Meet the Relatives

Coming face to face with a quarter ton silverback is something you just have to do sometime in your life. If you’ll let us take you to Rwanda we’ll lead you through dense rainforests on the side of a huge volcano for an unforgettable appointment with these hairy relatives. You’ll spend an hour watching babies rolling around playing tag under the watchful eyes of some bamboo chewing mums. Then your adrenalin will kick in as the huge silverback gets up and strides towards you to take a closer look.

There are just 350 mountain gorillas in Rwanda’s Parc National des Volcans, and depending how fit you are you will be allocated the family near the bottom of the volcano (about 90 minutes trek) or the antisocial ones sitting five hours trek away on the top. We usually suggest you go on two treks to see two different families – each is completely different and the forest complex and varied.

The gorillas are a three hour journey on good roads from Kigali, the capital of Rwanda and Africa Exclusive provides you with your own private vehicle and guide so that you can explore forests, lakes, birdlife and farming villages between tracking gorillas. Also don’t miss the golden monkeys which skitter around playfully in the bamboo forests. We suggest you stay in the luxurious Sabyinyo Lodge with its roaring fires and super cuisine, or Virungas Lodge where you can enjoy spectacular views of the beautiful volcanic lakes.

You could see the gorillas in a long weekend as a short break, though a better idea is to make it part of a longer safari combining it with Tanzania, Kenya, or the coast.

It’s important to plan it carefully so be sure to call Laura or Paul at an early stage so we can design your perfect holiday.