Gorillas, Chimps, and the Big Five in Rwanda

Getting There

While Ethiopian Airlines

offers flights from Delhi to Kigali with a layover in Addis Ababa, RwandAir

offers direct non-stop flights from Mumbai to Kigali.

Kigali

Most visitors to Rwanda will begin and end their trip in the capital, which in recent years has been transformed into a dynamic hub with a thriving food, fashion, and art scene. Stay in the Retreat by Heaven (doubles from `51,063; heavenrwanda.com), a stylish boutique hotel that will unveil eight villas, each with a private swimming pool, later this year.

Akagera National Park

This reserve, which last year was restored to Big Five status, is a 2½-hour drive from Kigali. Wilderness Safaris’ Magashi Camp (doubles from `83,213, all-inclusive; wildernesssafaris.com)

is the first luxury property in the park. The lodge runs on solar power, and has eight glamorous tents overlooking a lake—providing front-row views of elephants, hippos, and spectacular sunsets.

Volcanoes National Park

From Akagera, it’s a short helicopter ride or a fivehour drive to Singita Kwitonda Lodge from `2,64,769, allinclusive; singita.com) in Volcanoes National Park, home to the country’s storied mountain gorillas. Kwitonda has eight ravishing villas made from glass, brick, and volcanic rock, each with views of the volcanoes.

Nyungwe Forest National Park

From Volcanoes, it’s a 5½-hour drive to One&Only Nyungwe House (doubles from `1,36,167, all-inclusive; oneandonlyresorts.com), in Nyungwe Forest National Park. Activities at this teacountry lodge include an orchid trail, waterfalls, a canopy walk high above the jungle, and—the star attraction—the forest’s resident chimpanzees.

Tours

The Rwandan government has suspended tourist access to Volcanoes National Park, Nyungwe Forest, and GishwatiMukura national parks in order to protect mountain gorillas, chimps, and other primates. Researchers from the Leakey

Foundation have warned that these animals could be at risk of COVID-19 infection. Once it’s safe to travel again, these Rwandan forests will make for great escapes from your concrete confinement. Moreover, a trip here also aids wildlife conservation efforts.