Tour Overview:
This safari starts in Burundi and ends in Rwanda. It will give a tremendous travel experience as you will tour around two wonderful countries in the East African region, you will first have a tour around Burundi as you will have a city tour around visiting some of the historical place around the city of Bujumbura like the snake and cultural museum, explorers Memorial and lake Tanganyika the most interesting destination in the city. Then go to Kibira national park where you will encounter variety of wildlife like the buffaloes, chimpanzees, monkeys, hares and variety of bird species.
Then cross to Rwanda where you will take a city tour since it is mountainous you will reward your sight with the beautiful scenery as you visit different sites in Kigali like the national museum in Gisozi, the genocide memorial site and also enjoy the night life as you spend a night in Kigali. Then go to volcanoes national park- the park famous for inhabiting around 300 mountain gorillas
Tour Highlights
DAY 1: Arrive Bujumbura – City Tour
DAY 2: Cultural Tour of Bujumbura
DAY 3: Travel to Kibira National Park Burundi
DAY 4: Transfer to Kigali, Rwanda
DAY 5: Travel to Parc National De Volcans
DAY 6: Gorilla Tracking - Parc National des Volcans
DAY 7: Parc National des Volcans – Golden Monkey trekking, Community Walk, Hiking
DAY 8: Kigali visit and Departure
Detailed Itinerary:
DAY 1 Arrive Bujumbura – City Tour
Arrive at the Airport were you will meet the driver / guide who will 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.
Accommodation: club du lac Tanganyika (luxury and midrange)
Hotel residence ubuntu, le clos de limbas (basic)
Meal plan: Bed and Breakfast
DAY 2: Cultural Tour of Bujumbura
Have an early morning breakfast and visit the Explorers Memorial, a huge rock in the Suburbs of Bujumbura commemorating the meeting between explorers John Speke and Hanington were they craved their names. Later visit to a local general goods market, the craft centre and downtown Bujumbura. This is a nice place for shopping for all clients with different levels of income.
Accommodation: Club du lac Tanganyika (luxury and midrange)
Hotel residence ubuntu, le clos de limbas (basic)
Meal plan: Bed and Breakfast
DAY 3: Travel to Kibira National Park Burundi
Have an early morning breakfast and transfer to Kibira Forest National Park, instituted as a protected area, this park is a habitat to some 98 mammal species, a dozen of primates (numerous families of chimpanzees, white & black colobus, baboons, tailed monkeys, black colobus). For privates lovers a glimpse of this chimps swing from tree to tree is worth the jouney across the sea. Or you can opt for a guided nature walk in this park of animals species. Have Lunch and in the afternoon, have another exploration of the park before returning to Bujumbura n the evening.
Accommodation: Club du lac Tanganyika (luxury and midrange)
Hotel residence ubuntu, le clos de limbas (basic)
Meal plan: Bed and Breakfast
DAY 4: Transfer to Kigali, Rwanda
For Your Rwanda Safari, Have an early morning breakfast and head eastwards to Kigali in Rwanda. Drive through hills and turns enjoying the beautiful scenery as your continuing to the border of Rwanda and on to Butare. Have a Lunch en route on the way and also visit the Botanical Gardens and a cultural museum. Arrive later in the afternoon and then transfer to you hotel.
Accommodation: Hotel des mille collines, Kigali serena hotel
Travel time: 8 hours
Meal plan: Bed and Breakfast
DAY 5: Tranfer to Parc National De Volcans
Have an early morning breakfast and then enjoy the city of a thousand hills or you can chose to stay in your hotel and relax. Have lunch in Kigali and in the afternoon drive head North of Kigali to Kinigi through Ruhengeri. Enjoy the beautiful scernry of rolling hills for which Rwanda is well known for.
Accommodation: High end Mountain Gorilla View Lodge (Luxury)
Le Bambou Gorilla Lodge (Mid-range)
Kinigi Guest House (Basic).
Travel time: About: 3 hours
Meal Plan: Bed and Breakfast
DAY 6: Gorilla tracking - Parc National des Volcans
Transfer to Kinigi Park Headquarters for gorilla tracking in Parc National des Volcans. Gorilla tracking through the forest, hills and swamps can be tough, arduous and tiring, it is An unpredictable activity as it can sometimes even take up to 8 hours in the forest. But coming face to face with the great primates is well worth the effort and a memory to treasure for a life time.
Accommodation: High end Mountain Gorilla View Lodge (Luxury)
Le Bambou Gorilla Lodge (Mid-range)
Kinigi Guest House (Basic).
Travel time: Unpredictable
Meal Plan: Bed and Breakfast
DAY 7: Parc National des Volcans – Golden Monkey trekking, Community Walk, Hiking
In Parc National des Volcans: Either go for golden monkeys trekking or climb the awesome Visoke volcano, or trek to Karisoke Research Centre which was set up by the famous primatologist Dian Fossey, or visit the 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
Accommodation: Hotel des mille collines, Kigali serena hotel
Meal plan: Bed and Breakfast
Travel Plan: About 3 Hours
Day 8: Kigali visit and Departure
Have an early morning breakfast and the driver / guide will take you for a city tour were you will enjoy Kigali the capital of Rwanda, which is an attractive city spread over a thousand hills. The City has a pleasant, lighthearted air and with welcoming and friendly people. The markets, the handicraft shops and the genocide sites are some of the main places of interest. Later you will visit to the Genocide Memorial centre at Gisozi. Transfer to the Airport for your departure.
Meal plan: Breakfast
END OF GORILLAS AND GAME – BURUNDI AND RWANDA (8 DAYS)
The Safari Package Covers:
- Relevant Government Taxes.
- Game Ranger Fees
- Gorilla Permit
- Golden monkey Permit
- Meals as indicated in the itinerary
- Full time English speaking Driver
- Ground Transportation by a 4x4 safari vehicle
- Airport transfers as long as you are departing on the same day your safari ends
- Entrance fees
- Nature guided walk
- Accommodation ( 6 nights) and en route meals as stated in the itinerary
Safari Exclusions:
- Air Fares
- Visa Fees
- Personal Insurance
- Expenses of personal nature such as; drinks, tips, laundry, telephone, cigarettes, accommodation & meals not indicated in the itinerary and optional activities