7 Days Discover Rwanda & Burundi
fromDestination: Kigali, Butare, Nyanza, Nyungwe, Bujumbura city tour, Rusizi boat trip, Gitega – Gishora drum sanctuary
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Vacation Style Holiday Type
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Activity Level Amazing Experience
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Day 1
Arrive in Rwanda
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Day 2
Nyungwe National Park enroute visit the King’s palace & Ethnographic Museum
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Day 3
Colobus Monkey Trekking & Waterfall hike
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Day 4
Chimpanzee Tracking & Canopy walkway – Transfer to Butare
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Day 5
Butare to Burundi - Bujumbura
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Day 6
Bujumbura to Gitega - Drum sanctuary in Gishora
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Day 7
Bujumbura city tour and Rusizi National Park
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Day 1
Arrive in Rwanda
Meet your driver at the exit of the airport and transfer to the hotel
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Day 2
Nyungwe National Park enroute visit the King’s palace & Ethnographic Museum
After your breakfast you will depart towards the south west in Nyungwe National Park. This is quite a long drive (about 5 hours) but you will have stops to visit museums and have lunch.
Enroute, you will do a cultural and historical exploration of Nyanza and Nyanza where you will visit the King’s palace, a reconstruction of the traditional royal residence, the King’s Palace is a beautifully-crafted thatched dwelling shaped like a beehive.
In olden times, Nyanza was the heart of Rwanda. According to oral tradition, it was the site of battles and power struggles. For a long time, the monarchy was mobile, moving the court between various locations. When it eventually settled in one place, Nyanza was the obvious choice. The capital of the kingdom had as many as 2,000 inhabitants, and huts built with the same methods as seen here.
At the back live a few long-horned Inyambo cattle, descended from the king’s herd, whose keepers carefully tend and sing to them, keeping alive a unique tradition.
The elegant cows, derived from the wider Ankole breed, played an important role during ceremonies in honour of the king. They were decorated with rich jewellery and were taught to listen to a trainer’s songs and follow his movements in a stately parade.
Rwanda ceased to be a monarchy in 1962, when it gained independence from colonial rule. However, the breeding and grooming of Inyambo is still carried out and a fascinating insight into Rwanda’s history.
Proceed to Butare where you will visit the ethnographic museum, a gift from Belgium’s King Badouin in the late 1980s, the Ethnographic Museum now houses one of Africa’s finest ethnographic collections.
Seven galleries display historical, ethnographic, artistic and archaeological artefacts accompanied by visual aides, giving visitors a rich insight into Rwandan culture. The exhibits open with geographical and geological displays, moving on to items used in hunting, agriculture, animal husbandry, pottery, weaving and woodwork. Traditional clothing and architectural methods are also illustrated, as well as the social importance of cattle.
Lunch at E-Bis then proceed to Nyungwe forest.
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Day 3
Colobus Monkey Trekking & Waterfall hike
Head to the park this morning to track the black-and-white colobus in Nyungwe Forest National Park. These small primates are easily recognizable by their entirely black body with stark white whiskers, shoulders and tip of the tail. A troop of nearly 400 of these monkeys call Nyungwe National Park home, meaning that although sighting wild animals is never guaranteed, you stand a good chance of finding them within an hour or less into the trek.
Social in nature, you will almost certainly experience playful interaction with these curious primates. Doing this trek will give you the opportunity to interact with the largest group of primates on the entire continent of Africa, a truly special experience.
After lunch, you will go for a nature walk to the waterfalls in the park. This 2.3 km trail descends into one of the most densely vegetated and steepest rainforest ravines on any trail at Nyungwe. Cool misty air and the murmur of a river rise from below, mingled with calls of birds, tree frogs and insects. Ferns, mosses, lichens and flowers are exceptionally abundant in the high humidity.
Several species of primates are commonly found here, as well as many birds.
You may enjoy the sighting of the waterfall from two main vantage points depending upon how wet you want to get. The first is at the end of a short spur, which leads to a picnic bench overlooking the fall at 50 meters distance. Small trees partially obscure the view. The falls can be reached by descending to the wild river below and then clambering over wet rocks to a large boulder in the middle of the Amphitheatre. From here, you’ll be close to the bottom of the falls, where it thunders down.
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Day 4
Chimpanzee Tracking & Canopy walkway – Transfer to Butare
Early morning (5am) breakfast at the hotel then drive to the park reception for the briefing and grouping followed by the tracking of chimpanzees. Lunch at the hotel and refreshment.
Lunch at the cafe in the park, then check in at the park reception again for another activity.
Meet you forest Ranger and guide will lead your walk to the forest’s canopy with an eye for some of the 310 bird species, butterflies, orchids, centuries-old trees and 75 mammals including 13 primates that live here this walk is a spectacular journey in the largest surviving example of an Afro Montane ecosystem and one of the oldest continuously forested locations on Earth.
The walk includes a 200m long canopy walkway that takes you high above the forest floor providing a unique platform for observing the forest.
Transfer to Butare in the evening.
Meal Plan: Lunch & Dinner
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Day 5
Butare to Burundi - Bujumbura
Breakfast at the hotel, followed by the transfer to Kanyaru the border with Burundi. After checking in at the border and meeting your guide for Burundi, transfer (road trip of 3 hours) to Bujumbura and briefing at the hotel.
Meal Plan: Lunch & Dinner
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Day 6
Bujumbura to Gitega - Drum sanctuary in Gishora
After breakfast, drive Busekera Batwa village (Pygmy community – handcrafts village), then go to Gitega. From Bugarama to Gishora takes about one hour and half
depending on the stopovers along the way, with the beautiful landscape and Tea plantation en route to Gitega.On arrival in Gitega city, start our visit at Gitega national museum, a historical and cultural museum, then drive to Gishora (10km from Gitega), we meet the team chef of famous drummers and take a sit to attend a fascinating show combining the sound of the drumbeat to dances, heroic poetry and traditional songs which take around one hour. After the show we drive from Gishora to Gitega city for lunch at Tropitel hotel; after lunch, drive to Muramvya province, and come back to Bujumbura at 6pm.
Meal Plan: Lunch & Dinner
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Day 7
Bujumbura city tour and Rusizi National Park
Departure at 8:20, after breakfast, we start our trip by a boat ride in the Rusizi national park, from Rusizi river until to Lake Tanganyika to see hippos, birds and crocodiles, drive to the memorial stone of the meeting of explorers David Livingston and Henry M. Stanley, return downtown for lunch/Buffet. After lunch, visit the various monuments of the city including the Independence Square (in the car), the mausoleum of the hero of independence, Prince Louis Rwagasole, and the unity monument “Ubumwe”,
Transfer to the airport in the afternoon for your flight back home. End
In case of non-availability, we may have to re-route and provide alternative accommodation of similar category.
All the passengers must have Identification Card/valid Passport with them throughout their travel.
RULES & REGULATIONS IN THE PARKS
• Never walk alone in the park, always take a guide and listen to him/her
• Keep your voice low so that you don’t frighten the wildlife
• When you are with Gorillas/Chimpanzees keep your distance (7m minimum/23ft), no smoking, eating or drinking, no cell phones, if you must sneeze or cough always cover your face and turn away from gorillas. Visits are limited to 1 Hour per gorilla group per day.
• If you’re to take pictures don’t put the flash ON.
• Don’t drop litter, take it home or in your car (or carry them till you reach the reception where there is bins)
• It is prohibited to pick or remove any plans or other wildlife in the park
NOTE: Before setting out; coughs and sneezes spread diseases and can kill gorillas. If you have a cold or flu or other infectious illness, do not visit Gorillas! Get a doctor’s note and your permit fee will be refunded or you trek when you’re fine.
Rwanda is strictly a polythene free country. For environmental reasons, plastic bags are not allowed!
Thank you for choosing us!
- Private airport and inter-hotel transfers
- Private ensuite accommodation at the selected hotels, lodges or camps
- Services of a professional, experienced English-speaking driver
- Lunch, dinner and breakfast with soft drinks (BB on arrival and FB the rest of the days)
- Drinking water in the vehicle during the tour
- All activities/tours as per itinerary
- All park permits and entry fees as per the itinerary
- Our 24hours/day office assistance
- Taxes and administrative costs
- Emergency Helicopter Evacuation Insurance
- Visas and flights
- Covid tests where needed
- Alcoholic drinks
- Tips and gratuities
- Optional activities
- Personal expenses such as telephone calls, mini bar, porter-age, travel insurance, etc.
We offer a wide range of tours and activities including cultural tours, adventure tours, wildlife safaris, beach holidays, and more.
Our tour packages include accommodation, meals, transportation, and activities as per the itinerary. However, some packages may have additional inclusions or exclusions, which will be clearly stated.
Yes, we offer customized tour packages based on your preferences and requirements. Simply let us know what you are looking for, and we will tailor a package that suits you.
Our cancellation policy varies based on the package and the time of cancellation. We encourage you to read our terms and conditions carefully before booking a tour.