Rwanda primates & national parks adventure

Planet

We operate this tour with a maximum group size of 12 travelers to minimize our impact on the culture and the environment where we visit.
Our guides help guests to view the wildlife in a responsible way (i.e. keeping minimum distances, not using camera flashes and not disturbing the animals).


Carbon Reduction:
To reduce carbon emissions, we use human-powered transport during some of our activities. This includes guided trekking activities through Volcanoes National Park on Days 8 and 9 as well as a trek through Nyungwe Forest National Park on Day 3.

We stay in lodges that are owned and operated by locals and that specialize in minimizing their environmental footprint, using sustainable materials where possible and maintaining eco-friendly practices to respect the nearby National Parks and wildlife areas. Food provided by lodges are locally-sourced and seasonal where possible.

Environment and Wildlife:
During this tour, we visit national parks like Volcanoes National Park and the Nyungwe Forest National Park, which both prioritize the surrounding environment and wildlife. Volcanoes National Park is a model for ecotourism and works hard to maintain the conservation of mountain gorillas in Rwanda. The protected area is also home to the Karisoke Research Center, which studies and protects endangered mountain gorillas. This tour also donates some of its proceeds to Gorilla Doctors, an organization providing life-saving veterinary care to mountain gorillas in Rwanda.

Nyungwe Forest National Park also maintains environmental conservation and wildlife protection as its staff conducts anti-poaching patrols and habitat restoration. The staff also works with local communities to educate and encourage conservation efforts with local leaders and leading schools.

All treks are led by expert guides from the local community, ensuring that we abide by ethical wildlife viewing practices. Our guides have spent years learning about their environment and the animals living in it. Our guides bring unparalleled passion for their land and for passing along knowledge to our guests.

We are in constant communication with our guides to ensure that our itineraries can be executed with the least amount of impact to the environment and to local wildlife.

People

Local Economy:
We only employ local guides for our safaris and stay at boutique, local accommodations. Several meals on our safari are prepared in the field by local chefs who use locally sourced food that is in season, showcasing local and regional recipes.

The few souvenir opportunities that are presented throughout the trip will be stops at local and native craft studios where you can often buy directly from the artisans, such as Handspun Hope and Red Rocks Cultural Centre.

We also visit a non-profit organization, Nyamirambo Women's Centre, that offers vocational training to local women as well as a local yarn production facility, Handspun Hope, that provides vocational and economic opportunities to women.

Employment, Inclusivity, and Diversity:
We employ local, expert guides to join us on this trip. We also visit local organizations like Nyamirambo Women's Centre, Handspun Hope, and Red Rocks Cultural Centre, creating income generating opportunities for local communities and provide donations to these organizations.