Ultimate Rwanda: Luxury Gorilla Flagship

Today you transfer from Kigali to Volcanoes National Park in style, either by private 4x4 through the glorious Land of a Thousand Hills, past endless terraced slopes and neat villages, or, for the ultimate flourish, by private helicopter soaring over emerald terraces, shining lakes and misty peaks. On arrival you settle into Rwanda's most exclusive forest sanctuary at the foot of the volcanoes, a haven of vast suites with roaring fireplaces, deep bathtubs, private terraces, plunge pools and floor-to-ceiling views of the peaks, with a private butler, spa and gourmet cuisine. In the afternoon you might enjoy a languid spa treatment, a private coffee experience, or simply relax by the fire as mist drifts over the volcanoes. As the day ends, you savour a gourmet dinner at your lodge, filled with anticipation. Rest well tonight, for tomorrow brings your first unforgettable morning with the gorillas.

Today brings the first of two extraordinary mornings among wild mountain gorillas. After a gourmet breakfast and a private briefing, you set out with expert rangers and trackers into Volcanoes National Park, climbing through bamboo and dripping montane forest on the slopes of the Virunga volcanoes; porters carry everything so you simply savour the adventure. When you reach your gorilla family, your permitted hour begins: a mighty silverback at rest, mothers cradling infants, youngsters tumbling and playing just metres away. To sit among these gentle giants in the wild, meeting their calm brown eyes, is one of the most profound experiences on earth. Returning to your lodge, you are welcomed with a warming soak, a spa treatment and a celebratory gourmet dinner by the fire. As the day ends, you savour the wonder of it all. Rest well tonight, for tomorrow brings golden monkeys and indulgent relaxation.

This morning you enjoy a gentler, easier trek to find the rare and playful golden monkeys, endemic to the Virungas, leaping through the bamboo in flashes of amber and gold fur, a delightful, lively and photogenic contrast to the gorillas' calm gravity. Back at your exclusive lodge, the rest of the day is yours to indulge at an unhurried pace: languid spa treatments, gourmet dining, quiet hours by the fire with the misty peaks framed in your window, or optional experiences such as a visit to the Dian Fossey research campus and Karisoke-linked conservation projects, a private coffee tasting, or a village visit. The comfort and calm are sublime. As the day ends, you savour another gourmet dinner at your lodge. Rest well tonight, refreshed and relaxed, for tomorrow brings your second unforgettable morning among the mountain gorillas of the Virunga volcanoes.

Today you share a second unforgettable morning among wild mountain gorillas, visiting a different family and deepening the experience immeasurably. Once more you set out with rangers and trackers into Volcanoes National Park, climbing through the misty forest until you reach the group, and spend a further precious hour among these gentle giants, each encounter subtly different and equally profound. It is a privilege granted to very few. After celebrating over lunch at your lodge, you transfer back to Kigali, by private 4x4 through the glorious Land of a Thousand Hills or by private helicopter over the peaks and lakes. On arrival you settle into your stylish hotel and, this evening, savour a final fine-dining dinner, reflecting on two extraordinary mornings with the gorillas. As the day ends, you gather your memories of this flagship journey. Rest well ahead of your departure tomorrow, glowing from the experience.

After a final morning in clean, stylish Kigali, perhaps a last single-origin coffee, a gallery visit or some keepsake shopping in a craft cooperative, you are privately transferred to Kigali International Airport for your onward departure. You leave having enjoyed the ultimate luxury gorilla experience: two profound mornings among two different wild gorilla families in the Virunga volcanoes, a joyful golden monkey trek, and the finest comfort, service and style in Rwanda's most exclusive forest lodges, all in Dian Fossey's landscape amid the emerald scenery of the Land of a Thousand Hills. The images stay vivid long after you land: the calm eyes of two silverbacks, the firelit forest suite, and the misty peaks from your terrace. Rwanda offers wonder, exclusivity, comfort and warmth in abundance, and you depart already dreaming of a return to this beautiful, extraordinary land.