Famous for the large population of Mountain Gorilla that reside in Volcanoes National Park, Rwanda is also home to Golden Monkey that you can track and watch while they go about their business. There are also chimpanzee living in Nyungwe, two groups have been habituated and offer the chance to observe them at close range.
It is possible to combine your gorilla or chimpanzee trek with a traditional safari in Akagera National Park. The savannah landscape offers the chance to find the big five as well as hippos and crocodiles. Although the game is not as abundant as it is in Kenya or Tanzania, the government investment into the park is paying off and it is improving year on year. There are less tourists to this unique park and the sense of satisfaction in supporting their conservation efforts make it a worthwhile visit.
Kigali is Rwanda’s capital and largest city, located in the centre of the country and surrounded by rolling hills and steep valleys. This thriving and lively city offers fantastic hotels and restaurants against the backdrop of the towering Kigali Mountain.
An inescapable part of Rwanda’s history is the devastating 1994 genocide that rocked the country and the world. More than 20 years on, we can reflect on this atrocity and better understand what happened through a visit to the genocide memorial, a simple whitewashed building set among the mass graves of the 250,000 victims of brutal tribal massacres.
Rwanda is green and fertile and enjoys a temperate climate. The people are incredibly friendly and hospitable. Although geographically small Rwanda has a huge heart and is extremely diverse comprising magnificent mountains, ancient forest, bamboo, tea plantations, the huge fresh-water Lake Kivu with its pretty beaches as well as savanna plains in the South West making it a wonderful compact and vibrant destination.
Volcanoes National Park in northwestern Rwanda is the home of the mountain gorilla and the golden monkey, and was the base for the primatologist Dian Fossey. Mountain gorilla trekking at the Volcanoes National Park involves hiking up a steep volcano through dense bamboo jungle in search of one of the gorilla families. Encountering these primates is considered one of the most exciting and memorable Wildlife encounters in Africa.
Akagera National Park in Rwanda is an amazing conservation success story. It is Central Africa’s largest protected wetland and the last remaining refuge for savannah-adapted species in Rwanda.
From the verdant sparkling waterways of the Okavango Delta to the arid expanse of the great Kalahari, Botswana is a land of great contrast. This precious, peaceful country offers a plethora of luxury accommodation as well as exhilarating mobile camping and tranquil house boat accommodation.
Safaris in Zambia are popular for the abundance of wildlife, exceptionally high standards of guiding and the opportunity to visit Livingstone and the Victoria Falls as well as a world class walking safaris and less crowded national parks.
Zimbabwe has emerged from a period of unrest to once again welcome visitors and re-take its place as one of the world’s leading safari destinations. Zimbabwe has a long history of safari and offers some wonderfully situated luxury and mid-range camps and lodges in its huge national parks.
The largest country in East Africa. Tanzania is diverse, there are over 120 different languages spoken, its history stretches back millions of years, with some of the earliest human fossils having been discovered in Olduvai Gorge. The wildlife is plentiful and spectacular and includes opportunities to see chimpanzee, elephant, zebra and dolphin among so many others.
The original birthplace of the safari, Kenya is stunningly beautiful and offers incredible game viewing as well as picturesque white sandy beaches lapped by azure waters. The infrastructure is reliable and the people are friendly and welcoming, the range of accommodation is broad, from remote, intimate, rustic camps to luxurious hotels with exquisite décor.
Breathtakingly beautiful, Uganda stands out from its drier neighbours Kenya and Tanzania for its incredibly fertile crater lake landscape. In contrast to nearby savannah landscapes the lakes provide plentiful life-sustaining water to the flora and fauna and are topped up by two good rainy seasons each year.
Famous for never-ending, pristine dunes, the white salt pans of Etosha, the ship wrecks along the Skeleton Coast, the dramatic Fish River Canyon and the gentle Himba people. Namibia is vast and sparsely populated giving you the space to be at one with nature and the spectacular landscapes.
Egypt has seduced travellers for millennia, situated in the North East corner of the continent it is intersected by the great Nile River which was once the most important trade route between the Mediterranean and East Africa. The ancient passage of people and produce introduced a wealth of religions, culture and cuisine that we find in Egypt today.
South Africa has wild, remote deserts, fertile valleys, world-class vineyards, vibrant modern cities, and exceptional game parks. The Kruger and Sabi Sand are the jewel in South Africa’s safari crown and offer some of the best game viewing in Africa while there are a host of other smaller parks and reserves in the Northern Provinces and Eastern Cape to explore.