Destination
Rwanda
Small, orderly and startlingly green. Rwanda puts a gorilla trek within three hours of an international airport, which makes it the shortest serious safari in Africa.
Where to go
Five places worth the drive
Volcanoes National Park
Twelve habituated gorilla families on the Virunga slopes, two and a half hours from Kigali. Also golden monkeys, and the Dian Fossey research site on a steep two-hour walk up.
Best: Jun – Sep, Dec – Feb
Nyungwe Forest
One of Africa's oldest montane rainforests: chimpanzees, a hundred-metre canopy walkway, and thirteen primate species including huge colobus troops.
Best: Jun – Sep
Akagera National Park
Rwanda's savannah park on the Tanzanian border, restocked with lion and rhino over the last decade and now a genuine Big Five destination.
Best: Jun – Sep
Lake Kivu
A bilharzia-free lake with no crocodiles or hippos, which makes it the rare African lake you can swim in. Two nights here is the right way to end a trek.
Best: Year-round
Kigali
Worth a night rather than a transfer. The Genocide Memorial is difficult and important, and the coffee, food and craft markets are the best in the region.
Best: Year-round
When to travel
There is no bad month, only trade-offs
The dry season concentrates animals at water and fills the camps. The green season empties the parks of vehicles, drops prices by a third, and asks you to accept afternoon rain.
If a month does not suit what you want to see, we will tell you before you book rather than after.
Dec – Feb
Short dry season
Warm days, firm trails, clear volcano views. Along with June to September, the easiest trekking of the year.
Mar – May
Long rains
The wettest months, and the greenest. Permits are available at short notice and lodges cut rates by up to forty percent.
Jun – Sep
Long dry season
Peak season. Trails are dry and permits sell out months ahead, particularly around the annual naming ceremony in September.
Oct – Nov
Short rains
Afternoon showers, few other visitors, and excellent value at the high-end lodges around Volcanoes.
Rwanda itineraries
All tours
Practical
Before you fly
Getting there
Kigali is served daily from Europe and the Gulf, and the drive to the Volcanoes trailheads takes under three hours on good tarmac.
Permits
Gorilla permits are $1,500, limited to eight people per family per day. Low-season discounts apply for stays of three nights or more.
Health
Yellow fever certificate required. Malaria risk is lower than in neighbouring countries but prophylaxis is still advised.
Rules to know
Single-use plastic bags are banned and confiscated at the airport. Photography of government buildings is not permitted.
What to pack
Waterproofs, gaiters, gloves and broken-in boots. Lodges launder daily, so pack less than you think.
Trek fitness
Treks range from ninety minutes to five hours at altitude. Families are allocated by fitness on the morning, so say what you can manage.