Welcome to Rwanda!
On arrival at the Kigali International Airport, you will be met and assisted with immigration formalities. Then you will collect your luggage and meet your driver for a private road transfer to your hotel. Dinner by own arrangement.
Please note that a visa is required for entry to Rwanda and may be purchased on arrival for $50 per person.
After breakfast, you will check out and meet your guide and will be driven to Akagera National Park for a wonderful wildlife safari experience.
Highlights
- Combine a Wilderness Magashi savannah safari with gorilla trekking for a superb in-country East African experience.
- As the only private wilderness area in Akagera National Park, Magashi’s 6,000 exclusive-use hectares (14,826 acres) offer premium and intimate guest experiences.
- A land of phenomenally diverse habitats, this is big game country. Guests can spot lions, leopards, black and white rhinos, elephants, buffalos, giraffes, zebras and hippos.
Place: Wilderness Magashi is picture perfect. Perched on the Magashi Peninsula, it overlooks the shimmering waters of Lake Rwanyakazinga and the Mutumba Mountains in the west. Located in Akagera National Park – central Africa’s largest protected wetland – it is Rwanda’s last remaining refuge for savannah species, and tells a story of survival and regeneration, much like Rwanda itself.
Experience: With 11 different habitat types, not only is game viewing exceptional in Akagera National Park, but its spectacular scenery adds to the unique experience. The open plains are the hunting grounds of a healthy population of lions. Elephant and hippo find solace in the swampy grounds and lakes, while elegant Masai giraffe browse in the woodlands.
And with diverse habitats comes variety. Guests enjoy thrilling game viewing by boat on elevated seating for unimpeded sightings. Game drives offer guests the opportunity to help our conservation efforts, by tracking and identifying the lions and leopards of the area through the use of identikits. At night, listen to the songs and stories of the land during a traditional Kugisha supper around a roaring fire with friends old and new.
Today you will be returned to Kigali, then continue on to Volcanoes National Park. Enjoy the afternoon as you please, walk the grounds, or simply relax.
Highlights
- The ultimate destination for mountain gorilla encounters.
- Award-winning, sustainable lodge with breath-taking views of six volcanoes, adjacent to Volcanoes National Park.
- The first of its kind in Rwanda, Bisate Kwanda (day lounge) accommodates earlier arrivals and later departures in comfort and style.
Destination: Wilderness Bisate’s six Forest Villas, tucked into a swathe of rehabilitated Virunga Massif cloudforest, are exceptional, inside and out. Perched dramatically on the edge of an eroded volcanic crater at Volcanoes National Park in north-western Rwanda, the lodge has breath-taking views of the brooding Bisate and Karisimbi volcanic peaks, and is within easy driving distance of the park’s headquarters, where daily gorilla treks begin.
Experience: While spending an hour with the mountain gorillas is no doubt the star attraction, there are many other thrilling encounters that await you at Volcanoes National Park and surroundings – from golden monkey trekking to climbing Mount Bisoke, hiking to the ruin of Dian Fossey’s research centre, and her burial site, to visiting the Ellen DeGeneres Campus of the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund.
Closer to home at Wilderness Bisate, guests will discover incredible birdlife on our nature trails, and can plant a tree towards Bisate’s visionary reforestation project, or visit the surrounding communities, who form an integral part of our shared purpose – to preserve, empower and expand these iconic wild lands.
Traditional dining is equally inspired. Fresh, locally sourced, health-conscious cuisine is served with exuberant hospitality, completing an unforgettable guest experience.
Early this morning, you will be taken to the park headquarters to start your gorilla trekking journey. Once your gorilla family has been located, you will be able to spend an hour with these magnificent animals before heading back to meet your guide, then return to the lodge. Spend the afternoon enjoying one of the other activities available.
On the following day, you will have the opportunity to take another gorilla trek, or enjoy a variety of other activities available around the lodge.
Today, you will depart the lodge and be driven approximately 5.5-6 hours to Nyungwe House. Note that a helicopter transfer is also available as an alternative to save time.
On arrival at Nyungwe House, you will check in and relax for the remainder of the day, enjoying the beautiful property. Nyungwe National Park, Africa’s oldest montane rainforest, was awarded UNESCO World Heritage status in September 2023, the second site in Rwanda to join the prestigious list. Explore this astonishingly biodiverse habitat, home to rare birds and endangered species, including the Eastern chimpanzee, Hills’ horseshoe bat and golden monkey.
The highlight of your day will be chimpanzee trekking!
Additional activities: walk amongst majestic trees, trek the jungles on remarkable animal encounters, and discover the intricacies of the lodge's tea plantation. Mountain bike through the lush forest terrain or take a helicopter over incredible views.
Today you will be transferred to the Kamembe Airport for the flight to Kigali, where you will connect with your international flights home.
End of your Rwanda adventure!
