Join Kubwa Five Safaris on their trip to discover and learn from the history of Rwanda and its wildlife. During this program, you will be given the chance to track gorillas through the light mountain forest on the slopes of the Virunga, which is a magical experience. You will also be able to observe the golden monkey on its natural habitat in Volcanoes National Park. With visits to the Ntarama and Nyamata Genocide Memorial Centers, immerse yourself in the intriguing past of Rwanda.
Join Kubwa Five Safaris on their trip to discover and learn from the history of Rwanda and its wildlife. During this program, you will be given the chance to track gorillas through the light mountain forest on the slopes of the Virunga, which is a magical experience. You will also be able to observe the golden monkey on its natural habitat in Volcanoes National Park. With visits to the Ntarama and Nyamata Genocide Memorial Centers, immerse yourself in the intriguing past of Rwanda.
Kubwa Five Safaris can and will help you choose from the list when planning your trip. At whatever level, they provide the very best for their guests. Kubwa Five Safaris reserves the right to substitute equivalent or superior hotels. If a hotel of an equivalent standard is not available, Kubwa Five Safaris may substitute the next best quality hotel or suggest a superior at an extra charge.There is free Wi-Fi in hotels.
SRS stands for single room supplement. There are no triple rooms in most of the hotels in Rwanda. Most of the hotels have double rooms (a room with one big bed for two people or a room with two single beds occupied by two people). This means the third person will be left without a room to stay and the alternative would be to occupy the single room (a room with one bed). SRS applies for non-even (3, 5, 7, 9, 11, …) travelers. Therefore, the SRS fee is to be paid by the person occupying a room alone.
Great Seasons Hotel is a modern facility, comfortable and conveniently located in the quiet and high-end suburb of Gacuriro / Kagugu hills, just a 15-minute drive from Kigali International Airport (KGL), 10 minutes to the city center, and only a five-minute drive away from the famous Rwanda Genocide Memorial Center. The hotel has standard rooms, twin rooms, junior suites, and executive suites. The executive suites have two bedrooms, a large sitting room, and a fully equipped kitchenette.
Situated in Kigali, 300 meters from International Gorilla Conservation Program, Lemigo Hotel features rooms with air conditioning and free Wi-Fi. Units at the hotel offer mountain views and guests can enjoy access to a hot tub and a sauna. The accommodation provides free shuttle service and a 24-hour front desk for guests.
Guest rooms are fitted with a flat-screen TV with satellite channels, a coffee machine, a bath or shower, free toiletries, and a desk. All rooms come with a private bathroom, and some units at the hotel have a terrace. All units at Lemigo Hotel are equipped with a seating area.
Guests at the accommodation can enjoy a buffet breakfast. There is an in-house restaurant which specializes in Indian and Asian cuisine. Lemigo Restaurant ranks among Kigali’s best fine dining establishments and features a delightful menu prepared by Executive. The accommodation features a fitness center.
The elegant Kigali Serena Hotel is perfectly situated within one of the city’s most vibrant boulevards. Here, guests are welcomed into a gleaming granite atrium adorned with fantastic Rwandan artworks where they are then ushered to contemporary rooms that feature air conditioning, Wi-Fi connectivity, a satellite television, and a lovely en-suite bathroom. The hotel offers a wonderful selection of dining options; from the Milima Restaurant that overlooks the sparkling swimming pool to the Sokoni Restaurant that has become a popular meeting place for both locals and travelers alike. In the evenings, retreat to the hotel’s convivial lounge where two bar areas await.
The Garden Place Hotel is a uniquely spacious hotel offering comfortable stylish accommodation to both business and holiday travelers strategically located near the Rwanda Volcanoes. The hotel offers a distinctive blend of comfort, warmth, and personalized hospitality. The luxury rooms boast a view of volcanic mountains. The Garden Place Hotel is a perfect option for those wishing to do gorilla tracking or simply to come relax in the serenity and beauty that the Virunga Mountains of Northern Rwanda has to offer.
Mountain Gorilla View Lodge is located in Kinigi in northern Rwanda and on the edge of the Volcanoes National Park, home to the endangered Mountain Gorillas. The lodge is located in the foothills of the Mount Karisimbi, one of the volcanic mountains that make up the Virunga Massif. The lodge is about a 10-minute drive to the main entrance of the Volcanoes National Park where gorilla trekking starts.
Mountain Gorilla View Lodge is an eco-lodge with 30 spacious chalets. To ensure the least disruption of the surrounding environment, the eco-lodge was constructed with locally available materials. Every chalet comes with a sitting area with a fireplace and has a tea / coffee-making machine. The eco-lodge supports the surrounding rural community by purchasing farm-fresh produce that is served in the lodge’s restaurant.
The magnificent Virunga Lodge is the premier luxury gorilla lodge of Rwanda and one of Africa’s finest and most renowned lodges. The lodge is perched high on a ridge with stunning views of the Virunga Volcanoes and the Musanze Valley to the west and Lake Burera and Ruhondo to the east. It offers the finest views in Africa, uniquely decorated rooms in the Rwandese style, fantastic food, and exceptional and personalized service by their carefully-trained staff. It is the first accommodation choice for the luxury traveler tracking the endangered mountain gorilla. In 2017, Virunga Lodge has been ranked on Conde Nast Traveler’s list of the best Africa Resorts in their 30th annual Readers’ Choice Awards.
The Discover Rwanda Youth Hostel is the perfect place for you to start exploring the heart of Africa. The hostel boasts great value accommodation, a fun atmosphere, excellent customer service, and a wealth of information about what to see and do. With a relaxing environment from the bar terrace, private rooms, dormitories, camping, hot showers, and catering available, you are guaranteed to find just what you are looking for.
Situated 200 meters from Rwandan Adventures, The Palm Beach Resort offers rooms with air conditioning in Gisenyi. The property is within a 19-minute walk of Viewpoint, The Congo Nile Trail Path One, and Primus Brewery. Each room is equipped with a terrace with lake views and free WiFi. Guest rooms at the resort are fitted with a seating area. Rooms are complete with a private bathroom equipped with a bath, while some rooms include a balcony. All guest rooms will provide guests with a wardrobe and a coffee machine.
Lake Kivu Serena Hotel is located just three kilometers from the center of Gisenyi, the western edge of Rwanda. It’s a large international-style hotel with a range of facilities and activities and fronted by a long beach. The 66 en-suite rooms at Lake Kivu Serena are set in two diagonal lines; one overlooking the gardens and the other facing the communal areas below and with views over the lake. Kubwa Five Safaris would definitely recommend the lake-view rooms.
The facilities at Lake Kivu Serena are excellent. There’s a large swimming pool overlooking the lake with plenty of sun loungers and umbrellas dotted around. A shallow children’s swimming pool adjoins the main pool, although parental supervision is recommended. Loungers and umbrellas are set out, too, along the beach that runs in front of the hotel. There are tennis courts that guests can use as well as a watersports center with catamaran, jet skis, and more.
Kubwa Five Safaris is a specialist in personalized, tailor-made travel and your holiday will be custom-designed to suit your requirements. You are all individuals, so why be tied to a set group tour or a set itinerary? Their experienced staff can help you design your own individualized holiday. Explore at your own pace, choose your own style of accommodation, and include your own choice of sightseeing and activities.
A 4×4 safari Land Cruiser / minivan (up to eight passengers) with pop-up tops and seven window seats will be used for game viewing. Groups of twelve or more people who would like to travel in one vehicle are offered 25-28 seat coasters that have about 16 window seats. Kubwa Five Safaris’ safari vehicles are well maintained to provide a maximum level of comfort and safety.
Kubwa Five Safaris recognizes for a fact that the success of your safari will largely depend on your driver / guide. It is because of this that they have a great team of carefully selected, well-trained drivers / guides.
On the second day, you will visit Ntarama and Nyamata Memorial sites in Bugasera region. On the fifth day, you will visit a local banana beer brewery as well as go on a one-hour boat ride in Gisenyi.
This safari takes place in Rwanda, exploring places such as Kigali, Ntarama Church, Ntarama Genocide Memorial, Nyamata Memorial, Kinigi, Volcanoes National Park, Iby’iwacu Cultural Village, Gisenyi, and Lake Kivu.
You will be served five breakfasts, four lunches, and four dinners during this safari. Please be aware that tap water is not suitable for drinking, use bottled water, which is available in your safari car and at accommodations. Kubwa Five Safaris takes care of your dietary needs as far as the hotels cooperate which is usually positive when you let them know in advance so they make the necessary arrangements with the different lodges in your itinerary. Make sure that your driver / guide contacts the reception on arrival at the lodge.
On arrival at Kigali International Airport (KGL), you will be met by Kubwa Five Safaris’ driver / guide and be transferred to your hotel in Kigali, arriving for overnight on bed and breakfast.
Driving distance: 15 minutes
Activity: 0
Overnight: Great Seasons Hotel / Lemigo Hotel / Kigali Serena Hotel
Meal plan: bed and breakfast
After breakfast, depart for a visit to the Ntarama church where mass killings occurred during the 1994 genocide; more than 5,000 people were killed in the church. The Ntarama Genocide Memorial Center is located about 30 kilometers south of the capital city of Kigali. Located in the Bugasera region, this church and its contents are a reminder of the horrifying violence that took place at this site during Rwanda’s 1994 genocide. Learn more about the unity and reconciliation commission.
Proceed to Nyamata memorial site, a church where around 2,500 people were killed and it has become emblematic of the barbaric treatment of women during the genocide. In the church at Nyamata, there will be graphic and audio-visual displays that will focus particularly on the mass rape, brutalization of women, and the use of HIV as a deliberate weapon of genocide. Return to the city for lunch then depart for a two-hour drive to Ruhengeri area, the second largest town in Rwanda, with its stunning backdrop of five volcanic mountains, The Virungas. Arrive for dinner and overnight at your hotel.
Driving distance: two hours
Activities: Ntarama and Nyamata Memorial Visit
Overnight: Garden Place Hotel / Mountain Gorilla View Lodge / Virunga Lodge
Meal plan: full board – lunch, dinner, and bed and breakfast
After an early breakfast, you will proceed to the National Park headquarters, Kinigi, to meet your guides for the day. After completing your park formalities, you are to embark on a once-in-a-lifetime experience of tracking mountain gorillas. Once you spot them, you are allowed to spend an hour watching your closest long lost cousin. This is perhaps one of the most breathtaking wildlife experiences on earth! You get so close to these awesome giant primates. You stare at each other blankly not knowing who to break the long silence first.
Tracking the gorillas through the light mountain forest on the slopes of the Virunga is a magical experience. These massive primates are extremely rare, with less than 700 living today. You will get within meters of the family and be privileged to spend an hour amongst them. The trekking may be fairly strenuous; up to six hours or longer at a relatively high altitude. Kubwa Five Safaris encourages for your own enjoyment to make sure that you are perfectly fit and healthy. (They have had people as old as 70 years old do gorilla tracking so this should not be a problem; all you need is to ask your driver guide to request a shorter group for you if cannot you trek far).
It is important to bring good hiking boots, long trousers, gloves for protection against stinging nettles, some snacks and sweets (for you, not the gorillas), as well as sufficient water as the rainforest gets hot and humid during the day. You will spend one hour with the gorillas, but it is an hour you will never forget. Return to your hotel for lunch and later dinner and overnight.
Driving distance: 45 minutes
Activities: gorilla trekking
Overnight: Garden Place Hotel / Mountain Gorilla View Lodge / Virunga Lodge
Meal plan: full board – lunch, dinner, and bed and breakfast
This day is set out for golden monkey tracking in the Volcanoes National Park. Entering dense stands of bamboo interspersed with open glades, you will make your way deep into golden monkey territory. Guides lead visitors to the habitat of groups of ‘habituated’ golden monkeys – monkeys that have become accustomed to human presence. Though viewing is kept to a maximum of one hour, travelers can get an up-close look at the golden monkey in its natural habitat. Adult monkeys frolic in plain view, feeding on bamboo leaves and leaping from perch to perch. Females carry their young, completely comfortable among onlookers.
Later, visit Iby’iwacu Cultural Village, a non-profit umbrella organization that aims at improving the lives of reformed poachers and communities around Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park through provision of conservation incentives, supporting community enterprise development and livelihood-based projects. Return to your hotel to freshen up and have lunch, then later dinner and overnight.
Driving distance: 45 minutes
Activities: golden monkey tracking
Overnight: Garden Place Hotel / Mountain Gorilla View Lodge / Virunga Lodge
Meal plan: full board – lunch, dinner, and bed and breakfast
After breakfast, go on the interesting trip to the local brew makers to understand the chemistry about the process of brewing a local beer from bananas fruits. If you find the activity interesting enough, you can join the women in squeezing the juice out of the bananas and drink a glass of juice (optional). Understand how long juice takes to turn into alcohol after adding in sorghum flour. Enjoy the big glass of the local brew.
Among other activities, they also do basket-weaving, and with your visit, this local community will be proud of this activity and families will be supported financially. Have your lunch in town then depart for Gisenyi arriving for check-in at your hotel. The afternoon is spent in this largest port on the Rwandan shore of Lake Kivu (you will be in the company of your guide to show you around).
Enjoy a boat ride to one of the islands in Lake Kivu. Simply explore the town, enjoying the hustle and bustle of the local market, or wander through the leafy streets admiring the old colonial buildings. Later stay for dinner and overnight at your hotel.
Driving distance: two hours
Activities: intercultural exchange and one-hour boat ride in Gisenyi
Overnight: Discover Rwanda Youth Hostel / Palm Beach Resort / Kivu Serena Hotel
Meal plan: full board – lunch, dinner, and bed and breakfast
fter breakfast and depending on your flight departure timings, the early part of the day is spent on the Rwandan shore of Lake Kivu. Take a swim in this lake that covers an area of 2,700 square kilometers (1,040 square miles) and sits at an altitude of 1,460 meters (4,790 feet) above sea-level. The lake-bed is situated in a rift valley that is slowly being pulled apart, causing volcanic activity and making it especially deep. Its maximum depth of 480 meters (1,575 feet) is ranked fifteenth in the world. The lake is surrounded by majestic mountains. This one of the African Great Lakes lies on the border between the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Rwanda. Depart for a three-hour drive to Kigali and on to the Kigali International Airport (KGL) for your flight back home.
