Experience the unique cultural atmosphere of Rwanda and Burundi in this 12-day tour. You will visit local communities, partake in traditional festivities, discover the diverse and vibrant cuisine, explore the history and culture of the region, and take in the spectacular scenery. Enjoy a truly immersive cultural experience with a knowledgeable and experienced guide to maximize your enjoyment. On request, this tour can be coupled with a gorilla trekking tour in Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park or a 2-day gorilla trek trip in Bwindi National Park from Kigali.
Itinerary
You’ll be met at Kigali International by our safari guide from Ahava Gorilla Safari and be transferred to Hotel Onomo Kigali for relaxation after a long flight.
After breakfast, the visit starts at 9:00 AM, you will explore the city and its cultural side.
Nyamirambo Women Center: A community-based project by Rwandan women, for Rwandese women…and the community. During this tour, you will explore the activities of the project: cooking classes, sewing classes, English classes, computer classes, literacy classes, and weaving classes offered to its community members. You will be able to join the cooking class, cook with them and later taste a fresh local meal. The afternoon is reserved for optional visits to local markets. Overnight at Hotel des Mille Collines
Our morning starts with a coffee. Today, you will experience the making of coffee. Celebrated as a star in the specialty coffee world, Rwandan coffee boasts delicate flavors sought after by connoisseurs around the globe. Here in the heart of the coffee country, we invite you to learn how Rwanda’s world-class coffee is harvested, evaluated, roasted, and served. Class guests will pick coffee cherries straight from the trees in our café’s courtyard garden, then experience transforming them into a beautiful cup of coffee. In the afternoon, we drive to Kayonza for an overnight at Dereva Hotel.
After breakfast, we will go for a cultural tour. This experience will you through having hands at Milking a cow and the rituals around milk and how the milk is treated and preserved. You will also visit the farmer’s home and then see how milk can be traditionally kept, treated, and preserved until it’s turned into ghee. Special vessels and
cans are sometimes used for storing and drinking milk, and the herbs are smoked to flavour the milk and give it a good taste.
In the afternoon, we visit The Imigongo Art and Craft Centre. This is one of the most famous cultural sites, run mostly by most women groups, who came up with the idea of using cow dung to create art for house decoration. Imigongo Art Center is a social business whose mission is to create and innovate Imigongo artmaking to add to the efforts of creating jobs for the youth and women in rural Rwanda. Overnight at Dereva Hotel.
After breakfast, you will go for a unique experience at Iby’iwacu Cultural Village and understand how ex-poachers became the gorilla’s guardians. Have a wonderful time with locals involved in different activities like visiting the traditional healer & clinics, learning the ex-poaching techniques, pottery making, local beer making, traditional dancing, and many more before living in the community. In the afternoon, we may go for a Mukungwa River Canoe Trip(optional). Overnight at La Palme Hotel/Similar
After breakfast, we depart for Gisenyi and check in at Lake Kivu Serena Hotel. Afterward, enjoy a boat trip in Lake Kivu visiting the Nyamyumba Hot Springs, fishing village, Methane Gas and Amahoro Island then proceed with a walking city tour. Return to hotel for dinner and overnight. Overnight at La Palme Hotel/Similar
After breakfast, our cultural and historical tour experience will take us also to Nyanza King’s Palace. This was the residence of King Mutara III Rudahigwa and the Royal Palace that was traditionally built. And this Palace offers a detailed look into the Rwandan traditional seat of their monarchy. It is an impressive museum,
restored to its 19th-century state. It is made entirely with traditional materials. We will also visit the Butare Ethnographic Museum, formerly the National Museum of Rwanda. Overnight at Mater Bon Consilii Hotel in Butare.
After breakfast, you will be taken to Rwanda/Burundi border for entry formalities (visa at the border) taking about 10-15 minutes. We later drive to Kibira National Park for a nature walk in the park then visit the “Grottes Inangurire”. Located near the summit of Mount Teza, the 2 caves are around 20m apart and one below the other.
The trip continues the visit to Teza tea plantations and the Teza tea factory. In the afternoon, drive to Bujumbura. Rest at the beach of Lake Tanganyika where your hotel is located. You may use complementary services (sauna, swimming pool, gym) or massage (extra cost) or choose to enjoy the view of the lake from your room balcony. Overnight at Club du Lac Tanganyika Hotel
After breakfast with a strong coffee (tea:) before starting the city tour including, the Rusizi National Park where a boat trip is possible to let you explore closer the hippos and birds in Rusizi River; the Independence hero mausoleum & Unity Monument, Belvedere Hill offers a nice of Lake Tanganyika and the city, The Explorers Memorial” La Pierre Livingstone et Stanley”, a massive rock in the Suburbs of Bujumbura commemorating the meeting between explorers Livingstone & Stanley. In the afternoon, we drive to Gitega. Overnight a Tropitel Hotel
After breakfast at 8:00 A.M., we go visit the Gishora Drum Sanctuary where we will watch a vibrant drum performance. We drive 9 km to
the famous drum sanctuary of Gishora where you will experience the drumming show. This drum sanctuary brings to life the cultural traditions of Burundi. The sanctuary has got ceremonial drums, Murimirwa. The ceremonial drums are never beaten. The sanctuary also has ordinary drums which the Bitimbo beat on special occasions. The drum show takes 40 minutes. After the drum show, we transfer to the source of the Nile in Rutovu, Rutana to see the German Falls in Nyakazu and the amazing Karera waterfalls. The day will end in Rumonge. Overnight at Blue Bay Resort.
After breakfast, we visit Kigwena National Reserve for a forest nature walk on the lookout for chimpanzees, owl-faced monkeys, and baboons if we are lucky to find them (worth visiting with/without the primates). A walk in this green atmosphere is an exhilarating experience itself. We will also visit the local village of fishermen. The afternoon will be reserved for relaxation at the beach of Lake Tanganyika or transfer to Bujumbura, overnight at Tanganyika Blue Bay.
After breakfast, we will drive to Bujumbura International Airport marking the end of the Rwanda Burundi exploration tour.
P.S: If you have a morning flight, we can stay overnight in Bujumbura on the previous Day 11.