Rwanda: Grounds for monkey business

A week exploring Rwanda’s national parks and coffee plantations

I went to Rwanda with one goal: to fulfill a lifelong dream of trekking to mountain gorillas (even more special with my dad by my side!). While our encounters in the mountains were everything I’d hoped for, they were just the opening act to Rwanda’s larger story. Just three decades after the 1994 genocide claimed nearly one million lives in 100 days, this small East African nation has become a beacon of recovery and resilience. The evidence is visible across the country: national parks are expanding and wildlife populations are rebounding, agriculture forms the backbone of a growing economy, and everywhere you turn, you’re met with the genuine warmth of people who have chosen healing over hatred.

Days 1 – 3: Akagera National Park

Knowing absolutely nothing about Rwanda when I started planning this trip, I decided to work with Sambora Private Journeys to craft the perfect itinerary, and I’m so glad I did. They were exceptional in helping coordinate our safari (note: all lodges within Akagera are government-managed) and then hosting us at their own lodge in Kinigi for the gorilla portion of our adventure. I couldn’t have imagined better accommodations or service. This isn’t a sponsored recommendation; rather just genuine appreciation for the incredible experience they created for us.

Our first stop was Akagera National Park, Rwanda’s safari destination, which is roughly the size of Rhode Island. Akagera was originally established in 1934 by the Belgians to protect the ecosystem, but the park suffered devastating biodiversity loss during the 1994 genocide and the land encroachment that followed. The transformation began in 2010 when African Parks partnered with the Rwanda Development Board to revitalize the area.

After a four-hour drive from Kigali airport to the park gate in the eastern province, we arrived just in time for an evening game drive, where we spotted giraffes, zebras, and lots of impala.

After our drive, we checked in at Karenge Bush Camp, which had been recently renovated and reopened just two months before our trip. Despite the open-air camp’s capacity for 16 guests, we had the entire place to ourselves on our first night. The camp features seven canvas tents (includes ensuite bathroom with flushing toilets!) that have stunning views of the Kilala Plain and Muhororo Hills. The setting was absolutely beautiful, and the staff couldn’t have been more welcoming.

Our second day was dedicated to a full game drive, and on the third morning, we combined a land drive with a boat tour on Lake Ihema, Rwanda’s third-largest lake. The boat trip provided a great view of crocodiles, various bird species, and even an elephant swimming. The water perspective is definitely worthwhile when visiting the park.

It’s evident that Rwanda is taking wildlife reintroduction seriously as the park continues to recover and grow. Akagera’s ecosystem was devastated during and after the genocide, including the complete extermination of its lion population. While I’m optimistic about the park’s future (it’s going to be incredible in 10-15 years!) I wouldn’t necessarily recommend it yet for travelers seeking a world-class safari experience. Over three days, we spotted only one lion from 200 yards away, and other animal (e.g., the “Big Five”) densities remain low. However, if you’re already visiting Rwanda for gorilla trekking and want to see more of the country, Akagera makes for a worthwhile addition to your itinerary.

Days 4 – 6: Volcanoes National Park

Stay at Sambora Kinigi: At the end of day three, we drove roughly six hours from Akagera in the eastern province to Kinigi in the northern province. We were welcomed to our lodge by staff who performed the traditional greeting dance!

I was immediately struck by how beautiful and intimate the lodge felt, and how genuinely warm and welcoming the staff were. Sambora hosts a maximum of 12 guests across four small cottages, creating an incredibly cozy atmosphere. We checked into our gorgeous room (complete with a roaring fireplace!) and settled in for dinner, which was served family-style at one communal table to encourage conversation with other guests about their gorilla experiences from the day. Hearing our tablemates’ stories had us buzzing with excitement for our own gorilla encounter.

The food was absolutely incredible—multi-course meals with inventive soup starters like carrot and ginger, delicious mains like tilapia, and creative desserts like basil ice cream. What impressed me most, though, was Sambora’s garden. Despite being a small lodge, they grew the majority of their own produce! We toured the garden and were amazed by the variety (head gardener Eugene’s enthusiasm was also absolutely infectious).

Gorilla Trek #1: Our first day of gorilla trekking started with a 6:45 AM departure the next morning. After checking in at the permit office, we linked up with six other trekkers to create our group of eight (the maximum allowed per gorilla family) and received our gorilla family assignment. These assignments are based on hiking and fitness ability; some families are further away and others closer, but since the gorillas move around, you have to be ready for anything.

We drove to the starting point where we were introduced to our porters. These porters are actually former poachers who now work directly in support of park conservation efforts, which I found fascinating. Poaching has historically been a huge problem in the park. While gorillas aren’t typically the targets (poachers usually go after impala and buffalo), gorillas can easily get caught in snares, which can and have killed them.

We had the option of hiring a porter for $10 for the day, and I highly recommend this! While both my dad and I were physically capable of hiking with our packs, hiring a porter supports their community in a huge way. We also found them incredibly helpful, clearing paths for us with machetes and helping us navigate tricky terrain. My porter Dany ended up knee-deep in mud (no joke!) to help me get around the worst of it (see the full team below!). One additional note if you’re on the fence about a porter: Volcanoes National Park is between 8,000 and 14,000 feet above sea level, so it’s also great to have an extra hand if you’re not used to altitude.

On our first day, we were assigned to the Agaysha Family and began our hike through farmland to reach the border of the park. Once we entered the park, we hiked for about an hour and a half to reach the family.

Seeing the gorillas was absolutely unreal. Once we arrived, we masked up to prevent the spread of germs and had exactly one hour to observe them. It was amazing how human-like they were: babies wrestling with each other, mothers getting annoyed and separating fights, and the silverback father who couldn’t be bothered by any of it. We were told to stay at least 10 feet away from the gorillas, but they often came much closer as they walked past us or played with each other.

My dad and I both felt incredibly safe the entire time. The gorillas were so used to human presence, and while it was slightly intimidating to watch them get up on two legs and beat their chests, their frustration was only ever directed at each other—never at us! The hour passed quickly, and before we knew it, it was time to head back.

Ellen DeGeneres Campus of the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund: We spent the afternoon touring the Ellen DeGeneres Campus of the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund. Located in Musanze just outside of Volcanoes National Park, the center honors the legacy of Dian Fossey, the renowned primatologist and conservationist who dedicated her life to studying and protecting mountain gorillas. Her story is so inspiring – she faced and overcame many obstacles and ultimately gave her life to gorilla protection. The museum offers interactive exhibits on gorilla conservation, biology, and Fossey’s work, including a replica of her forest cabin and interactive displays. Don’t miss the exhibit that grades your gorilla impersonation!

Gorilla Trek #2: We were up early again for another trek. Before heading to the permit office, we stopped at the giant gorilla statue in Musanze. Made entirely of bamboo, this impressive installation is the location of Kwita Izina, the annual Rwandan ceremony for naming newborn baby gorillas! The ceremony happens every September if you’re able to time your visit.

We were matched with a different family this day and were thrilled because there were two babies, one of which hadn’t even been named yet. We hiked again through farmland to the edge of the park, and we really lucked out —the family had moved closer, so we only had to hike 15 minutes into the park to see them. The positioning was much better too. The family was out in the open and much easier to observe.

There was an incredibly playful 6-month-old baby gorilla (who will be named in this year’s ceremony) who was feeling particularly cheeky and would stick his tongue out at us! The baby and its mom walked right past us, and it was one of the most surreal experiences of the entire trip.

Given the cost of gorilla trekking permits in Rwanda, I wanted to comment on whether it’s worth doing more than one day. My recommendation is to absolutely do multiple days if it’s within your means. While you’re almost guaranteed to see the gorillas (each family has a dedicated team of trackers that locates them daily), there are a variety of conditions (rain, feeding schedules, gorilla nap times) that can influence the family’s activity level. One person we spoke to said that on his first day, the entire family was piled up fast asleep under dense trees for the entire hour because of the rain. Doing multiple days helps mitigate the risk of having a less-than-ideal experience. We got lucky in that both our experiences were absolutely fantastic, and I’m glad we had the opportunity to see different families and behaviors.

Make sure you check out all the gorilla pictures in Photography!

Visit Red Rocks Cooperative: After lunch at the lodge, we visited the Red Rocks Cooperative in Musanze. Red Rocks Rwanda is an eco-tourism company and social enterprise focused on community development, wildlife preservation, and sustainable tourism through cultural programs that directly support local communities.

We met with women from villages around Virunga for an afternoon of singing, dancing, and learning how to make banana beer. Banana beer is a traditional drink in East Africa, and is made by fermenting mashed bananas. At 15% alcohol, it definitely packs a punch! They included us in every step of the process, from cooking and peeling the bananas, smashing them and skimming the juice, grinding the sorghum to aid the fermentation process, and then ultimately tasting the final product.

Day 7: Kigali

After breakfast, we said our goodbyes to the amazing Sambora staff. I’ve never been somewhere where I wanted to hug the staff goodbye but couldn’t resist with this team (see below).

Visit the Kigali Genocide Memorial: We hit the road for an approximately four-hour drive to Kigali to visit the Kigali Genocide Memorial, an absolute must-see if you’re in the country. Built in 2004 to commemorate 20 years since the Rwandan Genocide, the memorial serves as both a museum and a burial ground for 250,000 Rwandans killed during the atrocities.

The museum offers a guided audio tour (which I definitely recommend) that’s about an hour long and walks you through Rwanda’s colonial history and other factors that ultimately created fertile ground for the propaganda around the genocide to take hold. It covers the genocide itself and its awful aftermath, as well as other genocides throughout history (the Holocaust, Srebrenica, Cambodia) in an effort to prevent such atrocities from happening again.

What affected me most was the small room dedicated to child victims. Dedicated to all the children who died, the room spotlights around 12-15 children whose families donated what was often the last picture they had for the museum’s use.

Dinner at Heaven: Heaven was custom-built in 2008 to be the first hospitality training boutique hotel and restaurant in Kigali. The restaurant is on an open-air terrace with expansive views of the city and is known for its African cuisine and excellent service. Since its opening, Heaven has trained over 3,000 Rwandans in hospitality, customer service, and culinary skills.

The food was absolutely fantastic. They also have a sister restaurant called the Retreat, which offers more of a tasting menu, fine dining experience. My dad and I wanted authentic, local Rwandan cuisine, so Heaven was definitely the perfect place for that.

Stay at the Four Points by Sheraton Kigali: Being a Marriott loyalist, I opted to book us at the Four Points in Kigali using points instead of staying at Heaven. Heaven would have been lovely, but I must say, the Four Points was definitely one of the nicest Four Points I’ve stayed in. In addition to this guy who greeted us in the lobby, there was also an enormous breakfast buffet that’s included in every stay (not just for status holders).

Day 8: Huye

Visit Huye Mountain Coffee: On our final day in the country, we decided to head down to the southern province to tour Rwanda’s famous coffee region. What struck me immediately was how much of Rwanda is dedicated to agriculture and farming, yet surprisingly little of it is devoted to coffee. This scarcity is by design—Rwandan coffee producers really prioritize quality over quantity.

After a four-hour drive south, we arrived at Huye Mountain Coffee for a plantation tour that took us through the entire coffee journey: from growing and harvesting to drying, packing, and finally delivering to consumers worldwide.

We started in the fields with our guide Eric, who walked us through the intricacies of coffee tree planting, pest control (all organic!), and harvesting techniques (all by hand!). One fact that completely blew my mind: it takes 2-3 years after planting a coffee tree before you get your first round of cherries. Talk about patience and long-term thinking!

The real magic happened when we hiked up the mountain and made our very own cup of coffee from fresh cherries. This wasn’t just a tasting—we did everything ourselves. We shelled the cherries by hand, roasted the beans in a cast iron pot over an open flame, ground them with traditional tools, and finally brewed our coffee using a French press.

From there, we moved on to the sorting processes. Because Huye is so laser-focused on quality, their beans go through an almost obsessive sorting routine. First, they’re sorted by size, then by color, followed by density. But they don’t stop there — the final stage involves hand-sorting each bean to catch even the smallest defects.

Once sorting is complete, the final unroasted beans are shipped to customers around the world, who then roast them according to the preferences popular in their specific markets. Each region has slightly different taste preferences, so this approach allows the quality of the Rwandan beans to shine while meeting local expectations. We learned that Huye’s main US client is Stumptown Roasters in Portland, Oregon!

Final Thoughts

Rwanda really does have it all – incredible wildlife, beautiful landscapes, and an inspiring story of recovery and progress. Whether you’re there for the gorillas, the scenery, or to see how a nation can truly turn things around, Rwanda delivers. It’s a destination that offers both adventure and genuine insight, and I’d definitely recommend making the trip. And I recommend it even more with your dad <3.