Cultural Experience
Day One: Arrival
On your arrival at the airport in Kigali, you will be welcome by your tour guide who will then transfer you to the hotel. Dinner and overnight at Serena Hotel Kigali or Hotel Des Mil Coline. Bed and breakfast
Day Two: Kigali
After breakfast, go for the city tour where you will visit Ntarama and Nyamata Genocide Memorial and visit the genocide memorial center in Kigali then later transfer to Bugesera in the afternoon to visit the reconciliation village. Dinner and overnight at Serena Hotel Kigali or Hotel Des Mil Coline. Bed and breakfast
Day Three:
Pastoralist: The safari takes you to the pastoralist village where you observe and participate in the tradition cattle grazing, get ready to make your own traditional rain coat from grass, learn how to milk with your own hands. After milking, the pastoralist will show you different calabashes used in preserving milk and qualification it take to make one, this goes in line with norms of handling calabashes, drinking milk etc. Milk is used in different ways like taken fresh after milking, fermented to make yoghurt in a traditional way and the unforgettable experience of making ghee which ends with cooking local food with you own ghee and eating your own ghee.
Imigongo: The tour introduces our visitors to the unique modeling and paintings called IM-IGONGO literally meaning backs or back in singular; developed by the Rwandese society long time ago around 1500years by Prince Kakira the son of King KIMENYI of Gisaka kingdom part of the great Rwandan kingdom in current eastern province. Kakira invented the idea of embellishing and making more attractive art designs for decorations in the houses. Overnight at Umbrella Guest house.
Day Four: Ethno Botany
Acquire traditional skills and methods used in identifying diseases and the traditional remedies. Go into the field with traditional healers and learn on how the seeds, leaves, barks, roots and fruits can be used to cure a number of diseases by mixing them. Insects, lianas, lichens etc all play a significant role. Afternoon go and visit a local home where local women share their experiences in making traditional dishes. Home stay or overnight at Muhabura hotel.
Day Five: Gisenyi
Leave after your breakfast to Gisenyi and visit the fishing village, hot springs, visit DRC-Rwanda border (Gisenyi town) and relax at the lake side in the evening. Overnight at Serena Lake Kivu or Stepp Hotel. Full board
Day Six: Banana and Sorghum beer production
Banana and sorghum are some of our staple Food products in Rwanda and they are used in different ways i.e.as food, local beer/drinks and very important in the cultural practices most especially during our traditional weddings ceremonies, settling of disputes between community members, bonding relationship between different families etc. Rwanda has more than four different species of banana plants and each species of banana plant has got unique uses and values; practically, the visitors will learn and understand while in the field. Sorghum production is quite complicated but made simple to experience and really a thrilling experience. Dinner and overnight at Mountain Gorilla view, Sylva Back Lodge, Virunga Volcanoes Lodges (High end) or La Palme, (Medium range) or Kinigi guest House (Basic accommodation.
Day Seven: Gorilla Tracking
Early morning breakfast then transfer to the Kinigi headquarters for briefing and allocation of the gorilla group as you experience traditional dancers and learn about Rwandan drumming, singing and dancing. Then go to the forest for gorilla tracking returning in time for lunch. Later in the afternoon at the Ebi’wachu where you learn about Rwanda’s tradition. Dinner and overnight at Mountain Gorilla view, Sylva Back Lodge, Virunga Volcanoes Lodges (High end) or La Palme, (Medium range) or Kinigi guest House (Basic accommodation
Day Eight: Butare
An early breakfast, transfer to Butare and visit the Cathedral of Kabgayi, the ancient King’s palace at Nyanza and National Museum. Optional visit to the women drumming and dancing group. Overnight at a recommended hotel in the area.
Day Nine:
After your breakfast, transfer to Kigali for buying some hand crafts you are taken to the airport for your flight back home.