Rwanda Optional Post Extension
November 11 - 16, 2027
Thursday, November 11 - ARUSHUA, TANZANIA
Hotel: Four Points by Sheraton Arusha
This evening will be spent overnight in Arusha at leisure.
Friday, November 12 - KILIMANJARO, TANZANIA TO KIGALI, RWANDA
Hotel: Kigali Serena Hotel
Transfer from your hotel to Kilimanjaro International Airport. Fly from Kilimanjaro to Kigali (not included). Murakaza neza! Enjoy a warm Rwandan welcome upon arrival, then transfer to your hotel for a perfect first night in the "land of a thousand hills."
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Saturday, November 13 - KIGALI, RWANDA
Hotel: Kigali Serena Hotel
Today you will visit Nyamirambo, the oldest area in Kigali and the biggest and most vibrant township in Rwanda. You will gain firsthand experience of urban life while contributing to local women's development. The tour provides an insight to visitors on the everyday life, social events, trade, and struggles of a variety of different cultural and religious groups that live in this crowded, lively neighborhood. Run by Nyamirambo Women's Center (NWC), only locals are employed. The walking tour generates income for the Center, which is being allocated to sponsor NWC educational activities. The tour showcases the women's community and the businesses that support them. Stop by a local market and stroll through the different stalls to experience the everyday life of the locale. After a stop for lunch (on your own account), this afternoon, take a deep dive into how your coffee makes its way from seed to cup. Here in the heart of coffee country, we invite you to learn how Rwanda's world-class coffee is grown, harvested, roasted, brewed, and served. Guests will pick coffee cherries straight from the trees in our coffee garden, then experience the transformation from seed to cup, including smelling, tasting, and making their very own coffee blend that you can take home! Our coffee also makes great gifts for friends and family, or for your own home brew.
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Sunday, November 14 - KIGALI TO VOLCANOES NATIONAL PARK
Hotel: Five Volcanoes
This morning, wake early for breakfast. Afterwards, enjoy a tour of Kigali, including the Kigali Genocide Memorial. After lunch, transfer to Volcanoes National Park.
This afternoon, visit the Ellen DeGeneres Campus of Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund, a permanent home for the Dian Fossey Fund. The Campus serves as an inspiration to cherish gorillas, invest in the local community, and encourage conservation. Visit the Research Center, a state-of-the-art facility dedicated to research on gorillas and their ecosystems, and educating the next generation of scientists and conservationists in Africa. The Campus also has an Education Center open for University students, local school children, and community members. This includes classrooms, the library, and the computer lab. The Conservation Gallery hosts visitors in an immersive exhibition that tells the story of mountain gorilla research and conservation. The Conservation Gallery includes never-before-seen artifacts from Dian Fossey's nearly two decades living with the gorillas, an engaging visual experience, and a 360-degree immersive theater. There is also a cafe and a gift shop. The self-guided tour is free; they suggest a $20 per person donation (not included).
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Monday, November 15 - GORILLA TREK IN VOLCANOES NATIONAL PARK
Hotel: Five Volcanoes
Depart the lodge this morning for gorilla tracking in Volcanoes National Park. Tracking the gorillas through the forest requires patience and stamina, periodically walking for a few hours. If you are lucky, you can get to the gorillas, spend an hour with them, and return to the base in time for a late lunch!
Some gorilla families, however, are more elusive, and tracking can take a full day, especially when it is wet and muddy. You must be physically fit, although no special mountaineering equipment or skills are required. Gorilla tracking takes place on trails that can be steep, muddy, and covered with thick vegetation. Stinging nettles and biting safari ants can be nuisances. Bring rain gear, wear long pants, and gaiters. Layers of clothes will allow you to adjust to varying conditions. Wear muted colors - bright or white clothing should not be worn. Be sure to take a pair of light gloves to protect your hands from prickly plants and shrubs.
This afternoon, visit the Iby'Iwacu Cultural Village. You will have a rare chance to meet local people in their indigenous environment. You will visit various cultural sites and participate in different cultural activities, all combined in the Gorilla Guardian's village. The village gives an insight into the everyday lives of the village communities in ancient Rwanda. When you arrive at the main gate, you are welcomed by loud drumming, while the local people sing and dance in their traditional way of life.
Gorilla Guardians is a Non-Profit umbrella organization that aims to improve the lives of reformed poachers and communities around Rwanda's Volcanoes National Park through the provision of conservation incentives, supporting community enterprise development, and livelihood-based projects.
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Tuesday, November 16 - VOLCANOES NATIONAL PARK TO KIGALI - DEPART TO USA
This morning, you will begin a trek to see the endangered golden monkeys. Watch them as they playfully swing through the bamboo trees. Trekking to see the endangered Golden Monkeys is another highlight of Volcanoes National Park. As with treks to see the Mountain Gorillas, treks to see the Golden Monkeys take place in the mornings, and visitors are permitted to spend one hour with them. Departure for the Golden Monkey trek is from Park Headquarters at 07:00 am. There are two habituated groups, with one group comprising around 80 - 100 members. The Golden Monkeys live in the bamboo forests at the base of the Volcanoes Mountains and mostly eat bamboo shoots. They are playful and inquisitive, and often spend their time frolicking on the forest floor or leaping from tree to tree.
(Breakfast and Lunch Included)
