On arrival at Kigali Airport in Rwanda, you will be met and assisted through immigration formalities including purchasing a Rwanda visa for USD50.00 per person (current cost), collect your luggage and exit the terminal.
Your driver will be waiting with a name board to transfer you to The Retreat, a drive of about half an hour.
Overnight - The Retreat
After breakfast, your driver will meet you for a Kigali City Tour. Immerse yourself in the city's history, starting with a guided visit to the first modern building that marked Kigali's birth as a capital. Then, contrast the past with the present as you explore the rapidly developing neighborhoods that are transforming Kigali's landscape.
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
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. The 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.
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.
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
After an early breakfast, transfer to the park headquarters once again for your second gorilla trek. Once you have allocated the gorillas spend a magical hour with them and trek back down to base where you will meet your driver and transfer to Kwitonda Lodge in time for a late lunch and freshen up.
After lunch, spend the rest of the afternoon at leisure or visit the nearby community village.
Overnight - Kwitonda Lodge
After your final breakfast at the lodge, check out and transfer back to The Retreat in Kigali where a day room has been reserved for you to freshen up and relax on a room only basis until 6.00 pm.
Lunch today is for your own account.
Enjoy an early dinner at the lodge, after which your driver will meet you for your transfer to Kigali Airport to check in for your home-bound flight and depart Africa with unforgettable memories.
End of Arrangements
Breakfast
