Itinerary

Day 1 – Bujumbura (Burundi)

• Airport pickup in Bujumbura.
• Overnight stay in Bujumbura.

Day 2 – Bujumbura – Gitega (Burundi)

• Highlight: The Explorers Memorial, at this place Livingstone and Stanley met with the famous words from Stanley “Doctor Livingstone I presume?”
• Independence Hero Mausoleum & Unity Monument.
• We visit Saga Beach, to enjoy a view of Lake Tanganyika.
• We leave the capital and head for Gitega.
• Overnight stay in Gitega.

Day 3 – Gitega – Karera Falls – Bujumbura (Burundi)

• Highlight: Experience the Gishora drummers village. For most the highlight of any trip to Burundi.
• We continue onwards to Karera Falls, in the South of the country.
• Enjoy the falls before we had back to Bujumbura.
• During our drive back to Bujumbura we will be passing through different villages, on lucky days, we may attend a Burundi traditional wedding.
• Overnight stay in Bujumbura, Burundi.

Day 4 – Bujumbura – Kigali – Butare (Rwanda)

• Afternoon flight to Kigali, Rwanda. Rwanda has recently been known as one of the prime examples of countries which have managed to recover from a devastating war and become a real, eco-friendly tourism destination.
• Drive to Butare, a cultural and historical hub of Rwanda.
• Overnight stay in Butare.

Day 5 – Nyungwe Forest Nation Park (Rwanda)

• Visit the Ethnographic Museum of Rwanda, one of the best museums in East Africa. Deep dive into Rwanda’s rich history, culture, and traditions.
• Highlight: Experience the vibrant Intore dance performance, a traditional Rwandan dance that was historically performed for the royal court. It is also known as the “Dance of Heroes”.
• Drive to Nyungwe Forest Nation Park.
• Enjoy a morning Canopy walk.
• Explore the park in an afternoon Colobus monkeys trek.
• Overnight stay in Nyungwe.

Day 6 – Nyungwe – Gitesi (Rwanda)

• Enjoy an early morning Chimps trek in the forest.
• Drive to Gitesi, a breathtaking lakeside town.
• Highlight: Enjoy the boat ride on Lake Kivu. Exploring some small beautiful islands, among which is Napoleon island, famous for its bat colony.
• Overnight stay in Gitesi.

Day 7 – Gitesi – Rubavu – Musanze (Rwanda)

• Drive to Rubavu, another beautiful lakeside town.
• Our drive will take us through different villages with stunning sceneries. We will also be driving through the Congo Nile trail, one of Rwanda’s most scenic routes.
• Highlight: Enjoy an evening city tour of Rubavu, including a visit to the hot springs.
• Overnight in Musanze.

Day 8 – Rubavu – Musanze (Rwanda)

• Drive to Musanze, known as the gateway to Volcanoes National Park.
• Optional: Experience the Mountain Gorillas trek (extra cost).
• Those not doing the trek, continue the day with:
• See the Burera and Ruhondo twin lakes. These lakes, formed by volcanic activity, are known for their crystal-clear waters, lush green hills, and serene atmosphere.
• Highlight: Visit the Pygmy Community in Kinigi, one of Rwanda’s indigenous groups.
• Check out the Iby’Iwacu Cultural Village (Gorilla Guardians Village), a community-led initiative that showcases Rwandan traditions, music, dance, and history.
• Overnight in Musanze.

Day 9 – Kigali (Rwanda) 

• Drive back to the capital of Rwanda: Kigali.
• Highlight: Presidential Palace Museum (also known as the Rwanda Art Museum), this palace used to belong to Juvenal Habyarimana. You can still find remains from his nightclub, a plane wreck and several hidden rooms.
• Kigali Genocide Memorial, the memorial commemorating the loss of 250,000 people lost during the Civil War.
• We take a stroll around the Kigali City Market for some last minute souvenir shopping.
• Visit to the Hôtel des Mille Collines, made famous by the film Hotel Rwanda. During the Rwanda Genocide it became famous as it housed more then 1000 refugees.
• Overnight stay in Kigali, Rwanda.

Day 10 – Kigali

• Airport drop off.
• End of trip.
• OR: Continue with our Uganda tour.