Travel with us
Experience Rwanda: Wildlife, Culture & Conservation
Trip Details
With its beautiful scenery, incredible wildlife, and luxury lodges, Rwanda has become a prized destination for ecotourism in Africa. On this trip, you will get to experience two of Rwanda’s national parks accompanied by the CEO of the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund, Dr. Tara Stoinski.
Tara has been exploring Africa for 30 years and has spent the last 20 working in Rwanda to help save the endangered mountain gorilla. Tara’s extensive knowledge of African wildlife and ecosystems combined with behind-the-scenes access to the Fossey Fund’s staff and new Ellen DeGeneres Campus and TWO gorilla treks make this itinerary a must!
Upcoming Trip Dates: January 24-31, 2025
Email us at info@gorillafund.org for more information
Learn MoreItinerary
Day 1: Friday, January 24 – Arrive in Kigali
Travelers will be met at the Kigali International Airport and transferred to the Kigali Marriott.
Day 2: Saturday, January 25 – Full Day in Kigali (Full Board)
Discover Rwanda’s capital city, Kigali with a half-day Kigali City Tour. Stops include Kigali Genocide Memorial, an artisan center for shopping, an art gallery, and a drive-by of city highlights such as the Parliament Building and Kigali Convention Center. Stop at a local restaurant for lunch.
Dinner at one of Kigali’s premiere restaurants.
Day 3: Sunday, January 26 – Kigali to Magashi Camp in Akagera National Park (Full Board)
After enjoying a buffet breakfast, we will drive to the magnificent Magashi Camp in Akagera National Park. We will meet our expert guides who will help us discover the fantastic wildlife Magashi has to offer. Species likely to be seen include elephants, rhinos, lions, leopards, zebras, buffaloes, giraffes, hippos, and bird life. We will lunch at Magashi Camp and then spend the afternoon and early evening on game drives followed by a bonfire by the lake with a gourmet dinner and drinks from the hospitable Magashi staff. You will fall asleep to a chorus of hippos and perhaps even a lion roar or two.
Learn more about Magashi and Akagera here.
Day 4: Monday, January 27 – Magashi Camp in Akagera National Park (Full Board)
We will experience another full day of animal viewing activities, including game drives, a boat ride on Lake Rwanyakazina, sunset drinks on the riverbank, and finishing the day off with Magashi’s culinary and mixology delights.
Day 5: Tuesday, January 28 – Transfer to the luxurious and award-winning One&Only Gorilla's Nest (Full Board)
After breakfast we will enjoy a morning game drive and start the journey to Volcanoes National Park. Enjoy a scenic drive along Lake Kivu and take in the beautiful scenery the country has to offer. Arrive at the award-winning One&Only Gorilla’s Nest in time to enjoy a refreshing cocktail in the hotel’s beautifully appointed bar or stroll the expansive gardens before dinner.
Day 6: Wednesday, January 29 – One&Only Gorilla's Nest (Full Board)
The morning will be spent on the first of two gorilla treks. An early morning departure takes us to Volcanoes National Park where we will be assigned our gorilla families and hike 45 minutes to 2 hours to meet them. We’ll be able to spend an hour with the family—watching silverbacks snooze, infants play and females search for the best bits of food. After today’s trek, we will visit the Ellen Campus, you will then experience Fossey Fund’s state-of-the-art science labs—examining gorilla skeletons, getting the scoop on what we learn from gorilla poop and viewing the biodiversity that lives on campus.
Day 7: Thursday, January 30 – One&Only Gorilla's Nest (Full Board)
We will return to the park for our second day of gorilla trekking. No two families of gorillas are the same and today, we’ll pick new ones to visit to experience the greatest range of behaviors and also to explore more of this beautiful park.
Day 8: Friday, January 31 – Transfer to Kigali for return home (B)*
A leisurely morning and breakfast at Gorilla’s Nest before transferring by vehicle to Kigali. It is requested that flights do not depart Kigali before 5 PM.
*B = breakfast, D = dinner, Full Board = all food and drinks with the exception of some top shelf liquor.
Costs:
$19,500/person*
$5,000 non-refundable deposit required to reserve.
*Price is contingent upon a minimum of 10 travelers
Airfare, insurance fees, visa and passport fees and personal items are not included.
