9 days / 8
nights Meet the People : Africa Natural Safari
AFRICA
NATURAL SAFARI (The best tour company in Tanzania)
Specialized
in: Wildlife safaris, Cultural tourism,
and Beach holidays and
Mountain climbing
Contact
+255 653 679 958
9 days / 8
nights Meet the People
Day 1: Arrive Kigali International
Airport
On
arrival at Kigali International Airport, you will be met by Amahoro
driver/guide and be transferred to your hotel in Kigali arriving for overnight
on bed and breakfast.
- Driving distance: 15 Minutes
- Activity: 0
- Overnight: Classic Hotel/Lemigo Hotel/Kigali Serena hotel
- Meal Plan: Bed & breakfast
Day 2: Depart For Ruhengeri +
Intercultural Exchange
After
breakfast you will depart for a 2 hours‟ drive to
Ruhengeri area the second largest town in Rwanda, with its stunning backdrop of
five volcanic mountains – The virungas- Arriving at the Red rocks intercultural
exchange center for a lunch that you will help prepare. Our cooking lessons
involve mainly Rwandese dishes in an African cuisine and in an African Kitchen
– With a range of fresh crops; the ingredients for African cuisine are diverse
even though certain foods are common to many regions. Ground maize or corn
(called ‘sweet corn’ in the UK) is used as the basis for many meals. Maize
flour is cooked with boiling water to form a stiff porridge (called ugali in
Swahili or Kaunga in Kinyarwanda).
Sometimes
it’s made into dough. This starchy staple is served with sauces or stews as
well as different fresh vegetables like Cabbage, carrots, spinach and other
traditional greens. You get to join our staff in the kitchen as you explore the
varieties of food grown from our farm behind the main building. Get your hands
dirty; it’s fun!! If you haven’t cried in a long time the smoke from the kitchen will give
you a chance to if you are not swift in keeping the wood together to keep the
flames burning. Enjoy the meal outside in the sun or at the dining area as you
chat with the locals and you will be introduced to the Rwandese way of telling
evening stories of our past and present.
This
kind of tour will give you an inside way of the Rwandan culture and way of life
that leaves you with a picture of our history. Later in the afternoon indulge
in banana beer production 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 floor. Enjoy the big glass of our 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 supported
financially. Continue for your local homestay arriving for dinner and
overnight.
- Driving distance: 2 Hours
- Activity: Intercultural Exchange
- Overnight: Local Home stay/Local Home Stay/Local home stay
- Meal Plan: Half board: Lunch, Bed & breakfast
“Red
rocks” is a cultural exchange project, which is willing to spread all aspects
of Rwandese Culture, life style, traditions & history. We involve and
benefit local people in cultural tourism. We offer basic types of accommodation
(back packers) and community related activities. The rooms have clean but
shared bathrooms and hot shower.
Day 3: Golden Monkey Tracking + Twin
Lakes Visit
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.
Return
to your hotel to freshen up and have lunch then depart for the twin lakes of
Bulera & Ruhondo- These are beautiful lakes located at the base of volcano
Muhabura and close to the border with Uganda. They are surrounded by steep
hills with a backdrop of the Virunga volcanic mountains. These twin lakes are
great spots to be visited and used to be referred to as neglected gems but
things have changed and Bulera and Ruhondo are a place not worth missing out
on. Their deep blue waters ringed by steep hills and tall waterfalls with the
outlines of the nearby Virunga Volcanoes provide a spectacular backdrop. Later
drive back to your hotel for dinner and overnight.
- Driving distance: 15 minutes
- Activities: 1 Golden Monkey Trek + Twin Lakes Visit
- Overnight: Home Inn/ Mountain Gorilla View Lodge/ Virunga Lodge
- Meal Plan: Full board – Lunch, Dinner, bed & breakfast
Day 4: Gorilla Tracking + Kagano
Community Visit
After
an early breakfast, you will proceed to the National Park headquarters – Kinigi
to meet your guides for the day. After completing our park formalities, we are
embark on a once in a life time 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. We encourage for your own enjoyment to make sure that you are
perfectly fit and healthy. (We’ve 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 & sweets (for you, not the gorillas)
as well as sufficient water as the rain forest gets hot and humid during the
day. You will spend one hour with the gorillas, but it is an hour you will
never forget. Evening visit to the Kagano community village as you get to know
why the community left the park and when was that. Return to your hotel for
lunch and later dinner and overnight.
- Driving distance: 15 minutes
- Activities: 1 Gorilla Trek
- Overnight: Home Inn/ Mountain Gorilla View Lodge/ Virunga Lodge
- Meal Plan: Full board – Lunch, Dinner, bed & breakfast
Day 5: Mount Bisoke Hike
After
an early breakfast and with your packed lunches; depart for Kinigi and on to
the starting point of your hike. Mt Bisoke stands at 3700m; it has the typical
conic shape of a “perfect” volcano and in its crater lays a deep crater lake.
The volcano does not present an exceptionally demanding climb but it is
nevertheless still a tough hike. The high elevation demands extra strength of
climbers and the whole excursion can take between 5 hours and the whole day
depending on the speed of the walk and the frequency of stops.
The
ascent typically takes around 3 hours. During the climb, you will cross a
series of different vegetation habitats starting with bamboo forests, then
moving into Hagenia – Hypericum forest and finally moving through Senecio –
Lobelia bush near the summit. The trek starts at 07:00am from the Park’s headquarters in Kinigi. Porters can also be hired from the
park headquarters but a professional guide from the park will accompany you for
the hike. Return to your hotel to freshen up and later stay for dinner and
overnight. (It is important to bring with you sufficient drinking water as the
rain forest gets hot and humid during the day).
- Driving distance: 15 minutes
- Activities: Bisoke Hike
- Overnight: Home Inn/ Mountain Gorilla View Lodge/ Virunga Lodge
- Meal Plan: Full board – Lunch, Dinner, bed & breakfast
Day 6: Local Community Visit (Bee
Keeping + Local Village Market Pharmacy Visit)
After
breakfast and with your packed lunch we depart for a VILLAGE WALK-This is a
walk through one of the villages in Musanze; this helps visitors gain a broad
perspective of a Rwandan way of life. The walks go through the villages
residing the volcanoes and you will have views of the volcanoes – enjoy the
mountainous vegetation in its natural state. Continue for a visit to the bee
keepers. Members of various bee keeping associations produce bee hives that
they place in swamps or forest areas rich in certain types of plants. Depending
on what kind of honey is desired, these plants for example could be banana
trees or certain flowers. Honey is an important means to cure a number of local
diseases, so that it is shared with traditional doctors. The remaining honey is
sold to local people and the benefits are shared with the other association.
Take a tour to a local village market pharmacy and learn of the healing
abilities in traditional medicine which has been used for ages by the Rwandan
people. Later take a walk around Musanze town then a small hike around the
Amahoro tours office that leads you to a small picnic site where you enjoy your
packed lunch as get to see different types of birds while enjoying the view of
all the Volcanoes. Later return to your hotel for dinner and overnight.
- Driving distance: 15 minutes
- Activities: Local Community Visit
- Overnight: Home Inn/ Mountain Gorilla View Lodge/ Virunga Lodge
- Meal Plan: Full board – Lunch, Dinner, bed & breakfast
Day 7: Local School Visit + Depart
For Gisenyi
After
breakfast; Look into the Rwanda’s education by visiting local
schools and participate in either teaching or play games with the children,
that way they appreciate tourism (if schools are not closed for the routine
break) Get to interact with the primary school children in this remote locale
and get an idea of how they lead their lives. Later depart for Gisenyi with a
stop at the Imbabazi Orphanage- Rosamond Halsey Carr (1912-2006) founded the
Imbabazi Orphanage in 1994. Since that time Roz and her staff have cared for
more than 400 children but however the children’s home was
closed down by the government owing to the fact that this does not match the
Rwandan beliefs- However all the children are now adults and have guardians
following up on them.
Roz
wrote the book “Land of a Thousand Hills: My Life in Rwanda,” with her niece,
Ann Howard Halsey, chronicling her love affair with one of the world’s most
beautiful and tormented regions. She is also the 2004 recipient of the Volvo
for Life Award and a movie chronicling her life is currently in production.
Take a walk around the homestead and also get see lots of flowers that were
planted by her as she really loved flowers. Have a cup of tea/coffee as you
watch the local dancers and enjoy the traditional way of local entertainment.
This is Rwandan traditional dancing; and guests will enjoy the performance and
later be given an opportunity to join in the dance. Continue to Gisenyi
arriving for lunch and check in at your hotel. If time permits take afternoon
swim at Lake Kivu one of the African Great Lakes. It lies on the border between
the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Rwanda. Later stay for dinner and
overnight at the hotel.
- Driving distance: 1 Hour
- Activities: Local School visit + Imbabazi orphanage visit
- Overnight: Palm Garden Hotel/ Paradis Malahide Hotel/ Kivu Serena Hotel
- Meal Plan: Full board – Lunch, Dinner, bed & breakfast
Day 8: Depart For Kigali
After
breakfast the early part of the day is spent in Gisenyi the largest port on the
Rwandan shore of Lake Kivu (You will be in the company of our 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. Have lunch then later in
the afternoon be transferred for a 3hrs drive back to Kigali arriving for
overnight at your hotel.
- Driving distance: 3 Hours
- Activity: 1 Hour boat ride
- Overnight: Classic Hotel/Lemigo Hotel/Kigali Serena hotel
- Meal Plan: Half board: Lunch, Bed & breakfast
Day 9: Ntarama & Nyamata Memorial Visit + Depart
After
breakfast and depending with your flight departure timings; you will depart for
a complementary visit to the Ntarama church where mass killings occurred during
the 1994 genocide; more than 5000people were killed in the church. The Ntarama
Genocide Memorial 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. Continue to
Nyamata 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 be
transferred to the Kigali International airport for your flight back home.
End
of service
- Driving distance: 15 Minutes to the airport
- Activity: City Tour
- Overnight: 0
- Meal Plan: Breakfast
For more information visitwww.africanaturaltours.com
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