Welcome to Rwanda the “Land of Thousand Hills” that was before famously known for the genocide massacre whereby so many people lost their lives in this tribe tragedy between the Hutu and Tutsi. Thanks to the current good government administration that has highly preached for oneness and today we have only Rwandese, “scraping off that and this tribe that one time cause this mess” and this has made the country to grow economically and social development and today stability is one service provided while on your Rwanda tour holidays.

Today, when you think of going to Africa for gorilla safari, this small and smartest country in the Central – East African block is known as the best primates (gorilla, chimps and wildlife tourism destination that are offered in the Volcanoes National Park, Nyungwe Forest National Park, Gishwati Forest National Reserve and the Akagera National Game Park.

If you are looking for the Rwanda tour, we are the masters at tailoring the best safari itineraries and they can be mid-range or luxury Rwanda tours. After exploring Rwanda, you can combine it with the magical Kenya! Kenya is a country in East Africa with coastline on the Indian Ocean.

It encompasses savannah, Lake and Lands, the dramatic Great Rift Valley and mountain highlands. It’s also home to wildlife like Lions, Elephants, Buffaloes, Leopards and Rhinos. From Nairobi, the capital city, travelers on Kenya safaris visit various tourist places not forgetting the Maasai Mara National Reserve, known for its annual wildebeest migrations, and Amboseli National Park, offering a scenic view of Tanzania’s 5,895m Mt. Kilimanjaro.

I and my family members in a group of 12 couples planned our trip to Kenya last year in June 2024, and as it was our first time to visit Africa, we could not think that it is possible to trust Africans from the scaring information that we had received before online.

But with our long research from various travel guides we found some reviews of different past travelers and our friend Patricia from California in the States, was among them and she was talking positively to Moses a travel expert in East Africa basically offering the best luxury tours in Rwanda and very reliable to combine our safari itinerary with the Kenya side.

At first she took a trip in Uganda and Rwanda exploring the mountain gorillas on 12 day trip and thereafter, a year she planned for her daughter “Maia” a birthday holiday and the daughter chose Kenya as best destination she should go and then Moses through his company that offers Ecotours in East Africa organized the best birth day 10 day safari in Kenya which was so amazing from arrangement in office up to the end in the field as the safari guide “Geoffrey” was so informative and the suitable Land Cruiser Extended Safari Jeep customized for wildlife viewing on the various game drives they took in all Kenya safari parks.

Thereafter, with this confidence from our friends we started serious planning of our luxury safari in Kenya and this time we changed to start with Rwanda such that we could have an opportunity to see the great apes in the mist.

Though our friends stayed in mid-range lodges we opted for the more luxurious eco-friendly safari lodges and camps in Rwanda and Kenya with the good chain managed to arrange for us very affordable 13-day safari package visiting Rwanda’ Volcanoes National Park and Kenya National Park and Reserves.

To take through our luxury 13-day Rwanda Kenya tour looked like, started with our arrival in Kigali and this is the best smartest city in East Africa. Here upon our arrival our safari guide was already at the Kigali International Airport, picked and transferred to the Kigali Serena Hotel for an overnight stay. This hotel it is located in the middle of the Kigali city and with the cool environment and offering the nice night lighting view of the city landscapes.

Today, after breakfast with our leisurely safari jeeps we started our journey to the Akagera National Game Park and reaching at the park gate the formal registration and entry clearance takes places with the guide as you relax and stretch your legs before you jump into again in the jeep, after this start en-route game drive looking for the African wildlife, birds and the scrubs.

Drive to the point where we met with the Magashi Camp representative and the speed boat to cruise to the Magashi Camp for the hot lunch. Later-on in the evening we spent the time at the camp trying to relax and retrieve the minds after the long journeys covered within the few days we have traveled from United States and around Rwanda.

At this exclusive and wilderness camp in the Akagera National Game Park and being eco-friendly set the shores of the Lake we stayed some good times to relax. Here we spent 4-days and 4-nights and our guide Emma was on leave waiting for us when we will leave this camp and whatever experience we wanted was taken by the camps jeeps and the experienced guide and park rangers and when you compare the camp guide and our safari guide were same as far as being informed about the wildlife and the country at large.

The next day with our leisure drive, to the Wilderness Magashi Camp speed boat brought us back to the meet point of our guide and punctual was he we found him already waiting for us to connect back to the Kigali city. Since today we never had a tight program Emma and colleague were driving at the low speed and always taking care of us.

Upon arrival at Kigali, we check-in the Kigali Serena Hotel for refreshment and then lunch, then in the evening we visited the Kigali genocide memorial, Kimironko local market, Caplaki craft center and later we drove back to the hotel and relax as we wait for our dinner with our guide accompanied.

Have breakfast, after we visited the Nyamirambo Women’s Centre and here it is practical center of the local projects like the sewing of clothes within the vulnerable women’s and girls that fail to make it higher to schools in Rwanda. When you visit you get the uniquely personal insight into the culture, history, and daily life this community. Therefore, while on your visit to Rwanda don’t leave the country minus visiting this initiative that is empowering women’s.

Have lunch, after embark the jeeps and transfer to the one and only Volcanoes National Park famously known for the mountain gorillas in the mist. After checking in at Wilderness Bisate Lodge, the evening is so much suitable to understand the mountain gorillas and the habitat and with this you will have to visit the Dian Fossey Museum and Campus in the Musanze province.

By visiting this museum and campus you will be oriented about all the advocacy conservation work of Dian Fossey an American primatologist that she did towards the protection of the great apes in the Virunga Mountain slopes before she was murdered by the militia around the mount Karisoke.

If you have enough time in Rwanda you can hike to the Dian Fossey grave yards at the Karisoke research center and this experience cost $75 per person and requires to be fit enough walking through the rough terrains in the Virunga massifs to access her burial place.

We spent 3-night’s stay at Wilderness Bisate Lodge and this is another home gate away. It is eco-friendly set at the foothills of the park and here you get closer view of the forest canopies. In our grass thatched and galvanized wood roof cottages you will feel the very nice and spacious living here for the 3-nights. From this eco-friendly Wilderness Bisate Lodge enjoy the gorilla trekking safari on 07-day experience in the mist.

The best of the Volcanoes National Park offers various gorilla trekking experiences from the normal trekking of $1500 per person in a group of 08 people. Then for the luxurious experiences you can take the personalized & exclusive mountain gorilla visits for a requested targeted gorilla family and this cost US$ 15,000. Or the Behind the scenes for a minimum of 3 visitors for 3 consecutive days and this costs US$ 30,000.

More so if you are looking for the discounted gorilla trekking experience you can take the other options and these you have to travel during the low season – December to May and visiting 02 or 03 Rwanda parks and you can get a 30% permit of $1050 per person and then for those on MICE tourism can enjoy the 15% permit at $1275 per person.

Or either way you can encounter double gorilla safari. That is visiting the gorilla trekking experience twice and visiting two different gorilla families in 2 days. After the gorilla tourism you can also encounter the golden monkey tracking and after relax to the lodge or drive back to Kigali.

Early morning breakfast, after either from Volcanoes or Kigali you will proceed to Kigali International Airport and depart to Nairobi. Upon arrival you will be picked up and transferred to Hemingway’s Hotel – Nairobi.  Retire with lunch and from this luxury hotel relax as you wait for your flight from Wilson Airport to Maasai Mara National Game Reserve.

Maasai Mara National Game Reserve will offer you the full exposure of great wildebeest and the African big5 and much more wildlife, birds and beautiful landscapes and staying 3-nights at Angama Mara Camp that is suitably and eco-friendly set at the foothills of the conservation area of the Mara. Since our trip was on a 13-day Rwanda Kenya tour after Mara we had to take again the Air Kenya back to Nairobi for overnight before traveling back to the States.

After, a long communication with our safari organizer “Moses” we had to wire the deposit to him for the clear arrangement of the safari lodges and exclusive camps and we thought this could be so hard but it was so ease to send money to their company account and after few days of receiving the deposit the accounts department issued us a confirmation captured receipt which gave us more trust in the company.

With our extreme excitement about our safari, we arrived early in Nairobi and we arrived around noon with Qatar Airlines and reaching to the arrival terminal lounge Geoffrey, our safari guide was already waiting for us with the extended safari jeep and after the warm welcome drove to our Hemingway’s Hotel – Nairobi, Kenya and we spent the whole day at the hotel relaxing in our outdoor swimming pool at Hemingway’s Hotel – Nairobi. The pool is heated to a consistently perfect temperature for you to exercise.

Thereafter, on the following day we took an amazing Nairobi city tour visiting the Giraffe Centre, Sheldrik elephant center, Karen Blixen Museum, roof of KICC, Kibera, National Museum. Later we drove back to our hotel of stay in Nairobi.

Kenya being a destination with compelling tourists’ attractions, our safari journey embarked on the visit to the Maasai Mara National Game Reserve which offers the scenic view of the landscapes and wildlife viewing and which not to miss is the heard of elephants on various game drives that we had in this park and here we had humble stay at the Angama Mara Camp with a beautiful location in the conservation that offers you unforgettable memorable experiences during your holiday in Kenya.

Since Maasai Mara National Game Reserve was our wildlife safari climax, we spent full 4 day/3 nights in this park and we explored various tourist activities from game drives, walking safaris, cultural trips and then the balloon safaris. We spent overnight stay at Angama Mara Camp that is nestled at the heart of its own private conservancy, this luxury camp offers a classic under canvas for your stay during this amazing Kenya safari experience.

This camp is surrounded by rolling savannah, habiting wildlife, and it blends with nature and viable of Masai culture that you can experience during the stay in Maasai Mara National Reserve. On our stay at this exclusive camp, you feel luxury comfortability in the jungle.

Thereafter, being filled the luxurious Kenya wilderness back to Nairobi at the Carnivore Restaurant for the dinner and later overnight stay at Hemingway’s Hotel – Nairobi, Kenya and then in the morning we were dropped to the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport for our flight back home!