2 hours 30 minutes or Helicopter ( Augusta) – 30 minutes
B, L & D
Day 4: Game drive – Rwanda Culture and Gorilla Safari
Leave for a whole day game drive in the northern part of the park where we look out for some of the large mammals in this area. They include Elephants, Giraffes, Zebras, Buffaloes, Impalas, Waterbucks, the elusive Leopard, Rhinos, lions etc. You will take the lake shore track which has a higher concentration of animals until you arrive at the northern plains.
While on this game drive, there are designated areas for picnic and toilets to ease one self.
B, L & D
Day 5: Visit a homestead – Rwanda Culture and Gorilla Safari
Eastern Rwanda is relatively flatter than most of the country and preferred by the pastoralists. On this Rwanda culture and gorilla safari, visit a homestead of cattle keepers and engage in the different activities.
We start early morning with milking cows with hands as opposed to machines. The herdsman will guide you on how to soothe the cow and milk it. After the session, you set the cows for the days grazing. You also have lessons on how milk is converted traditionally into different products like ghee and yoghurt.
B, L & D
Day 6: Transfer to Volcanoes national park
After breakfast, you transfer to the volcanoes national park. You have several photography opportunities as you travel north to the volcanoes. We will arrive to the lodge in the afternoon for the gorilla hike the next day.
Drive time – 6 hours Or Helicopter (Robinson) – 35 minutes
B, L & D
Day 7: Gorilla trekking in Volcanoes national park
Have an early breakfast and transfer to the gorilla briefings area at the park headquarters in Kinigi. After briefing, you will be given a gorilla family and allocated a ranger guide to lead your group in the forest.
This experience in the wild is like no other and one you will remember the rest of your life. Come face to face with a mountain gorilla family. You can only spend one hour locating them after which you start the trek back.
B, L & D
Day 8: Gorilla Guardians Village
Today we will transfer to the gorilla guardians village which was formerly known as Iby’iwacu cultural village. Part of the day will be spent here learning about how the Rwandan people lived in their community traditionally which is climaxed by experience of having a King and Queen.
Enjoy a traditional dance performed by the group, and learn about how they made traditional beer and local cuisines.
The other part of the day will be spent in the community where you will visit a village home and be part of their daily life. You will prepare a meal together with them and after enjoy eating this same meal.
B, L & D
Day 9: End of the Rwanda Cultural Experience Safari
We hope its been worthwhile exploring Rwandan cultural heritage and community experiences with an addition of game drive and mountain gorillas in Rwanda. After a late breakfast, we shall transfer to your hotel in Kigali or the airport for your flight back home.
Drive time – 2 hours 30 minutes Or Helicopter (Robinson) – 35 minutes
B & L
