Holidays
Rwanda Rising – Gravel Biking Adventure in Western Rwanda | Rwanda Adventure Holiday | KE Adventure Travel

Trip is Locked

Enter Password

New

Holidays

Rwanda Rising – Gravel Biking Adventure in Western Rwanda

Rwanda

Available Departures: Dec

11 days from

US$4,090

without flights

Ask a Question View Dates & Prices

Pioneer

Guided Group

CHALLENGING

Gravel cycling in Rwanda, the land of a thousand hills. The beating heart of Central Africa.

Trip Code: PXGG

Private Departure?

Gather a few friends, family or club and take over your own departure.

First name*

Please let us know your name.

Last name*

Invalid Input

Email address*

Please let us know your email address.

Telephone number

Invalid Input

How would you prefer to hear back from us?

Telephone

Invalid Input

Enquiry*

Please confirm the details of your enquiry here

We take your privacy seriously. Your personal information is safe with KE and will not be passed on to any third parties. To learn more about how we look after your personal data, please read our Privacy policy.

Our Holiday Grades Explained

To show the relative difficulty of our holidays, each trip is graded on a scale of 1 to 12, with 12 being the most challenging. Although we have tried to make our grading system as clear as possible, it cannot take into account your personal interests, abilities or experience. If you have any questions about the nature of a particular trip or its suitability for you, please read the 'Is this holiday for you?' section or contact us.

1 - 3 LEISURELY

Suitable for most people in good health, holidays at this grade include only limited amounts of activity.

For occasional bike riders; these holidays are predominantly on paved roads and involve only gentle climbs. You can go at your own pace and there’s plenty of time off the bike, to explore and to take it easy. These leisurely journeys are normally on hybrid or electric bikes. Daily distances are usually between 25 and 50 kilometres.

View leisurely holidays

4 - 6 MODERATE

Suitable for reasonably fit individuals, such as regular walkers and cyclists. There can be the occasional more difficult day.

These are holidays for weekend cyclists looking for a fun challenge. Mostly on paved roads, forest tracks and gravel paths, daily distances can be as much as 60 kilometres a day on an adventure cycling holiday and as much as 80 kilometres a day on a road cycling tour. Expect to encounter undulating terrain and the odd, longer, steeper climb.

View moderate holidays

7 - 9 CHALLENGING

Physically challenging holidays, where you need to be prepared before you go.

These holidays will provide a challenge for regular weekend cyclists. Adventure cycling holidays on mountain bikes at this level, can include anything from forest track riding, to technically challenging singletrack ascents and descents. These tours can be in isolated areas and/or at altitude, whilst Road Cycling tours in these grades will involve long (up to 100 kilometre) days and potentially very hilly terrain. A good level of fitness and regular training, including a couple of long days in the saddle each month, is standard for these trips.

View challenging holidays

10 - 12 TOUGH

Our toughest holidays, involving many long days, often in isolated areas. A high level of fitness and previous wilderness and mountain experience is essential.

We recommend these epic rides for experienced cyclists only, who relish the challenge of long, consecutive and potentially very hilly days on the bike. Adventure Cycling tours will be ‘out-there’ and sustained, whilst Road Cycling holidays in these grades can have continuous steep stages (up to 100 kilometres and 3000 metres of ascent) with some long and serious descents which require care. Demanding a high level of endurance, these holidays are aimed at regular sportive / club riders.

View Tough holidays

All Grade Information

Ask a Question

Section:

Rwanda Rising – Gravel Biking Adventure in Western Rwanda

Highlights

Ride on dirt tracks through the many and varied patchwork landscapes of Rwanda, including rainforests, tea plantations and shimmering lakeshores.

Relive a lap of the 2025 UCI World Championships course on partially closed roads, a dream experience for any cycling fan.
Visit the Africa Rising Cycling Centre, home of the National Rwandan Cycling Team, the beating heart of central Africa’s love affair with two wheels.
Book onto an optional day gorilla trekking through rainforest in the Volcanoes NP, to spend some time with a band of wild mountain gorillas in their verdant volcano-side home. Enquire at time of booking

At a Glance

Group Size 5 to 14
11 days gravel biking over 380km
Optional gorilla trekking
Wildlife canopy walk
All National Park Fees included
50% vehicle support
85% dirt roads
Max altitude 2,700 metres
Join In Kigali

Accommodation & Meals

10 Breakfasts
10 Lunches
9 Dinners
7 nights Lodge
1 nights Ecolodge
1 nights Camping
1 nights Guesthouse

Overview

In the land of a thousand hills, the minor dirt and gravel roads are the arteries of the country, spreading across the land in a sinuous mesh connecting villages to towns, farmers to markets. These ribbons of unsealed road provide the perfect surface for thousands of Rwandans to get around on two wheels, carrying goods, and each other on trusty steel frames with single gears, sometimes carrying loads of over 300 kilos. Bikes are everywhere, and are universally accepted as an efficient and respected way to cover ground. It is on these tracks, and among these cyclists that we will travel through Rwanda, on a gravel cycling adventure that truly gets under the skin of this wonderful nation in the heart of Africa.

Our journey, some 380km of point-to-point cycling, starts in the nation’s capital, before heading out for a loop of the Western half of Rwanda. We pass through the wildlife thrum of Nyungwe Forest National Park, along the shores of the great Lake Kivu, defining the majority of Rwanda’s western border, eventually reaching the towering volcanoes of the north, the steep forested flanks of which are some of the last bastions of the mighty mountain gorilla.

Is this holiday for you?

This is a gravel cycling trip with 8 days back to back riding over 380 kilometres. There will be considerable climbing and descending, over 10,000 metres of both, which means that although the stages aren’t long, they are tough, and unrelenting, owing to the high grade for the distance covered. The pace will be relaxed, and include plenty of refreshment stops, however, Rwanda’s proximity to the equator means it will always be warm which will tire us quicker than perhaps we are used to in more temperate climes. The trails are mostly unsealed but smooth,and although there are sometimes short stretches of more technical terrain, this is never beyond the means of a gravel or short travel MTB hardtail and always on double track road. There are a few sections of tarmac particularly in villages and towns on thoroughfares, and although the roads are busy, cyclists are incredibly well respected. The drivers will pass wide and slow, and in some cases, particularly the larger, heavier trucks will sit patiently behind, only overtaking when they have enough space and momentum to do so. Of course nowhere is without its risks, but nonetheless, Rwanda is a very safe country for cycling in.

Off bike days/half days are designed to promote active recovery and will always include a walk of some description. In Nyungwe we walk on a mix of made paths and canopy walkways through the forest on undulating terrain. In Volcanoes National Park, if we choose to purchase gorilla experience permits at the time of booking, we walk through hacked bamboo forest uphill for anywhere between 30 mins to 3 hours on often wet and sludgy ground. Our guides kit us out with gaiters before hand, and solid walking shoes with good treads are useful here. In both locations, our guides offer us sticks to help steady ourselves with as well as advice, and porters in Volcanoes will even offer a hand to hold on technical ground.

Why KE?

This pioneering trip is the first foray for KE into the heart of Africa on two wheels. We have created an itinerary that ekes out the best gravel biking routes in the country, providing short but demanding, and incredibly rewarding stages.

We’ve also left space in the itinerary for us to explore some of the wildlife rich national parks of this beautiful country, including a canopy bridge walk experience within the cloud forest of Nyungwe National Park, surrounded by turacos, colobus monkeys, and many other incredible ancient forest species. On day 10 of our trip, we also have a free day in Musanze where if we’ve booked permits in advance we can spend the day in the presence of the mighty mountain gorilla in one of their last natural habitats on earth. A truly world beating spectacle, and one to embrace should there be permits available at time of booking (enquire with our sales team to secure yours).

KE Expert

Andy Watson,
Product Manager

Read Bio

Responsibility Matters

Rwanda Wildlife Conservation Association

Umusambi Village is a Grey Crowned Crane sanctuary and urban nature reserve managed by the Rwanda Wildlife Conservation Association (RWCA), a not-for-profit organization dedicated to protecting and restoring Rwanda's threatened wildlife and wild places through community-led conservation. On this trip we will visit Umusambi Village, located just outside Kigali, on the last day of our trip. Every visit directly supports crane conservation, habitat restoration, environmental education, and community conservation initiatives across Rwanda, helping to ensure lasting benefits for both people and wildlife alike.

Andy Watson

Product Manager

About Andy:

Andy Joined KE back in 2018 and has had various roles within the company. He is now Sustainability Manager and Product Manager for family trips, and Southern African safaris. Andy is an advocate for nature and sustainability and loves spending time outdoors being constantly fascinated by the wildlife that surrounds us. Andy loves spending time with his wife and two daughters, mountain biking, hiking and running all over the Lake District, and retiring to their beloved campervan at the end of a day’s adventure. They’ve travelled around the UK and onto the continent in their van on summer holiday trips filled with sun, sea and sand. Andy and family have been on several KE trips including a Family Costa Rica Adventure, a full wildlife immersion for Andy and his girls to get lost in. Andy has also travelled on several occasions to the Americas and extensively across Europe, and recently returned from two trips to Africa. His first trip was spent travelling through Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe and Zambia, spotting and generally being in awe of the big 5, and his second trip was through Rwanda including an incredible day trek to spend time with a troop of gorillas.

Andy's Adventures

We pride ourselves on the level of expertise we can offer on all our trips. As such our team regularly undergo training or even join our adventures.

Blogs by Andy

Andy's Top 5 Tips for a Safari Adventure

22nd October 2024

Botswana's Wild Side - Our Journey into Moremi

27th June 2024

Itinerary

View Map Download Trip Notes

Day 1

Arrival Day, overnight in Kigali.

Show Details

We arrive in Kigali and settle in to our comfortable and cosmopolitan accommodation in the heart of the city before our adventure begins tomorrow. If we arrive in good time, we may be able to head out into town to explore independently before dinner at our own expense this evening. We'll retire early to get a good night's sleep ahead of tomorrow's UCI Road World Championships loop ride.

Accommodation

Lodge

Hide Details

Day 2

Our first day of riding, around Kigali on the UCI World Championships course on partially closed roads, then transfer to Kitabi Eco Centre.

Show Details

After a hearty breakfast, we'll get set up on our bikes for the next two weeks and head out into the city. Our guide will take us on a lap of the UCI Road World Championships course. This is a hilly route with some testing climbs, so we'll be thankful of our MTB gearing as we complete the lap, recounting the drama that will have recently unfolded just a month or so before we take on our challenge. On Sunday mornings, twice a month, here in Kigali, the roads are closed for leisure use only, so where possible, and with care, we will be able to enjoy our ride on closed roads without any motorised vehicles to worry about. This forward-thinking initiative has proven very popular, and whilst this is a great thing for our group to be a part of, we must also be careful and mindful of other users, which will likely consist of lots of runners, walkers, and other cyclists. Enjoy the atmosphere and soak into life in the heart of Africa. After we've completed our morning ride, we'll enjoy a tasty lunch at a local restaurant before rolling back to the hotel to get changed and hit the road.
This afternoon we have the long drive into the south to eventually reach the Kitabi Eco Centre on the edge of the Nyungwe National Park. This is a long and winding road which may take up to six hours. A necessary distance to allow us access to some of the best cycling the country has to offer in the following days. From our accommodation this evening, perched high atop a hill, we have the perfect vantage point into the heart of the forest, self-generating clouds rising from the tops of this endless and dense mesh of thick, rich green vegetation.

Accommodation

Ecolodge

Meals

B L D

Ascent

1110 M

Descent

1110 M

Time

4-5 hours cycling

Distance

48 KM

Hide Details

Day 3

Riding into the Nyungwe National Park on roads and forest tracks, with an afternoon canopy walk in the rainforest.

Show Details

Breakfast on the terrace this morning will be one to remember, as the white necked ravens catch the breeze overhead and the trees of Nyungwe breathe out the warm mists into the hills, completing a view that makes your African tea taste even sweeter. We will have a short but atmospheric ride this morning, into the heart of the forest to eventually find the visitor centre at Uwinka. We will start out through the last of the tea fields on asphalt, before rising into the edge of the national park, the sights and sounds changing all around us, from wide open farmed hillsides to thick air and impenetrable forest. We eventually finding our turn off onto a newly installed dirt track for bikes, and you'll be one of the first tour groups to use it, designed by African Parks, the National Parks management company of Nyungwe, to encourage users into this beautiful and unique landscape. This rainforest is believed to be one of the oldest in all of Africa, and provides the watershed for both the Congo and Nile rivers. Look out for black-fronted duiker, a tiny forest antelope, and L'Hoest's and Colobus monkeys that often hang out on the road verges, as you wend your way through this ancient Afromontane forest.
Today's ride ends at the National Park headquarters at Uwinka, where we'll be treated to lunch and more great coffee. This afternoon, hopefully dodging the heaviest downpours, we'll head into the park on the Igishigishigi trail to the 200m long canopy walkway bridge keeping our eyes and ears open, hoping to spot some of the 13 primate species and over 300 species of bird that call this forest home. This evening we stay have our camp out on our verandah near the national park headquarters, deep within the rainforest on a stilted platform among the canopy. You'll drift off to sleep enveloped in the sound safari of the rainforest at night. A truly special experience in one of the wildest corners of Rwanda.

Accommodation

Camping

Meals

B L D

Ascent

1000 M

Descent

900 M

Time

4-5hrs riding

Distance

51 KM

Hide Details

Day 4

Waking in the rainforest then riding down, down and down again to the shores of Lake Kivu.

Show Details

This morning we will wake at dawn as the soundtrack shifts from cicadas and frogs, to birdsong and distant primates moving through the trees, and have a breakfast among the canopy of this magical reserve. After breakfast we jump back on our bikes to commence the next leg of our gravel biking journey around Rwanda. Today we'll head down through the rainforest and back out onto the open farmed slopes to the magnificent Lake Kivu. Our route takes us on dirt roads, predominantly downhill passing through the edges of the forest, through villages lined with smiling and happy faces, eventually finding views of the lake. We skirt the shores heading to a promontory on the lake and our rooms for the evening, a world away from last night's camp, surrounded by the peace of the lake, save perhaps for a few singing fisherman on the mirror glass waters of the great Albertine rift Lake, Kivu.

Accommodation

Lodge

Meals

B L D

Ascent

930 M

Descent

1830 M

Time

3-4 hours cycling

Distance

45 KM

Hide Details

Day 5

To the Sangira Restobar for coffee and a tour of the academy, and then up into the hills before heading north and back down to the Lake at Kumbya.

Show Details

Waking up to beautiful views of Lake Kivu and the rainforest clad hills of the Congo beyond, we'll take breakfast at the hotel before our ride for the day begins. After a mini prologue into nearby Rugabano village, we will stop for a coffee or perhaps an African tea (delicious milky tea steeped with lots of ginger) with a difference at the Sangira Restobar and academy. We'll have a tour of the facilities here, and learn all about how the benefactors of this trust have set up a catering and hospitality college for underprivileged locals and particularly women, of the community.
After our educational drinks stop it's on with the ride, and although short in distance, there are three significant climbs as we make our way inland, away from Lake Kivu and then track North to our next destination further along the shores of this great lake. We'll pass through predominantly arable farmland today, surrounded by the villages that are fed and financed by these slopes, common crops including coffee, tea, eucalyptus, and cassava. This evening we reach our next accommodation before dinner, an eco-lodge on the shores of Lake Kivu, with beautiful views north across this seemingly unending waterscape.

Accommodation

Lodge

Meals

B L D

Ascent

900 M

Descent

910 M

Time

2-3 hours cycling

Distance

32 KM

Hide Details

Day 6

A longer day of cycling North among the tea farm lined hills that border Lake Kivu, with three considerable climbs.

Show Details

The next couple of days provide a tougher challenge than those that have gone before, but hopefully by now, we have settled into a rhythm and cycling on the dirt roads of Rwanda is beginning to feel like second nature. There are again three main climbs, predominantly on dirt roads, with the largest being 7km long and with some sections of over 15% gradient, which will feel like a tough day out on the bike.
Our route will again come away from the lake into the interior, with smiley happy faces and giggling school children lining the roads all the way along the route. Look out for cyclist traders carrying their goods to and from market, sometimes with loads of over 300 kilos, including sugar palms, banana beer, and coal. Our last climb and descent down to the lakeshore includes a short section on busier asphalt roads through Mugonero, before a final 10 km to the lodge on the lakeshore. We'll take dinner here and retire to our rooms after another wonderful ride in the thousand hills of Rwanda.

Accommodation

Lodge

Meals

B L D

Ascent

1410 M

Descent

1410 M

Time

4-5 hours cycling

Distance

50 KM

Hide Details

Day 7

Morning road ride, boat transfer, and then an afternoon on the gravel to Kinunu.

Show Details

From our excellently positioned lodge this morning, we will enjoy another great breakfast, before heading back out onto the roads for a pair of challenging but rewarding bike rides punctuated by a beautiful boat trip along the shores of Lake Kivu.
This morning we head out first on gravel for 5km to climb out of the entrance road where we meet the asphalt. After a fairly punchy start to proceedings, the remaining 30km is undulating but with more descent than climbing, heading back towards the lake shore. We find Karongi and Kibuye after another 30km and our boat meeting point on the shores of this great lake. Before boarding the boat we will enjoy lunch at the hotel adjacent, in a quiet bay on this often mirror-glass lake. After lunch we'll board the boat, safely stowing our bikes at the rear, and head north admiring the shores and hills beyond, chugging lazily through the flat waters.
Once we reach the shores at Musasa we will commence our second ride of the day, 16km of the Congo Nile Trail. This ride although shorter than our other rides, contains two significant climbs and more technical terrain than most of the other sections of terrain we have covered. We'll head northwards crossing a couple of hills and winding ourselves down to our finishing point at Kinunu.
Tonight's guest house adjacent to a coffee washing station is the perfect place to unwind. After freshening up, we will enjoy a coffee tour provided by the owners here, and then perhaps there will be enough time before dinner to enjoy a sundowner overlooking the lake as the sun sets over the water.

Accommodation

Guesthouse

Meals

B L D

Ascent

1260 M

Descent

1260 M

Time

4-5 hours cycling

Distance

51 KM

Hide Details

Day 8

Congo Nile Trail from Kinunu to Gisenye.

Show Details

This morning, a simple but hearty breakfast at the guest house precedes a full day on the incredible Congo-Nile Trail as it winds its way up to the Northern reaches of Lake Kivu. Our route broadly traces the lake heading to a beautiful accommodation on a promontory just outside the DRC border city of Gisenyi.
Todays ride is only 40km but again features some more challenging terrain and four main ascents totalling 1000m of climbing, purely on gravel. Combined with the heat and humidity of this tropical nation, this will equate to a tough day out on the bikes after so many behind us already. We'll stop regularly and enjoy interacting with the locals who farm and live in this rural landscape. Our guide will, as ever, find suitable places for us to stop and refresh ourselves, helping us to buy bananas and other snacks from the locals as we move through this beautiful and proud nation.
We'll reach our lake shore accommodation in the afternoon with some time to relax and freshen up before dinner at our own expense at the beautiful on-site restaurant.

Accommodation

Lodge

Meals

B L D

Ascent

1000 M

Descent

1000 M

Time

4-5 hours cycling

Distance

40 KM

Hide Details

Day 9

Final riding day away from Lake Kivu and towards the volcanoes region in the North, home of Rwandan cycling and the mighty mountain gorilla too.

Show Details

We go out with a bang today on the longest ride of our journey. After another tasty Rwandan breakfast of fruit, breads, eggs, coffee and fresh juice, we'll roll out of our accommodation on the northern tip of Lake Kivu and begin our ride through Gisenyi, the border city with the DRC and on inland in the direction of the mountains that define the borders between the DRC, Uganda and Rwanda. Our route covers some 1500m of climbing on undulating terrain and a mixture of gravel and asphalt. The landscape will change around us as we move through this northern corner of the country, starting at the lakeshore and climbing through farmland, eventually into the cradle of volcanic mountains that defines the boundaries of the northern city of Musanze. In the shadow of these great peaks Mount Karasimbi, Bisoko and Sabyinyo lies the bamboo forest home of some of the rarest great apes left on the planet, the mountain gorilla.
Our accommodation for the next two nights is here in Musanze, and we'll check in with some time to freshen up before dinner at a local restaurant this evening.

Accommodation

Lodge

Meals

B L D

Ascent

1450 M

Descent

1020 M

Time

6-7 hours cycling

Distance

68 KM

Hide Details

Day 10

Optional Gorilla Trekking in the Volcanoes National Park, and an afternoon visit to the Africa Rising Cycling Centre.

Show Details

We wake this morning in our lodge in Musanze in Volcano country, in the far north west of Rwanda. The buildings, pavement and earth have all darkened to a deep hummus rich colour, sometimes red and sometimes black, remnants of the lava fields that have gone before.
The volcanoes that punctuate the skyline here, form the spine of a critically important habitat for the last remaining mountain gorillas on earth. This park spans the border of the DRC, Uganda and Rwanda here. In the Rwandan portion of the park there are more than ten mountain gorilla families and we have the option to visit them (enquire at time of booking as permits need arranging in advance*) - see 'Park Fees and Permits' page in essential information tab. This is arguably one of the greatest wildlife spectacles on earth, and we fully recommend including this within your trip if you have the chance. If you do so, you will wake early and be transferred to the welcome centre for your briefing and coffee. Other options also bookable on this day, include Golden Monkey trekking and hiking on Mount Bisoke. You'll spend the day here and return to the group hotel later in the afternoon.
If you haven't pre-booked one of these optional activities, we will instead visit the Ellen DeGeneres Campus of the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund, where we will have the opportunity to learn all about the conservation and research work done to protect this endangered species.
This afternoon, if time allows, we will also make a visit to the Africa Rising Cycling Centre, and learn how the national cycling team was founded and how it attempts to support current and future talents and catapult them from their humble beginnings onto the world stage. A fascinating visit, the particular highlight being a bike workshop that would likely be the envy of every garage based bike mechanic in Europe and beyond!
This evening we will celebrate reaching the end of our cycling journey with a farewell dinner at our accommodation restaurant.
*permit availability dependent. There are only limited number of permits available so book early to avoid disappointment.

Accommodation

Lodge

Meals

B L D

Hide Details

Day 11

Departure day and visit to Umusambi Village.

Show Details

Our final day in Rwanda begins after breakfast and check out. We make the 2-3 hour transfer back south towards the capital, but before our onward journeys there is chance for us to stop and take in the peace and tranquillity of the Umusambi Village wetland area. Here is where we will find another conservation project designed to protect the Grey Crowned Cranes that live here. We will enjoy a nature walk through the reserve and learn about the restoration project undertaken to create the perfect environment for these beautiful birds.
Our tour will end in the afternoon where we will say goodbye to our guides and be transferred to the airport to begin our onward journeys.

Meals

B L

Hide Details

Download Trip Notes

View Dates & Prices

Essential Information

We've compiled some of our Frequently Asked Questions to help you learn more about this amazing trip.

Holiday

General

Equipment

What's Included

A professional, qualified and English speaking cycling leader

A single timed airport transfer on arrival & departure
All accommodation as described

National Park entrance fees
All land and boat transport involved in the itinerary
One support vehicle
Baggage transfer
All activities/excursions mentioned as per the day-to-day itinerary

What's not Included

Travel insurance
Tips for support staff and guide
Miscellaneous expenses; drinks, souvenirs etc
Local bike hire
Bike carriage on the flights - please check with your carrier for charges
Gorilla trekking - please enquire at time of booking to secure your permit

Joining Arrangements & Transfers

The group will meet at the lodge in Kigali.

Transfers are provided from/to Kigali Airport for all clients arriving on Day 1 of the Land Only itinerary, and departing on the last day of the Land Only itinerary.

Lodge contact details and an emergency number will be provided with your booking confirmation.

Meal Plan

Meal as specified in the day to day itinerary.

Food & Water

Drinking Water

It is not recommended to drink untreated water from the taps. If you are on a trekking or cycling holiday, water is supplied to fill up your individual bottles. This will be boiled, filtered or provided in large jerry cans or 5 litre bottles. Additionally you should take purification tablets or a filter bottle (such as a Water-To-Go bottle) to treat your water when in towns or where water is not supplied. We do not encourage the purchasing of single use plastic bottles.

Rwanda is considered one of the gardens of Africa, with much of the countryside of the nation given over to a mix of plantations and subsistence farming, primarily for food production. A lot of the food produced is exported across the world, particularly tea and coffee, but plenty of it also remains. We will enjoy lots of fresh fruit and vegetables on this trip, much of it grown locally.

Breakfast will regularly consist of plenty of fresh fruits, and often bread and omelettes too. Fruits usually present include melon, papaya, pineapple, persimmon and bananas.

Lunches will be mostly taken on the go, either at a dedicated picnic stop along the route, or on the shorter days, at the end of the route. Our guides will prepare a table of fresh fruits, packets of crisps, and often take a lunch order to pick up at a local sandwich shop along the way. Sandwiches are usually toasted with hams, cheeses, roasted peppers and other vegetables, and the bread is thick and filling. A cool box full of glass bottled soft drinks will be on hand, usually with a drinks order also taken in advance. Hand sanitizer is always available, and water butts are present for washing/rinsing hands and fruit (sparingly), and for re-filling water bottles.

In the evenings, we eat at the accommodations and a set menu will be provided at each. The menu is varied, with many international dishes served, although this varies from place to place. Local dishes to look out for include grilled tilapia, especially on Lake Kivu, where you might be able to see and hear the singing fishermen heading out into the bay at dusk to catch the fish by moonlight, their lights on poles attracting the fish to the surface, and their songs helping them to row in time. Matoke, a mashed plantain dish sometimes spiced and served alongside meats and fish. Brochette, skewered meat of various types, cooked over an open flame.

Accompaniments often include Ugali, a pulverised maize starch usually cooked in water or milk, performing the same carb role as white rice in many dishes, also grilled or fried plantain, sweet potatoes, and cassava.

On every table in Rwanda you will also find a tiny eyedropper bottle, but please do not attempt to administer to your eyeballs. This is the concentrated chilli oil known as Akabanga. Just one or two drops on your food will transform any meal. Give it a try if you like to wake up your taste buds with pure fire.

Coffee culture is big in Rwanda, and there are many fine establishments along the route with great, locally grown beans available to sample, although milk is likely the only accompaniment so take it black if you would ordinarily be ordering milk alternatives. Tea is also very popular, and alongside the regular black tea offerings, many places offer African tea, which is made with hot milk and plenty of ginger. It usually takes a while to make, so order as soon as you arrive and your taste buds will not be disappointed.

Finally, we should give a mention to the banana beer. This locally made liquor, often seen sloshing around in bright yellow jerry cans, inconceivably stacked high on the back of a bike, is labelled as beer but is probably closer to barley wine in its strength, taste and consistency. Try it, but with caution, the sweetness belies its deceiving strength! Perhaps it is best saved for a rest day or on your return to Kigali, so that you don’t have to worry about riding your bike the following day!

Accommodation

Accommodation on this trip is mostly lodges with one night in an incredible canopy campsite in the beautiful Nyungwe National Park.

On the majority of nights including our first night in Kigali, along the shores of Lake Kivu, and our final nights in Musanze, we will stay in comfortable lodges sometimes with pools and great views of the surrounding hills and often the lake.

At Kitabi Eco Centre we stay at a hilltop lodge with great traditional hut rooms. There is a restaurant area with incredible views and friendly welcoming staff, and the rooms are traditional style thatched roof huts in the style of the Rwandan King’s Palace visited a day prior, with basic but clean, shared bathroom and shower facilities in separate blocks.

At Uwinka (Nyungwe forest) we camp in tents with all equipment provided including sleeping bags and mats (although of course you can bring your own if you prefer – further details in the equipment list), on a raised timber built platform within the forest canopy. There are basic wash and toilet facilities a short walk away at the National Park HQ.

If you are travelling solo, you will be paired with another single client of the same sex. If this is not available, you may have to pay the single room supplement. Single rooms are available at an additional cost.

Group Leader & Support Staff

This holiday will be accompanied by an experienced cycling leader. In addition, there will be a support vehicle and driver.

In the national park rest day activities we will be joined by expert wildlife guides. At Volcanoes NP, porters offer their services at the start of the walk, and they are generally recruited to help carry day-packs and offer support on technical terrain. They charge a small fee and the guides suggest that this is vital to keep the local community in work and in support of the national park’s efforts for conservation in the area.

Park Fees & Permits

If you wish to join the optional gorilla trekking you will need to apply for this at the time of booking. We cannot guarantee availability of these permits, as their availability is limited and sells out quickly. To avoid disappointment, early booking is essential. The permit costs $1,100*. Should you wish to join this experience, inform the sales team and an application for a permit will be made on your behalf, upon completion of your booking. If the sales team require any further details to complete the application, they will be in contact. All other fees to enter national parks are included in the trip price.

*subject to change

Spending Money

We recommend £400 will be ample for spending whilst in Rwanda, on excess expenditure, such as drinks, souvenirs, and any snacks required along the way. In most places chip and pin cards can be used, but in exception and when buying objet d’art, our guides will recommend changing some money into the local currency RWF. ATMs will be sought out in Kigali at the start of the trip, as well as local towns at various points along the route where this may be required, and our guides will help us with this. A zero interest worldwide credit card is highly useful for this trip.

Your Bike

We recommend a gravel bike or cross country mountain bike for this trip. Tyres should be puncture resistant and with a smooth and fast central tread to aid us in covering ground on the few made roads we encounter along the way, as well as the fast rolling dirt roads that form the majority of the trip. Some side knobbles will aid with cornering on loose ground. High volume 40mm plus tyres, and 650b – 29” wheel sizes would be beneficial for covering ground.

If bringing an MTB we would suggest a fork size of 100m maximum travel. The roads are predominantly well graded, and any more technical sections can be picked through without any great need for suspension. Anything larger than this will be too heavy to ride with for the majority of the route.

Since you are depending on your bike to transport you throughout your holiday, it’s important to ensure it is in good working order. If you are not mechanically minded, get your local bicycle dealer to service it for you.

Please contact us if you are unsure about the suitability of your bike.

Bike Hire

Bike hire is available, and is arranged through the local agent for an extra fee, detailed below. There are gravel bikes available as standard and short travel hardtail mountain bikes available for an extra fee. These will be Giant Revolt Advanced or an equivalent bike from an alternative manufacturer. There are S/M/L/XL sizes available, but the fleet size is limited. Please provide your height and preferred bike size (if you have a preference) at time of booking.

Frames are aluminium, drivetrain is Shimano GRX 2x10 speed mechanical or similar, and brakes are hydraulic Shimano GRX or similar. Forks are rigid with plenty of clearance, wheels are robust and aluminium and are shod with 40mm tyres for plenty of grip on all surfaces. Hire cost: $495 for the duration of the trip payable on arrival. Short travel hardtail MTBs available for $539.

Travelling With Your Bike

Airlines require that you pack your bike properly for travel and for this holiday we recommend that you use either soft bike bag or a purpose-made bike box or case. Whether you are using a bag or a case, you will need to partially dismantle your bike to pack it. Please note that bike bags or boxes will be placed in secure storage and will not travel with us during the course of the trip.

Vehicle Support

Throughout the holiday, we will have the back up of a minibus support vehicle with a tow trailer for bikes. On those days when we are moving to a different lodge (every day except one), the group’s baggage will be loaded onto the support vehicle which will meet the group at road intersections along the day's ride. The biking leader and the support vehicle driver will watch over the group and they will communicate with each other. Group members will naturally cycle at different speeds and regular stops will be set to allow the group to reform. The support vehicle will carry water, and snacks and each day’s picnic lunch. The support vehicle can be made available to pick up any group members who wish to take a break from cycling, although this is limited to road heads, as the tracks we are riding on are not always through roads. Please make sure to communicate your intentions with the guide if you intend to stop so that the guide and support vehicle driver can arrange a suitable stopping point for you.

Baggage Allowance

Apart from your bike in its bag or box (if you are taking your own bike), you should travel with one main item of luggage, such as a secure but soft trek bag, and a small day pack. Your day pack can be used to carry valuable items such as cameras binoculars and GPS devices in your hand luggage whilst travelling, and on rest day hikes, but will also be useful to separate out items you might want to pick up from the support vehicle during the rides, such as additional clothing.

Your baggage allowance on the flights will depend on your airline. When choosing your flights, whether booking them directly or through KE, you will need to consider the cost of carrying your bike. These costs are your responsibility.

Passport & Visas

The information that we provide is for UK passport holders.

A passport with 6 months remaining validity at the end of your stay is generally required, and you should have at least 2 blank pages for each country that you visit.

For other nationalities, please refer to your own Government website for the latest information.

It is your responsibility to ensure that you have the correct travel documents including vaccinations and health certificates (see Health & Vaccinations below), and visas for your holiday. Please ensure that you check the FCDO for the latest advice for each country visited before travel.

Visa Rwanda

You must have a visa to enter Rwanda as a visitor. UK and other Commonwealth citizens, can get a free 30-day visa on arrival.

You can also apply in advance for a visa from the Rwandan High Commission in London.

Health & Vaccinations

Vaccinations:

You should be up to date with the routine vaccinations recommended in the UK for overseas travel.

You must also contact your doctor or travel clinic to check if there are specific vaccinations or other preventive measures that you need for the area you are visiting, in good time before you are due to depart.

Please ensure you are looking at the recommendations for all countries visited on your holiday plus recommendations for any borders you cross.

On holidays to more remote areas you should also have a dental check-up.

It is your responsibility to ensure that you have the correct travel documents including vaccinations and health certificates.

Please check the FCDO and Travel Health Pro. For all of your intended destinations for up-to-date advice.

Severe Allergies:

If you have a severe allergy please inform the KE office before you travel. We will do all we can to help, but we cannot guarantee an allergy free environment on KE trips.

Currency

The currency in Rwanda is the Rwandan Franc, and there are approximately 1900 RWF to the GBP (£) at time of writing.

Preparing for your Holiday

The better conditioned you are the more you will enjoy your trip. We suggest that you adopt a sensible weekly exercise regime and fit in a number of long off-road cycle rides in hilly country to ensure you are physically capable of taking part in this trip - this will also provide you with an opportunity to make sure all your riding kit is tried and tested before you travel. Cycling is obviously the best activity to prepare for this trip, however, running, rowing and swimming are also good for developing aerobic fitness and stamina.

Climate

Rwanda is equatorial, but at altitude, the majority of the country sits between 1700m and 2,500m. This means that the temperature may vary between 20-30 degrees in full sun, but will drop much cooler in the evening especially at higher altitudes.

In the rainforests and at higher altitudes (some days reach 2,700m asl), there will also be some respite from the heat, where there is shade and often a light breeze. We may also have a few thundery showers, and these are quick to form but usually short-lived. Our guides will prepare us for these and mitigate the risk of being out in dangerous weather, perhaps heading out early if the forecast suggests afternoon rain, or using villages and support vehicles for shelter if necessary during the heaviest weather.

Travel Aware

As a reputable tour operator, KE supports the British Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office's ‘Travel Aware’ campaign to enable British citizens to prepare for their journeys overseas. The 'Travel Aware' website provides a single, authoritative source of advice for all kinds of travellers and we recommend that before travel, all KE clients visit the official UK Government website at travelaware.campaign.gov.uk and read the FCDO Travel Advice for their chosen destination. All other nationalities should check their government websites for relevant information.

KE treat the safety and security of all clients as the most important aspect of any trip we organise. We would not run any trip that we did not consider reasonably safe. Should the FCDO advise against travel for any reason, we will contact everyone booked to travel to discuss the situation. We receive regular updates directly from the FCDO and are in constant touch with our contacts on the ground. If you have any questions about government travel advice, please call our office.

Books

Bring with you, or gen-up in advance. This list is by no means exhaustive, but offers some recommendations for reading around some of the many facets of life and culture that you may experience whilst on this trip:

Land of Second Chances: The Impossible Rise of Rwanda's Cycling Team – Tim Lewis

Kibogo – Scholastique Mukasonga

A Thousand Hills: Rwanda's Rebirth and the Man Who Dreamed It – Stephen Kinzer

Travel Insurance

It is an essential condition of joining a holiday with KE Adventure Travel that you have a valid travel insurance policy to cover the cost of medical treatment and to protect the value of your holiday in the event of cancellation. When taking out insurance please ensure the policy you choose covers you for the activities and altitude included in your itinerary.

For appropriate insurance cover we recommend Campbell Irvine Direct. Please go to our Travel Insurance page for further information and to get a quote.

Equipment List

For this trip you will need your usual cycling clothing, including shoes, cycling gloves and helmet (the latter must be worn at all times when cycling).

Whether you are hiring a bike or taking your own, we recommend that you take the usual day-ride essentials of: mobile phone, multi-tool, mini-pump, tyre levers, spare tubes and puncture repair kit, and the knowledge of how to use them.

Bike Wear
Cycling helmet
Cycling shoes
Padded cycling shorts
Long leg cycling trousers or leg warmers
Lycra arm warmers
Short sleeve cycling jerseys
Long sleeved cycling jersey
Lightweight windproof gilet
Lightweight waterproof jacket
Cycling gloves
Buff
Sunglasses
Sun cream (inc. total bloc for lips/nose)
Camera

Other Stuff

Travel and off-the-bike clothing and footwear
Rainforest trekking clothing preferably long sleeved and mosquito proof, waterproof, and good sturdy walking shoes
Binoculars
Wash bag, towel, toiletries
Swimwear
Basic First Aid kit, insect repellent and personal medication
Chamois Cream (e.g. Assos or Ozone)
Reusable cloth bag for shopping (to avoid plastic bags)
Sleeping bag for camping nights, these are provided, but if you prefer to bring your own, please inform us at time of booking. A 2-3 season bag would suit for this trip.
Inflatable pillow for camping nights

Spares

If you are hiring a bike you do not need to bring any spares. The hire bikes are provided in good condition and a supply of spares is carried. You may be asked to pay directly for any spares used, especially in the case of crash damage or damage by mis-use. If you are taking your own bike, you should consider taking a minimum of spares, including a couple of spare spokes (for each wheel if they are different), spare brake blocks (or brake disc pads), chain links/chain connector, rear derailleur hanger and any non-standard parts specific to your bike.

If hiring, and you use spd shoes, bring your regular pedals with you and the cycling shoes that clip into them. This will help you to feel comfortable on your hire bike as well as requiring minimum set up and adjustment on the first day of your trip, just remember to uninstall them again on the last day. If you are used to riding flat pedals, just bring your regular riding shoes, as all hire bikes in Rwanda are fitted with flat pedals as standard.

Repairs

Whilst not essential, it is a good idea that you familiarise yourself with how to carry out at least some basic repairs to your bike e.g. changing an inner tube and fixing a puncture. Your bike guide will be happy to help with repairs and general maintenance, but being able to carry out a simple repair yourself could save the inconvenience of having to wait for assistance.

Hydration and Energy Snacks

You should take 2 standard water bottles (we encourage re-filling water bottles rather than single use plastic) and also consider taking a small supply of the gels, power bars or sports drink mix that you would normally use on a ride at home.

In Rwanda, safe drinking water is scarce, so if possible, bring purification tablets or a filter bottle (such as a Water-To-Go bottle) to treat your water when in towns or where water is not supplied. We do not encourage the purchasing of single use plastic bottles.

As an addition, the support vehicle will carry a 20l jerry can of filtered water, but this will only be available at the lunch stops and a few other infrequent points along each of the off-road routes.

Please contact us if you have any questions about your equipment.

The Route

Point

Airport

Direction

Cycle

Boat

Transfer

Private Departure?

Gather a few friends, family or club and take over your own departure.

Get in Touch

2027

Sat 4 Dec Tue 14 Dec

US$4,090 per Adult per Adult

US$575

Available

Book Now

More Information

Rwanda Rising – Gravel Biking Adventure in Western Rwanda
With Flights

Without Flights
Departure Reference: PXGG/01/27/
This trip departs the UK on Fri 3 Dec returning to the UK on Wed 15 Dec

This trip begins on Sat 4 Dec and ends on Tue 14 Dec
This departure is available to book. Secure your place today with a deposit of US$575
Single Supplement Price: US$580
Download Trip Notes

Land Only Information

BOOK WITH KE CONFIDENCE - No surcharge guarantee

The price of our holidays can change depending on a variety of factors but unlike some other tour operators, KE have undertaken to guarantee the Land Only price of your holiday will not change after you have booked. The price when you book is the price you will pay, whether you are booking for this year or the next. Book early to avoid any tour price increases, get the best flight prices and take advantage of our 'No Surcharge Guarantee'.

KE Adventure is a fully bonded tour operator. We hold an ATOL license (No: 2808) and are bonded with ABTA (Membership No: W4341)

Trip is Locked

Rwanda Rising – Gravel Biking Adventure in Western Rwanda

Holiday Grades

Our Holiday Grades Explained

1 - 3 LEISURELY

4 - 6 MODERATE

7 - 9 CHALLENGING

10 - 12 TOUGH

Rwanda Rising – Gravel Biking Adventure in Western Rwanda

Highlights

At a Glance

Accommodation & Meals

Overview

Is this holiday for you?

Why KE?

Responsibility Matters

Rwanda Wildlife Conservation Association

KE Expert

Andy Watson

Andy's Adventures

Blogs by Andy

Itinerary

Essential Information

The Route

DATES & PRICES

2027

More Information

Land Only Information

Flight Inclusive Information

BOOK WITH KE CONFIDENCE - No surcharge guarantee

Download Trip Notes

Get our latest articles and promotions straight to your inbox

KE 3122 Online Reviews

98%

Your Wishlist

Holiday Search

Trip is Locked

Rwanda Rising – Gravel Biking Adventure in Western Rwanda

Holiday Grades

Our Holiday Grades Explained

1 - 3 LEISURELY

4 - 6 MODERATE

7 - 9 CHALLENGING

10 - 12 TOUGH

Rwanda Rising – Gravel Biking Adventure in Western Rwanda

Highlights

At a Glance

Accommodation & Meals

Overview

Is this holiday for you?

Why KE?

Responsibility Matters

Rwanda Wildlife Conservation Association

KE Expert

Andy Watson

Andy's Adventures

Costa Rica Family Adventure

Cape Town to Victoria Falls Lodge Safari

Wild Botswana Family Safari

Botswana Wildside Camping Safari

Game Trails of Zimbabwe & Botswana Lodge Safari

Norway Winter Family Adventure

Elephant Trail Luxury Lodge Safari

Rwanda Rising – Gravel Biking Adventure in Western Rwanda

Blogs by Andy

Itinerary

Essential Information

The Route

Other Trips You Might like

The Western Cape Epic

Victoria Falls to Cape Town

Ultimate Overland - Coast to Coast Southern Africa

DATES & PRICES

2027

More Information

Land Only Information

Flight Inclusive Information

BOOK WITH KE CONFIDENCE - No surcharge guarantee

Download Trip Notes

Get our latest articles and promotions straight to your inbox

KE 3122 Online Reviews

98%

Your Wishlist

{{ result.name }}

Holiday Search