Rwanda’s Picturesque Lakes

Overview

To give an insight into the types of luxury travel experiences we create, please view the sample itinerary below. It can either be treated as a standalone program, incorporated into a longer itinerary, or modified to match your particular interests and budget. Alternatively, you may wish for us to start with a blank canvas, to handcraft a personalised itinerary based on what you want and nothing more. Prices will fluctuate based on the time of year, length of stay, accommodation choices, number of participants and inclusions.

We pride ourselves in our ability to plan and execute every trip to perfection.

Itinerary

Upon arrival at Kigali International Airport, meet your Travulous guide and transfer to your accommodation in Kigali.
Spend the rest of the day at leisure enjoying your accommodation's facilities or head out and explore Kigali, either on your own or on a guided city tour.
Some sites to consider visiting are the Kigali Genocide Memorial, Inema Arts Centre, 1000 Hills Distillery, Nyamirambo Women’s Center, Caplaki Craft Village, and Umusambi Village, to name a few.
In the evening, there are many charming restaurants in Kigali to choose from for dinner, many featuring panoramic views over the city.
Meals: All meals at own arrangement.
Overnight: Speak to us or browse the accommodation section below for inspiration. Your custom itinerary will contain full descriptions of your chosen properties.
Activities: Let's plan your safari! Contact us to learn about available activities.
You are met by your Travulous guide and transferred to one of the most serene spots in Rwanda, Lake Burera and Lake Ruhondo, also known as Rwanda's Twin Lakes.
With perfect views of 3 of the Virunga Mountain's extinct volcanoes, namely Mount Gahinga, Mount Muhabura and Mount Sabyinyo, the shores of Lakes Burera and Ruhondo rank as one of the most scenic spots in East Africa.
Spend the rest of the day at leisure enjoying your accommodation’s facilities. Make sure not to miss the dramatic landscapes and wonderful views of the majestic Virunga volcanoes and Lake Burera and Ruhondo.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch and dinner included.
Overnight: Speak to us or browse the accommodation section below for inspiration. Your custom itinerary will contain full descriptions of your chosen properties.
Activities: Let's plan your safari! Contact us to learn about available activities.
After an early morning breakfast, we embark on a scenic boat journey boasting fantastic bird spotting opportunities, including cormorants, darters, stalks, hammerkops, cranes, kingfishers and herons. Lunch is served on one of the lake's islands, followed by an afternoon stop-over to visit to one of the local communities living on the shores of the lake.
The evening is spent with a local cultural troupe, who will perform traditional songs and dances. At the end of the night you return to your accommodation.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch and dinner included.
Overnight: Speak to us or browse the accommodation section below for inspiration. Your custom itinerary will contain full descriptions of your chosen properties.
Activities: Let's plan your safari! Contact us to learn about available activities.
After breakfast, we depart on a scenic drive to Lake Kivu, offering breathtaking landscapes all the way to Lake Kivu. The road gently curves back and forth as it weaves through hills terraced with bananas, and covered in pines and eucalyptus.
Part of Africa’s Great Rift Valley, Lake Kivu has deep emerald green waters aid is surrounded by magnificent mountains. It is Rwanda’s largest lake and the sixth largest in Africa.
Upon arrival at your accommodation, check in and spend the rest of your afternoon at leisure enjoying the facilities. The views across the lake are breathtaking, with sandy beaches and grassy banks leading down to the shore.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch and dinner included.
Overnight: Speak to us or browse the accommodation section below for inspiration. Your custom itinerary will contain full descriptions of your chosen properties.
Activities: Let's plan your safari! Contact us to learn about available activities.
Spend the morning enjoying your accommodation’s facilities and the lake’s activities. Kayaking tours on Lake Kivu are particularly popular, as is sailing, mountain biking or hiking the stages of the spectacular Congo Nile Trail.
In the afternoon you have the option of visiting Imbabazi Orphanage, founded by Rosamond Carr in 1994 at the age of 82. Rosamond and her staff cared for up to 400 children in the ensuing years.
Today, Imbabazi is dedicated to the continuation and preservation of Roz Carr’s legacy of nurturing and empowering Rwanda’s children and local communities through education, skills training, and income generating opportunities.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch and dinner included.
Overnight: Speak to us or browse the accommodation section below for inspiration. Your custom itinerary will contain full descriptions of your chosen properties.
Activities: Let's plan your safari! Contact us to learn about available activities.
After breakfast, we depart for Kigali airport and your homebound flight.
Alternatively, consider extending this trip by adding one of our Extension Ideas (see below) to this program.
Meals: Breakfast included, lunch and dinner at own arrangement.

General Info

Tailor-made

Rwanda

Duration: 6 days

Lodges/Camps: 4>5*

SUV or Traditional 4x4

Fitness: Moderate

Your money: protected

Travel Notes: see below

Highlights

**RWANDA’S LAKES**
Visit Lake Kivu, Burera and Ruhondo, 3 of East Africa's most beautiful freshwater lakes

**CULTURAL EVENING**
Spend an evening with a local cultural troupe, performing traditional songs and dances

**LAKE ACTIVITIES**
Enjoy boat cruises, sailing excursions, kayaking tours, island picnics, mountain biking and hiking

**IMBABAZI ORPHANAGE**
Visit Imbabazi, one of the oldest orphanages in Rwanda, founded by Roz Carr in 1994 at the age of 82

Accommodations

When it comes to choosing accommodations in East Africa, we can suggest a wide range of properties. View a sample of some of our favourite hotels, lodges and camps below:

If you have an alternative property in mind, contact us as we contract with a large variety of accommodation providers.

Map

Extension Ideas

**SAFARI HIGHLIGHTS**

Visit world famous safari highlights including the Serengeti, Ngorongoro Crater and the Gorillas

**BEHIND THE SCENES**

Gain unique insights into Wildlife Conservation, Educational Experiences and History & Traditions

**BEACH DESTINATIONS**

Round-off your safari in East Africa with a great choice of world-class Indian Ocean beach destinations

**WILDLIFE SANCTUARIES**

Visit a wildlife sanctuary and learn about the incredible work they do to safeguard Africa’s wildlife

Your Money

Travulous, a trading name of Travaleur Limited, is a member of Protected Trust Services (PTS). Our PTS membership number is:

5472

All business-to-consumer (B2C) and business-to-business (B2B) clients of Travulous benefit from its PTS trust account and insurance model.

Regardless of your location, book with confidence knowing all monies are fully protected and safely held in a separate trust account, managed by independent trustees, with the funds only used to pay for each booking.

Travel Notes

Rwanda has a year-round tropical highland climate. Temperatures remain relatively consistent throughout the year, though these can vary significantly by location and altitude. Rain is commonplace in Rwanda. The driest months are typically June to mid-September and December to February. The wettest months tend to be from March to May and October to November.
Rainfall patterns can be unpredictable and localised showers can occur at any time, especially in the high-altitude areas like Volcanoes and Nyungwe National Parks.
All foreign nationals require a v isa for entry to Rwanda. Please check with your local Rwandan Embassy or our travel team for further information. Tourist visas can be obtained, on arrival, for all travellers at all ports of entry. Visitors from the African Union, the Commonwealth of Nations and Organisation Internationale de la Francophonie are waived visa fees for visits up to 30 days. For travellers of other nationalities, a visa fee is payable. The Rwandan government has introduced an online ‘e-vi sa’ application system for obtaining tourist visas in advance of travel. Travellers who choose to arrange their visa prior to arrival should carry a printed copy of their visa to present to immigration officials.
The official languages of Rwanda are Kinyarwanda, English, French and Swahili. Nearly all Rwandans speak Kinyarwanda. English and French are spoken in most tourist areas, with varying degrees of fluency.
The local currency is the Rwandan franc, which divides into 100 centimes. US dollars are widely accepted in hotels and at tourist attractions; local currency is required for dining in restaurants, tipping and small purchases. Some vendors will only accept USD dated 2013, or newer. Few places accept credit cards outside of the major hotels. The national parks are cash-free and only card payments are accepted. Access to cash machines is available at the airport and in major towns (Kigali, Musanze and Rubavu), and exchanging currency can be done in banks and foreign exchange bureaus.
Kigali International Airport (KGL) is the primary airport serving Rwanda.