Gorilla Safari

Welcome to Rwanda. On arrival into Kigali International Airport, you will be met by your driver-guide and make our way towards Volcanoes National Park; approximately 2.5 - 3 hour drive (106kms). Please note: arrival must be no later than 12:00hrs. This was the region where Dian Fossey amazed the world with her research of the magnificent mountain gorillas of Rwanda. Following Dian Fossey’s work and David Attenborough’s famous documentaries, the mountain gorillas have inspired travellers from all over the world to experience one of nature’s greatest interactions. Anyone who has witnessed the mountain gorillas of East Africa will strongly agree that it is a once in a lifetime experience that will never be forgotten. We will visit the Ellen DeGeneres Campus of the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund located at the Karisoke Research Center to see gorilla conservation in action. Building on Dian Fossey's pioneering work, now that gorilla populations of the Virunga Volcanoes are slowly increasing and their habitats are being protected, this centre is a highly recommended, remarkable place to visit. Today, the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund trackers and researchers protect and study roughly half of all the mountain gorillas in Rwanda, with the other half protected by the Rwandan national park authorities. Note: Self-guided tours have a mandatory fee which is included in the tour cost. There are also minimum donations for VIP Behind the Scene Tours and a Silverback Sundowner evening with the Fossey Fund staff. Rwandan Tax laws prevent us from booking these, but you can register, donate and then contact the Ellen Campus to arrange them directly. Tonight we sleep in a comfortable lodge close to Volcanoes National Park. (Please ensure your arrival flight time is no later than 12:00hrs)

Meals: L,D

An early start as we trek deep into the forest in search of the mountain gorillas. Everyone will be split into groups of up to 8 people – and maybe joined with other tourists. While gorilla tracking you will be accompanied by a guide and usually two trackers. Visitors are allowed one hour with your allotted gorilla family. To find your family group the guide will lead you to where the gorillas were sighted on the previous day and then literally track them through the forest. When you find them, the hour you spend with these incredible primates is a true lifetime experience that you will never forget. To see – and walk amongst – a family of mountain gorillas is a wildlife encounter unlike any other on Earth. The terrain is very rough, often over steep slopes covered with matted vegetation. Be prepared for rain, mud and giant stinging nettles – long trousers, gloves and a waterproof jacket will help. It will be necessary to take your own water and snacks – eg. chocolates, biscuits or sweets – with you in case you have to trek for a while before finding the gorillas. Approx trek time: 3-8 hours. After our trek and humbled by this incredible experience, we will head back to the hotel for a celebration lunch. This afternoon there is a visit to the Handspun Hope Ccmmunity. Meet the members of the cooperative to see a successful, practical and viable project that is transforming an entire community. The real jobs created by Handspun Hope mean that the (mostly) women they employ have a work-based solution to poverty that is restoring dignity to formally impoverished people. It is helping them to move into economic self-sufficiency so that they can become leaders of change in their families and surrounding communities. It’s a wonderful way to interact with and connect with a group of friendly people, to learn about their lives, laughing with them and appreciate how each handspun wool garment is made with both pride and hope for a better future, is unique and takes around eight months from wool growth to a finished product. Afterwards we drive back to Kigali for overnight.

Meals: B,L

After breakfast we visit the Kigali genocide memorial, where you will have time to reflect and wander through the exhibits with an audio guide (included). Then we will undertake a walking tour through Nyamirambo, one of Kigali's oldest neighbourhoods, which offers a unique insight into the community's social initiatives, culture, history and daily life. We conclude the tour with a traditional home-cooked lunch. Group arrangements conclude with a departure transfer to Kigali Airport. (Please note: earliest departure time is 16:00hrs)

Meals: B,L