Rwanda Gorilla Trek Safari

You will be met on arrival at Kigali airport, relax on the two hour drive to Kinigi via Ruhengeri to began your Africa vacation adventure. The road to Ruhengeri offers stunning scenery of the hills and valleys of this green and lush country; you will understand why this is the Land of the Thousand Hills. Continue on to your lodge for overnight.

After breakfast take a short drive to the Volcanoes National Park Headquarters and meet with the excellent local guides and trackers who will give a talk on the etiquette of gorilla trekking. Then hike into the forest to where the gorillas were seen the night before and track from that point. The trekking can take from 1 to 6 hours and climb to altitudes up 7,500 feet. The terrain is rough and at times muddy. Although the hike is physically demanding the beauty of the forest and surrounding scenery make the trekking worthwhile. Once the gorillas are located all fatigue is forgotten, as the experience is often described as being the most profound natural history experience in the world. Picnic lunches are provided and it is important to take plenty of water. Cameras and plenty of memory are recommended. It can rain at a few minutes’ notice, hence waterproof clothing is a highly recommend and waterproof bags for camera gear is essential. Please note that plastic shopping bags are illegal in Rwanda so it’s better to bring tough ziploc plastic bags for your things. Overnight at Gorilla Mountain View Lodge or Sabyinyo Silverback Lodge. All meals included.

This morning you head out again to track gorillas. This afternoon return to the lodge and then drive to Kigali.

This morning take a guided tour of the city, including a visit to the genocide memorial center. The Kigali Genocide Memorial Centre was opened on the 10th Anniversary of the Rwandan Genocide, in April 2004. The Centre is built on a site where 250,000 people are buried. The Centre is a permanent memorial to those who fell victim to the genocide and serves as a place where people can grieve those that they have lost. One of the principle reasons for the Centres existence is to provide an educational facility. Rwandans believe that it is extremely important for the younger generations of Rwandans who will not have lived through the genocide but whose lives will still be affected by it, to be able to have access to a place where they can learn about the reasons and affects of the genocide. The Centre includes three permanent exhibitions, the largest of which documents the genocide in 1994. There is also a children’s memorial, and an exhibition on the history of genocidal violence around the world. The Education Centre, Memorial Gardens and National Documentation Centre of the Genocide all contribute to a meaningful tribute to those who perished, and form a powerful educational tool for the next generation. In the evening you are transferred to the airport for your international flight home. Breakfast and lunch included