The area is beautiful, with snow capped peaks up to 3000 meters. The hikes are very doable, especially up to and back from the refugio. We visited the national parks and saw the good work that Rewilding Apennines is doing. Exodus donates the trip profits to them.
Wildlife Holidays in Rwanda
Rwanda Wildlife Holidays
Top 5 Rwanda Wildlife
Gorillas: Rwanda’s volcanoes are a natural habitat for the mountain gorilla with around a third of the country’s population found here. The gorilla is one of the most significant species of wild animals in Rwanda but sadly they have become endangered in more recent years. There are two different species of gorilla: the mountain gorilla and Grauer’s gorillas. One of the best places to see these majestic animals is at Volcanoes National Park which lies in north-western Rwanda. The park covers approximately 160k of rainforest and plays host to eight volcanoes.
Elephants: There are various species of elephant found in Rwanda, mainly in Akagera National Park where there are believed to be 100 living at this present time, although the population is on the increase. Unfortunately poaching is still a huge threat to these beautiful animals but there are ongoing conservation projects in place to protect the species. The African savanna elephant is the largest of the species and an adult male can weigh up to a staggering 10 tonnes. Surprisingly their prehensile trunks are extremely strong and can lift almost 3% of their own body weight.
Lions: Prior to the Rwandan Civil War in 1994, lions were in abundance. However, many were sadly killed during the conflict and there are believed to be just 25 remaining in Rwanda. The majority of the lions are now protected in Akagera National Park, and it’s thought that some may have arrived from Tanzania. During a major conservation project, seven lions were donated by two national parks in South Africa to increase the population in Rwanda.
Antelope: Native to Africa, there are several species of antelope found in Rwanda, mainly in Akagera National Park, which stands in the east of the country. While impalas, duikers and klipspringers have made the park their home, the more common roan antelopes are often found in woodlands and savannah grasslands. The roan is one of the continent’s largest hooved animals, only outsized by the eland and African buffalo. Easily recognised by its reddish-brown colour, the roan is the most familiar species to anyone embarking on a wildlife tour of Akagera National Park.
Guereza: Probably the least recognisable of all the above Rwandan wildlife, the Guereza is a small black and white monkey found in African countries such as Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania and Nigeria. The beautiful mantled species has a long silky white fringe, and its natural habitat is that of savannah woodland, swamps and rivers where there are plenty of trees to feed off.
John Kaminer Italian Apennines: Walks & Wildlife
jeanette hambrey Discover Costa RicaThis country is so diverse and exodus shows you that from the start! We started on the Caribbean side at Tortuguero and basically got soaked the whole 3 days we were there, it rained and it rained but our group got on with it with a smile. That area would have been wonderful if the weather hadn’t been against us but it was what it was!
We still suffered a bit of bad weather at Arenal and i never got to see the volcano as the cloud was on top of it all the time, the walk was lovely up to it though and the landscape is beautiful.
The weather started to improve as we travelled over to the pacific side , the birds and the wildlife are abundant , we saw that many sloths on this trip we stopped taking pictures of them ha
There are some long drives in this trip but never more than a couple of hours on the road without stopping, lots of views to look at and of course we stopped if the driver or guide saw anything interesting to see as well, (a couple of macaw’s were spotted and we pulled over to get some great photos)
The wildlife is all around you if you take the time to look, the leaf cutter ants and the ant highways through the forest floor , the frogs , the sloths… so much to see!
Whilst you don’t have to be a fitness fanatic for this trip , i would suggest that you are able to walk long distances and tackle some steep slopes. You can always sit by the pool if you don’t want to go on the hikes but you would miss out on the whole point of the holiday if that is what you aim to do.
Exodus pull it out the bag every time with the accommodation , all the rooms were lovely and well chosen , its one of the reasons i have booked with Exodus 4 times now.
Debby Orsini Galapagos Escape – Solaris (Itinerary C)Our party of four loved our itinerary, guide and boat. The days were filled with excursions, snorkeling and great food and lectures. We highly recommend the Solaris C excursion!
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