Inspiration for your own tailor-made trip
An Adventure in the Wild Heart of Rwanda Gorilla Treks, Golden Monkeys & Kigali Culture
Rwanda – Volcanoes National Park – Kigali
The fun kicks off in Volcanoes National Park, where, with an expert ranger leading the way, you’ll trek into gorilla territory (bucket-list moment, incoming). And after spending some time observing these mighty primates, you’ll be well-versed in all things gorilla family politics.
The gorillas may be the (literal) heavyweights, but another equally impressive forest foray awaits in the golden monkeys leafy domain. Watch these agile primates showing off a rather impressive repertoire of acrobatic tricks and vocal talents, while your guide talks you through the monkey mayhem unfolding overhead.
With your Rwandan wildlife bingo card now sporting plenty of ticks, your trip wraps up in the capital, Kigali. Here, enjoy a stint of museum and gallery hopping, learning about the country’s history, thriving arts scene and captivating culture.
Still have a few more dream wildlife sightings on your wish list? Uganda, Tanzania and Kenya are all nearby, making an East African grand tour rather tempting...
Itinerary
100% customisable for you
After plenty of daydreams, eagerly counted-down sleeps and strategic hiking-gear packing, your adventure to Rwanda starts today. And with gorilla treks on the horizon, excitement levels are bound to be sky-high.
Head to the airport, whizz through security, then celebrate accordingly with a spritzy tipple in the lounge before boarding.
It’s a nine-hour overnight flight to Kigali, so cosy up in your seat and stick on a good film (or a wildlife documentary, perhaps?). And when the credits roll, reach for your eye mask to catch some Z’s ahead of tomorrow’s arrival..
Roll up the window blind and stow away your neck pillow this morning: your first Rwandan sunrise awaits, casting the landscape aglow as you descend towards Kigali.
After touching down in the capital, you’ll meet your driver-guide and bundle into the back of their 4x4 for the three-hour journey north to Volcanoes National Park. And if they start frantically pointing towards the rainforest, there’s a good chance they’ve just clocked a monkey swinging through the canopy. Best keep that camera poised.
When you arrive, check in to your cosy lodge – your wild hideaway for the next three nights. Spend some time settling into your new digs before making a beeline for the pool to recuperate from your long travel day. Your only exertion this afternoon? Craning your neck up (way up) to admire the 14,800ft-tall Mount Karisimbi...
As dusk settles, gather around the crackling fire for some flame-grilled fare. Between bites, chat with your ranger about local conservation work, notoriously mischievous monkeys and what tomorrow’s trek has in store...
Forget the alarm clock this morning. As dawn breaks, the forest erupts with a chorus of hoots, birdsong and the rustle of waking wildlife.
With the local primates and feathered contingent clearly up, it’s time to follow suit: tuck into breakfast, don your khakis and lace up your walking boots. Explorer attire sorted, follow your ranger through the wild heart of the national park in search of mountain gorillas.
When your rangers signal that they’ve located a group, hush those voices and soften your footsteps (despite the mounting excitement) to observe the gorillas in their natural habitat.
Admire mighty silverbacks as they take centre stage while others munch through armfuls of leaves and diligently groom one another. If luck’s on your side, you may even spot a baby gorilla – all messy tufts of fur and tiny limbs – cradled against its mother or taking a tentative clamber through the greenery.
After lots of whispered wows and wide-eyed glances, trek back to your lodge. Over dinner tonight, animated retellings of the day’s highlights are surely inevitable...
Search for gold in the rainforest this morning... and by that, we mean copper-coated golden monkeys.
Wolf down breakfast, sling your binoculars into position, then follow your ranger through the vine-tangled forest in search of these native species. Keep your eyes peeled for the Kabatwa (who have quite the penchant for bamboo) and the Musanga, who favour the high-altitude reaches around Mount Karisimbi.
When you’re slap-bang in golden monkey territory, watch flashes of orange swing and scamper through the foliage as a crescendo of calls reverberate through the canopy. Your ranger will give you the lowdown on their behaviour, clan hierarchy... and which monkey is crowned the tribe’s troublemaker.
Suitably awed, begin the trek back to your lodge. And when evening rolls around, polish off dinner before turning your eyes to the sky to admire the stars, which shine all the brighter thanks to minimal light pollution.
Rise and shine early this morning, enjoy a hearty breakfast, then climb into a 4x4 for the three-hour private transfer back to Kigali.
Keep your eyes peeled as you journey south: this region is also home to (deep breath) forest elephants, baboons, abundant birdlife, bush pigs, buffalo and spotted hyenas, so who knows what might prowl across the dusty track...
When you arrive in the capital, check into your charming guesthouse in the heart of the city – your home for the night. Then drop your bags and meet your guide for a greatest-hits tour of Kigali.
Dip into museums charting the country’s history before mooching around local galleries championing emerging artists whose works depict cultural traditions and ancestral beliefs. Let the oohing and aahing commence...
All that explorin’ is bound to work up quite the appetite, so follow the clamour of pots and pans into a nearby market, where your guide can point you towards the most flavoursome brochettes (meat skewers). That’s lunch, sorted.
Time flies when you’re having fun, and, sadly, it’s the final day of your Rwandan adventure. Your flight home departs this evening, so perhaps spend some free time exploring more of Kigali’s bustling streets before squeezing in one final souvenir splurge at one of the city’s many markets.
Come evening, you’ll be privately transferred to Kigali Airport, where you’ll board your overnight flight back to the UK. And with nine and a half hours in the air, there’s plenty of time to flick through your primate-populated camera roll and relive the highlights.
Already feel a bad case of the post-holiday blues coming on? There’s always another corner of the world – and another wild encounter – to start dreaming about...
Why visit Rwanda with Original Travel ?
Each of our trips is entirely tailor-made with originality, quality and cultural immersion in mind. Our team of destination specialists will craft itineraries based on your tastes, using their first-hand knowledge and the help of our in-country team of Concierges and guides. All trips are accompanied by a wide range of additional services, including a 24-hour helpline, the Original Travel app, fast-track airport services and much more.
Enquire nowA few of the benefits of travelling with us to Rwanda
- Our local Concierges
- The Original Travel app
- Destination Dossier
- 24-hour helpline
- Expert guides
- 100% carbon absorption
