The overview of this safari

This 5-day cultural adventure begins and ends in Kigali, bringing you to Musanze, where you will be able to engage in a local community program that the community has to offer. Red Rocks Community Initiatives focuses on the essential pillars that support the organization’s objective and vision of merging sustainable tourism and environmental protection for community development. Visit the twin lakes of Bulera and Ruhondo, take a boat ride to Island Town, track golden monkeys, and participate in a variety of other activities with the locals.

Highlights of the safari

• Exciting local dishes preparation lessons at Red rocks intercultural Exchange Center
• Banana brewery discovery or explorations
• Golden monkey tracking in Volcanoes
• Village touring and hiking, learning of traditional agricultural techniques
• Biking in the villages, visiting local community development projects
• Boat ride

Day 1: Transfer from Kigali city to Musanze town

After breakfast, you’re going to embark on a 2-hour drive to Ruhengeri, Rwanda’s second largest town, with its spectacular background of five volcanic peaks. Arriving at the Red Rocks Intercultural Exchange Center for lunch which you may or may not help prepare. The food preparation classes focus primarily on Rwandan foods in African culture and in an African kitchen. In the afternoon, participate in banana brewery tours to learn about the chemistry of producing a local beer from banana fruits. When you find the activity appealing, you may participate with the women in extracting the juice from the bananas and have a glass of juice; in the evening, you will check into the lodge for dinner and an overnight stay.

Meal plan: All meals are included

Day 2: Golden Monkey tracking in Volcanoes national park

After an early breakfast, you will be transferred to the Volcanoes National Park offices in Kinigi at 7 a.m. to meet up with the rangers for a briefing. Following the briefing, you will be assigned a park guide and will make your way deep into the golden monkey habitat via dense bamboo stands interspersed with open glades. The guides will lead you to the habitat of groups of ‘habituated’ golden monkeys that have become acclimated to human presence. The excursion will take between 30 minutes and 4 hours, depending on the location of the golden monkeys. Once they are located, you will be permitted to spend one hour with them within their natural habitat, understanding about their behaviors, habits, and lifestyle while photographing and filming them. Following your one-hour encounter with the golden monkeys, you will return to the park headquarters, where you will meet your driver guide and drive back to your hotel for lunch.

After lunch and some rest, you’ll go to the Red Rocks Initiatives art gallery. This Art Gallery provides information about environmental conservation and allows you to interact with local artists. You will be introduced to conservation themes art exhibits, and interactive painting demonstrations, and you will be able to draw your own art and take it home as a keepsake at the conclusion of the day. Dinner and an overnight stay at the lodge.

Meal plan: All meals are included

 Day 3: Village tour or hiking in Musanze

Following an early breakfast, you will embark on a village walk around the surrounding settlements, providing you with a rare opportunity to discover the inside manner of Rwandan cultural and historical traditions. During the trip, you will work with village families in the gardens to cut grass for farm animals and learn about traditional techniques for agricultural activity. Participate in conservation projects while working in the fields, such as assisting villages in planting trees to rehabilitate the ecosystem. Later in the afternoon, join the local women’s association for a basket-weaving workshop. Discover the rich history and tradition of creating beautiful handcrafted products.

Meal plan: All meals are included

Day 4: Another full day of interacting with the villagers

Spend the morning surfing through Rwanda’s hills on a tranquil river in the gorgeous countryside, close the gorillas. Discover a unique way to travel, take in breathtaking scenery, observe numerous birds, float past rural communities, and find adventure on the river. Lunch will be served at Red Rocks. In the afternoon, visit community development projects that employ tourism as a tool, and speak with residents about their daily lives. You may choose to take a bike to the main town where you can stop for any bargains before returning to Red Rocks.

Meal plan: All meals are included

Day 5: Boat ride in twin lakes near Volcanoes

After breakfast, drive to the two enthralling twin lakes of Bulera and Ruhondo, which are located directly next to the volcanoes. Explore the stunning surroundings by boat, or join fishermen in their native canoes on the lake. You are going to visit one of the island towns and ascend to the top to get some beautiful views of the volcanoes, especially on a clear day. After that head back to Red Rocks for lunch, where local traditional dancers will entertain and bid tourists farewell. Later in the evening, return to Kigali for dinner and a night’s rest, bringing this safari to a close.

Meal plan: All meals are included