A fly-in journey to Lake Kivu with every transfer flown. You leave Kigali from Kigali International, land 45 minutes later at Kamembe Airport, and are in the game-viewing vehicle within minutes of touching down — a road trip to the same place costs you the better part of two days. On the ground you have your own guide and 4x4 for the whole stay, and 2 nights at Lake Kivu Serena Hotel. This package is priced as Ultra-Luxury by default. Charter baggage is limited to 15kg per person in soft bags — we send a packing note with your confirmation.
3 days across 1 camp, every sector flown, with your own guide on the ground.
2 nights in one place, unpacked once
Staying put in Lake Kivu buys you the early mornings and late evenings day-trippers never get, and no hours lost to transfers.
A tight, purposeful route with no wasted days
Every move is planned around game movements and light, so short days still deliver full game-viewing mornings.
Your own 4x4 Land Cruiser and private guide
No shared vehicles and no fixed departure times — you decide when to leave camp, how long to sit with a sighting, and where to have breakfast.
Every transfer flown by private charter
You are in a game vehicle minutes after landing, with luggage handled planeside — the same route by road costs the better part of two days.
Ultra-Luxury is genuinely all-inclusive
All meals, premium drinks, laundry, park and conservancy fees, private guiding and the charter flights are in the price. You should not need your wallet until you tip.
Priced honestly, with fees shown up front
Park and conservation fees, taxes and levies are itemised on your proforma invoice — 50% confirms the booking and the balance is due before travel.
At a glance
Trip essentials
Best season
Jun – Oct (dry season, peak game viewing) · Jan – Feb (calving, fewer vehicles)
Pace & difficulty
Relaxed — long stays, few moves · Easy — suitable for all ages
Group size
Private departure — 2 to 6 guests per vehicle
Game viewing
6–8 hours of guided game viewing across 1 active day
Destinations routed
Lake Kivu
Ideal for
Guests wanting premium camps and privacy · Private departures for 2–6 guests
Day by day
Detailed itinerary
Every day is planned to the hour, with the flexibility to change anything before you confirm.
Route overview
1
Lake Kivu
Days 1–2–3 · 2 nights
1
Day 1 · Charter Kigali → Lake Kivu
Lake Kivu
Guided walkScenic flightSundowners
Arrival
Met at Kigali International and walked straight to your aircraft — no queues, no terminal. 45 minutes in the air, then a short airstrip transfer to camp. Afternoon activity and sundowners.
Morning
Arrival, immigration assistance and meet-and-greet by your Perch Africa representative
Afternoon
Transfer, luggage re-pack for light aircraft, and a full trip briefing with your guide
Evening
Welcome dinner and route walkthrough with your safari specialist
Highlights
Excellent wildlife viewing year-round
Authentic local culture & guides
Curated lodges & camps in every tier
Lake Kivu Serena Hotel
All inclusive
Private airport transfer
Visa/e-TA must be approved before departure — we send the checklist on booking
Standard park/reserve fees apply
Best accessed via light aircraft or 4x4 transfer
Neutral greens and browns for game drives — avoid blue and black (tsetse flies)
2
Day 2 · Lake Kivu in full
Lake Kivu
Wildlife viewing
Safari
Kayak the shoreline coves and swim off the deck before lunch.
Morning
Dawn departure with coffee in the vehicle — cultural & community visits
Afternoon
Siesta through the heat, then birdwatching & photography
Evening
Sundowners at a viewpoint, then a bush dinner under the stars
Highlights
Excellent wildlife viewing year-round
Authentic local culture & guides
Curated lodges & camps in every tier
Lake Kivu Serena Hotel
All inclusive
Private 4x4 Land Cruiser with pop-top roof and window seat guaranteed
Approx. 1.5 h on the road
Standard park/reserve fees apply
Best accessed via light aircraft or 4x4 transfer
Soft-sided bag of 15 kg maximum per person on light-aircraft transfers
A final morning activity, brunch at camp, then your private charter back to Kigali timed around your international departure. Day rooms and onward connections arranged.
Morning
Final sunrise game drive or a slow breakfast, then check-out and pack
Afternoon
Scheduled light-aircraft flight
Evening
Assisted check-in for your international flight home
Highlights
Excellent wildlife viewing year-round
Authentic local culture & guides
Curated lodges & camps in every tier
Accommodation confirmed on booking
Breakfast
Light aircraft + 4x4 game-drive vehicle on landing
Scheduled light-aircraft flight
Light-aircraft baggage limit: 15 kg per person in a soft bag, including hand luggage
Standard park/reserve fees apply
Best accessed via light aircraft or 4x4 transfer
Bring binoculars; one pair per person changes the whole safari
You leave Lake Kivu with the sound of the plains still in your ears — and a standing invitation to come back for the season you missed.
What's included
All accommodation as listed, on the meal plan shown for each day
Private 4x4 Land Cruiser with pop-top roof, window seat guaranteed
Professional English-speaking driver-guide throughout
Scheduled light-aircraft flights on the internal legs shown in the itinerary
All game drives and activities named in the itinerary
All park, reserve and conservation fees for the routed destinations
Airport meet-and-greet plus all transfers in the itinerary
Drinking water in the vehicle and camp laundry where offered
Flying-doctor evacuation cover (AMREF) for the safari days
24/7 in-country support line and a proforma invoice with every quote
Not included
International flights and airport departure taxes
Visa / e-TA fees and travel insurance (both mandatory)
Tips for guides, camp staff and drivers (guidance provided pre-departure)
Personal shopping, telephone and anything not listed as included
What to pack
✦Neutral safari clothing — greens, browns, khaki (avoid blue and black)
✦Warm fleece and windproof layer for early-morning drives
✦Wide-brim hat, polarised sunglasses, high-SPF sunscreen
✦Binoculars (one pair per person) and a zoom lens if you shoot
✦Insect repellent with DEET, plus antimalarials as advised by your doctor
✦Soft duffel bag of 15 kg per person for light-aircraft legs
✦Universal adaptor and a power bank — camp power is generator-timed
✦Copies of passport, insurance and yellow-fever certificate where required
Health & safety
✦Malaria prophylaxis is recommended for all safari areas — confirm with your doctor
✦Yellow-fever certificate required when entering from an endemic country
✦Camps are unfenced: always walk with an askari escort after dark
✦Never stand up or lean out of the vehicle during a sighting
✦Comprehensive travel insurance including medical evacuation is mandatory
✦Flying-doctor evacuation cover is included for your safari days
Good to know
✦16% VAT, 2% catering levy and 2% service charge are itemised on your proforma invoice
✦Book 6–9 months ahead for July–October and the festive season
✦Drones are prohibited in national parks without a written permit
✦A deposit of 50% confirms your dates; the balance is due 45 days before travel
Guest reviews & credentials
Why travellers trust us with the Lake Kivu by Air: Slow Days on Rwanda’s Shores
“Our guide read the plains like a book — we were the only vehicle at a leopard sighting twice. Every transfer, camp and park fee was exactly as quoted.”
Amelia & Tom R. · London, UK
Maasai Mara · 6 nights
“Travelling with a 6-year-old and grandparents could have been chaos. Perch planned the driving days around nap times and picked family tents with connecting rooms.”
The Okoth Family · Nairobi, Kenya
Amboseli & Tsavo · 5 nights
“The migration timing advice was spot on. When one camp went full they moved us to a better one in the same conservancy at no extra cost, same day.”
Dr. Karin H. · Munich, Germany
Serengeti & Ngorongoro · 8 nights
KPSGA silver & gold guides
Every driver-guide is Kenya Professional Safari Guides Association certified, with 8+ years in the parks on your route.
Licensed tour operator
Registered with the Tourism Regulatory Authority (Kenya) and TALA-licensed operations in Tanzania.
AMREF Flying Doctors cover
Air-evacuation cover for every guest for the full duration of the safari, included in your rate.
Vehicle & safety standards
Serviced 4x4 Land Cruisers with pop-up roofs, first-aid kits, satellite comms and daily driver check-ins.
Transparent proforma pricing
Park fees, conservancy levies, 16% VAT, 2% catering levy and 2% service charge itemised before you pay.
4.9 / 5 guest rating
Across 380+ reviewed departures, with a 62% repeat-and-referral rate from past travellers.
Good to know
Frequently asked questions
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