This morning we will embark on a city tour of Kigali including the Genocide Memorial site a grim reminder of a senseless massacre of innocent’s lives in 1994. Learn about Rwanda’s history from pre-colonial times to the 1994 genocide; learn about other genocides in the world and how this country has dealt with that past. Tour more and see the new developments in Rwanda; the recovery has been incredible, a testament to humankind’s resilience.

After this we depart on scenic drive northwestwards through the beautiful terraced hillsides that display Rwanda’s landscape. Arrive at Musanze, the base for Gorilla trekking at the Parc National des Volcans. The town itself, located only 25km from Uganda boarder, is relatively a small city of about 70,000 people. The constant flow of humanity is quite remarkable.  

Check into the lovely boutique Bishop’s House for two nights. Its location in the rich quiet suburbs of Musanze places makes the house the ideal location for travellers wanting to explore the Volcanoes National Park. The colonial style architecture and furnishings of The Bishop’s House sets it apart from others and the nine luxuriously decorated rooms are a delight. TBH is a haven of tranquility, surrounded by flora and fauna along with the sights and sounds of nature, making it the perfect location for any guest looking to unwind and enjoy the calm of the land of a thousand hills – Rwanda. All rooms are furnished with large, antique hand crafted four-poster beds on a wooden floor that envelopes the occupant in warmth and grandeur in the en-suite bathrooms you will be met with hot showers and bathrobes warm and soft to the touch. 

After your morning wake-up call and breakfast transfer by road in a 4WD Land Cruiser and report to the park headquarters, for gorilla trekking formalities and briefing by the Volcanoes National Park’s guides on the gorillas’ etiquette. The gorilla group that you will visit will depend on the assignment of travellers to the ten habituated gorilla groups. Park rangers have already left to locate the ten habituated Gorilla groups that are accessible to visitors. You will be assigned to a specific group of gorillas. Groups of trekkers will have a maximum of eight visitors per gorilla family. Your trek will vary in length depending on which gorilla group you have been assigned to and will commence at about 7,000 feet of altitude in the upper terraced slopes of the volcano.

Soon you will enter the forest of bamboo and thick undergrowth. You follow paths and the walking is steep but not overly strenuous. Nothing can prepare one for the impact of encountering a fully grown silverback gorilla: up to three times as bulky as the average man, yet remarkably peaceful and tolerant of human visitors. There are no words to describe the thrill of recognition attached to staring deep into the liquid brown eyes of these gentle giants, which share some 97% of their genes with humans. After locating your assigned Gorilla group you will spend one hour in their company before retracing your steps back down the volcano slopes.

Lunch at the hotel and relaxation for the rest of the afternoon.      

It’s a leisurely breakfast and check out this morning before you drive back to Kigali and on to Kigali International airport for your onwards departure.  You may wish to extend your stay by adding another night in the park along with the opportunity to do a second Gorilla trek visiting a different family than the day before.