It’s not all hard work and no play! A varied selection of day tours and overnight tours in and around Kigali are available for AORTIC 2017 participants and partners who find that they have a free moment during the conference week.
Being in Rwanda is also a once in a life time opportunity for most, so why not consider extending your stay? A range of tours are available for pre-booking or BEEA can create personalised itineraries on request.
Spanning several ridges and valleys, Rwanda, with its lush hillsides, flowering trees, winding boulevards and bustling streets, is arguably one of the most attractive capital cities in Africa, as well as easily one of the cleanest and safest.
Despite the genocide’s unspeakable horrors in 1994, Rwanda’s nation-building efforts since that time has seen massive amounts of state and foreign investment pouring in over the past two decades. Indeed, the rebirth of the capital has seen a cosmopolitanism arrive in the city and Kigali now boasts a slew of new skyscrapers, several international hotels and a host of excellent eating options. Few people leave Kigali or Rwanda without being impressed by this plucky and charismatic survivor.
Our team of specialist travel consultants at Business Events East Africa has carefully put together tours that we hope will appeal to you, the participants of AORTIC 2017. Please contact Aline to book your tour or request a personalised itinerary should you wish to stay for longer:
{t} + 250 252 503428/9
{e} Aline Rwubaka: aline.rwubaka@businesseventsea.com
{w} www.businesseventsea.com.
KIGALI CITY TOUR (HALF DAY)
Departs daily at 09:30
Returns at ±12:30
Kigali is the capital and largest city of Rwanda, located geographically at the heart of the Country and one of Africa’s and the World’s cleanest cities. The history of Rwanda dates back centuries, Kigali has been a part of it for 100 years. Founded in 1907 as a German settlement, Kigali did not become the capital until Rwanda’s independence in 1962 when it replaced the colonial seat of power in Butare. Today, the city offers a remarkable mix of rural and urban town overflowing on contrasting hilly terrain. The capital is the starting point for most holiday tours to Rwanda. Kigali city is inhabited by one million people and is divided into three districts—Gasabo, Kicukiro and Nyarugenge.
The Kigali City Tour begins as a historic journey through the city with a guided tour from the first modern building from which the capital city was first founded, to the rapidly growing neighbourhoods that are changing the face of the city. Kigali is one of the friendliest, cleanest and safest of Africa’s cities attracting numerous visitors and investors to the capital. Kigali City was founded in 1907 as a small colonial outpost by Dr. Richard Kandt, the first German colonial resident of Rwanda. His residence at the base of Mount Jali and Mount Kigali in the heart of the city has been converted into the Natural History Museum in honour of Dr. Kandt’s work, and is one of the first stops on the tour. Along the tour, we will pass by Kigali’s older commercial “quartiers”, business and residential areas.
Visit the Genocide Memorial site, a grim reminder of a senseless massacre of innocent’s lives in 1994. The memorial is an exhibition on the history of genocide in Rwanda, a children’s memorial exhibition. Learn about Rwanda’s history from pre-colonial times to the 1994 genocide, learn about other genocides in the world and how Rwanda has dealt with that past. Rwanda’s recovery has been incredible, a testament to humankind’s resilience. Gisozi is also a burial site with over 250 000 victims of genocide. The large memorial garden contains 10 mass graves where families and visitors may pay their respects.
City Tour Highlights
- The Kandt Museum, the first colonial building in Rwanda;
- Camp Kigali, where 10 Belgian UN Blue Berets were killed on the first day of the genocide
- New Kigali and the City Centre
- Old City, The Muslim Quarter, Nyamirambo (the oldest quarter of Kigali)
- The craft market (which displays a variety of local art and crafts depicting the local and cultural heritage Rwanda).
- Visit to one of the Kigali markets
- The Hôtel des Mille Collines, by Kempinski, the hotel-turned-refugee camp made famous by the movie Hotel Rwanda;
- The Presidential Museum (Kanombe)
Price: US$45 per person (minimum 4 people required for tour to run)
Included: Guide, transportation, entrance fees and audio guide at the Kigali Genocide Memorial.
THIS IS AFRICA (HALF DAY)
Departs daily at 08:30
Returns at ±13:00
Nyamirambo is a bustling multi-cultural commercial suburb of Kigali that offers visitors a typical African flair. Comparable with South Africa’s ‘Township Tours’, our unique ‘This Is Africa’ experience brings you right into the heart of the colours, noises and smells of Africa. We are working with the young and charming women of the Nyamirambo Women’s Center (NWC) to take your hand and guide you through their home area. Among others, you will experience the Muslim quarter with its Arab influences, the market, the West African tailors, the hair salons, the recording studio with its local rap music, the butcher, the health centre and the primary school. Your hosts will also invite you to one of their homes where you will learn to cook a Rwandan meal, and share lunch over intriguing conversations.
City Tour Highlights
- Introduction at the center in Nyamirambo
- Culture and language lessons
- Guided walk through the backstreets of Nyamirambo
- Visit a West African tailor and hair salon
- Visit a local market and shop for lunch
- Cooking lesson and home lunch over intriguing conversations
- Introduction to Islam in Rwanda
- Interact with young local musicians
- Farewell at the centre
Price: US$60 per person (minimum 4 people required for tour to run)
Included: Guide, transportation, entrance fees and local lunch.
AKAGERA NATIONAL PARK (FULL DAY)
Departs daily at 05:30
Returns at ±18:00
Leaving Kigali with Marabou Storks and the Black Kite soaring over the city, set off along the Rwamagana – Kayonza road to the Akagera National Park. You are bound to come across a lot of bird activity along the way. Banana plantations abound with vegetable and fruit markets lining the roads. Akagera National Park is approximately two hours from Kigali and set at a relatively low altitude on the border with Tanzania. It is dominated scenically by a labyrinth of swamps and lakes that follow the meandering course of the Akagera River.
Akagera is home to a variety of game. There are plenty of animals around and the birdlife is quite exceptional. Mammals include a healthy population of elephant and buffalo, as well as eleven species of antelope including Impala, Common Duiker, Defassa Waterbuck, Bushbuck, Oribi, Tsessebe, Cape Eland and the rare Sable Antelope. Hippos are present in impressive numbers in the lakes and rivers and zebra and giraffe still roam the more open Acacia dotted plains.
After a full day game viewing drive back to Kigali to arrive late evening.
Price per person (minimum 4 people required for tour to run)
US$210 for non-residents
US$195 for East African residents
Included:
- Packed breakfast from Kigali
- Transport to Akagera National Park and back to Kigali.
- Drinking water (supplied in the vehicle)
- Park guide accompanying group in Akagera National Park
- Park entry fee – US$40 per person / or US$30 for Residents
ESSENTIALS FOR THE TRIP
- Safari outfits and short sleeved shirt (during the day)
- Cap / hat and sun protection
- Camera / personal camcorder
GORILLA TREKKING IN VOLCANOES NATIONAL PARK (FULL DAY)
Departs daily at 04:00
Returns at ±17:30
±06:40Arrive at the Volcanoes National Park
| 04:00 | Depart Kigali with a packed breakfast and drive to Ruhengeri. |
| 07:00 | Registration is a simple process where the park staff determines which group of gorillas you will visit. |
The park staff assesses your fitness level and advises you of the trekking times and conditions to the various groups based upon their location in the park the previous evening. There are a total of 80 gorilla permits available each day with a maximum of eight trekkers visiting any one group. Porters may be hired for the trek to carry your backpack and gear at a cost of US$10 per person, per day. We advise that you utilise this service.
Treks vary in duration depending on which gorilla group you are assigned to. After locating your assigned gorilla group, you will spend approximately one hour in their company before heading back down the volcano slopes. After the trek, re-join your driver at the trail head.
Enjoy lunch at a local restaurant before departing from the foothills of the Virunga volcanoes and driving south through a scenic drive to Kigali past coffee, tea and banana plantations. Rwanda, truly a land of a thousand fertile green hills.
Price per person (minimum 4 people required for tour to run)
US$1645
Included:
- Packed lunch from Kigali
- Transport to Volcanoes National Park and back to Kigali
- Drinking water (supplied in the vehicle)
- Park guide accompanying group in Volcanoes National Park
- Park entry fee – US$1500 per person
ESSENTIALS FOR THE HIKE
- Long pants (jeans/khakis) and a long sleeved shirt
- Good well-worn hiking boots
- Light raincoat
- Leather gloves (there are stinging nettles in the park)
- Cap / hat and sun protection
- Camera (no flash) / personal camcorder
- Plenty of drinking water
- Basic first aid kit including plasters
GORILLA TREKKING IN VOLCANOES NATIONAL PARK (TWO DAY SAFARI)
Departs at 13:00
Returns at ±17:30 the following day
Day 1
| 13:00 | Leave Kigali |
Depart on a scenic drive in a North-westerly direction through the beautiful terraced hillsides that display Rwanda’s landscape. Arrive at Ruhengeri, the base for Gorilla trekking at the Parc National des Volcans. The town itself, located only 25km from Uganda boarder, is relatively a small city of about 70,000 people. The constant flow of humanity is quite remarkable. The town has great views of the surrounding volcanoes.
People are very friendly here and although a former Belgian colony (and thus French-speaking), many people speak English here.
Overnight: Mountain Gorilla View Lodge. (Dinner)
Day 2
06:30Transfer to the Volcanoes National Park Headquarters
| 05:00 | Wake Up Call |
| 07:00 | Registration is a simple process where the park staff determines which group of gorillas you will visit. |
The park staff assesses your fitness level and advises you of the trekking times and conditions to the various groups based upon their location in the park the previous evening. There are a total of 80 gorilla permits available each day with a maximum of eight trekkers visiting any one group. Porters may be hired for the trek to carry your backpack and gear at a cost of US$10 per person, per day. We advise that you utilise this service.
Treks vary in duration depending on which gorilla group you are assigned to. After locating your assigned gorilla group, you will spend approximately one hour in their company before heading back down the volcano slopes. After the trek, re-join your driver at the trail head.
Enjoy lunch at a local restaurant before departing from the foothills of the Virunga volcanoes and driving to Rubavu – situated in the North-West most Province of Rwanda on the shores of Lake Kivu in the Albertine (western) Rift, a part of the Great Rift Valleys.
Price
Based on one person: US$1010
Based on two people: US$577
Based on three people: US$466
Based on four people: US$410
Based on five people: US$376
Included:
- Accommodation at Mountain Gorilla View Lodge on full board basis
- Transport to Volcanoes National Park and back to Kigali
- Drinking water (supplied in the vehicle)
- Park guide accompanying group in Volcanoes National Park
Excluded:
- Park entry fee, Gorilla permit – US$1500 per person
ESSENTIALS FOR THE HIKE
- Long pants (jeans/khakis) and a long sleeved shirt
- Good well-worn hiking boots
- Light raincoat
- Leather gloves (there are stinging nettles in the park)
- Cap / hat and sun protection Ø Camera (no flash)/ personal camcorder
- Plenty of drinking water
- Basic first aid kit including plasters
GORILLAS AND LAKE KIVU (THREE DAY SAFARI)
Departs at 13:00
Returns at ±17:30 two days later
Day 1 & 2
Follow the GORILLA TREKKING IN VOLCANOES NATIONAL PARK (TWO DAY SAFARI) and on Day Two instead of heading back to Kigali overnight at Lake Kivu Serene Hotel.
The lake is a 2650 square kilometre freshwater expanse. Lake Kivu, is an extraordinarily beautiful inland sea enclosed by steep, green terraced hills and the most serene environment within the central African Region.
This lake is the largest of all lakes that fill the valleys of Rwanda and has a beautiful sandy beach lined with swaying palms and colonial-era hotels that exude atmosphere of tropical languor.
Overnight: Lake Kivu Serena hotel. (Dinner)
Day 3
In the morning, relax by the lake shores, or visit Gisenyi town, you may also take a boat ride to visit nearby islands and islets (at an extra cost, to be booked and paid on the spot). After lunch, drive back to Kigali.
Price
Based on one person: US$1608
Based on two people: US$951
Based on three people: US$783
Based on four people: US$699
Based on five people: US$649
Included:
- Accommodation at Mountain Gorilla View Lodge and Lake Kivu Serena Hotel on full board basis
- Transport to Volcanoes National Park and back to Kigali
- Drinking water (supplied in the vehicle)
- Park guide accompanying group in Volcanoes National Park
Excluded:
- Park entry fee, Gorilla permit – US$1500 per person
ESSENTIALS FOR THE HIKE
- Long pants (jeans/khakis) and a long sleeved shirt
- Good well-worn hiking boots
- Light raincoat
- Leather gloves (there are stinging nettles in the park)
- Cap / hat and sun protection
- Camera (no flash)/ personal camcorder
- Plenty of drinking water
- Basic first aid kit including plasters