In the heart of Central Africa, so high up that you shiver more than you sweat, are great, old volcanoes towering up almost 15,000 feet, and nearly covered with rich, green rainforest - the Virungas - home of the rare mountain gorilla. Drive from Kigali airport to the Park des Volcanoes where you will be based for your gorilla trek. A full day in the Virunga mountains gives you the opportunity to visit with mankinds closest relative. The mountain gorilla shares 97% of human DNA. On your second day at the park, seek the equally rare golden monkies (or pay for an additional day of gorilla trekking). Option to visit the Dian Fossey's grave. Return on your final day for a city tour and visit to a genocide memorial. Enjoy as a standalone africa vacation or as an addition to a safari.

NOTE: Gorilla permit fees are sold on a first come first served basis. Once your permits are booked we require a $500 per permit non refundable deposit. The park authority/management reserves the right to cancel any permit without any refund or further reference.

Day 1
Nairobi - Parc National des Volcans
Airport transfer with private vehicle and guide. Take your flight from Nairobi to Kigali today. The flight duration is approximately 1hr 30mins. Transfer to/from Volcanoes National Park with private vehicle and driver. Your guide will take you on a tour of the new and vibrant capital city of Kigali. The new posperity features a number of thriving markets and features the mountain terrain famous in Rwanda. A sober contrast to its recent history. For survivors and others whose families were murdered in Rwanda´s genocide 1994, the Memorial sites and centres are places of dignified remembrance for loved ones lost. It is also a place of reflection and learning for the wider community, both in Rwanda and internationally. Includes Flying Doctors air ambulance emergency evacuation to Nairobi in the event of serious illness. Kensington Tours donates a portion of our proceeds to our charitable initiative www.kensingtoncares.com which supports education-based initiatives in disadvantaged communities. The Gorillas Nest Lodge is situated in Ruhengeri, at the base of the Virunga Mountains and near Kinigi Park Headquarters. The lodge is ideally positioned for those who want to watch animals in their habitat, specifically the endangered Rwanda Mountain Gorillas that still roam these areas. With 20 double rooms and 2 suites, the Gorillas Nest welcomes guests from the world round to take part in the fascinating gorilla tracking activities. Share in the cuisine of Rwanda, which is served with the hospitality for which we all return to African countries. Take walks, learn more about the gorillas, and absorb the gorgeous surrounding landscape. Nairobi is the least expensive arrival city for flights with a full range of hotels and local attractions. Dubbed the “Safari Capital of the World” cool, clear and cosmopolitan Nairobi is the natural departure point for most safari itineraries. A city of contrasts, it is simultaneously the largest, the youngest, the most modern, the highest (1700m) and the fastest growing city in East Africa. High-altitude Nairobi enjoys a pleasant tropical climate all year round. There are ATMs and banks to stock up on cash, great restaurants, and malls where you can purchase any forgotten items.

Day 2
Parc National des Volcans
The Park des Volcanoes is located in the Virunga Mountains, a magnificent chain of dormant volcanoes in the North of the country, and home to the world´s last surviving mountain Gorilla populations, currently a mere 700 individuals. A full day trek with your guide through the park is a reasonably strenuous activity which can last the morning or all day as you seek out the gorilla families. Viewing time is limited to one hour, and only 8 maximum are allowed per group. Visitors are asked to maintain a distance of 7m (about 22 feet) from the gorillas. Kids under age 15, or people sick with a cold, flu or other contagious illness, are not allowed to visit the gorillas. PERMITS MUST BE PAID IN FULL AT TIME OF CONFIRMATION AND ARE NON REFUNDABLE. Overnight at Gorilla Nest Lodge. Ranging in altitude from 2400km to 4,507 the Volcanoes National Park (French: Parc National des Volcans) is dominated by the setting of volcanoes after which it is named. Best known to the outside world as the place where for almost 20yrs the American primatologist Dian Fossey under took her pioneering studies of mountain gorilla behaviour. Day hikes to see the gorilla families can be strenuous on tracks climbing through the forest, and time is very limited once contact is made with the gorilla families. It is a rare and memorable experience to visit with these giant cousins of man.

Day 3
Parc National des Volcans
Trekking through the national park to view the rare species of Golden Monkeys. Only open for visitors since June 2003, enjoy a rare treat watching these unique primates play and perform in the forest. (Optional extra day gorilla trekking - $500pp additional cost for day permit) Overnight at Gorilla Nest Lodge.

Day 4
Kigali
Transfer to/from Volcanoes National Park with private vehicle and driver. Take your flight from Kigali to Nairobi today. The flight duration is approximately 1 hr and 30mins. Depart from Kigali international airport - end of itinerary. Kigali is the capital and largest city of Rwanda. It is situated in the centre of the nation, and has been the economic, cultural, and transport hub of Rwanda since it became capital at independence in 1962. Beginning on April 6, 1994, Kigali was the scene of the Rwandan Genocide — the slaughter of approximately one million Tutsi and moderate Hutu by Hutu militias (interahamwe), and some members of the Rwandan army. The genocide memorials are a moving testament to this tragic history.