Wonders of Qatar and Rwanda
Discover the rich culture and heritage of Doha, along with its bustling souks, vast desert landscape, and gleaming coastline. Swap jewels for jungle and venture deep into the Rwandan wilderness in search of lion, leopard, rhino, and more including the majestic gorillas. Uncover the history of the area with a visit to the King’s Palace Museum, and stay in protected national forest, falling asleep to the sounds of nature.
Trip Type: Adventure, Wildlife
Day By Day
Day 1 – Welcome to Doha, Qatar
Welcome to Doha! Upon arrival at Doha International Airport a local representative will meet you as you disembark the aircraft. You will be assisted through passport and immigration to collect your luggage. You will be transferred from the airport to your accommodation.
Evening at LeisureDoha comes alive at night with a hive of live music venues, bars, and world-class restaurants. The thriving food scene features a melting pot of different flavors and influences and varies from Michelin-starred restaurants to delicious street food. With an evening at leisure there are plenty of things to keep you busy. Enjoy dinner or coffee at Al Hazm Mall or explore the many souqs and soak up the bustling atmosphere.
Starting Accommodation: Marsa Malaz Kempinski, The Pearl
Day 2 – Doha, City and Deserts
This morning discover the unique heritage of Downtown Doha. Stroll through the colorful Souq Waqif where you can experience the living heritage and traditions of the city and enjoy the colorful commerce and culinary offers abundant within its vibrant alleyways. Enjoy a photo stop at the Dhow Harbour where there is an opportunity to see the traditional sailing vessels used extensively around the Arabian Peninsula, a visit to The Pearl, a luxurious island development centered on a stunning marina and Katara Cultural Village, a cultural beacon and the largest multidimensional cultural project that hosts local, regional and international festivals, workshops and exhibitions.
Late afternoon, discover the unique desert environment and learn about Bedouin heritage and Arabic traditions with an experienced driver guide in an authentic Arabic set up in the breathtaking Arabian desert and the Arabian gulf. Enjoy an exhilarating dune driving experience before indulging in an authentic Arabic feast in a traditional Arabic set up. After being collected at your hotel drive approximately 1 hour to the entrance of the desert at Sealine, here enjoy a brief stop so the vehicle tires can be deflated. From here, the adventure starts with the off-road desert drive through the dramatic sand dunes. Your experienced driver will navigate the dunes where you can take in the magnificent desert landscape. After this exhilarating experience relax and enjoy a traditional Arabian feast in a traditional Arabic set up at the Arabian gulf. Indulge in sumptuous traditional delicacies from a 5-star hotel, crafted for sharing in an elegant, memorable setting designed to bring friends and loved ones together.
Starting Accommodation: Marsa Malaz Kempinski, The Pearl
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Day 3 – Doha to Kigali, Rwanda
Transfer from your accommodation to Doha International Airport for your departing flight. Fly Doha to Kigali (not included). Upon arrival into Kigali Airport, a driver will meet you in the arrivals. Your adventure continues with a 2 hour and 30 minute transfer to Akagera National Park. Once you enter the park, you will enjoy a shared game drive from the gate to Magashi Camp.
Teeming with plains game, Akagera now also boasts a healthy population of lion, which were reintroduced into the park in 2015 after a 20-year absence, as well as black rhino which were reintroduced in 2017. Magashi - the only exclusive-use area in Akagera - also harbors a good density of leopard.
Starting Accommodation: Magashi Camp
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 4 – Activities at Magashi
Guests will be able to view a range of wildlife on expertly guided game drives, walks, and boating trips, including buffalo, lion, elephant, giraffe, spotted hyena, zebra, topi, roan, eland, and search for the elusive leopard. Akagera is renowned as one of the best birding areas in the world with more than 500 species recorded here.
Explore the area in an open 4x4 vehicle; each vehicle accommodates a maximum of seven guests, allowing each individual an outside seat. Magashi is in the only private access area in Akagera so exclusive night game drives in open 4x4 vehicles are offered. Boating in eight-seater swamp cruisers is offered; this is an excellent way to view the water birds and many other aquatic animals seen around Lake Rwanyakazinga.
Starting Accommodation: Magashi Camp
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 5 – Akagera National Park to Kigali
Today you will be transferred via a shared game drive from Magashi Camp to the northern gate. Once at the gate, continue by private vehicle for approximately 2 hours 30 minutes to Kigali City. Enjoy an insightful tour of the city.
Get an intimate view of Kigali on this city tour as you explore a wide range of places giving you a great insight into the city and country. Visit Mt. Kigali for panoramic views of the city and continue to explore the neighborhood market. Visit the Genocide Memorial, the final resting place for more than 250,000 victims of the Genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda. It honors the memory of the more than one million Rwandans killed in 1994 through education and peace-building. The memorial includes various audio-visual exhibits to explain the tragedy.
Starting Accommodation: Kigali Serena Hotel
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Day 6 – Kigali to Nyungwe National Forest
Today you will travel from Kigali to Nyungwe National Forest via the Cultural Heritage Corridor. En-route, visit the King's Palace Museum in Nyanza where you will find a reconstruction of the traditional royal residence; the King's Palace is a beautifully crafted thatched dwelling shaped like a beehive. In olden times, Nyanza was the heart of Rwanda. According to tradition, it was the site of battles and power struggles. For a long time, the monarchy was mobile, moving the court between various locations. When it eventually settled in one place, Nyanza was the obvious choice. The capital of the kingdom had as many as 2,000 inhabitants, and huts built with the same methods as seen in the reconstruction. At the back live a few long-horned Inyambo cattle, descended from the king's herd, whose keepers carefully tend and sing to them, keeping alive a unique tradition. Rwanda ceased to be a monarchy in 1962, when it gained independence from colonial rule. However, the breeding and grooming of Inyambo is still carried out under the Rwanda Agriculture Board. In the afternoon arrive at your accommodation located in the rainforests on Nyungwe.
Starting Accommodation: One&Only Nyungwe House
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 7 – Exploring Nyungwe National Forest
The day begins bright and early, driving into the park headquarters at 5:00am with a delicious packed breakfast. After an insightful chimpanzee trek briefing, you will be escorted to the Evergreen Forest at 6:00am, when the adventure begins. Alongside famous chimps, you are likely to spot a wide variety of bird life. Their playfulness and human-like characteristics make this journey so rewarding. You may even be welcomed by chimp morning calls deep in the forest. Upon encountering the chimps, you can stay in their presence for one hour as you enjoy their acrobatics, feeding, and day-to-day behaviors. Dashing at high speed through the flora, hooting and clanging - it truly is an exhilarating experience to encounter chimpanzees playing, wild and free. Home to one of East Africa's last intact chimpanzee populations, Nyungwe is an ideal place in the early morning to observe chimps in their natural habitat.
Nyungwe National Forest Canopy WalkExperience the rainforest from a dazzling new perspective - on the famous Canopy Walkway. The only walk of its kind in East Africa, this breathtaking construction hands 197 feet above the forest floor between giant trees and towers, revealing a stunning view of the flora and fauna, both below and above. An iconic experience, not to be missed!
Starting Accommodation: One&Only Nyungwe House
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 8 – Nyungwe National Forest to Volcanoes National Park
Today you will travel from Nyungwe National Forest to the Virunga Volcano Range. This transfer is approximately six hours with stops.
Covering an area of 14,826 acres in the northern part of Rwanda, Volcanoes national park is part of the great Virunga volcano conservation region spanning to cover Virunga National Park Congo and Mgahinga Gorilla National Park Uganda. The park is one of the 3 homes of the endangered mountain gorillas within the Virunga Mountains as well as golden monkeys, a variety of birds, reptiles, amphibians, and insects among other creatures.
Starting Accommodation: One&Only Gorilla's Nest
Day 9 – Gorilla Trekking
This morning you will be transferred to the park headquarters for the gorilla trek briefing at 7:00am. Gorilla trekking in Rwanda is often described as "life-changing" and with good reason. With only an estimated 880 gorillas left in the world, to see these gentle creature in their natural habitat is truly a unique moment. Hikes in the mountains can last anywhere from 30 minutes to over four hours depending on the family allocated to your group and their location. The journey back can take just as long, but you are often carried along by the euphoria you feel after seeing the gorillas.
Starting Accommodation: One&Only Gorilla's Nest
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 10 – Gorilla Trekking and depart Rwanda
This morning you will be transferred to the park headquarters for the gorilla trek briefing at 7:00am. The largest gorilla group ever studied in Rwanda and was led by Cantsbee. He was the oldest known mountain gorilla in the world. A gorilla family is led by a Silverback and includes several younger males, adult and juvenile females, and infants. In addition to providing protection to group members, Silverbacks maintain order and decide all activities within their troop. They schedule feeding trips, resting time, and travel. They also father the majority of young in the group.
After freshening up you will transfer to Kigali Airport for your departure flight.
Meals: Breakfast
Pricing
Package Level: Luxury |
| Pricing for this package is on request. Please call a Swain Destinations Specialist to customize this journey. |
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