Responsible tourism in Rwanda
Our Rwanda Vacations
Rwanda highlights, tailor made tour
Enjoy highlights of this amazing place with a turbulent past
Rwanda highlights tour
Chimpanzee tracking, gorilla trekking & Lake Kivu relaxation
Rwanda primates & Mafia Island vacation
Trek to mountain gorillas, then relax by the Indian Ocean
Gorilla trekking in Uganda and Rwanda
Incredible wildlife experience in Uganda and Rwanda
Primate tour in Rwanda and Uganda
Track down mountain gorillas and chimps in Uganda & Rwanda
3 day Rwanda gorilla safari
A gorilla safari taking in some of Rwanda’s iconic locations
Tailor made safari, gorillas, Masai Mara & Zanzibar
Gorilla trekking in Rwanda, safari in Kenya, plus Zanzibar
Gorilla and chimpanzee tracking vacation in Rwanda
A great trip when short on time but want to see gorillas
Rwanda tour and luxury gorilla safari
Hike, bike and canoe through Rwanda's incredible parks
Rwanda tour, tailor made
Trekking through beautiful national parks, home to Gorillas.
Wheelchair accessible gorilla tracking in Rwanda
A gorilla safari taking in some of Rwanda’s iconic locations
Rwanda and Tanzania tailor made vacation
No need to look further for a safari of lifetime memories.
Gorillas and big game, Nairobi to Kigali tour
See classic African game
Rwanda, Uganda and Kenya camping safari, gorillas & the Mara
See gorillas in Rwanda and the big five on the Masia Mara
3 Day Gorilla trekking vacation in Rwanda
A short but impactful gorilla safari in Rwanda
Rwanda kayaking vacation and gorilla safari
Incredible kayaking adventure on Lake Kivu
Gorilla safari in the DR Congo
Track the world’s largest gorillas in DR Congo.
Rwanda wildlife tour
A varied & exciting tour of Rwanda which will captivate you!
Rwanda luxury gorilla safari
Gorilla trekking with luxury lodge accommodation in Rwanda
4 day gorilla safari in Rwanda
Track gorillas in the land of a thousand hills
Cairo to Cape Town overland truck tour, the Nile route
Explore the length of Africa on this epic overland journey
Rwanda vacation, gorillas and wildlife adventure
Gorilla, Golden Monkey & chimp permits & trekking included
Gorilla tracking vacation in Rwanda
A unique safari taking in the wildlife highlights of Rwanda
Gorilla safari & vacation in Rwanda, tailormade
Dramatic scenery & gorilla tracking
People & culture in Rwanda
Peacetime sensitivity
It is vital to remember that Rwanda is still recovering from a civil war and the 1994 genocide in which approximately a million people were murdered. Between April and mid-July 1994, nearly 70 per cent of the Tutsi population was killed by Hutu extremists. Millions of people were displaced as the world looked on in horror. The grieving process will surely take more than a generation, so please don’t invade Rwandans’ privacy by asking probing questions about the country’s recent painful history. Many lost relatives and friends. People still don’t want to discuss it but try to move on.In 2004, just a decade after the genocide, the government banned ethnic distinctions. It has been wiped off ID cards and government forms, and no longer appears in school books, although the genocide is discussed as a way of learning from the past. This move to ban references to ethnicity has been controversial, but also considered necessary by many so that people are no longer defined as Hutu, Twa or Tutsi, but simply as Rwandan. As a visitor it is important, therefore, to note that discussing someone’s ethnicity is not only insensitive but also illegal.
Read up in advance of your travels to Rwanda about the history of the civil war and genocide and also visit the many memorial sites around the country. These include Kigali Genocide Museum and Memorial, Nyamata and Ntarama Genocide Memorials. Reading recommendations include:
The godfathers of the godfathers
The real captains of the successful conservation of gorillas in Rwanda’s national parks are the guides, trackers and porters. Over the years, there has been a history of community conflict when it comes to conservation, with gorillas being a lucrative source of income when sold for bushmeat. By training local communities as expert guides or offering employment as porters on treks, the tourism industry supports a much more sustainable way of earning a living. Some people do wonder where their hefty permit fee is going to, but hopefully this answers that question.Do consider hiring a porter when on a gorilla safari. There are always more porters than there is work, and many of the men and women will have walked miles to get there just to get a day’s work, so it is really worth using them. The going rate is about £9-£13 but people often tip on top of that as well, so please include that in your budget. As with all cases of wildlife conflict, we need to show local people that gorillas are worth more alive than dead. If your tour operator doesn’t encourage the use of a porter, question them on that, and just go for it anyway.
“The first time I used a porter to carry my daypack, I felt a bit ridiculous getting someone to carry such a small thing, until I started asking questions about why there were so many porters offering their services, and where they had come from, and then I realised that I would feel like a bit of an idiot if I didn’t use one now”.