A quarter of a century after the genocide and civil war, Rwanda is a country transformed into one of the safest and progressive on the continent
While Mountain Gorillas are definitely the top draw here, they are not the sole attraction
Volcanoes National Park in north west Rwanda is home to the largest population of Mountain Gorillas on the planet and has gained an international reputation for being the place to see them. With ten habituated groups the likelihood of encountering a family is extremely high and the very act of purchasing your permit irrefutably aids the chances of survival for this critically endagered iconic Great Ape.
Many visitors to Rwanda choose to only visit for the Gorillas - treating it as an add-on to a Serengeti or Kenyan safari, which is certainly possible given Rwanda's excellent infrastructure and air links, the Gorilla habitat is a two hour drive from the international airport. However, Rwanda is a fascinating country, a rising star on the safari scene with allure beyond the Gorillas.
In the east Akagera, containing Rwanda's only savannah, along with central Africa's largest protected wetlands, is emphatically worth visiting. Amongst Africa's prettiest savannah reserves with swamp-fringed lakes, vast plains and rolling hills, it is also an ongoing conservation triumph with the recent reintroduction of lion and Black Rhino (2015 & 2017 respectively). With an estimated population of 12,000 large mammals and 482 bird species recorded, a comfy lakeshore tented camp, all an easy couple of hour's drive from Kigali - Akagera deserves a detour.
Nyungwe Forest in the deep south is more of a mission to get to but for those that make the effort the rewards are arguably even greater. Nyungwe is simply magnificent. The largest remaining tract of montane rainforest in eastern Africa is home to nearly a quarter of all primate species in Africa, including Chimpanzees. The 130km network of paths and a suspended canopy walk allow unfettered access deep in to the forest and the Chimps can generally be tracked at short notice.
There was no way that I could explain to dogs, friends or parents my compelling need to return to Africa to launch a long-term study of the gorillas. Some may call it destiny and others may call it dismaying. I call it the sudden turn of events in my life fortuitous”
BEST TIME TO GO TO RWANDA
There are two annual rainy seasons, the major one lasts from June to September and the lesser rains from mid-September to mid-December
If Gorilla trekking is your primary objective this can be undertaken at any time of year and because the Gorilla's live in a rainforest (as the Chimps do in Nyungwe) it can, by definition, rain at any time - although that said it is likely to be much less slippery underfoot in the dry season.
Should you be planning to visit Rwanda in combination with another wildlife area in the region we'd suggest talking through the permutations of this with us.
THE MORE YOU LEARN ABOUT THE DIGNITY OF THE GORILLA, THE MORE YOU WANT TO AVOID PEOPLE.”
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+44 (0) 1747 830950
Our experienced travellers include:
Rod Tether
Alex Edwards
Andrea Hulme
It takes genuine local knowledge to craft trips that go beyond the ordinary.
All of us at Natural High have over 20 years’ experience in the countries we offer. We’ve lived there, worked there and arranged countless one-off journeys for clients. We live to travel – and love to share our tips on what’s really worth doing. For expert advice (and a traveller’s tale or two), speak to one of our team. They’ll be happy to let you in on their travel secrets, and help you plan a tailor-made trip that’s truly unforgettable.
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Reviews
Outstanding customer service well above the call of duty.
"Natural High arranged a trip to remember ...accommodation first class, transportation on very long road trips was excellent. Spotless . air conditioning .. food and water. Rhino and Tiger sightings to die for.. local agents left nothing to chance ... we felt in the safest hands ... then when we off grid the virus struck... Natural High and their local Agent Banyan took total control and got us from the back of beyond to UK in very worrying and uncertain times. All without us being able to do anything at our end ...outstanding attention to detail. Worth every penny."
Personal service and excellent organisation
"This was our first holiday to be organised by Natural High. We made the enquiry on New Year’s Eve for a departure in February and within a few days they had produced a wonderful-sounding itinerary in Costa Rica. There were helpful notes for packing as they seem to have someone there who has been to any chosen destination. We did do some groundwork for flights but left it to Dial-a-Flight who were also most efficient. We visited the office as it is very local to home and everyone there was cheerful and interested in our upcoming trip. We were presented with a leather file which turned out to be the most useful item en-route for all our paperwork ..... and it smelled lovely!
The holiday was one of our best ever. Not just because we saw a plethora of wildlife, but because there was always someone waiting to whisk us to another destination, be it to the airport, from the airport or a boat to a lodge etc. And they did it with great charm and humour and were always very knowledgeable about any queries we had.
For the last 8 days we had a driver/guide who was just outstanding. He was very familiar with the 3 remaining lodges where we stayed and his rapport with the other staff and guides helped to ensure that we were really well looked after. He was a skilled naturalist, had a great sense of humour and was always putting our welfare first - he made a wonderful companion for the trip.
All of the above meant that it was a really relaxing holiday so that we could maximise our time looking at the flora and fauna of Costa Rica.
We would highly recommend Natural High ...... where next?!"
Natural High
"Brilliant, everything is so well organised. We have had two trips of a lifetime organised by Rod Tether who is also a guide extraordinaire!"
Fantastic Natural High
"Perfectly organised trip to two great Nomad camps in Tanzania!"
Natural High nailed it again
"Sledding in Sweden was our second wonderful holiday with Natural High. From the moment you speak to them to when you get home the service and attention to detail is wonderful.
Everything is so well planned and organised that you can just sit back and really enjoy your holiday. We couldn’t recommend husky sledding in the north of Sweden more. We all agreed it was one of the best family holidays ever."
