After your flight to Kigali you will be transfer to your hotel. Take time to get settled, then meet your trip leader for an orientation and a welcome dinner.

After breakfast, set out to discover this cosmopolitan city and its compelling stories of rebirth. Begin with a guided visit to the Kigali Genocide Memorial,a haunting monument to the victims of the 1994 genocide that promotes peaceand reconciliation to prevent future atrocities. Hear the inspiring stories ofsurvivors and of the country’s unflagging efforts to rebuild. Many of the guides are genocide survivors themselves. Continue to the Nyamirambo Women’s Center which provides education and vocational training to disadvantaged women and girls.

Take a walking tour with a community guide, weaving through the lively Nyamirambo neighborhood. Stop in at local businesses,such as a women’s hairdressing salon and a popular tailor’s shop. Visit a family compound to try your hand at pounding cassava leaves to make atraditional stew, and admire views of Kigali’s mosques. Cap off the tour witha traditional Rwandan meal in the home of a woman from the communityproject. Enjoy an afternoon at leisure before dinner together this evening.(B,L,D)

Walking: 4-5 hours, museum visit and afternoon community walking tour, city streets with uneven and variable incline.

Depart Kigali after breakfast and drive north through rippling green hills to Volcanoes National Park. The park is part of the Virunga Mountain range, home to about half of the planet’s mountain gorilla population, as well as a host of other wildlife. Upon arrival, enjoy lunch at the hotel before embarking on a canoeing adventure with a local guide on the Mukungwa River. This gentle river weaves along a flood plain between the hills, passing stands of papyrus and farming settlements and offering a unique perspective on everyday life in rural Rwanda. Nearly 40 species of birds can be found here, including kingfishers, weavers, spoonbills, painted storks, and crowned cranes. The last portion of the paddle is the liveliest,with a stretch of Class II rapids. Return to the hotel for some time at leisure before gathering for dinner. (B,L,D) Canoeing: 5-6 miles,calm river with short section of Class II rapid.

Ventureto the emerald volcanoes of Rwanda for a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to observe mountain gorillas up close. Spend three days trekking in Volcanoes National Park with expert guides, tracking gorilla families as well as rare golden monkeys, and witnessing firsthand their fascinating behavior and social interactions. Hike to the tomb and research site of Dian Fossey,and learn about the lasting impact of her 18 years of gorilla research. Along the way, get acquainted with Rwanda’s resilient people and their culture, hearing from genocide survivors, sharing lunch and stories with the inspiring women of Kigali’s Nyamirambo neighborhood, canoeing past rural farming communities,and sampling local cuisine.

Breakfast

Head out for an early morning trek to find mountain gorilla families in the park. Depending on their location, hike for 3-6 hours. Once you find the gorillas, enjoy an unforgettable hour observing them interact.Return to the hotel for lunch, followed by a talk by a park warden on gorilla conservation efforts.
Hiking: 3-6 miles (3-6 hours) on rugged forest trails at elevations up to 8,000 feet.
Meals: (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)

After breakfast, transfer to the airport for your flight home or continue your wildlife adventure on a post-tour extension to Kenya. (B)

*Please note: If you wish to take a second gorilla trek, please advise your trip specialist once your initial reservation has been made. An additional, non-refundable deposit of $1,500 is required. Subject to availability.

Included meals are denoted as follows: Breakfast (B), Lunch (L),Reception (R), Dinner (D)

Awaken in the early morning and head into Volcanoes National Park on a gorilla trek. Here, a chain of five conical volcanoes blanketed with dense vegetation harbor numerous mountain gorilla families, or “troops.” With designated guides from the Rwanda National Parks Authority, set out in small groups to locate one of these troops, hiking on trails left by elephants and buffalos. Depending on where the gorillas have moved that day, trek from three to six hours and climb to altitudes up to 8,000 feet. Porters will be available to carry backpacks and offer a hand over difficult parts of the route.

Once you find the gorillas, spend an unforgettable hour sitting quietly among them, observing them as they eat, groom, and play, and learning about their daily routines and social dynamics firsthand. Hike back to the starting point and return to the hotel for lunch. In the early evening, gather on the terrace for a talk by a park warden. Take in views of the magnificient volcanoes as you hear about recent increases in the mountain gorilla population and global as well as local efforts to protect them. Dine together tonight. (B,L,D) Hiking: 3-6 miles (3 to 6 hours) on and off rugged forest trails that may be wet or muddy, steep ascents and descents at elevations up to 8,000 feet.

Transfer to Kigali International Airport for your flight home or extend your adventure with a post-tour extension to Kenya.
Meals: (Breakfast)

End Of tour