5 Days Volcanoes National Park And Lake Kivu
per person
Tourists can now have a mountain gorilla experience and a beach within Rwanda and this can be done through 5 Days Volcanoes National Park And Lake Kivu. This 5 days safari leads you to volcanoes national park which is the country’s protected area harboring endangered mountain gorillas and well as Lake Kivu which is the biggest water body in Rwanda.
Volcanoes national park is the only place in Rwanda to sight the endangered mountain gorillas. Located in the northwestern part of Rwanda, the national park protected endangered mountain gorillas, golden monkeys, elephants, duikers, bush pigs, spotted hyenas, and buffaloes to mention but a few. Volcanoes national park is home to 10 mountain gorilla groups with all open for trekking in the forest.
5 Days Volcanoes National Park And Lake Kivu Safari Highlights
Day 1: Pick up and transfer to volcanoes national park.
Day 2: Encounter mountain gorillas and cultural visit
Day 3: Golden monkey trekking
Day 4: Drive to Lake Kivu
Day 5: Travel back to Kigali
Day 1: Pick up and transfer to volcanoes national park.
Once you land at Kigali international airport, you will find our driver guide ready to pick you up for your 5 days volcanoes national park and Lake Kivu safari. He will introduce himself and then brief you about the whole safari and then the journey to volcanoes national park will begin. On your way to volcanoes, you will pass through so many rolling and terraced hills, plantations, rivers, and smiling people. When you reach Musanze, you will check in your lodge, have dinner, and have an overnight stay.
Meal plan
Lunch and Dinner
Accommodation
Five Volcanoes Boutique Hotel – luxury, Da Vinci Gorilla Lodge – mid-range, Kinigi Guest House – budget
Day 2: Encounter mountain gorillas and cultural visit
After very early morning breakfast, you will keep at the lodge and your driver guide will come and transfer you to the park headquarters at Kinigi for a briefing about rules and regulations of endangered mountain gorilla trekking from the park warden. Your safari guide will drop you off at the beginning point where armed ranger guides will take you through different trekking trails looking for the endangered mountain gorillas.
As you pass through the different trails while searching for mountain gorillas, you are likely to see different park animals like monkeys, duikers, elephants, hyenas, giant forest hogs, and different bird species. On setting eyes on the mountain gorillas, you will spend a total of 1 hour around them as you take time learning about their habits, watch them do daily activities, and take photos. Later you will trek back, meet your driver and get back to the lodge for lunch.
Later in the afternoon, you will leave the lodge take a visit to the Iby’Iwacu cultural village home to ex poachers that were taught about mountain gorilla importance and slowly loved them. The poachers will tell you stories of long ago in the wild, take you around their homes, taste their local food, buy some of their crafts and at the end of the day you will be entertained by the traditional dances. Get back to your safari vehicle, return to the lodge for relaxation, dinner, and an overnight stay.
Meal plan
Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner
Accommodation
Five Volcanoes Boutique Hotel – luxury, Da Vinci Gorilla Lodge – mid-range, Kinigi Guest House – budget
Day 3: Golden monkey trekking
On the third day of the safari, you will wake up to morning breakfast, and thereafter meet your driver to transfer you to the Kinigi park headquarters where you will meet the rangers for a briefing about the dos and don’ts of golden monkey trekking activity. After listening to what the rangers had to say, you will be taken to the starting point where you will get a walking stick and armed ranger guides will lead you to the jungle.
As you are in the jungle looking for golden monkeys, you will meet different park animals like the buffaloes, duikers, spotted hyenas, bush-bucks, bush pigs, several monkeys, and different bird species. after 2-4 hours of searching, you will find the golden monkeys in the bamboo trees doing their day to day activities, get to learn about their habits, and taking photos.
In the afternoon, you can decide to have a nature walk in the park where you will meet different birds, animals, and vegetation or you can drive to Musanze marker where you will interact with the local people, and buy some of their crafts.
Meal plan
Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner
Accommodation
Five Volcanoes Boutique Hotel – luxury, Da Vinci Gorilla Lodge – mid-range, Kinigi Guest House – budget
Day 4: Drive to Lake Kivu
On the fourth day of your 5 days volcanoes national park safari, you will wake up, have a morning breakfast and then meet your driver who will transfer you to Lake Kivu. On this day you will spend the whole day at Lake Kivu that is the largest in Rwanda and you will have a boat cruise as well as relax at the shores of the lake enjoying the boat cruise. During the boat cruise you will encounter different water animals like the hippos, crocodiles, then the birds such as African pied wagtail, spotted yellow-throated greenbul, bronzed sunbirds, and common kestrel among others. Return to the lodge, get dinner, and have an overnight stay.
Meal plan
Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner
Accommodation
Lake Kivu Serena Hotel – Luxury, Palm Garden Resort – Mid-range, Paradis Malahide- budget
Day 5: Travel back to Kigali
This will be the last day of your safari, you will wake up at any time of the day you want, have breakfast and then check out of the lodge. You will meet your driver-guide and start on your journey back to Kigali city. If you have time, you will have a Kigali city tour where you will visit different markets, Art Centers, and then the museums such as the Kandt House Museum, Kigali Genocide Memorial which was built in memory of the 1994 Rwanda Genocide. You will be dropped off at any place of your choice whether the hotel or Kigali airport for your flight back home
Meal plan
Breakfast and Lunch
Tour includes
- Gorilla trekking permit
- Golden monkey trekking permit
- Boat cruise
- Kigali city tour
- Transport
- Service of the English-speaking guide
- Accommodation
- Drinking water and meals indicated in the itinerary
Tour excludes
- International tickets
- Visas
- Personal insurance
- Tips
- Personal expenses
- Porter fee