Welcome to beautiful Rwanda! Known as the ‘Land of a Thousand Hills’ thanks to the nation’s endless mountains, Rwanda is one of Africa’s smallest countries – but what it lacks in size, it makes up for in scenic beauty! Founded in 1907 as a German settlement, Kigali became the capital of Rwanda in 1962 when it replaced the colonial seat of power in Butare.

On arrival, you will be met at the airport and transferred to your hotel.

Today begins with an interesting city tour of Kigali, delving into this vibrant African city steeped with history. We’ll visit the Kandt Museum, old Kigali and the craft centres, before making our way to the moving Genocide Museum. We will learn about Rwanda's pre-colonial history through to the 1994 genocide, recovery and new developments.

In the early afternoon, we’ll depart Kigali and make our way north to the Rwandan countryside for an exciting canoeing excursion. We’ll canoe on the twin crater lakes, Lake Burera and Lake Ruhondo, located at the base of Mount Muhaburato with the impressive Virunga Volcanoes in the backdrop. We will explore the lakes and look out for birds and wildlife along our way, including the cormorant, kingfisher, darters and hamerkop.

We continue on to Musanze, located at the foot of the Virungas. The Virungas, a branch of the Albertine Rift, are a chain of mostly dormant volcanoes lying along Rwanda's northern border with the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda. They are home to the critically endangered mountain gorillas, golden monkeys and other mammals including the black-fronted duiker, buffalo, spotted hyena and bushbuck. There are also more than 170 species of birds.

This magical day starts at Volcanoes National Park where you will be allocated a gorilla tracking group (8 people maximum). After a briefing by the trackers, your exhilarating trek commences at the cultivated foothills of the Virungas. Experience the mysterious intimacy of the rainforest, alive with colourful bird calls and butterflies, as you walk in the footsteps of the rare mountain gorillas.

Upon sighting the gorillas, you will be able to spend one hour observing these magnificent creatures as they go about their daily life, feeding, playing, resting and raising their young. Coming face to face with a giant silverback is truly one of the greatest wildlife experiences on earth.

This afternoon you’ll visit a nearby ex-poacher's village, which is now an award-winning conservation initiative. Here, former poachers were convinced to renounce their old ways and become conservation activists. Now participating in eco-tourism while showcasing Rwandan culture, visitors are taught about traditional skills like archery, traditional medicine, architecture and cultural dances. This is a very interactive experience and fun for all.

Begin the day with a trek through Volcanoes National Park, tracking beautiful golden monkeys. At the park headquarters you will join a golden monkey tracking group. After a briefing from an experienced tracker, you will drive to the trail to begin your adventure. As you trek through the national park, you'll enjoy amazing scenic views.

The very beautiful golden monkey has a golden body, cheeks and tail with contrasting black limbs, crown, and tail-end. Not much is known about the monkeys' behaviour except that they live in groups of up to 30 and their diet consists mainly of fruit and leaves. You'll be able to watch them feed and leap from branch to branch.

This afternoon you’ll drive back to Kigali where the remainder of the day is for you to enjoy at leisure.

Today marks the end of your encounter with the incredible wildlife of Rwanda. We hope you leave with fantastic memories!