Africa's Leading Safari Company 2024 – World Travel Awards
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Experience the thrill of Rwanda with this all encompassing six day experience. Journey through the lush forests tracking chimpanzee, gorillas and Ellen DeGeneres Campus to learn about the importance of gorilla conservation.
Your journey begins as you arrive at Kigali International Airport, where you’ll be welcomed by a VIP Meet & Greet team who will assist you with fast-tracking, visa processing, and luggage handling. After meeting your experienced guide, who will accompany you throughout the trip, you’ll receive an overview of the exciting days ahead.
Check-in at The Retreat by Heaven, where you’ll settle into your Superior King Room for a restful evening, enjoying the comfort and preparation for the adventure awaiting you.
After an early breakfast, embark on a scenic journey to Nyungwe National Park. This 5-6 hour drive can also be replaced with a 35-minute chartered helicopter flight to Nyungwe House’s helipad (available at an additional cost), offering stunning aerial views (subject to passenger and luggage weight limits). Along the way, you’ll stop at Rwanda’s Cultural Heritage Corridor to explore the King’s Palace and the Ethnographic Museum, immersing yourself in the country’s rich history.
Nyungwe Forest spans over 1,000 square kilometers and is one of the world’s oldest and most pristine mountain rainforests, home to a wealth of biodiversity, including chimpanzees, over 300 bird species, and 75 mammal species.
After checking in at the lodge and soaking in the beautiful views, you’ll embark on an afternoon hike with a local ranger to experience the exhilarating 60-meter-long canopy walkway. Return to One & Only Nyungwe House for dinner and a night in the Nyungwe King Room.
Today’s adventure begins early, with breakfast at dawn before heading to the park offices for chimpanzee tracking. After a briefing, you’ll journey through lush tea plantations into the dense Nyungwe Forest, which hosts over 13 monkey species, countless bird species, butterflies, and even the occasional chameleon.
The trek may last from one to four hours, and you are likely to hear the chimpanzees before you see them. Once located, spend a captivating hour observing the chimpanzees as they interact with each other in their natural habitat.
After returning to your lodge for lunch, spend the afternoon at your leisure or participate in other available activities. Enjoy dinner and another night at One & Only Nyungwe House in your King Room.
After breakfast, depart from Nyungwe for Volcanoes National Park. During the journey, stop at Cleo Hotel for lunch (at your own expense) before visiting the Ellen DeGeneres Campus, where you’ll learn about conservation efforts in Africa.
The campus serves to educate both tourists and local communities on gorilla conservation and provides a state-of-the-art facility to train future conservationists. After arriving at One & Only Gorilla’s Nest, check into your Forest Lodge King Room, a luxurious space with a king-sized bed, fireplace, and a private viewing deck.
Enjoy dinner here, and spend the night relaxing amid the serene forest.
Following an early breakfast, you’ll head to the park headquarters for a briefing on gorilla trekking, complete with porter services to assist on the trail. Depending on the assigned gorilla family, your trek could last 90 minutes or several hours.
Once you locate the gorillas, you’ll have a full hour to watch them move, play, and interact in their habitat. Your guide will help you capture beautiful photos and make the most of this incredible experience.
Return to the lodge for lunch and leisure time before dinner. Enjoy another evening at One & Only Gorilla’s Nest, soaking in the tranquil sounds of the forest from your luxurious room.
On your final day, enjoy breakfast and check out of the lodge before heading to the park office for a briefing on golden monkey trekking.
Hiking through the forest, you’ll have the chance to spot these playful, bright orange monkeys, known for their quick movements and unique behaviours. Afterwards, enjoy lunch in Musanze before the drive back to Kigali International Airport, a 2.5 to 3-hour journey.
Upon arrival, check-in for your departing flight to Nairobi, marking the end of a remarkable adventure through Rwanda.
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November 8, 2024
Mel was amazing!
Mel was amazing! I’m so grateful for her attention to detail. Our trip was incredible and I’ve already recommended Safari.com to friends and family! Thanks again Mel!
November 7, 2024
Mel was incredible
Mel was incredible, she found great options and was quick to always aim for our comfort, I was very satisfied!!!!
October 17, 2024
Mel is friendly and patient
I would usually book my trips myself. Lucky for me I sent off an enquiry to Safari.com and received Mel's wonderful help. Mel responded quickly and made me feel comfortable with Safari.com. organising my trip. Later on, when I realised my dates didn't work with the rest of my trip, Mel gave me my options and costings and rebooked for me. Mel was very patient and friendly. I wouldn't hesitate to use Mel again.
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Nov 14, 2024
Thank you Safari.com
Thank you Safari.com (Tanya) for your kind handling of my many emails. regards Paulene
Nov 13, 2024
Exceptional travel agent and overall experience!!
Leigh Ann was an exceptional travel agent who went above and beyond to make our trip to Kruger National Park, Victoria Falls, and Chobe unforgettable. Her recommendations were spot-on, and what made the experience even better was her personal perspective—insights you simply won’t find online. She shared tips that added so much value to our trip and made everything feel more meaningful. Leigh Ann was available anytime we had questions, which made us feel completely supported throughout the trip. From the initial planning stages to our return, every detail was seamless and perfectly coordinated. If you’re planning a trip to Africa, I highly recommend Leigh Ann. She truly gave us a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Thank you, Leigh Ann!
Nov 13, 2024
quick and pleasant
The agent was a pleasure to communicate with and all requests were dealt with quickly. She was able to offer many options that fit our needs. The whole experience could not have gone smoother
Nov 12, 2024
Dolan won the sale
Dolan was very helpful in explaining the experience and how to optimise the time there
Nov 11, 2024
Top notch !
What amazing service . Shann was very helpful especially given the time zone differences she worked all weekend on a very tight timeline
Nov 11, 2024
Luxury South Africa Tour
I inquired into a South African safari tour. I asked two questions, is this a private tour and what are the available dates in May. The first question wasn't answered and the itinerary presented was for "May 2025" but had February dates. When I asked for clarification on the timeline and the dates, there was no response (over 3 days now). I would expect a better response for a luxury tour.
Nov 11, 2024
3-nights Zambia trip
I would start by saying before I started talking to Leigh-Ann Croeser I knew I wanted to go on this 3-nights adventure in Zambia with my family towards the end of this year, but I did not have any idea of how to go about planning it, thankfully Leigh-Ann responded immediately to my enquiry. Ever since I started communicating with her, she has been a very friendly, professional, knowledgeable, awesome Luxury Safari consultant who came through for me in every step of this process. She offered great advice and did a great job in customizing our itinerary and put my mind at ease in the process. She always responded quickly and gave me great advise when I needed. We are so looking forward to going on this adventure. I want to thank her from the bottom of my heart;) Thembi Coleman and her family
Nov 9, 2024
Details were clear and sent in atimely…
Details were clear and sent in atimely manner.
Nov 9, 2024
The lodge was great
The lodge was great, very friendly stuff. Saw all kind of animals. The vendor we booked the lodge, charged way to much, compared when you book the lodge directly.
