10 Days Best of Rwanda

Detailed Itinerary

Day 1 – Arrival in Kigali

There is something quietly captivating about Rwanda. From the very moment you set foot on the land, it feels like the people here are in sync.
Morning / Afternoon:
After arriving at the airport, you will be warmly welcomed and picked up. Your driver helps with your bags and offers you a cold bottle of water.
On your way to the hotel, you can appreciate the city’s green hills from the windows. The hotel is a boutique type one, with bright textiles and clean lines.
You can go for a short walk or simply rest.
Evening:
Heaven Restaurant serves plantains and fresh tilapia alongside Rwanda’s well known smooth coffee.
You can rest early as the next day is busy.
Overnight

• Budget: Five to Five Hotel Kigali
• Standard: Heaven Boutique Hotel
• Luxury: The Retreat by Heaven

Day 2 – Kigali City & Cultural Tour

As the layers begin to reveal themselves, you understand the underlying culture of the people and their traditions.
Morning:
A guided visit to Kigali Genocide Memorial is on the list, and though it’s challenging, this part of the country’s history is crucial for tourists to understand.
Exploring the Nyamirambo neighbourhood is like stepping into a vibrant postcard with its narrow streets, cheerful murals, and children playing soccer in alleys.
Afternoon:
Kimironko Market. You pass friendly vendors bidding you hello piled high with avocados, rows bursting with vivid kitenge cloth and passionfruit.
For lunch, you can stop at Question Coffee Café. They specialize in high-quality lattes and are known for being fair trade and women-led businesses.
Evening:
Kigali has a new bistro and I would love to take you there or we could dine at the hotel like usual.
After dinner, you have the option to enjoy the skyline or get rest.
Overnight

• Budget: Five to Five Hotel Kigali
• Standard: Heaven Boutique Hotel
• Luxury: The Retreat by Heaven

Day 3 – Moving to Akagera National Park.

The conclusion of your tour opens with exploring the serene open savanna.
Morning:
Venture toward Akagera. The city fades into unending flatlands dotted with acacia trees.
Check into your safari lodge. Lake Ihema’s view can be soaked in while freshening up.
Afternoon:
Lunch lightly while enjoying the scenic lake view.
Participate in the optional afternoon game drive. Giraffes and antelopes may be encountered along the way.
Evening:
Savor dinner while reclining under the stars. The calming sounds of frogs, accompanied by distant hippo snorts, add to the serene atmosphere.
Overnight

• Budget: Akagera Rhino Lodge
• Standard: Ruzizi Tented Lodge
• Luxury: Magashi Camp

Day 4 – Full-Day Safari in Akagera

Notice the vibrant life within the savanna.
Early Morning:
Leave before dawn to catch the soft sunrise light.
Seek out a pride of lions in the grass along with elephants and buffalo.
Midday:
Zebra grazing below while drifting clouds can be watched from the picnic viewpoint over the plains.
Afternoon:
Continue with your exploration. Watch for fish eagles, herons, and colorful tiny rollers flitting between branches.
Return to the lodge as the sun sets.
Evening:
Enjoy dinner with calm conversation. The day has been incredibly long but in a wonderful way.

Overnight

• Budget: Akagera Rhino Lodge
• Standard: Ruzizi Tented Lodge
• Luxury: Magashi Camp

Day 5 – Returning to Kigali then transferring to Volcanoes

Transition from the wide-open grasslands to volcanic slopes.
Morning:
Have breakfast and drive back towards Kigali.
Have a quick stop in the city to refresh or collect any equipment you may have left behind.
Afternoon:
Complete the journey northwest towards Musanze. The hills roll green in the misty peaks. Fields are giving way to more lofty heights of greenery.
Check into your lodge next to Volcanoes National Park. The cool air envelopes you while distant forest birds are heard.
Evening:
Dinner served beside the fire. Go to bed early as gorilla trekking starts at the crack of dawn.

Overnight

• Budget: La Locanda
• Standard: Mountain Gorilla View Lodge
• Luxury: Bisate Lodge

Day 6 – Volcanoes National Park Gorilla Trekking

This is the part that you have been looking forward to for so long.
Early Morning:
Your guide performs permit check and safety briefing. Discussing the area gorillas and the proper etiquette for their company.
Hiking route commences. Some sections featuring clearly designated paths while others are overgrown tangles of roots.
Trekking:
A guide gives direction. You see a glimpse of black fur among the vines.
A gigantic silverback sit’s casually with his massive hands resting on his self. A small baby clings to the mother’s back.
One hour with the gorillas. It feels like both more than, and less than reality.
Afternoon:
Head back to the lodge. Wash up the mud. Enjoy lunch while savoring the experience that took place.
Evening:
Dine by the fire as every strive to detail the emotions experienced, but ultimately no one has the words.

Overnight

• Budget: La Locanda
• Standard: Mountain Gorilla View Lodge
• Luxury: Bisate Lodge

Day 7 – Golden Monkey Guided Tours or Cultural Activities

Today is a day with a different take on the slopes of the Virunga mountains.
Morning:
Golden Monkey trek. With their smaller size, they are much more hyper and agile than gorillas. They sometimes stop as they bound from one bamboo shoot to the next, looking right at you.
Alternatively, you may visit the Iby’Iwacu Cultural Village and learn some traditional crafts and tales from ex-poachers turned conservationists.
Afternoon:
Rest, journal, or stroll in the gardens during your leisure time at the lodge.
Evening:
Dinner followed by sleeping early – a rest needed in advance of a long drive scheduled for tomorrow.

Overnight

• Budget: La Locanda
• Standard: Mountain Gorilla View Lodge
• Luxury: Bisate Lodge

Day 8 – Transfer To Nyungwe Forest National Park

Driving southwest towards the rainforest that is considered ancient.
Morning:
Leaving for Nyungwe, drive past tea plantations that glow in deep green color.
In Huye, have lunch at one of the simple cafes with amazing views over the terraced hills.
Afternoon:
Your lodge at Nyungwe is on the edge of the forest, where you arrive at. The mist dancing between the trees whilst the air filled with the scent of soaked earth and moss, creates an enchanting feeling.
Evening:
Dinner whilst overlooking the treetops and the evening fog.

Overnight

• Budget: ORTPN Resthouse Gisakura
• Standard: Nyungwe Top View Hill Hotel
• Luxury: One&Only Nyungwe House

Day 9 – Chimpanzee Trekking and Canopy Walk

A day spent in a forest that is always buzzing with life.
Early Morning:
You will embark on a guided chimpanzee trek. The guides lead you along narrow paths filled with trees that are bursting with life to their calls.
Spotting them—chimpanzees indulged in feeding and grooming, casting curious glances at you—really shows how closely related we are to them.
Midday:
Return to the lodge for lunch and rest.
Afternoon:
The canopy walk of nyungwe. A suspension bridge over the trees. As you step onto it, the forest opens up in layers of green and the immense trees start dwarfing you.
Early Evening:
Having dinner. You fall asleep to insects chorusing and birds calling distantly into the night.

Overnight

• Budget: ORTPN Resthouse Gisakura
• Standard: Nyungwe Top View Hill Hotel
• Luxury: One&Only Nyungwe House

Day 10 – Return to Kigali & Departure

A final glance at the hills before leaving.
Morning:
Breakfast followed by slow departure.
Midday:
A drive back to Kigali. Watching the land flattening as the city gradually reappears.
Afternoon:
A final visit to the market or a stop at a café.
Early Evening:
Transfer to your departure flight. Leaving with stories that feel almost too vivid to be true, and proof to back it all captured in a camera.