The New York Times: A Tour of Rwanda, From Jungle to City
Gondwana’s Gorilla Trekking adventure in Rwanda has been featured in the Travel section of The New York Times! With available departures in August and December 2016, this 8-day trip is packed full of exciting destinations, from the great outdoors to urban areas. Fittingly author Diane Daniel named the article, A Tour of Rwanda, From Jungle to City.
Rwanda, From the Jungle
Perhaps the most exciting destination in the Rwanda trip is a guided hike into the jungles of Volcanoes National Park, located within the Virunga Mountains region. There, the group will trek with a trained guide to see a family of endangered mountain gorillas to view them in their natural habitat. The New York Times recommends, “Guests also will have the chance to track golden monkeys with a conservationist.” Other outdoor highlights include a trip to one of Africa’s Great Lakes, Lake Kivu and its natural hot springs. This trip is largely devoted to exploring Rwanda’s diverse, rare, flora and fauna.
Rwanda, From the City
The trekking adventure begins and ends from Rwanda’s capital city, Kigali. The New York Times writes that the city is “considered one of Africa’s cleanest and safest urban areas,” with good reason! Since the devastating civil war and genocide of the early 90s, Rwanda has rebuilt the capitol into a thriving metropolis, making it a safe haven for tourists. The trip includes a visit to the Rwandan Genocide Museum, which allows guests to see how the historical political turmoil affected the country. The article also notes that, “Gondwana donates a portion to local nonprofits,” in this case to Aspire Rwanda. This Kigali-based non-profit helps women struggling with poverty gain the life skills for a brighter future. Travellers will visit the organization and participate in a cooking class with the students. In Kigali, guests on the trip will see a glimpse of Rwanda’s cultural heritage by engaging with the local community.
Truly, all this and more can fit into 8 days of travelling in Rwanda! Though the trip is largely based in nature, guests on Gondwana’s trip will be treated a dose of urban life as well. We’re excited to have The New York Times feature our trip as a well-rounded experience of both jungle and city activities in Rwanda.