Tailor Made Rwanda: Gorilla & Chimp Trekking Adventure

Arrive in Kigali and transfer to your hotel.

This morning, pay a moving visit to the Genocide Memorial Site, and learn how the country has dealt with its past and recovered to stand today as a testament to humankind’s resilience. After lunch at a local restaurant, learn how to grow and harvest the coffee bean, from de-pulping to roasting and brewing during a visit to a Kigali coffee operation. Afterward, having gotten to know the coffeehouse staff, savor coffee made from the beans you roasted.

After breakfast, drive south to Nyanza, the historical seat of the Rwandan kingdom, to visit the King’s Palace Museum. Continue to Nyungwe Forest National Park, a pristine, bio-diverse natural rainforest filled with intriguing wildlife. Arrive at your lodge, a serene hideaway occupying a tea plantation on the edge of the forest. Enjoy lunch on site and the remainder of your day at leisure, free to relax or enjoy the activities on offer.

Early this morning, partake in a chimpanzee tracking excursion. Home to one of East Africa’s last intact chimpanzee populations, Nyungwe is an ideal place to observe chimpanzee in their natural habitat. They are most active in the morning, making for an exhilarating encounter of the primates playing free in the wild. The park is also home to nearly a dozen other primate species and a birder’s paradise with over 300 species, including 16 endemics. This afternoon, tour a nearby tea plantation where you have the opportunity to visit local farmers. Alternatively you may choose to embark on a canopy walk in Nyungwe Forest National Park.

Set out on a scenic drive to Kibuye that take you to your boutique luxury lodge, a serene escape located on the shores of Lake Kivu. This afternoon, explore Lake Kivu on a peaceful kayaking excursion led by an experienced and qualified guide. Paddle out across the lake, soaking up the spectacular scenery. At sunset, as you return to your lodge, watch for fishermen heading out for night fishing in their unique and superbly crafted boats. Later, enjoy dinner on site.

Following breakfast at your hotel travel overland to Volcanoes National Park . Enjoy your early afternoon at leisure, relaxing at your luxurious lodge overlooking a great volcanic massif that encompasses six active and three extinct volcanoes. The park is the residence of around 400 endangered mountain gorilla, about half of the world’s total wild population, and served as the basis for the groundbreaking work of primatologist Dian Fossey, portrayed in the evocative book and film Gorillas in the Mist. Later, relax and cool off on an A&K-exclusive canoe trip accompanied by an experienced guide, gliding down the gently flowing Mukungwa River, which runs through the foothills of the Virunga Volcanoes. Take in impressive views of the soaring volcanic cones in the distance, spot abundant birds, look out for the otter and meet some friendly locals along the way. To cap off your adventure, pull up on a bank for a refreshing sundowner, watching the sun slip behind the majestic peaks, your favorite drink in hand.

Drive to Volcanoes National Park headquarters to join your gorilla-trekking group. With help from your park guide, traverse the dense forest until you come face to face with a local gorilla family. Observe them as they play, forage and rest in the shade of the trees. You are given one hour to spend in the presence of these magnificent animals.

This morning, set out on another trek, this time observing a different gorilla family, marveling at their behavior so like our own. Following lunch, return to Kigali this afternoon, where you relax in a provided dayroom, before transferring to the airport for your departing flight