Highlights of Rwanda: Mountain Gorillas & Lake Kivu

Today you explore Kigali, one of the most striking capitals in Africa, remarkably clean, green, orderly and safe. You take a city tour through its hilly neighbourhoods, leafy avenues and lively markets, feeling the energy and optimism of a city reborn. The centrepiece is the Kigali Genocide Memorial, a deeply moving and beautifully presented tribute to the more than a million lives lost in 1994 and to Rwanda's extraordinary journey of reconciliation; it is a profound, essential and unforgettable experience. You also visit craft cooperatives and perhaps a coffee roastery, tasting Rwanda's celebrated beans at source, and enjoy the city's excellent cafes and restaurants. The dignity, warmth and forward-looking spirit of Kigali are captivating. As the day ends, you return to your hotel, moved and inspired. Rest well, for tomorrow you drive north to the volcanoes.

Today you journey north from Kigali to Volcanoes National Park, through the glorious scenery of the Land of a Thousand Hills. The scenic drive winds past endless terraced slopes, banana groves and neat villages, climbing towards the misty Virunga volcanoes that form Rwanda's northern border. On arrival at the forest edge near Musanze, you settle into your comfortable lodge, with the volcanoes rising dramatically above the emerald farmland. In the afternoon you might visit a local community, a cultural village or the excellent interpretation centre, learning about the gorillas, the Karisoke legacy of Dian Fossey, and the conservation work that protects these mountains. The cool mountain air and volcanic scenery are invigorating. As the day ends, you dine at your lodge, filled with anticipation. Rest well tonight, for tomorrow brings an unforgettable morning with the mountain gorillas.

Today brings the extraordinary centrepiece of your journey: tracking wild mountain gorillas. After an early breakfast and a briefing at park headquarters, you set out with expert rangers and trackers into Volcanoes National Park, climbing through bamboo, nettles and dripping montane forest on the slopes of the Virunga volcanoes. The trek can be short or strenuous depending on where your gorilla family is feeding, and a porter is a worthwhile hire. When you reach the group, your permitted hour begins: a mighty silverback at rest, mothers cradling infants, youngsters tumbling and playing just metres away. To sit quietly among these gentle giants in the wild is one of the most profound wildlife encounters on earth. As the day ends, you return to your lodge, elated. This evening, celebrate an unforgettable day amid the volcanoes.

This morning you enjoy a second, gentler trek to find the rare and playful golden monkeys, endemic to the Virungas, leaping through the bamboo in flashes of amber fur, a delightful and far easier walk than the gorillas. You might also visit the moving site linked to Dian Fossey's Karisoke research work or a local community project at the forest edge. In the afternoon you drive down to Lake Kivu, one of Africa's Great Lakes, through more beautiful terraced scenery, arriving at a lakeside town such as Gisenyi. You settle into your lakeshore lodge as the sun sinks over the water and fishermen paddle home singing. The contrast from mountains to shimmering lake is magical. As the day ends, you dine by the water. Rest well, ready for restful days on beautiful Lake Kivu.

Today you relax on the beautiful shores of Lake Kivu, the perfect contrast to the exertion of the mountains. This vast, calm and safe freshwater lake is fringed by green hills, sandy coves and easygoing towns, and its warm water is free of bilharzia and crocodiles, ideal for swimming. You take a boat excursion among the lake's little islands, perhaps visiting a bird island or a village, and can kayak, paddle or simply laze on the beach. You might follow part of the scenic Congo Nile Trail by bike or on foot, or visit a nearby coffee estate. As the day ends, you watch a glorious sunset over the water, with the volcanoes glowing on the horizon. This evening, savour fresh lake tilapia by the shore. Rest well amid the peace and beauty of Lake Kivu.

After a relaxed final morning by Lake Kivu, perhaps a last swim or a lakeside coffee, you begin the scenic drive back to Kigali through the Land of a Thousand Hills. The journey winds past terraced ridges, misty valleys and busy roadside markets, a final immersion in Rwanda's glorious green scenery. On arrival in the capital you have time to explore a little more, revisiting the craft markets for souvenirs, gifts and Rwandan coffee, or relaxing at your hotel. This evening you might enjoy a final dinner in one of Kigali's excellent restaurants, reflecting on the gorillas, golden monkeys, lake and vibrant capital you have experienced. As the day ends, you gather your impressions of this beautiful, moving and welcoming country. Rest well ahead of your departure tomorrow, carrying warm memories of Rwanda.

After a final morning in clean, calm Kigali, perhaps a last coffee or some final souvenir shopping in a craft cooperative, you are transferred to Kigali International Airport for your onward international departure. You leave having experienced the very best of Rwanda: an unforgettable morning among wild mountain gorillas in Volcanoes National Park, the playful golden monkeys of the Virungas, the beaches, islands and glorious sunsets of Lake Kivu, and the moving, forward-looking spirit of Kigali, all amid the emerald scenery of the Land of a Thousand Hills. The images stay vivid long after you land: the calm eyes of a silverback, the misty volcanoes, the singing fishermen on the lake, and the dignity of a nation reborn. Rwanda offers wildlife, beauty, warmth and real meaning in abundance, and you depart already dreaming of a return.