8-Day Kibeho 45th Anniversary of Virgin Mary Apparitions

• You'll be collected from the airport.
• Accommodation before the tour starts can be arranged for an extra cost.

Arrival in Kigali

Arrival at Kigali airport, where you will be met by Attractive Safaris and your pilgrimage guide. They will be waiting for you in the arrivals hall with a sign marked “Attractive Safaris.” After greeting you and presenting the program for your pilgrimage, he will transfer you to your accommodation. If time permits, daily mass in the chapel of the Carmel/Kigali Monastery. After dinner, rest after such a long flight.
Main Destination: Kigali

Accommodation: San José Carmelo Spiritual Centre or similar accommodation in Kigali

Meals: Dinner (Breakfast & Lunch not included)
Drinks: Mineral water or soft drinks.

Main Destination:

Kigali

Accommodation:

San José Carmelo Spiritual Centre

• Budget guest house

Meals & Drinks:

• Meals at own expense
• Non-alcoholic drinks

Kigali - Nyanza King Palace Museum - Kibeho

After an early breakfast, departure for Kibeho. En route, visit the museum at the Royal Court of Nyanza, seat of the ancient Kingdom of Rwanda before the arrival of Europeans. The Royal Court was the center of intense cultural and artistic life: poets, singers, and dancers enlivened the royal evenings.
Lunch in the City of Butare.
At 2:00 p.m., continue to Kibeho (approximately 1 hour drive), check-in and room allocation (3:00-4:00 p.m.).
Participate in the Solemn Vigil at the Feast of the Mother of the Word in Kibeho (around 4:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.)
- 4:30 p.m.: Vigil Mass at the apparition site in Kibeho
- 6:00 p.m.: Torchlight procession with the statue of Our Lady of Kibeho.
- 8:00 p.m.: Guest lecture - Sacrament of Reconciliation - Rosary - Marian vigil of prayer
- Then, return to the hotel for dinner (9:00 p.m.)
Main Destination: Kibeho

Accommodation: Blue Veil Villa Hotel Kibeho or similar

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & dinner
Drinks: Mineral water or soft drinks.

Main Destination:

Kibeho (Town)

Accommodation:

Blue Veil Villa Hotel Kibeho

• Budget hotel

Meals & Drinks:

• All meals included
• Non-alcoholic drinks

45th Anniversary of Apparitions - Solemn Mass

After breakfast, from 8:00-9:00 a.m.: discover the Shrine of Our Lady of Sorrows, pray at the apparition site, the Chapel of Adoration...

9:00 a.m.: Sacrament of Reconciliation

10:00 a.m.: Rosary of the Seven Sorrows

11:00 a.m.: Solemn Mass on the esplanade of the Shrine

After Mass, lunch at your accommodation

After lunch, visit of the "Centre des Pères Mariaux de l'Immaculée Conception" in Nyarushishi, 2 km from Kibeho, and pray while contemplating the statue of Divine Mercy. Since 2004, a giant bronze statue of the Merciful Jesus, weighing 2 tons and measuring 16 feet high, has been located in Nyarushishi at the Marian Formation Center of the Mariaux Fathers of the Immaculate Conception. This statue has a wonderful story to discover. Since then, a visit to Nyarushishi has become a must for pilgrims coming to Kibeho.

Main Destination: Kibeho

Accommodation: Blue Veil Villa Hotel Kibeho or similar

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & dinner

Drinks: Mineral water or soft drinks.

Main Destination:

Kibeho (Town)

Accommodation:

Blue Veil Villa Hotel Kibeho

• Budget hotel

Meals & Drinks:

• All meals included
• Non-alcoholic drinks

Kibeho-Benedictine monks of Gihindamuyaga

After breakfast, pending confirmation, meet and talk with the rector of the shrine and, speak with the visionary in Kibeho (Nathalie Mukamazimpaka), followed by the Sunday Mass in the Chapel of Apparitions...
After lunch, drive to the Benedictine monks of Gihindamuyaga. On the way back, visit the Cathedral of the Diocese of Butare, visit the first Catholic church in Rwanda built in Save in 1900, then drive to the Benedictine Monastery of Gihindamuyaga. If time permits and pending permission, evening meeting with Benedictine monks to discuss their history and ministry in Rwanda.
Main Destination: Butare

Accommodation: Monastery of Gihindamuyaga or similar

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & dinner
Drinks: Mineral water or soft drinks.

Main Destination:

Butare (City)

Accommodation:

Monastery of Gihindamuyaga

• Budget guest house

Meals & Drinks:

• All meals included
• Non-alcoholic drinks

The Shrine of the Merciful Jesus in Ruhango

Morning Mass. After breakfast, drive to the Shrine of the Merciful Jesus in Ruhango. The Shrine of the Merciful Jesus in Ruhango was inaugurated by the Pope's envoy to Rwanda on April 27, 2014. Here in Ruhango, religious tourists from all over Rwanda, Burundi, the DRC, and Uganda converge on the first Sunday of every month. Particularly on Divine Mercy Sunday, more than 50,000 visitors flock on the first Sunday of every month in search of divine grace. Site visit, conference, adoration of the Blessed Sacrament. After lunch at the Ruhango Center, continue on to Ruhengeri via Gitarama. On the way, visit the Minor Basilica of Kabgayi.

Main Destination: Shrine of the Merciful Jesus in Ruhango

Accommodation: Centre Pastoral Notre Dame de Fatima or similar
Religious accommodation in Ruhengeri

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & dinner
Drinks: Mineral water or soft drinks.

Main Destination:

Ruhengeri (City)

Accommodation:

Centre Pastoral Notre Dame De Fatima

• Budget guest house

Meals & Drinks:

• All meals included
• Non-alcoholic drinks

Fatima Shrine and regional volcano discovery

Morning Mass. After breakfast, visit to Ruhengeri Cathedral: meditation and prayer at the shrine of Our Lady of Fatima. In Fatima, the Virgin Mary appeared as a Mother. The children saw her as a very humble and extremely beautiful woman. As a Mother, she is the protector of her children. Thus, since its foundation in 1954, the parish of Ruhengeri has been dedicated to Our Lady of Fatima. And on May 13, 2015, during his pilgrimage to Fatima, the bishop of the diocese of Ruhengeri renewed the act of dedication of the diocese to Our Lady of Fatima.

Lunch in Ruhengeri

After lunch, visit the volcano region and the cultural village “Iby'iwacu cultural village” and enjoy Rwandan folk dances. A very moving experience of Rwandan tradition, culture, and customs.

Then, return to Kigali

Main Destination: Ruhengeri / Shrine of Our Lady of Fatima

Accommodation: San José Carmelo of the Carmelite Sisters in Kigali or similar

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & dinner

Drinks: Mineral water or soft drinks.

Main Destination:

Ruhengeri (City)

Accommodation:

San José Carmelo of the Carmelite Sisters in Kigali

• Budget guest house

Meals & Drinks:

• All meals included
• Non-alcoholic drinks

Safari to Akagera National Park

Transfer time 3 hours

At 5:00 a.m head to Akagera National Park for wildlife viewing. This park is a famous savanna reserve in Rwanda. The safari from south to north (approximately 7 hours) will allow you to see many species of animals, including the Big 5 (lions, rhinos, elephants, buffaloes, and, if you're lucky, leopards), giraffes, zebras, antelopes, impalas, oribis, and the elusive bushbuck. The elusive bushbuck, but also the ungainly tsessebe tsessebe and the world's largest antelope, the stately Cepeeland...). The park is also home to nearly 500 species of birds, including the spectacular shoebill with its incredibly massive beak and the red-faced barbet, which is almost endemic.

Lunch at the Mihindi campsite.

Continue the safari in Akagera.

Then return to Kigali.

Main Destination: Akagera National Park

Accommodation: San José Carmelo of the Carmelite Sisters in Kigali or similar

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & dinner

Drinks: Mineral water or soft drinks.

Main Destination:

Akagera National Park

Best Time To Visit June to September and mid-December to mid-February (It is drier and wildlife is easier to spot)

High Season June to September (The park is busiest at weekends)

Best Weather June to October (Sunny, but not too hot)

Wildlife in Akagera NP

GiraffeCommon

BuffaloAbundant

ZebraAbundant

HippoAbundant

White RhinoOccasional

LionOccasional

Show more

ElephantOccasional

Black RhinoRare

LeopardRare

HyenaRare

CheetahNone

WildebeestNone

Wild DogNone

Accommodation:

San José Carmelo of the Carmelite Sisters in Kigali

• Budget guest house located near Akagera NP

Meals & Drinks:

• All meals included
• Drinking water (Other drinks not included)

Kigali Genocide Memorial, souvenir shopping, transfer to the airport

After breakfast, visit the city of Kigali to soak up different aspects of the city. This guided tour will allow you to discover the main tourist sites of your choice, such as the Kigali Genocide Memorial, the Regina Pacis Church, the city's administrative and commercial districts, the first residence of Richard Kandt, the Belgian paratroopers' cemetery, and more. Farewell meal in the city of Kigali. Then, transfer to the airport for your return flight.

Main Destination: Kigali

Accommodation: No accommodation (end of the pilgrimage)

Meals: Breakfast & lunch (Dinner not included)

Drinks: Mineral water or soft drinks

End of Pilgrimage.

Main Destination:

Kigali Genocide Memorial (Kigali)

Accommodation:

No accommodation (End of tour)

Meals & Drinks:

• Breakfast & lunch (Dinner not included)
• Non-alcoholic drinks

• Additional accommodation can be arranged for an extra cost.
• You'll be dropped off at the airport.