LUXURY GORILLA TRACKING SAFARI

ARRIVE KIGALI – THE RETREAT

Upon arrival, you will be met by your private guide and driven to The Retreat. The rest of the day is yours to settle in and start thinking about the adventures that lay before you. If you have time you may wish to explore the markets or visit the Genocide Museum.

Overnight accommodation: The Retreat

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KIGALI – VOLCANOES NATIONAL PARK

This morning, you have the chance to visit the Kigali Genocide Memorial Centre. It contains a permanent and extremely moving exhibition of the Rwandan genocide. After lunch, you travel north to Ruhengeri and the Volcanoes National Park. A ‘true island in the sky’, the Volcanoes National Park is home to some of the worlds few remaining Mountain Gorilla, which were first studied here in 1959 by George Schaller, and through the 1960s by Dian Fossey and her colleagues. You will arrive at Singita Kwitonda where you will be introduced to the lodge and briefed on your stay, you will then be shown to your suite.

Overnight: Singita Kwitonda Lodge(B, L, D)

FIRST GORILLA TREK IN VOLCANOES NATIONAL PARK

Today will be spent tracking the world-famous mountain gorillas. The gorillas we are allowed to track belong to either one of ten habituated family groups. An early breakfast and you’re off to the park headquarters at Kinigi to register and be allocated your gorilla family for today. Once this is done, you set out by vehicle to the start of your gorilla safari.

The gorillas are by no means tame, and are completely wild animals. However, experienced guides will accompany you on your gorilla tracking, many of whom have been involved in the habituation process themselves. The guides will use their knowledge of the gorillas’ habits and information from the previous day to locate the group’s whereabouts.

Overnight: Singita Kwitonda Lodge(B, L, D)

FINAL GORILLA TREK IN VOLCANOES NATIONAL PARK

Your final day of gorilla tracking! An early start to make your way to the park headquarters where you are assigned a ranger and a gorilla group. Tracking the gorillas can take anything from 4-8 hours in lush green, steep, muddy, terrain! It is, however, the experience of a lifetime… coming across these amiable primates in their natural surroundings is quite awe-inspiring as you watch them go about their daily lives, playing, grooming and eating! Return to the lodge later in the afternoon to relax, have a hot shower or massage and reflect on the day’s activities.

Overnight: Singita Kwitonda Lodge(B, L, D)

VOLCANOES NATIONAL PARK – DEPART KIGALI

After breakfast this morning your guide will drive you back to Kigali, stopping en route for photo opportunities. Depending on time you will be taken to a local restaurant where you can have a final meal or alternatively you will be driven straight to the airport for your departure flight.

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