100% customisable travel idea
People and nature in all their majesty A journey into the heart of Rwanda
Rwanda - Kigali - Akagera - Volcanoes National Park - Lake Kivu
100% customisable travel idea
Rwanda - Kigali - Akagera - Volcanoes National Park - Lake Kivu
100% customisable for you
Welcome and assistance with formalities. Transfer. You’ll spend the night in the Kiyovu district, in a large, modern and functional hotel built by the Belgian airline Sabena in 1973. The rooms are well equipped, comfortable and classic. From the main restaurant - which serves quality international cuisine - there is a panoramic view of Kigali. There is also an outdoor swimming pool and a bar. There, the flavours of the snack foods are African. As for the massage kiosk set up next to the blue liner, it is as welcoming as can be. In short, you’ll be well located and well looked after.
Already scheduled - Kigali in private. Estella, originally from Burundi, now lives in Kigali. She has worked as a TV host, reporter and editor in print media, and now works at the media library of the French Institute in Rwanda. You have a meeting to spend a few hours together, enjoying a walk shaped by your interests, your wishes and the curated addresses of your companion for the day. It’s a chance to share a little slice of life and pick up a wealth of tips for the rest of the journey.
You’ll meet your driver and head to Akagera, near the Tanzanian border. You’ll spend two nights in the south of the park. From the hotel, you’ll have an unobstructed view of Lake Ihema. The establishment is modern and proudly proclaims this. Traditional, stylised patterns are incorporated into the décor. The rooms have an impeccable, classic style. Grey, black, white and red recur from one room to the next. The cuisine at the restaurant is contemporary African; a beautiful dining room opens onto a pleasant terrace. In the garden, there is a swimming pool and a fire pit where people gather in the evening.
With your driver, you’ll visit Akagera. It’s a park in the midst of a revival. The crises that have shaken the country have affected its wildlife and plant life. However, significant efforts, international cooperation and a new awareness of environmental issues have made it possible to reintroduce extinct species - Masai giraffe, lion and black rhinoceros - and to restore balance among those that remain. A variety of environments - savannas, wetlands, mountains - foster a rich diversity. Today, you can encounter buffalo, topi antelope, elephants, Burchell’s zebras and, along the banks of the Kagera or Ihema, hippos and Nile crocodiles, squacco herons, openbill storks that favour marshy areas, as well as the curious hamerkop and the unusual shoebill. The black hornbill can be found here too. The red-faced barbet ventures near the hotel.
Scheduled - Behind the scenes at Akagera. This meeting with those involved in the park’s revival lets us appreciate the work achieved and the commitment it demanded from the whole nation.
Also planned - a cruise on Lake Ihema. The outing invites you to enjoy the calm waters and their shifting hues, and the vast sky above them. It is also a chance to get up close - with a little thrill - to hippos and crocodiles in their natural habitat.
Drive to Volcanoes National Park. You’ll spend two nights in a modern lodge that is well designed and pleasant. The staff certainly help to make it so. The garden keeps a certain freshness. The swimming pool is, of course, a welcome feature - as are the hammocks. The sauna might seem out of place here, but it is actually an excellent idea. The clean rooms are equipped as they should be. In the dining room, simple and nourishing cuisine is served with warmth and friendliness.
Scheduled - meeting Handspun Hope, a Christian organisation that supports the poorest and most traumatised women through work, social integration and psychological and spiritual support. The aim is to turn regained autonomy into a driving force.
Already scheduled - Meet the gorillas of the national park. With an English-speaking ranger, you’ll be driven to the area; you’ll then set out on foot along the trail to track the gorillas (Gorilla beringei beringei). They don’t always wait for you in the same place. As they need a great deal of food, they move around frequently. And while they display strong family behaviour, they are not particularly territorial. But the rangers know their routines well and are skilled at spotting a magnificent silverback male surrounded by his group. The walk to the shady bamboo forests where they live includes some steep sections, but your efforts are well rewarded by stunning scenery and, in the end, a moving encounter with distant relatives.
Drive to Kibuye. You’ll spend two nights in a hotel with a location on Lake Kivu that is far from ordinary. Large bay windows let you take in views of the lake from your room, the lounge area and even the bathroom. The terrace also opens that way, of course. The sunset adds a vivid burst of colour to this peaceful landscape, like a beacon shining over the lake. The building is modern. The design is contemporary African. The standard of amenities is excellent. Comfort soon follows. The balconies are a pleasant feature. Meals are served in the dining room or on the terrace. They serve truly professional international cuisine, which pairs beautifully with African influences. A farm-to-table ethos. In the garden, there’s a lovely pool.
Already scheduled - Night fishing on Lake Kivu. It’s an adventure to catch isambaza (Limnothrissa miodon) with the lake’s fishermen. You may have already seen this small dried fish at Kigali market. Tonight, we’ll head out in several canoes, paddling and setting the nets. The light from the lamparos attracts the fish into the trap. All you have left to do is to bring in the nets. That’s easier said than done. In any case, the experience creates lasting memories. The atmosphere of fishing is truly unique, and the closeness to people is real. And your own clumsiness might be one of the reasons for this. The nighttime lights and drifting sounds give the night on the water an unreal quality.
Optional - Kayaking on Lake Kivu.
Drive to Kigali. There is still time to meet the women of the DuHope association, which aims to provide Rwandan women experiencing social hardship with the means to rise above their situation and regain their dignity. They do this through literacy and jewellery making in particular.
At the end of the day, your driver will take you to the airport. You will receive assistance with formalities. Return flight.
This suggested itinerary can be customisable down to the smallest detail, including duration, stops and content. An à la carte menu of experiences is also available to create a journey that reflects who you are.
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