GORILLAS OF COURSE... BUT ALSO SO MUCH MORE!

Most visitors come to Rwanda for the mountain gorillas. Many leave wishing they had allowed more time.

Of course, few wildlife encounters compare with spending an hour or more in the company of a gorilla family in Volcanoes National Park. Youngsters wrestle through tangled vines while an immense silverback watches over the group with peaceful authority, offering a rare glimpse into the lives of our closest wild relatives. Yet the gorillas are only part of Rwanda's story.

South of the volcanoes, the ancient montane forests of Nyungwe National Park shelter chimpanzees and a rich diversity of other primates. Draped across the surrounding hillsides, vivid green tea plantations give way to one of Africa's oldest rainforests, where orchids bloom beneath towering trees and misty mountains.

And beyond those forests lies Akagera National Park; an unexpected landscape of rolling savannas, lakes, and papyrus wetlands where the Big Five thrive, adding a classic safari experience to a country primarily known for primates. Morning game drives search for lions, elephants, rhinos, and buffalo, while afternoons can be spent on the water, drifting past hippos, basking crocodiles, and an abundance of birdlife.

Then, once you've explored Rwanda's wild places, spend a little time in Kigali, where contemporary galleries, exceptional restaurants, and elegant boutique hotels have helped make the capital one of Africa's most refined and enjoyable cities.

The mountain gorillas may be Rwanda's defining icon, but venture further and linger longer, and you’ll surely discover its a place worth thoroughly exploring.