Archives: Destinations

Rwanda is an essential stop on any African journey. Fondly known as the “land of a thousand hills,” it is a country of warm hospitality, breathtaking scenery, rare and unusual wildlife, peaceful seclusion, and deeply rewarding cultural experiences.

Quick Facts

Capital	Kigali
Best time to visit	December–February and June–September
Parks & reserves	3 national parks and 1 game reserve
Time difference	GMT+2
Currency	Rwandan Franc
Population	Approximately 13.28 million (2021 estimate)

Why Visit Rwanda
Lakeside relaxation · Gorilla trekking · Cultural tours · Game drives · Birding · Guided nature walks · Volcano climbing

More About Rwanda

Rwanda carries a profound history. The 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi unfolded over roughly 100 days, and its memory remains deeply felt by survivors today. Visitors are warmly welcomed, and are encouraged to honour the victims and respect the memory of all who were lost.

There are countless reasons to visit: unwinding beside the lakes, trekking mountain gorillas, cultural tours, game drives, birding, guided nature walks and volcano climbing.

Captivating Mountain Gorilla Treks
Rwanda’s mountain gorilla treks take place in Volcanoes National Park in the northwest, home to five of the eight Virunga volcanoes. This is the land made famous by the pioneering researcher Dian Fossey, and a visit to her tomb and the work of the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund is a moving addition to any gorilla trekking journey.

World-Class Volcano Climbing
The Virunga volcanoes offer some of Africa’s finest climbing. Mount Karisimbi, the highest of the range, is a two-day ascent, while Mount Bisoke can be climbed in around 6–7 hours, rewarding hikers with its crater lake at the summit. Sabyinyo, Gahinga and Muhabura complete the chain. In the south, Nyungwe Forest offers 13 hiking trails through one of Africa’s oldest rainforests.

Other Primates
Beyond the gorillas, Rwanda is a primate paradise. Chimpanzee treks, golden monkey tracking and Angolan colobus monkey treks are all on offer, with Nyungwe Forest alone sheltering around 13 primate species.

Kigali
Rwanda’s clean and vibrant capital rewards exploration, from city tours and birding to art shopping at the Inema Art Centre, Niyo Art Gallery and Ivuka Arts Centre. Visit the Kandt House natural history museum and browse the lively Kimironko Market.

Cultural Communities
Cultural tours can include the Gorilla Guardian Village, Kagano Village, the Humure Refugee Village, the Ubumwe Community and the Nyange Community — genuine encounters with Rwandan life and resilience.

Akagera National Park
In the east, Akagera is Rwanda’s Big Five destination, its savannah, lakes and wetlands home to lions, rhinos, elephants, buffaloes, leopards, Rothschild’s giraffes, warthogs, topis, kobs, Burchell’s zebras, hippos and crocodiles.

Lake Kivu
One of Africa’s great lakes, Lake Kivu offers watersports, beachfront relaxation, fishing, and gentle nature walks the perfect place to unwind between adventures.

Birding
Rwanda is a birder’s delight, with rewarding birding across Volcanoes, Akagera, and Nyungwe National Parks, along the shores of Lake Kivu, around Kigali, and in wetlands throughout the country.

Experiences
Batwa Cultural Experience · Canopy Walk · Hot Air Balloon Safari · Dian Fossey Tomb Hike · Iby’Iwacu Cultural Village · Gorilla Trekking · Chimpanzee Tracking

Tanzania is where the African safari was born a vast, varied country of endless plains, volcanic craters, snow-capped peaks, and spice-scented islands. It is home to the Great Migration, the Serengeti, Ngorongoro and Kilimanjaro, yet also offers wild, uncrowded southern parks, remote chimpanzee forests and the white-sand beaches of Zanzibar. Few countries on earth hold so much within their borders.

Quick Facts

Capital	Dodoma (Dar es Salaam is the largest city)
Best time to visit	June to October, with January to February for the calving season
Parks & reserves	22 national parks, the Ngorongoro Conservation Area and numerous game reserves
Time difference	GMT+3
Currency	Tanzanian Shilling
Population	Approximately 61.7 million (2022 census)

Why Visit Tanzania

The Great Migration — Tanzania’s Serengeti hosts the greatest wildlife spectacle on earth, as more than a million wildebeest and hundreds of thousands of zebra move in a year-round cycle, from the calving season in the south to the dramatic Mara River crossings in the north.

Big game and the Big Five — Tanzania is home to all of the Big Five, with the Ngorongoro Crater among the best places in Africa to see them in a single day, including the endangered black rhino. Tarangire and Ruaha are renowned for their elephants, and Lake Manyara for its tree-climbing lions.

Beyond the plains — The remote western parks of Mahale and Gombe offer rare wild-chimpanzee encounters, while the coast and the Zanzibar Archipelago bring white-sand beaches, coral reefs and the historic lanes of Stone Town.

Spectacular scenery — From the snows of Kilimanjaro and the Ngorongoro Crater to the baobab plains of Tarangire and the turquoise Indian Ocean, Tanzania’s landscapes are among the most varied in Africa.

Rich culture — A land of more than 120 ethnic groups, Tanzania offers genuine cultural encounters with the Maasai of the northern plains and the Hadzabe hunter-gatherers of Lake Eyasi.

Experiences
Game drives, hot air balloon safaris over the Serengeti, Kilimanjaro treks, walking and night safaris, chimpanzee trekking, Maasai and Hadzabe cultural visits, and Zanzibar’s beaches, diving and Stone Town.

Kenya is where the safari was born, and it remains Africa at its most iconic — a country of golden savannahs, snow-capped peaks, flamingo-pink lakes and palm-fringed Indian Ocean beaches. From the big cats of the Maasai Mara and the elephants of Amboseli beneath Kilimanjaro, to the rare northern species of Samburu and the coral reefs of the coast, Kenya offers the complete African journey in a single, accessible country.

Quick Facts

Capital	Nairobi
Best time to visit	June to October and January to February
Parks & reserves	Over 50 national parks and reserves, plus numerous community conservancies
Time difference	GMT+3
Currency	Kenyan Shilling
Population	Approximately 55 million (2024 estimate)

Why Visit Kenya

The Great Migration — From roughly July to October, the Maasai Mara hosts the climax of the Great Migration, as over a million wildebeest and zebra cross the Mara River in one of the planet’s greatest wildlife spectacles.

Big cats and the Big Five — Kenya is home to all of the Big Five and is renowned as the big-cat capital of Africa, with the Mara offering some of the finest lion, cheetah and leopard viewing anywhere.

Iconic landscapes — From the elephants of Amboseli framed by Kilimanjaro to the flamingos of the Rift Valley lakes and the red earth of Tsavo, Kenya’s scenery is unmistakable.

Culture — Kenya is home to more than 40 communities, and respectful encounters with the Maasai and Samburu offer a genuine window into enduring ways of life.

Safari and sea — Few countries combine a world-class safari so easily with a beach finale, from Diani and Watamu to the ancient Swahili island of Lamu.

Birding — With over 1,100 recorded species, Kenya is one of the world’s premier birding destinations.

Experiences
Game drives, hot air balloon safaris over the Mara, walking safaris in the conservancies, night drives, cultural visits to Maasai and Samburu communities, birding, and Indian Ocean beaches, diving and dhow sailing.

Uganda is a land where rainforest meets savannah — a country of extraordinary wildlife, prolific birdlife, deep culture and rich history. Beyond its famous parks, Uganda rewards the curious traveller with museums, memorable food and some of the finest birding on the continent.

Quick Facts

Capital	Kampala
Best time to visit	December to February and June to September
Parks & reserves	10 national parks and 11 game reserves
Time difference	GMT+3
Currency	Ugandan Shilling
Population	Approximately 47.2 million (2021 estimate)

Why Visit Uganda

Mountain gorillas — Around half of the world’s 1,063 remaining wild mountain gorillas live in Uganda. Gorilla permits here are more affordable than in neighbouring countries, and semi-habituated gorilla experiences (habituation) are also available.

Other wildlife — Beyond the gorillas, Uganda is home to chimpanzees, lions, elephants, leopards, cheetahs, rhinos, hippos, golden and colobus monkeys and much more. With over 1,080 bird species across 33 Important Bird Areas, it is one of Africa’s great birding destinations. Queen Elizabeth and Lake Manyara are the only two places on earth to see tree-climbing lions.

Friendly people — Ugandans are known for being warm, welcoming and genuinely hospitable.

Spectacular scenery — From the snow-capped Rwenzori Mountains and the Sempaya hot springs to the thunder of Murchison Falls, the plains of Kidepo and the shores of Lake Victoria, Uganda’s landscapes are endlessly varied.

And more — A true cultural melting pot, Uganda is also one of Africa’s safer, more uncrowded safari destinations, and welcoming to budget-conscious travellers.

Experiences
Batwa Cultural Experience, birdwatching, chimpanzee tracking, gorilla trekking and gorilla habituation, the Dian Fossey Tomb hike, hot-air balloon safaris, and the Iby’Iwacu Cultural Village.