On arrival at Kigali Airport in Rwanda, you will be met and transferred to Kigali Serena Hotel, a drive of about half an hour.
Overnight: Kigali Serena Hotel - Bed and breakfast basis
After breakfast, you will be met by your driver and transferred for a Kigali City Tour which begins as a historic journey through the city with a guided tour from the first modern building from which the capital city was first founded, to the rapidly growing neighbourhoods that are changing the face of the city.
Kigali is one of the friendliest, cleanest and safest of Africa’s cities attracting numerous visitors and investors to the capital. Along the tour, you will pass by Kigali’s older commercial “quartiers”, business and residential areas, visit historic sites commemorating the 1994 Tutsi Genocide, take a guided tour within the Gisozi Genocide Memorial, and learn about the city’s diverse neighborhoods and local attractions including lunch at a local restaurant.
After lunch, depart to Ruhengeri arriving at Kwitonda Lodge late afternoon, a drive of about 3 hours.
Overnight: Kwitonda Lodge - All meals, selected beverages and laundry
After an early breakfast, you transfer to the park headquarters. After arrival you will complete park formalities and be allocated a gorilla family group for the day. Which group you’re allocated will depend upon your fitness level and your desire to trek. Some of the gorilla families are located further away than others. After a briefing and a short drive you will commence your trek.
You are able to spend a magical hour with the gorillas. Nothing can prepare one for the impact of encountering a fully-grown silverback gorilla, up to three times the size of an average man, yet remarkably peaceable and tolerant of human visitors.
Parc des Volcans (French for The Volcanoes National Park) protects the Rwandan sector of the Virunga Volcanoes, home to 300 mountain gorillas of which only around 600 survive worldwide. The Park is named after a string of magnificent free-standing volcanoes that range from 2,500 - 4,500 metres in height and are one of the most stirring and memorable sights in East Africa. It was here that Dian Fossey studied the gorillas for 20 years and it is largely thanks to her work that poaching was curtailed while there were still some gorillas to save.
Once you have located your family group of gorillas you spend a magical hour with them. For environmental reasons this is the maximum time visitors can spend with the gorillas daily due mainly to fear of transfer of disease. Your first sighting of a gorilla in the wild is an exhilarating and extraordinary experience. Indeed for many it is life-changing.
Note: It is recommended that you bring a pair of cheap gardening gloves. You will encounter a great deal of stinging nettles during our trek. Long trousers are mandatory.
Once you have had your time with the gorillas you will return to the vehicle and drive back to the Lodge and spend the rest of your afternoon at your leisure.
Overnight: Kwitonda Lodge - All meals, selected beverages and laundry
It’s up again early this morning for another gorilla trek. At the conclusion of the trek you make the drive back to Kigali.
Overnight: Kigali Serena Hotel - Bed and breakfast basis
After breakfast you check out and are transferred to Kigali Airport for your home-bound flight and depart Africa.
End of arrangements
