Just Back From: Rwanda

For this installment, I caught up with last week’s guest about the second leg of her African adventure. After a safari in Tanzania, she and her family traveled to Kigali, Rwanda, where they stayed at Singita Kwitonda Lodge. She and her family managed to get within a few feet of the gorillas on their trek, finding the experience absolutely incredible.

On arrival:

We took two flights—the first was forty-five minutes, the second an hour—to get from Mwiba to Kigali. 

On Kigali & The Retreat:

When we landed in Kigali, we went straight to the Genocide Memorial, which is definitely worth seeing. The museum has a self-guided audio tour, so you don’t need a guide. Afterward, we checked into The Retreat for the night, which I found to be mediocre, although it is the go-to hotel in the area. 

The Retreat had a pool, which was nice for relaxing, and two restaurants. Fusion, their Asian fusion restaurant, had decent food, but we found the African restaurant Heaven disappointing—the food was just bad. If you do stay at The Retreat or visit Kigali, I’d recommend sticking to the Asian fusion restaurant.

On arrival at the Singita Kwitonda:

After a night at The Retreat, we headed straight to Singita Kwitonda Lodge. There are two ways to get there from Kigali. The first is a long, three-hour drive, which we did. Due to the winding roads, it wasn’t very enjoyable. If you can manage it, I’d recommend flying into Kigali, clearing customs, and then taking a 20-minute helicopter ride directly to your hotel. This way, you avoid the long drive and get to your destination in comfort. On the way back, you can drive and stop at the Genocide Memorial before heading to the airport for your departure. I do not think guests need to spend a full night in Kigali; taking the helicopter and then stopping at the Genocide Memorial at the close of your trip is the way to go. 

We arrived at Singita Kwitonda by 11:30 AM, which gave us plenty of time to settle in. Our rooms weren’t ready yet, so we went on a tour of the property, got fitted in our gear, and had a fantastic lunch.

Tip—The lodge provides everything you need for the gorilla trek—boots, gaiters, jackets, and gloves, so you don’t have to worry about packing extra gear. Even people who are particular about wearing their own gear were impressed by the quality of what was provided. Cloud hiking boots were available in every size, and they were very comfortable. It’s worth noting that the hikes are muddy, so we used the provided gear rather than our own hiking pants. The lodges did laundry every night, so there was no need to bring extra clothes.

On the rooms: 

The rooms at Singita Kwitonda Lodge are unbelievable. There are eight in total, and we stayed in rooms 3, 6, and 8. If you’re traveling with a family, I’d recommend rooms 1, 2, and 3, as they offer space and privacy.

Room 3 had a particularly stunning view. All of the rooms had large glass windows, but I thought room 3 had the best vantage point, offering views of every volcano from nearly every angle. It was breathtaking. The rooms themselves are top-notch, with a massage table in the dressing area and an amazing bathtub. The outdoor shower was also a highlight.

Amenities & activities:

Activities (and meals) at Singita are all-inclusive, and there’s plenty to do. You can go on a guided hike of the property, visit the beautiful garden, or enjoy pottery, painting, and yoga—all of which are included.

The one thing I found surprising was that there isn’t a gym yet, though I’ve been told they’re building one. Honestly, after a day of hiking, you probably won’t be thinking about going to the gym, but it’s still a little odd for a property of this caliber. There’s also no dedicated spa, but they do offer in-room massages.

Gorilla Trekking:

If you’re visiting for the gorillas, I highly recommend going on two separate days to see two different gorilla families. It’s amazing to see the contrast between them.

Singita also offers a day trip to see chimpanzees or other wild monkeys. However, people we met who did the trip said it was a bit underwhelming, so if you’re considering an extra day, I’d suggest opting for one of the amazing full-day hikes. 

There are two ways to do the gorilla trek: a private or a group trek. A private trek is possible if your group has up to eight people, as that is the maximum allowed in a group. If you have a group of nine or more, you will need to split up. 

• The gorilla permits cost $1,500 per person per day, and these must be booked well in advance.

• For a family of five, this meant $7,500 (1,500 x 5)

• If you are doing a private (for 8), it would be $12,000

• Even if your group has fewer than 8 people, you still have to buy out the entire group to have a private trek. 

The main benefit of booking a private trek is that they pick you up directly from your hotel. I can see another plus of the private trek being that you won’t be grouped with hikers who go at a different pace, as you all must stay together on the trek. 

We did not do the private trek. We left our hotel around 6:30 or 7:00 AM, then drove about ten minutes to the gorilla headquarters. Once there, the guide asked whether we wanted a short, medium, or long hike.

Tip—No matter your fitness level, everyone should pick the short hike, as the trails are difficult. Your primary goal is to see the gorillas, not to conquer the hike. 

Also, if you can request a specific guide, request Jolie! We thought she was exceptional!

Some gorilla families are located a two-hour drive away, but I preferred to keep the drive and the hike short. We ended up with a 30-minute drive and a 45-minute hike, though we did have a 45-minute walk to reach the National Park where the hike began.

Trackers monitor the gorillas' locations and, by 6 a.m., radio guides with updates, giving a general idea of where each family is, and then the guides lead groups toward the specific area based on this information.

Upon arrival, for $10 a day, you can hire a porter to carry your day pack. Each pack contained food (since the hike could vary in length), a hat, and extra layers for the weather. The hotel also provided hiking sticks, which we found helpful.

We began our hike, which was about 1 hour and 15 minutes.  When we were about 5 to 7 minutes from the gorillas, we left the porters with our bags and food, as it's important to avoid carrying anything near the gorillas. We also put on face masks, similar to COVID masks, and took only our cameras and phones. At that point, we were joined by the trackers, and they bring you exactly to where the gorillas are using machetes to clear a path off the trail. After another five or ten minutes, we finally reached them.

 From then on, you have one hour with them. It is best to arrive early when the gorillas are still eating, as they are more active and easier to observe. On both days we visited, the gorillas were eating, which was lucky. We could sit and just watch them. After they finished eating, they would play and swing on the vines. The guides taught us sounds to communicate with them; we learned to recognize sounds that meant they were happy or that you should back away. It was great, and the guides were fantastic. After an hour, we hiked back to meet our porters, collected our bags, and made our way back down. We chose not to stop for lunch during the hike, as we wanted to return to the hotel for a nice meal. 

On post trek: 

In the afternoons, I initially thought I’d go for a walk or hike, but the exhaustion, both physical and mental, made me prefer relaxing. Some evenings, local musicians performed, but even on New Year’s Eve, we were in bed early, as we had to get up at 5:30 the following day. 

Final Thoughts:

The guides are highly trained, and it was an incredible experience. Everyone I know who has done the trek has successfully seen the gorillas, and the experience felt very safe.