13-Day Expedition Across Rwanda, the DRC, and Burundi

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

Kigali

Upon arrival at Kigali International Airport, you will meet our hospitable driver-guide, who will brief you on your upcoming activities before he transfers you to your hotel. If you arrive in the morning, there will be an option to visit the Kimironko market.

Main Destination:

Kigali (Rwanda)

Accommodation:

Lebanon Hotel

• Mid-range hotel located in Kigali (Rwanda)

Meals & Drinks:

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

Nyungwe National Park

After an early breakfast, you will drive about five hours towards Nyungwe National Park. After arriving and eating lunch, you will go on a canopy walk around 2:00pm. Later you will be transferred to the Emeraude Kivu Resort, which is situated along the shores of Lake Kivu.

Main Destination:

Nyungwe National Park (Chimps)

Best Time To Visit June to September (Dry weather, best chimp trekking)

High Season June to September (Popular gorilla trekking time in Volcanoes NP)

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

Wildlife in Nyungwe NP

ChimpanzeeCommon

White RhinoNone

Black RhinoNone

LionNone

LeopardNone

CheetahNone

Show more

ElephantNone

GiraffeNone

BuffaloNone

ZebraNone

WildebeestNone

HippoNone

Accommodation:

Emeraude Kivu Resort

• Mid-range resortin Rusizi (Town, Rwanda)

+9 Photos

+8 Photos

Meals & Drinks:

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

Kahuzi Biega National Park

After your breakfast, you will go on a gorilla trek in Kahuzi Biega National Park. The trek usually requires 1-2.5 hours of hiking each way, depending on the location of the gorilla group being trekked and the terrain’s difficulty. After spending your allotted hour with the gorilla family group, you will make your way back to your hotel. After lunch, you will go on a tour of Bukavu City.

Main Destination:

Kahuzi Biega National Park (Gorillas)

Accommodation:

Orchids Safari Club

• Mid-range hotel1-2hr drive from Kahuzi Biega NP (Gorillas, Congo (DRC))

Meals & Drinks:

• Breakfast & lunch (Dinner not included)
• Drinking water (Other drinks not included)

Bukavu

After breakfast, we will visit Lwiro Primates Rehabilitation Center. The sanctuary takes care of 83 chimpanzees, 105 monkeys, and 12 other species. It gives orphaned chimps a second chance at life while also helping to protect them in the wild as well. You will not only visit but participate in some conservation activities as well. This activity will take the whole day. Later you will be transferred back to your hotel.

Main Destination:

Bukavu (Town, Congo (DRC))

Accommodation:

Orchids Safari Club

• Mid-range hotelin Bukavu (Town, Congo (DRC))

Meals & Drinks:

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

Tchegera Island

After breakfast, you will take a rapid boat to Goma at 7:30am (typically a two-hour journey). After eating lunch in Goma, you will meet with members of the local community and try to ride the made-in-Goma wooden bike famously known as “Tchukudu.” After this activity you will get transferred to Tchegera Island.

Main Destination:

Tchegera Island (Lake Kivu, Congo (DRC))

Accommodation:

Tchegera Tented Camp

• Mid-range tented campinside Virunga NP (Gorillas, Congo (DRC))

+2 Photos

Meals & Drinks:

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

Musanze

After your breakfast at Tchegera and some photos, you will be transferred to Goma to cross the DRC-Rwanda border. You’ll then drive towards the northern province, which is home to the gorillas, so you can experience canoeing along the Mukungwa River.

Later after in the evening, you will visit the Iby’iwacu Cultural Center to learn about the local community surrounding the volcanoes. You’ll be introduced to their history and their involvement in with the conservation of Volcanoes National Park. You will also buy some souvenirs from the community as a sign of support.

Main Destination:

Musanze (City, Rwanda)

Accommodation:

Best View Hotel

• Mid-range hoteljust outside Volcanoes NP (Gorillas, Rwanda)

Meals & Drinks:

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

Volcanoes National Park

After breakfast, you will head to the Volcanoes National Park headquarters for a briefing on your upcoming monkey trek. You’ll then begin your journey to find the friendliest creatures: the golden monkeys. You will spend an hour in their presence before returning to the hotel. Later in the evening, you will go on a tour of Musanze city and visit the local market for souvenir shopping.

Main Destination:

Volcanoes National Park (Gorillas)

Best Time To Visit June to August (It is drier and hiking is easier)

High Season June to September (Permits are scarce)

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

Wildlife in Volcanoes NP

GorillaCommon

ChimpanzeeNone

ElephantRare

BuffaloRare

White RhinoNone

Black RhinoNone

Show more

GiraffeNone

LionNone

LeopardNone

CheetahNone

ZebraNone

WildebeestNone

HippoNone

Accommodation:

Best View Hotel

• Mid-range hoteljust outside Volcanoes NP (Gorillas, Rwanda)

Meals & Drinks:

• Breakfast & lunch (Dinner not included)
• Drinking water (Other drinks not included)

Musanze

After breakfast, we will pay a visit to the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund to learn about this pioneer of mountain gorilla conservation. It has been many years since Dian Fossey first became involved with conservation after some encounters with poachers. You will learn about her efforts in Rwanda and the DRC, from the very beginning until her untimely death. After the visit, you’ll spend the remainder of the day at your leisure in Musanze.

Main Destination:

Musanze (City, Rwanda)

Accommodation:

Virunga Hotel

• Mid-range hoteljust outside Volcanoes NP (Gorillas, Rwanda)

+2 Photos

Meals & Drinks:

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

Kigali

After breakfast, you will drive about two-hours towards Kigali, where you will go on a city tour upon arrival. Along with your city tour, you will visit the Kimironko market, which features local food and handcrafts. Be sure to buy some souvenirs here before heading back to your hotel.

Main Destination:

Kigali (Rwanda)

Accommodation:

Lebanon Hotel

• Mid-range hotel located in Kigali (Rwanda)

Meals & Drinks:

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

Bujumbura

After an early breakfast, you will drive about 1.5 hours through the hills to the Gasenyi-Nemba border. You will reach Bujumbura in the afternoon, eat lunch, and then go on a tour of the city. You will visit some mausoleums (including Prince Louis Rwagasore’s) and the Unity Monument to learn how Burundi unified after the colonial period.

Later you will also walk along Lake Tanganyika and visit Saga beach, which is a well-known beach in Bujumbura featuring beautiful white sand.

Main Destination:

Bujumbura (City, Burundi)

Accommodation:

Hotel Dolce Vita Resort

• Mid-range hotelin Bujumbura (City, Burundi)

Meals & Drinks:

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

Karera Waterfalls

After breakfast, you will get into your safari vehicle and start driving toward Rutana (a roughly three-hour drive). You will arrive around 9:00am and make your way to one of the sources of the Nile River. The water from the Karera waterfalls has healing powers that serve as medication. That is why you will find local and international visitors coming here to step into the water and seek healing. The site is surrounded by breathtaking scenery.

Later you will drive about one hour toward Gitega, the new capital of Burundi.

Main Destination:

Karera Waterfalls (Burundi)

Accommodation:

Helena Hotel

• Mid-range hotelin Gitega (City, Burundi)

Meals & Drinks:

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

Gishora Drum Sanctuary

After breakfast, you will get to experience Burundian culture at the Gishora Drum Sanctuary. You will be astonished by the drummers’ performance! You’ll also have the chance to learn how to dance and play the drums. After your lunch in Gitega, you will visit the Gitega National Museum to learn more about Burundian culture.

Main Destination:

Gishora Drum Sanctuary (Cultural Village, Burundi)

Accommodation:

Hotel Dolce Vita Resort

• Mid-range hotelin Bujumbura (City, Burundi)

Meals & Drinks:

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

Kigali

After breakfast, you will drive about four hours back to Kigali International Airport for your flight home.

Main Destination:

Kigali International Airport (Kigali, Rwanda)

Accommodation:

No accommodation (End of tour)

Meals & Drinks:

• Breakfast & lunch (Dinner not included)
• Drinking water (Other drinks not included)

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