Rwanda

Known as ”The Land of a Thousand Hills”, Rwanda is surprisingly rewarding.  This remarkable country is blessed with extraordinary scenic beauty, spectacular biodiversity and astonishing wildlife that roam its volcanoes, montane rainforest and sweeping plains.

Discover the haunting beauty of Rwanda’s dense rain forests, the open-hearted warmth of its people and the life-affirming presence of its mountain gorillas. The Volcanoes National Park is home to the endangered mountain gorilla and a mosaic of ecosystems. Close encounters with gorillas are carefully managed, as expert guides lead limited numbers of visitors up bamboo-covered slopes, to spend an awe-inspiring hour witnessing these gentle creatures in their natural habitat. A truly transformative experience.

Visitors can also trek to meet chimpanzees as well a host of monkeys – alongside olive baboons as well as the nocturnal potto and bush babies.  Chimpanzees are found in the Nyungwe National Park as well as in smaller number in the Gishwati Forest.

Part of Africa’s Great Rift Valley, Lake Kivu in the west of Rwanda, is surrounded by magnificent mountains and has deep emerald green waters covering a surface area of 2,700 km2.  On the edge of the lake lies Rubavu, once a colonial beach resort, its waterfront is scattered with fading old mansions, hotels and trendy bars. Half way along the lake is Karongi, a popular beach resort with hillsides covered in pines and eucalyptus serve as a backdrop to the sparkling lake. The Congo Nile Trail extends 227m² kilometres north and gently curves back and forth through hills and mountains beside the lake with eucalyptus trees lining the road and every inch of the hills terraced with bananas.

Central Africa’s largest protected wetland in the Akagera National Park is once again home to the Big Five, following the reintroduction of seven lions in 2015 as well as 18 Eastern black rhinos.  Leopard, hyena and side-striped jackal make up the larger predators in the park. Notable plains game include elephant, buffalo, topi, zebra, waterbuck, roan antelope and eland.  A boat trip on Lake Ihema, in the south of Akagera, offers a delightful opportunity to see hippos and Nile crocodiles