Itinerary: Days 1 to 5

Image 01

Below you will find a day by day itinerary, describing our Rwanda bike adventure! But first, a word about our tour leader:

Throughout your adventure you will be guided by Tom Tofield, who has been leading bike tours in Rwanda since 2009. Tom's goal is to show you the side of Rwanda that many tourists fail to reach.

Not only is he very passionate about cycling, but he is also a nature fanatic particularly interested in Rwanda's birds and plants.

Tom speaks English, French, German and Kinyarwanda. Together with his team they will help you interact with Rwandans, solve any mechanical problems and manage the tour's logistics.

Day 1

Day 1 - Arrival day

Kigali is one of Africa's safest cities, where tourists can walk freely.

We will meet you at Kigali International Airport (KGL) and take you to your hotel.

There are flights arriving throughout the day with most European flights arriving in the evening.

For those of you arriving early, the hotel is close to the city centre, so you will easily be able to explore Kigali.

Overnight: Hotel Gorillas

Evening meal: not included

Image 01
Day 2

Day 2 - Kigali

Image 01

Rwanda has learnt from its past as testified by the Genocide Memorial.

For those who brought their own bikes from home, we shall be assembling them in the morning after breakfast.

For those hiring bikes, you will receive a guided tour of Kigali and have the chance to change money, etc.

We will have a typical Rwandan meal for lunch at "Chez John", a local restaurant.

After lunch we will visit the Memorial Centre.

Before everyone heads-off for their evening meals we will have "Happy Hour". During "Happy Hour" we will discuss the current and following days' events over a drink and light snack.

Overnight: Hotel Gorillas

Evening meal: not included

Day 3

Day 3 - Gisenyi

Gisenyi is on Lake Kivu and the start point of the Congo Nile Trail.

After breakfast we shall drive to Gisenyi. The drive takes about 3 hours and there will be plenty of photo opportunities along the way.

Lunch will be at our lake-side hotel at La Brasserie, Gisenyi.

After lunch we shall test ride the bikes assuring that everyone is comfortable. This also gives us the chance to do a last mechanical check before riding-off on Wednesday morning.

During our bike-ride we shall visit the locally important hot springs and take a look at village life in Rubona.

After the ride and a shower, it will be time for Happy Hour.

Overnight: Waterfront Resort Lake Kivu

Evening meal: not included

Day 4

Day 4 - Congo Nile Trail to Kinunu

The Kinunu coffee washing station is an important employer on the rural Kivu coast.

After breakfast we will leave Gisenyi, riding-off along the Congo Nile Trail.

We will stop for lunch at the lake-side fishing village of N'Kora, where the villagers will have prepared a sambaza fish-lunch.

Following lunch we will pedal through the picturesque Rwandan countryside onto Kinunu.

We will have the evening meal together at the coffee washing station, discussing this day's and the following day's events.

Overnight: Kinunu Coffee Washing Station

Evening meal: included

Day 5

Day 5 - Kibuye

The lake-side town of Kibuye, where sightings of otters are frequent, is surrounded by many small, uninhabited islands.

After breakfast and before riding-off we will receive a guided tour of the coffee washing station.

The morning's ride will be challenging, including some tough uphill climbs. However, this is one of the most scenic rides in the whole of Rwanda!

Before lunch we shall be met by boats, who will take us and our bikes to Nyamunini Island. Here we will have the chance to photograph a large colony of straw-coloured fruit bats.

After a pique-nique lunch on the island we shall take the boats, navigating through islands, to our lake-side hotel.

Overnight: Moriah Hills

Evening meal: not included

Day 6