Insightful Community & Cultural Tour

DAY 1: Cooking class & Kigali Genocide Memorial

Starting by selecting ingredients in a local market join local one of Kigali’s most inspirational community chefs as she teaches you how local families cook traditional, delicious and nutritious dishes.

The Kigali Genocide Memorial is a place of remembrance & learning where you will have time to reflect on a tragic time in Rwanda’s past. As you walk around the memorial and think about and remember the victims, 250,000 of whom have their final resting place here, you will be moved by the shocking events that led up to and took place during the genocide.

DAY 2 : A day in a life of a local Artisan

You’ll head out to a rural Rwandan village from Muhanga Town, accompanied by a local guide, and spend the day working alongside a group of artisans as you gain an illuminating insight into their way of life. The day begins with an introduction to the community, and then you’ll take part in a seasonal activity, such as hoeing or planting in the fields, alongside your hosts, before making the journey to collect water from the well for lunch, just as these people do every day.

You’ll help with preparing a typical Rwandan vegetarian meal from seasonal, local produce such as cassava and beans, then share it with your hosts as you find out more about their traditions and life in the village.

DAY 3 : Lake Kivu Experience – Traditional fishing

Explore Lake Kivu on a peaceful kayaking journey along the shores of one of Africa’s Great Lakes. With an experienced and qualified leader in charge, you will paddle a modern sea kayak or sit-on-top to dip into inlets and across bays as you soak up the spectacular scenery, meet the fishermen, see local fish farms and optionally visit the hot springs. You will have the chance to visit a nearby fishing village and you’ll also visit Munini, popularly known as Napoleon Island, for a hike to the summit viewpoint and the spectacle of a raucous bat colony. To finish this adventure, a rewanrding swim in the warm, clean water from the kayaks is very refreshing!

DAY 4 : Craft workshop with local women

After a crash course in the techniques that they use, join the artisans in making your choice of handicrafts using traditional techniques including wood carving and basket weaving.

Your visit begins with an introduction to the cooperative and the different activities and crafts being produced here. After the introduction, a crash course in various techniques of wood carving and traditional Rwandan weaving is done. After trying out the different techniques of craft making and making your own crafts, you can visit the shop to buy something to bring home as a memory of your visit, maybe an appreciation of the skills that are needed to make these crafts.

DAY 5 :Pottery workshop

Learn about and quite literally, get your hands dirty as you learn about and join in with the tradition of pottery making in Rwanda. Centuries-old, it is still very much practised today!

The original way of living through hunting and gathering in the rainforests of Central Africa started to make way to farming hundreds of years ago. In modern Rwanda, this way of living has completely disappeared as the last remaining forests are now protected as the homes of the endangered highland gorilla and the eastern chimpanzee.

However, some of the traditions of the semi-nomadic people who inhabited the original rainforests are not completely lost. Traditional pottery in Rwanda is one way in which these traditions are being upheld. Rwandan pottery is also very special and beautiful and still made in the traditional way.

During this experience, after an introduction and a special welcome, your guide will explain how clay is traditionally made. The clay used for pottery is not bought in a store, but dug from the ground and mixed to the right consistency.

Your guide will show you several techniques used for making crafts out of clay and invite you to craft your own items using traditional clay and methods. You’ll also see how the clay items are dried and burned and, as this is also done using traditional methods, you are sure to learn something new.

At the end of the experience, you are welcome to bring home your own crafted clay item.

DAY 6 :Lake Ruhondo shore walk

With our tour guide,you can enjoy a flat, gentle and relaxing walk along the shores of this stunning lake. Include a motorboat trip to a local restaurant or visit a small island for a picnic lunch – where you can see the best views of all five of the Virunga Volcanoes in Rwanda. Along the way you will spot aquatic birds, see local fishermen on the lake, maybe find some local beehives and pass a few small, friendly communities.

DAY 7 :Bee keeping experience

DAY 8 :Mountain Gorilla Trekking in Rwanda

You will be split into groups of up to 8 people – and maybe joined with other tourists – before being allocated a ranger. You will then drive a short distance to the start of the trail, from where you will trek in the forest for around 1-3 hours or so to meet the gorillas. When you find them, the hour you spend with these incredible primates is a true lifetime experience that you will never forget. To see – and walk amongst – a family of mountain gorillas is a wildlife encounter unlike any other on Earth. You’ll be so close to the individual gorillas. Boisterous adolescents will be misbehaving whilst playful children are constantly demanding the attention of their parents as aunts and uncles wander together in an extended family group under the watchful eye of the silverback. You may only be a visitor, but you will briefly be part of their family in a really remarkable way.

Once you have returned to the Head Quaters, head back to your hotel for a celebration lunch, followed by an afternoon at leisure to relax or visit the local community projects in the area.