In colonial times, the spectacular beauty of Rwanda's rolling, mountainous landscape earned it the title ‘The Land of a Thousand Hills’.

Following independence, this small Central African nation leapt to fame as the land of ‘Gorillas in the Mist’, adopted home of Dian Fossey and the most important refuge for the rare Mountain Gorilla.

As recently as the late 1980s, Rwanda was a popular holiday destination; Gorilla-tracking in the Virungas was the country's premier attraction, supplemented by game-viewing in Akagera National Park, the incredible biodiversity of the Nyungwe Forest and the beauty of Lake Kivu.

Then came 1994 and the appalling genocide that caused Rwanda to leap from the glossy travel supplements to front page news. Whilst the Rwandans will never forget this terrible period of suffering, they are a resilient people who have rebuilt their lives and their country over the past decade and are now poised to restore their homeland to its rightful place amongst the world's finest wildlife destinations.

The Mountain Gorillas are still there, and are every bit as awe-inspiring, as are the Elephants of Akagera and the primates of Nyungwe.

Rwanda is also one of Africa's top birdwatching destinations, home to an incredible 670 species. Indeed, this wildlife paradise remains, despite all that it has been through, a truly welcoming country whose attractions are complemented by simple but comfortable facilities, good food and a rich cultural heritage.

We begin our holiday with a flight to Kigali, Rwanda's bustling capital city. From here we head north-east to the rolling grasslands and papyrus swamps of Akagera National Park. Covering approximately 90,000 hectares, this is an archetypal African savannah landscape of tangled acacia woodland interspersed with open grasslands and reed-fringed swamps. Here roam many of the big game animals that we so associate with Africa, including Elephant, Buffalo, Giraffe, Zebra and Eland along with the rare Sable Antelope. The elusive Sitatunga Antelope lives in the dense Papyrus swamps of the southern portion of the park, a habitat it shares with perhaps the most bizarre of all birds, the enormous Shoebill Stork. Both of these wetland denizens are elusive and difficult to find, but as we explore the park by vehicle, on foot and by boat we may just be lucky! We are, however, assured of a wealth of other wildlife and birdlife, perhaps including Denham's Bustard, Violet-tipped Courser, Martial Eagle, Grey Kestrel and the very localised Red- faced Barbet.

Leaving Akagera, we now drive to the south- western corner of Rwanda, to the diverse montane forests of Nyungwe. This is the largest tract of montane forest left in Africa and is home to over 200 species of birds, 23 of them endemic to this ‘Central Refugium’ region. Within the park also live 23 species of primate, including several troops of habituated Ruwenzori (Angola Colobus which are easily seen as they move through the canopy in large troops which can number several hundred strong. L'Hoest's Monkeys are also frequently observed, but it will take a degree of luck to spot the Chimpanzees which also inhabit Nyungwe. Although we will certainly spend time tracking these shy apes, and will probably hear their eerie calls drifting through the forests, fortune will need to be with us if we are to catch sight of the animals themselves. However we fare with the Chimps, there is still a wealth of other wildlife to enjoy. Birds such as the spectacular Great Blue Turaco are a common sight and live alongside Cassin's Hawk-eagle, Bar-tailed Trogon, Elliott's Woodpecker, Rwenzori Batis, Red- throated Alethe, Rwenzori Turaco and many, many more.

Finally, we head north, past Lake Kivu, to the mystical forested mountains of the Virunga Volcanoes and the Parc National des Volcans. Here we will spend three days exploring these lush cloudforests and will undertake one of the most moving and thrilling wildlife experiences this planet has to offer — a face to face encounter with a Mountain Gorilla! It was here that Dian Fossey brought the plight of the Gorilla to the world's attention in the 1970s, and it was here that she was buried in 1985. Her legacy lives on, however, and the Gorillas of the Virungas now number in excess of 400 individuals, double the population of 30 years ago. On one of our days we will search for, and then spend time with, one of the habituated Mountain Gorilla groups. The forests here are more open than those of neighbouring Uganda and the Gorillas are generally easier to find and watch. An encounter with such a powerful but gentle animal, so similar to us in many ways, is a very poignant experience that is impossible to put into words, but one that will live in the memory for ever and provide a fitting finale to our time in Rwanda. 

Client comments.

"From my perspective, this was a truly superb holiday - combining the beauty of the country's natural landscapes, an introduction to the people, and the highlight of the apes, both chimpanzees and gorillas. A superb holiday with memories that will last a lifetime - particularly the eye to eye contact with the gentle Mountain Gorilla." L.M., Manchester.

"The holiday was excellent, I cannot praise our guide Kabarage enough. He was excellent in 'fighting our corner' and trying to do his very best to ease our path. The two driver guides James and David in Rwanda were also excellent, very kind and thoughtful." G.P, Los Angeles.

"Kabarage was an excellent guide. He was good with people, very knowledgeable on the country and wildlife. The two driver guides, James and David, were excellent. You couldn't fault them and they certainly contributed to the enjoyment of the trip." R & J.P, California.

Weather. During our tour we can expect most days to be dry and fairly sunny, temperatures ranging from 20- 30^oC, depending on altitude. Overcast weather, particularly in the afternoons, may not be infrequent, but rain is unlikely except on high ground such as Virunga Volcanoes, where afternoon precipitation is a possibility. Here the weather can be chilly between sunset and sunrise.

Grading.  This tour is designed for the involved naturalist. It is ideal guided overview to Rwanda's extraordinaly diverse bird species and an annual favourite for keen birders.

Food & accommodation included in the price. All meals and accommodation are included throughout this holiday as indicated in the itinerary.

Entry requirements. Most of Europe nationalities passport holders and most other nationalities require a visa for Rwanda which is obtained in advance from the nearest embassy. You will also need to have various vaccinations and take malaria prophylactic. Please consult the nearest embassy about your requirements as soon as possible before traveling.

Birds field guide, birds checklist and travel map. Every participant of the trip will get birds field guide, checklist of birds of Rwanda and a travel map of Rwanda on arrival at Kigali.

Tour price, tour reports, detailed tour plan and how to book your place. For the tour price, tour reports and a detailed tour plan and in order to book a place on this holiday, please call us now on: 00 254 20 600 14 54. Alternatively, fill our online booking form or email us at: safaris@mbangosafaris.com giving us your contacts.

Once we have received your request / booking we will confirm your booking and send you all the further details necessary for you to prepare for your holiday. At peak times our confirmation may take up to a day or two to reach you; normally we aim to do it within a day.

Explore beyond.

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