4 days Nyungwe forest national park and Lake Kivu visit
4 days Nyungwe forest national park and Lake Kivu visit : Take on a 4 days Rwanda safari visiting the Nyungwe forest national park and conclude the safari with a visit to the Kibuye for a Lake Kivu visit. Get to trek the chimpanzees and also have a leisurely stay at the Lake Kivu.
Nyungwe forest national park is a home to the chimpanzees and tropical forest. On top of being a home to the Rwanda chimpanzee, Nyungwe forest also harbors other 13 other different primate species. Conclude the safari with a stop at the Lake Kivu where you will enjoy a tea plantation visit, a sundowner at the Lake Kivu and return back to Kigali.
Trip highlights
- Day 1: Drive from Kigali to Nyungwe forest national park
- Day 2: Chimpanzee trekking and canopy walk in Nyungwe forest national park
- Day 3: Transfer to Kibuye – Lake Kivu
- Day 4: Transfer back to Kigali
Trip description
Day 1: Drive from Kigali to Nyungwe forest national park
Right after receiving your test results back and you are ready to start your safari, your driver guide will be waiting to pick you up from your hotel in Kigali and provide a simple briefing. After the briefing, you will gather your belongings and head out to the south of Rwanda.
You will have your first stopover at the Kigali Genocide memorial grounds for an insight on the 1994 Rwanda genocide and after connect to the Kimironko market. You will drive further to Butare where you will have lunch and get to have another enroute visit of the Butare museum and the Nyanza king’s palace.
Drive to connect to the cold Nyungwe forest national park. You will arrive in the evening hours to check in at your hotel and settle in. Dinner will be served and you will spend your first night in Nyungwe forest.
Hotels in the Nyungwe forest national park
- Gisakura Visitor center for budget option
- Nyungwe top hill view hotel for midrange option
- One and only Nyungwe house for luxury option
Day 2: Chimpanzee trekking and canopy walk in Nyungwe forest national park
As early as 6am, you will be expected at the starting point for the chimpanzee trekking in Nyungwe forest. You will receive a briefing ahead of your chimpanzee trek and after set out into the Nyungwe forest. This is a tropical forest and a home to the Rwanda chimpanzees and 13 other different primate species. You will spot several chimpanzees swinging from one tree branch to another. After the trek, you will exit the forest and head back to your hotel for a late breakfast or an early lunch.
After lunch, your driver guide will be waiting to take you on your next activity that is the canopy walk experience in Nyungwe forest national park. You will walk on this canopy bridge starting from the Uwinka visitor centre and get to view the forest from the top. You will later return to your hotel for dinner and another night in the Nyungwe forest.
Day 3: Transfer to Kibuye – Lake Kivu
Wake up on a calm note, prepare for breakfast at your hotel and also prepare to check out of the hotel for your next destination. After breakfast, check out of your hotel and head out to Kibuye. This is a 1 to 2 hour road transfer until you can check into your hotel in Kibuye. You will be welcomed and showed to your rooms for the night. Lunch will be served and you will later head out to the Lake Kivu. You may take on a boat trip on the Lake Kivu to enjoy the cool breeze or opt to relax at the shores reading a book or soaking your feet. You will connect back to your hotel for dinner and a night in Kibuye.
Hotel options in Kibuye
- Emeruade Kivu resort for budget
- Comoran lodge for midrange and luxury
Day 4: Transfer back to Kigali
This is the last day of your safari. You will wake up ready to end your trip. Have breakfast at your hotel and check out of your hotel headed for Kigali. You may take on some time to pass by the Lake Kivu for another moment in case you have time and didn’t do this on the first day. You may alternatively pass by a tea plantation for the experience of seed to cup processing of tea.
Connect further to Kigali for drop off at your hotel or at the Kigali International airport for your flight back home as you will advise your driver guide.
Trip quote to include
- Full time fueled safari vehicle
- English/ French speaking driver guide
- Accommodation as described in the itinerary
- Meals as described in the itinerary
- Activity permits
- Park entrance fees
- Bottled water throughout the trip
Trip quote to exclude:
- PCR tests
- Flights
- Visa fees
- Items of personal nature like laundry, airtime, insurance, tips and porter fees
