Silver Monkey Safari
This eventful private guided safari includes 1 night in the bustling city of Kigali, a 2 night stay within Akagera National Park, and finishes with 3 nights on the borders of the dramatic Volcanoes National Park to observe the agile golden monkeys and the magnificent mountain gorillas
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Depart London Heathrow on your scheduled overnight flight with British Airways to Nairobi, and connect on to Kigali Airport, near Rwanda's capital. |
Your private guide with his/her private 4WD vehicle meets you on arrival and then accompanies you for the duration of your safari. It is only a brief drive through the busy streets of this attractive African capital to your hotel, where you spend 1 night at the comfortable … |
| Novotel Kigali Umubano (bed & breakfast) |
| The hotel is 5km from the centre of the city. If you wish to explore, then your guide can take you on a tour of Kigali city, perhaps including the Genocide Memorial. Alternatively relax in the hotel, perhaps enjoying its outdoor swimming pool and restaurant. |
After breakfast drive northeast of Kigali to Akagera National Park. It's about 2 hours' drive there, giving you time to appreciate the rural landscape and winding roads which lead through the hills, after all Rwanda is known as “the land of a thousand hills.” Reaching Akagera, stay 2 nights at… |
| Akagera Game Lodge (full board & activities) |
| Perched high on a hill, this lodge offers breathtaking views over Lake Ihema. It is a comfortable lodge with good facilities, including a swimming pool and restaurant. Boat trips are recommended and give you the chance to get close to huge pods of hippo, large crocodiles and to view the lake's birdlife. |
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After a leisurely breakfast, explore further into the national park which covers a network of wetlands to the east, mountains to the west and substantial grassland and woodland in between. Akagera is quieter than many of Africa's big-game parks, lending to it a wild, off-the-beaten-track feel – it's a good place for undisturbed bird-watching and game-spotting. |
| Akagera Game Lodge (full board & activities) |
| Game drives are possible in your private 4WD vehicle and allow you to really explore the park. Although vegetation here is often dense, there are many open plains where game-viewing is easy. Akagera is home to many animals, including elephant, roan antelope and zebra and, in the wet season, large herds of buffalo. |
In the morning, drive northwest for about 4 hours to reach the Volcanoes National Park, which protects a vast swathe of rugged mountains and foothills. This covers over 8,000km² and includes some of the last remaining Afromontane forest in the world. It's also home to the remarkable mountain gorillas. Stay here for a total of 3 nights at… |
| Mountain Gorillas Nest (full board & activities) |
| The lodge's rooms are comfortable and well-equipped, and it has its own restaurant; this is probably the best base in this area for exploring the park. |
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After a very early start, make your way into the park to track the golden monkeys. A visit with the monkeys lasts approximately 1 hour and each group contains a maximum of 6 visitors. Due to their timid nature, the rare golden monkeys can prove challenging to find, yet they're beautiful and well worth the search. |
| Mountain Gorillas Nest (full board & activities) |
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There's another early start before you spend a morning tracking directly to a group of enormous mountain gorillas. You receive a full briefing about them at the park's headquarters, and then begin your trek with an experienced tracker from the park. These intimidating yet charming primates are still under threat from poachers and deforestation, and so are under constant guard. |
| Mountain Gorillas Nest (full board & activities) |
| Because of the very close contact between gorillas and visitors (often as little as 7m), and the risk of passing on infections which are fatal for them, travellers who are ill will not be allowed on gorilla-tracking trips. |
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On your last morning on safari, drive south-east for roughly two hours towards Kigali, past villages of smiling children dotted throughout the rolling scenery. You reach Kigali Airport, and sadly bid farewell to your guide, in time to catch your flight to Nairobi and onward connection with British Airways back to London. |
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After a stimulating safari you arrive at London Heathrow early in the morning with plenty of time to make any necessary connections for your onward journey home. |
| From |
To |
Cost |
| 1-Jan-2008 |
18-Jul-2008 |
£2,554 |
| 19-Jul-2008 |
18-Aug-2008 |
£2,853 |
| 19-Aug-2008 |
14-Dec-2008 |
£2,554 |
Notes:
• The prices shown are based on two people travelling together and sharing double or twin rooms.
• Because this is based on a private vehicle and guide, the costs for this trip would reduce if more than two people are travelling. Conversely, they would increase substantially if only one person is travelling alone.
• To upgrade from Gorilla's Nest to another lodge in the Volcanoes National Park, apply the following supplements:
To Virunga Lodge (all year) £284
To Sabinyo Silverback (Apr–May) £170
To Sabinyo Silverback (Jan-Mar; Jun-15 Jul; Nov-Dec) £310
To Sabinyo Silverback (16 Jul-Oct) £358
All supplements are per person sharing per night. |
This itinerary includes:• Economy flights, as above, plus UK airport departure taxes. • All transfers in Rwanda. • A comprehensive pack of information covering the places that you'll be visiting. • Current park fees for Akagera National Park and Volcanoes National Park. • A complementary copy of the Bradt Travel Guide to Rwanda • A private guide and 4WD for the duration of your safari. This itinerary excludes:• Rwandan domestic departure taxes. • Drinks / laundry • Tips and gratuities, which are optional.
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