Rwanda

On this Villas&Golfe trip we’re sure many of you will remember the legendary film that tells the story of Dian Fossey and her efforts to protect silverback gorillas in an African country of misty mountains and firm land, home to nature and peace. We talking of course about Rwanda and, once again, we would like to take you with us on this journey.
In colonial times, it was known as the land of a thousand hills, but there are also many references to its breathtaking forest mountains, which most seem to take the country into an indescribable universe. If we compare it with other equatorial countries, it lies at an unusual altitude. Mountains dominate the centre and western part of the country, and the highest peaks are to the northwest, namely Mount Karisimbi, which reaches 4507 metres.
In the Virunga Mountains, located in Volcanoes National Park – declared Africa’s first national park in 1925, and a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1979 – our encounter will be with mountain gorillas, males or silverbacks, as they are also known. With their intelligent gaze, and with constant reminders that we share about 98% of the same DNA, mountain gorillas establish very strong social ties among themselves. They usually live 35 years in the wild, but they get very depressed. Reserved and somewhat timid, just like humans, they are nevertheless peaceful and liberal to anyone who visits them in their habitat.

Dian Fossey was the researcher who dedicated her life to the study of silverbacks. She established strong social and emotional ties with a local community and always defended the protection and preservation of the species, before being killed in her cabin in a Virunga Mountains camp, when she lived for this cause.
Today, mountain gorillas are the main attraction to the country. According to the World Wild Fund, a third of this species lives in Rwanda. For anyone up to making the climb, this is a truly unique, once-in-a-lifetime experience.
But this country is not just about visiting gorillas. In fact, any of the natural parks is enough to delight any lover of nature. The Akagera National Park, two hours’ drive from the capital Kigali, is another place to visit. It is a protected wetland and the only one where it is possible to observe the ‘Big Five’. Lakes, marshland, savannas and forests serve as habitat for over 400 species of birds. In the Nyumgwe Forest in the south-west, bordering Burundi, to the south, and the Democratic Republic of Congo, to the west, you’ll find the best example of mountain forest preservation throughout all of Central Africa (bamboo forests, meadows, marshland and swamps).
Similarly, Lake Kivu, surrounded by steep and verdant hills, is one of our stop-off points. Along the banks we find the city of Gisenyi, close to the Volcanoes National Park. On the shorefront, we come across two colonial hotels, the Kibuye, where you enjoy water sports, and the Cyangugu, which is closer to the Nyungwe Forest and whose landscape is the highlight of the region. While still at the lake, but further away from the settlements, you can view an ancient tradition of Africa: fishermen sailing in canoes built with the same design from centuries ago and women in bright and colourful garments, smoking wooden pipes.
The country certainly deserves a visit. The thousands of hills are still silently waiting, as are the giant gorillas of Virunga, transmitting tranquillity and peace to us from the mountaintops.

VILLAS&GOLFE Programme - Rwanda

Contact for reservations:

villasegolfe@villasegolfe.com or travel@across.pt

13 Days / 10 Nights

Flights Planned:

LH1167 W LISFRA 1215 1620
ET 707 Q FRAADD 2135 0625 + 1
ET 817 Q ADDKGL 1110 1240
ET 335 T EBBADD 1845 2050
ET 706 T ADDFRA 2340 0510 + 1
LH1166 S FRALIS 0920 1120

Day 1 - Lisbon / Frankfurt / Addis Ababa / Kigali
Meet at the airport three hours before scheduled flight. Departure on Ethiopian Airlines flight bound for Kigali. Meals and night on board.

Day 2 - Kigali
Arrival in Kigali. Transfer to hotel. Accommodation at Kigali Serena Hotel, with breakfast.

Day 3 - Kigali / Gisenyi
Tour of the city and the Genocide Memorial Museum. Visit to Lake Kivu - Gisenyi, and coffee, tea and banana plantations. Dinner and accommodation at Lake Kivu Serena Hotel.

Day 4 - Gisenyi
Day entirely free to enjoy the lake. Full board ccommodation at Lake Kivu Serena Hotel.

Day 5 - Lake Kivu / Ruhengeri
Departure eastwards to Ruhengeri (47 km, approximately 2-hour drive), the capital of the Musanze district. Dinner and accommodation at the Gorilla Mountain View Lodge.

Day 6 - Ruhengeri - Gorilla Trekking
Start of trek to see the gorillas. Accommodation at Gorilla Mountain View Lodge.

Day 7 - Ruhengeri / Bwindi Impenetrable Forest Reserve
Transfer by road (4 hours) to Uganda. Entrance to the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest. Dinner and accommodation at Engagi Lodge.

Day 8 - Bwindi Impenetrable Forest
Chance to see Ugandan mountain gorillas. Dinner and accommodation at Engagi Lodge.

Day 9 - Bwindi Impenetrable Forest / Queen Elizabeth National Park
Transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park with picnic lunch. Dinner and accommodation at the Mweya Safari Lodge.

Day 10 - Queen Elizabeth National Park
Departure for safari through the Kasenyi area, inside the Queen Elisabeth National Park. Departure for a boat trip on the Kazinga Channel. Dinner and accommodation at the Mweya Safari Lodge.

Day 11 - Queen Elizabeth National Park / Entebbe
Trip to Entebbe. Accommodation at the Lake Heights Hotel with breakfast.

Day 12 - Entebbe / Addis Ababa / Frankfurt
According to your flight, transfer to the airport. Start of journey back to Lisbon. Meals and night on board.

Day 13 - Frankfurt / Lisbon
In Frankfurt, change plane and flight to Lisbon. Arrival at Humberto Delgado Airport at 11:20 am.

PRICES PER PERSON:

Until 30 June 2019 - Daily departures

1 person
€ 10,070.00

2 people
€ 7,900.00

3 people
€ 7,180.00

4 people
€ 6,815.00

5 people
€ 6,600.00

6 people
€ 6,470.00

Single SUPL.
€ 750.00

* 1 person travelling alone single supplement included.

AIR SURCHARGES
Air fare surcharge in other classes, please contact us.
Air fare surcharge in other periods (June 09 to 30), please consult us.

PRICES INCLUDE

- Intercontinental flights with Ethiopian Airlines in Q class (outbound) and T class (inbound)
- Airport taxes of €462.00 net per person and subject to change
- Shared use of safari cars
- Driver-guide in English
- Airport / hotel / airport transportation
- Stay and board according to the above-mentioned
- Permits for Gorillas in Rwanda and Gorillas in Uganda
- Photographic safaris specified in the itinerary
- Entrance to the parks
- Bottle of mineral water during safaris
- Travel insurance
- VAT, Hotel Rates, Tourism and Service Fees

PRICES DO NOT INCLUDE

- Obtaining a visa for Uganda at Visa/Permit Application System
- Obtaining a Visa for Rwanda at Online visa applications
- Extras of a personal nature, such as: telephone calls, bar service, laundry, etc.
- Tips to porters (USD$ 1.00 per bag), drivers/guides (USD $5.00 to $10.00 per person per day) and hotel/lodge staff (USD $2.00 to $4.00 per person per day)
- Any other service not specified in this quote
- Drinks during meals

NOTE:
Permits will have to be paid six days after reservation confirmation. The permits are personal and non-transferable and non-refundable. After they are purchased no changes are allowed and their cancellation is subject to 100% of their cost. At the time of booking you will need a scan of your passport, which should have at least six months left on it. Children under the age of 15 are not allowed.

IMPORTANT NOTES:
Your passport must have a minimum validity of 6 months and have at least 4 blank pages. No vaccination certificate is required, except for cholera and yellow fever for passengers coming from or who in the last 10 months have been in countries where those diseases are endemic. This must be arranged up to 10 days before boarding.
Malaria prophylaxis and the use of insect repellent are recommended. For more information on health, entry regime, etc., visit: Portal das Comunidades.
You should pack soft suitcases. Safari-coloured clothing is recommended (beige, khaki, brown and pastel green). For internal flights the luggage limit is 15 kg per person (including hand luggage). All excess baggage will be charged by the airline upon check-in.
This programme does not require a minimum of participants.
The amounts mentioned may be modified in the event of significant exchange rate changes and/or increases in air fares and respective taxes, as well as changes in the minimum number of participants or any other cost related to the trip and which has a corresponding impact on the final price of the trip.
If, according to availability at the time of booking, it is not possible to confirm the airline or class planned for in the basic price, the best alternative available in terms of timetables and prices will always be offered and the corresponding surcharge will be indicated.

GENERAL CONDITIONS
Click here: Condições Gerais

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