On the trail of gorillas

Upon arrival at Kigali International Airport, guests will be greeted by our attendant who will assist with border clearance. Guests will then be picked up by a local representative Carter Travel that will show them the city of Kigali.

Although Rwanda's history goes back centuries, Kigali has only been a part of it for 100 years. Founded in 1907 as a German settlement, Kigali did not become the capital until independence in 1962, when it replaced the colonial seat of government in Butare. Since then, the city has developed rapidly and today it is a vibrant, cosmopolitan place with one million inhabitants, with wide boulevards, an international airport, world-class hotels and restaurants, and handicraft shops. Guests can visit the Kandt Museum, explore the old town and handicraft fairs. It is also worth visiting the 1994 genocide memorial site.

Accommodation at the luxurious Kigali Serena Hotel includes breakfast.

After breakfast, drive south to Nyanza, the historic seat of the Kingdom of Rwanda. Guests will visit the traditional domed Royal Palace (Urukari). Steeped in three centuries of history and tradition, the palace has been restored, using traditional materials and methods, and restored to its 1994th-century glory. In the palace building next to it, once the residence of King Mutara III Rudahigwa, guests can see memorabilia documenting the history of the kingdom. Nearby are the tombs of King Mutar III and his wife, Queen Rosalie Gicanda, murdered during the Rwandan genocide in XNUMX. Then, guests will visit the National Museum of Rwanda, which houses one of the largest ethnographic collections in Africa.

After stopping for lunch at a local restaurant, guests head towards Nyungwe Forest National Park, arriving at One&Only Nyungwe House, where they will spend the next 3 nights. All meals, tea, coffee and water are included in the price. The luxurious One&Only Nyungwe House is situated on a vast tea plantation on the edge of Nyungwe Forest National Park.

After breakfast, guests depart for Nyungwe to explore the rainforest, where they have the chance to observe chimpanzees. Although it is possible to observe chimpanzees both in the Nyungwe forest and in the neighboring Cyamudongo forest, it is a mountainous area and the chimpanzees themselves are not used to the presence of people and wander around a large area. Apart from trying to spot chimpanzees, Nyungwe offers many other attractions: tracking gerez monkeys, an exciting adventure on a new path in the treetops, bird watching - all with the chance to observe primates - black and white gerez monkeys, gray mangabes, mountain and gray vervet monkeys, etc. For lunch and overnight guests will return to One&Only Nyungwe House.

After breakfast at One&Only Nyungwe, participants will go in search of gerez. These monkeys gather in large flocks. Not only the numerous herds of monkeys, but also their uniqueness are very impressive. Other primates that may be spotted during a trip to the forest include gray mangabas and mountain vervets. There are also unusual birds here. Great hornbills, blue-eared hornbills, and red-bellied sparrowhawks are just some of the 24 endemic species found only in this part of the Rift Valley. For dinner and overnight stay, guests will return to One&Only Nyungwe House.

After breakfast, participants will go to the shores of Lake Kivu in Gisenyi. They will stop at the Cormoran Hotel in Kibuye for lunch. Lake Kivu Serena Hotel is ideally situated on the sandy beach of Gisenyi, on the shores of Lake Kivu, the 6th largest lake in Africa. The nearby Virunga volcanoes provide extraordinary views on one side, while on the other there are stunning views of the lake. The luxurious hotel boasts a gym, an outdoor swimming pool, tennis courts and a water sports center. The stay includes breakfast.

Morning rest at the hotel, and in the afternoon transfer to Volcanoes National Park. Guests will spend the following nights at the Bisate Eco Lodge, where the offer includes full board, all local drinks (except premium imported brands and champagne), laundry, a free welcome massage in the room, activities organized by Bisate on site, and those accessible on foot in the area. Bisate's vision means that every guest contributes to the conservation of biodiversity - which has a far-reaching and positive impact on an iconic endangered species: the future of mountain gorillas. In addition to following one of ten groups of gorillas accustomed to human presence, activities at the hotel include: visiting the village of Iby'iwacu, the twin lakes Buhondo and Burera, lava tunnels. Musanze and a visit to the grave of gorilla researcher Diana Fossey.

After breakfast, guests will go in search of gorillas with a guide. The return is planned for lunch.

An exciting hike in the footsteps of rare and critically endangered mountain gorillas, the largest living primates, begins at the foot of the Virunga Mountains. Upon entering the national park, surrounded by colorful birds and butterflies, guests will enter paths dotted with fresh tracks of the elusive mountain buffaloes and elephants. Wandering among lianas, moss-covered Hagenia tree trunks and giant lobelias, our experienced trackers who have spent their entire lives in this forest will soon lead guests to a meeting with a family of gorillas. Once participants find them, they can watch these wonderful animals for the next hour during their daily activities - playing, eating, resting and raising their young. Meeting face-to-face, in its natural habitat, with a giant silverback male is one of the most extraordinary experiences on earth!

After breakfast, guests will go with a guide in search of a golden vervet (Cercopithecus kandti). The return is planned for lunch.

The golden vervet has a golden body, cheeks and tail with contrasting black limbs, mane and tail. Little is known about the behavior of these monkeys, except that they live in herds of up to 30 individuals and their diet consists mainly of leaves and fruit. They are found only in the mountain forests of Virunga, especially near bamboo groves, sharing the environment with their larger brothers, the mountain gorillas. They inhabit a small area that coincides with the territory of one of the gorilla families. Both species face the same threats - poaching, habitat loss under human pressure, and both are on the IUCN Red List of Critically Endangered Species. It usually takes 2 to 4 hours to track down the monkeys. When one of the tame families is finally located, guests can spend one permitted hour observing them in their natural habitat. Adults play, feed on bamboo leaves and jump from tree to tree, females carry and feed the young, appearing unaware of the presence of observers.

Free time for guests who can take advantage of the attractions offered by the hotel or go shopping in Kigali and the craft centers around the city.

Guests will be dropped off at Kigali Airport to continue their journey.