Top 10 Rwanda Activities
We’ve compiled a list of our favourite experiences to inspire your imagination.
- In the Midst of Gorillas
- Trek to the Chimps
- Explore Kigali
- The Thousand Hills by Helicopter
- The Big Five in Akagera NP
- Visit the Genocide Memorial
- A Tour of the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund
- An Evening with Gorilla Doctors
- Golden Monkey Trekking
- Tea Picking in Nyungwe
A toddler gorilla may tumble and play nearby, or be clutched for comfort; another may forage for food, and you may be lucky enough to encounter a silverback. Such things are likely scenes when you have been granted one of the 96 daily permits to spend an hour with the gorillas of the Volcanoes National Park. Your expert guides will be familiar with each one of them by name and character, for they are our family and deserve to be known.
Along the way, you will also see numerous other of the dozen or so primate species that flourish in the forests of Rwanda, from the ubiquitous vervet monkey to the shy owl faced monkey, but for a connective experience with a fellow ape, chimpanzees take some beating.
You’ll also sample the world-renowned coffees, participate in banana beer making, and discover the wealth of Rwandan cuisine during a cookery class. Not only is The Retreat a stunning luxury refuge, but it is a training centre for the Rwandan hospitality industry, so you will be in good hands as you are shown the breadth of local culture.
Our recommendation would be to take the opportunity to fly to the Virunga volcanoes, passing over the Twin Lakes and Lake Kivu on the way. You will be struck by the lush forests that adorn the rolling landscapes as you skim above the lush canopy.
The thriving populations of elephant, rhino, buffalo, lion, leopard, giraffe and zebra in a relatively small area will guarantee a spectacular safari experience for you. It’s a gem of a place to provide your Big Five experience, but also to introduce you to endemic and rare oddities such as the red-faced barbet and the papyrus gonolek.
A visit to the Genocide Memorial is more powerful than words can do justice to: it simply cannot be missed if you come to Rwanda, for it will remind you of both the capacity of humans for indescribable cruelty as well as forgiveness and love.
Wander along the interpretive trails amongst 250,000 native plants, before feasting your senses in the 360-degree immersive video theatre. Over a cup of coffee in the superb Gorilla Café you’ll reflect on how every aspect of the campus, even down to more than 2,000 local construction jobs it created, is inspirational.
You’ll learn how the gorillas are monitored, how they are treated, and also how experts reach out to Rwandans to protect their threatened forest-dwelling neighbours.
You’ll spend about an hour with them whilst they frolic and play, swinging at high speed through the trees and chasing each other in circles. They will enchant you with their vitality.
You’ll immerse yourself in the culture of tea on the Gisakura Tea Estate where you will be involved with picking, drying, brewing and tasting whilst learning every aspect of the fine art of tea production. Finally, you will sip Nyungwe’s own full-bodied and rich variety of tea in the Tea Lounge whilst gazing out over the pristine natural forests beyond the plantation.
We are a boutique travel specialist. For over 30 years we have been creating luxury tailor-made safaris to the timeless savannahs of Africa. Your time is precious and with a world to see, we understand the importance of getting it absolutely right for you, every time.We are a boutique travel specialist. For over 30 years we have been creating luxury tailor-made safaris to the timeless savannahs of Africa. Your time is precious and with a world to see, we understand the importance of getting it absolutely right for you, every time.
The Lake Kivu Hotel occupies a spectacular location on the shores of one of Africa’s largest lakes.
The views from Singita Kwitonda are staggering, and enhanced by vast panoramic floor to ceiling windows throughout all the main areas and every suite, inviting the wild in and your gaze outward.
A stunning, exclusive-use villa, perfect for a group of friends or a family stay.
Kigali Serena is a classically elegant hotel offering a warm welcome to all that stay.
The Retreat by Heaven is the first entirely eco-friendly, solar-powered resort in the capital city of Kigali, located just twenty minutes from the international airport, on a tranquil tree-lined street.
Magashi Camp is an intimate, luxurious haven within the wilderness of Akagera National Park.
We’ve compiled a list of our favourite experiences to inspire your imagination.
One & Only Gorilla’s Nest sits atop a mountain by the Volcanoes National Park. Swathed in Eucalyptus, it has fabulous views towards the park and of the volcanos which protrude from the afro-alpine forests.
Built to blend in with its stunning surrounding is the beautiful five-star Nyungwe House, ideally situated on the edge of the Nyungwe Rainforest National Park, in a tea plantation and on the doorstep to the home of 13 species of primate.
Bisate Lodge is situated on the edge of the Parc National des Volcans, within the eroded, forested cone on extinct volcano with fabulous views towards the park and of the volcanos Bisoke and Karisimbi which protrude from the afro-alpine forests of the park.
Sabyinyo Silverback Lodge is situated on the edge of the Parc National des Volcans, in an undulating area of 11 hectares with fabulous views towards the park.
Experience a safari holiday like no other, with a journey across the remarkable landscapes of Rwanda and Tanzania. Be captivated by big game, search for primates in the rainforest, enjoy spectacular birdwatching and see the epic migration of wildebeest and plains game - all in one unforgettable trip you will regale for a lifetime.
Akagera National Park is central Africa’s largest protected wetland and the only region where you’ll find savannah-adapted wildlife in Rwanda. The park is a remarkable conservation effort, ongoing since 2010.
Nyungwe Forest National Park protects one of Africa’s oldest rainforests. This thriving ecosystem is the best place in Rwanda to track chimpanzees, Angolan colobus monkeys and hundreds of species of birds.
With its golden sands, swaying palm trees and stunningly clear water, Lake Kivu is the inland beach getaway you never would have expected. Enjoy hiking, watersports and boating activities in luxurious privacy.
The dense rainforests of Parc National des Volcans are one of the few remaining places where you can see mountain gorillas in their natural state. The park is also home to rare golden monkeys.
Gorilla, chimps, Big Five safaris and spectacular birdwatching in the land of a thousand hills.
Experience a safari holiday like no other, with a journey across the remarkable landscapes of Rwanda and Tanzania. Be captivated by big game, search for primates in the rainforest, enjoy spectacular birdwatching and see the epic migration of wildebeest and plains game - all in one unforgettable trip you will regale for a lifetime.
We’ve compiled a list of our favourite experiences to inspire your imagination.