10-Day Best of Rwanda Mid-Range Tour

Experience the magic of Rwanda on a 10-day journey that includes exhilarating wildlife encounters with captivating cultural experiences. Your adventure begins in the vibrant city of Kigali, where you’ll be warmly welcomed before setting out on a scenic drive to Nyungwe National Park. Here, explore the lush rainforest, home to diverse primate species, including the playful golden monkeys and the elusive chimpanzees. Each day reveals new wonders, from thrilling canopy walks and serene boat rides on Lake Kivu to exploring the picturesque twin lakes of Bulera and Ruhondo.

The highlight of your trip awaits with a heart-pounding gorilla trek in Volcanoes National Park. Stand in awe as you come face-to-face with these majestic creatures in their natural habitat, a once-in-a-lifetime experience that will leave you with unforgettable memories. Throughout your journey, engage with Rwanda’s vibrant culture through visits to traditional villages, local markets, and historical sites. Wrap up your adventure with a tour of Kigali, discovering the city’s charm and history before heading home. This tour promises an ideal blend of excitement, relaxation, and cultural discovery, making it the perfect choice for an extraordinary Rwandan experience.

Our 10-day itinerary for this Rwanda tour is an example and fully customisable. Contact us(opens in a new tab) directly if you are interested in a personalised Rwanda Safari or other East Africa tour packages(opens in a new tab).

All of our tours can be personalised. For most safari itineraries, we can offer luxury, mid-range or budget versions upon request. To find out more, contact us directly(opens in a new tab).

Prices indicated are per person (p/p).

Additional Pricing

Optional:

• Visit the Batwa: $80 per person
• Waterfall hike: $100 per person

Day 1: Arrive Kigali International Airport
On arrival at Kigali International Airport, you will be met by your driver/guide and be
transferred to your hotel in Kigali.

Driving distance: 15 minutes
Overnight at Lemigo Hotel (B&B)

Day 2: Depart for Nyungwe National Park
After breakfast, your driver-guide will pick you up for a scenic 6 ½ hour drive to Nyungwe National Park. Along the way, you’ll have the chance to explore two fascinating stops.

First, visit the renowned National Museum in Butare. Established with a donation from the Belgian government in 1989, this museum was designed in collaboration with the Royal Museum for Central Africa in Tervuren, Belgium. It offers a rich collection of ethnographic artefacts, providing deep insights into daily life in Rwanda. You’ll see traditional ceramics and basketry, which are among the finest local crafts. Remarkably, the museum survived the 1994 civil war with minimal damage.

Next, stop at the historic King’s Palace in Nyanza. This ancient site offers a glimpse into Rwanda’s royal heritage and history.

After a delightful lunch in Butare, continue your journey to Nyungwe National Park. Arrive in the evening for dinner and settle into your hotel for a restful overnight stay.

Driving distance: 6 ½ hours
Overnight at Nyungwe Top View Hotel (FB)

Day 3: Chimpanzee Trekking and Nature Walk
Start your day with an early breakfast, then collect your packed lunch provided by the hotel. Drive to Nyungwe National Park, where your chimpanzee trekking adventure begins. Nyungwe is the largest block of montane forest in East and Central Africa, known for its incredible biodiversity.

In Africa, there are two species of chimpanzees: the Bonobo and the Common Chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes), also known as the Robust Chimpanzee. Rwanda is home to a small but endangered population of about 400 Common Chimpanzees. While seeing the chimps is not guaranteed due to their unpredictable movements and extensive travel patterns, the experienced rangers will make every effort to locate them using constant radio communication.

After your trek, return to the lodge for lunch. In the afternoon, set off on a nature walk through the lush forest. You’ll visit the beautiful Kamiranzovu Waterfall and discover the forest’s rich array of wildlife, including over 200 tree species, 280 bird species, and more than 100 colourful butterflies—a true feast for nature enthusiasts.

Return to Nyungwe Lodge for a delicious dinner and a restful overnight stay.

Driving distance: approximately 50 km
Overnight at Nyungwe Top View Hotel (FB)

Day 4: Colobus Monkey Tracking + Canopy Walk
After a hearty breakfast, pick up your packed lunch and head back to Nyungwe National Park for a day of exciting activities. Begin with a trek to spot the elusive Colobus Monkeys. Among Nyungwe’s primates, the Ruwenzori Colobus stands out. This unique subspecies of the Angola Colobus is found only in the Albertine Rift. Known for its striking black fur and white whiskers, shoulders, and tail tip, the Ruwenzori Colobus is highly arboreal and an agile leaf-eater, making it a fascinating sight.

Following your trek, return to the lodge for a satisfying lunch. In the afternoon, embark on an exhilarating canopy walk. Suspended 50 metres above the ground, the 150-metre walkway offers a bird’s-eye view of the forest. As the first canopy walk in East Africa and only the third on the continent (following South Africa and Ghana), it provides a unique perspective, allowing you to observe the forest from above and get eye-level views of its avian and primate inhabitants.

Return to your hotel or lodge for a delicious dinner and a restful overnight stay.

Overnight at Nyungwe Top View Hotel (FB)

Day 5: Depart for Kibuye
After breakfast, depart for Kibuye, situated at the eastern tip of Lake Kivu. Known for its breathtaking scenery, Kibuye is often considered the lake’s most stunning spot. As you travel along the winding, unpaved road, you’ll pass through picturesque hills and mountains, with eucalyptus trees lining the route and terraced banana plantations dotting the landscape. The friendly locals may greet you with waves, making you feel like royalty by the end of your journey!

Arrive in Kibuye in time for lunch at the charming Moriah Hills Resort. Following lunch, set off on a scenic boat trip to Amahoro Island, also known as Napoleon’s Island. This island is home to a colony of fruit bats, earning it the nickname “One Bar Island”. Enjoy the magnificent panorama of deeply incised creeks, towering mountain ranges, and tranquil islands.

Return to Moriah Hills Resort for a delightful dinner and a restful overnight stay.

Driving distance: 3 hours
Overnight at Moriah Hills Resort (FB)

Day 6: Depart for Gisenyi
After breakfast, set off for Gisenyi, Rwanda’s largest port on Lake Kivu. Upon arrival, check in to your hotel and enjoy a leisurely lunch.

Spend the afternoon exploring Gisenyi, where you can take a refreshing swim in Lake Kivu, one of the African Great Lakes, located on the border between the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Rwanda. You can also enjoy a scenic boat ride to one of the lake’s islands or explore the town at your own pace. Stroll through the bustling local market, wander the leafy streets, and admire the charming old colonial buildings.

Return to your hotel for a delightful dinner and a restful overnight stay.

Driving distance: 3 hours
Overnight at Paradise Malahide hotel (FB)

DAY 7: Depart for Ruhengeri
Today, you’ll journey to Ruhengeri with a special stop at the Imbabazi Orphanage. Founded by Rosamond Halsey Carr (1912-2006) in 1994, the orphanage cared for over 400 children before it closed. Roz, who chronicled her deep connection to Rwanda in the book, “Land of a Thousand Hills: My Life in Rwanda”, is celebrated for her humanitarian efforts and is featured in a film currently in production. Enjoy a walk around the homestead, where you can see the flowers she planted, and savour a cup of tea or coffee while watching traditional local dancers and entertainment.

Continue your journey to Ruhengeri, Rwanda’s second-largest town, nestled against the stunning backdrop of the Virunga volcanic mountains. Upon arrival, check in to your hotel and enjoy lunch.

In the afternoon, visit the picturesque twin lakes of Bulera and Ruhondo, located at the base of the Muhabura volcano near the Uganda border. Surrounded by steep hills and framed by the Virunga volcanoes, these lakes offer breathtaking views and excellent photo opportunities. Their deep blue waters and the dramatic scenery of waterfalls and volcanoes make for a truly memorable experience.

Return to your hotel for dinner and a comfortable overnight stay.

Driving distance: 15 minutes
Overnight at Mountain Gorilla View Lodge (FB)

Day 8: Gorilla Tracking
You will be up early on the morning of your Gorilla Tracking for a good breakfast in preparation for the day’s physical activity. You’ll report for registration at the ranger station by 8 AM. After a briefing by the rangers, your gorilla trek will start. The trek usually takes between three and six hours so a reasonable degree of fitness is required, as well as adequate walking boots or shoes.

The rangers will guide you through the fields, up the gentle slopes of the volcanoes and into the bamboo forest. The mountain gorillas are under 24 hour monitoring for their own safety, so you’re almost guaranteed to see them. The rangers monitor each gorilla family by keeping in close radio contact.

In part due to gorilla tourism, the population of gorillas is slowly increasing but the species remains critically endangered. Gorillas and humans share almost identical genetic material and their health must not be compromised by coming into contact with human diseases (via our food, for example). To reduce transmission of disease from humans to gorillas, you will also be advised to keep 7 metres from the gorillas.

Once you have located the gorilla family, you will be asked to leave all your belongings to one side, and approach the gentle giants, just with your camera. The guides will interpret the animals’ behaviour for you. Females and their young, young males and even a dominant Silverback may be seen feeding, playing, interacting with each other, or just sleeping! You will never forget your encounter with the gorillas. They will be quite curious to see you! You are allowed exactly one hour with the gorillas before returning to base.

Tracking the mountain gorillas is a physically demanding experience. In the afternoon,
you may want to rest, or you may wish to go on a village walk, visit the local market or
visit the grave of famous primatologist Dian Fossey of “Gorillas in the Mist” fame who
studied the gorillas of this area.

Driving distance: 15 minutes
Overnight at Mountain Gorilla View Lodge (FB)

Day 9: Golden Monkey Tracking + Intercultural Exchange
Entering the dense bamboo forest interspersed with open glades, you’ll venture deep into the golden monkey territory of Volcanoes National Park. Accompanied by ranger guides, you’ll be led to the habitat of ‘habituated’ golden monkeys—those that have grown accustomed to human presence. Although viewing is limited to one hour, you’ll have the chance to observe these golden monkeys up close in their natural environment. Watch as adult monkeys frolic in plain sight, feeding on bamboo leaves and leaping from branch to branch, while females carry their young comfortably among onlookers.

After your trek, return to your hotel to freshen up and enjoy lunch. In the afternoon, consider exploring optional activities such as a visit to the Iby’iwacu Cultural Village, where you can watch traditional dance performances, meet a local medicine man, or discover the house of a local king. These cultural experiences provide alternative income for reformed poachers and are popular with visitors. Alternatively, you might visit local brewers to learn about the process of brewing beer from bananas. For a fun experience, join the women in squeezing banana juice and enjoy a refreshing glass. Additionally, you can learn about basket weaving, an important cultural practice in Rwanda. Through these activities, you’ll support the local community financially.

Driving distance: 15 minutes
Overnight at Mountain Gorilla View Lodge (FB)

Day 10: City Tour and Shopping + Depart
After breakfast, your driver will collect you for the two-hour drive to Kigali. Depending on the time of your flight, you may have a chance for a complementary city tour of one of Africa’s most well-run and friendly capital cities. Interesting optional spots to visit may include the craft market, Gisozi genocide memorial site and Kigali museum. You will have a chance to do some last-minute souvenir shopping here or at the airport before your flight back home.

Driving distance: 2 hours

1. Prices are valid for 2024, 2025 and 2026.
2. The itinerary mentioned for this tour is an example which can be tailored to your wishes.
3. The Gorilla Tracking included in this safari depends on the availability of gorilla trekking permits at the time of booking. These permits are strictly limited and sold out in advance, especially during peak seasons of Christmas and school holidays. We therefore strongly recommend booking early.
4. The safari indicated here is essentially an offer. Changes in the course of the journey, the duration of your tour, the number of travellers, as well as the choice of accommodation are subject to availability, although we always endeavour to stick as closely as possible to this programme. For most itineraries, we can offer luxury, mid-range or budget versions of this safari upon request.
5. Sometimes it is not possible to adhere to the travel plan as described in this itinerary, due to weather and road conditions, authority regulations, organisational requirements, etc. Occasionally, the planned route of the tour has to change according to the situation on the ground. We must therefore explicitly refuse liability for adherence to the journey plan.
6. By booking this safari, the client accepts Manya Africa Tours Terms and Conditions(opens in a new tab) of business.