- 4 Nights
- Max People: 18
It’s been called the most transcendent wildlife experience on the continent of Africa. Join us as we trek into dense forests to observe the gentle giants in their natural habitat. Beyond just an experience, your presence on the mountain actually plays a crucial role in conservation -- 100% of your Gorilla Trekking Fees go towards the protection and expansion of Volcanoes National Park, one of the last safe harbors for the critically endangered Mountain Gorillas. Three cultural programs, a museum tour, and our luxury property round out this exceptional itinerary. Book as an independent journey or as an extension to your WALLSabout™ Luxury Safari.
Travel Map
Itinerary
En route | Kigali
Kigali sits among rolling hills at the heart of East Africa, offering a remarkably clean, green and orderly urban landscape. The city blends contemporary development with a strong cultural identity, where polished avenues give way to lively neighborhood markets and hillside communities. Visitors can explore the Kigali Genocide Memorial for a powerful insight into the country’s history, browse vibrant crafts at Kimironko Market, or enjoy a growing café culture shaped by locally grown coffee. Panoramic viewpoints reveal soft, undulating hills under wide skies, while the hum of motorbikes and the scent of roasted coffee define the city’s everyday atmosphere. Kigali also serves as a gateway to Rwanda’s national parks and unforgettable mountain gorilla encounters, making it both a meaningful stop and a base for wider exploration.
Benji’s Reading/ Watch List:
Wildlife of East Africa: by Martin B. Withers (a copy will arrive by mail along with other Safari essentials before your trip).
Hotel Rwanda: directed by Terry George
An Ordinary Man: The True Story Behind Hotel Rwanda by Paul Rusesabagina
Kigali
With less than 30 family groups (troops) of Mountain Gorillas left in the greater Volcanoes National Park region, they are one of the most endangered species you can witness face to face anywhere on the planet. In fact, there are only 14 troops that have been habituated to see people. Most importantly, your visit is part of the very hope Mountain Gorillas have for survival.
Arrive in Kigali, Rwanda’s spotless clean bustling capital
Upon arrival into Kigali, you are met by a WALLSabout representative and transferred to your beautiful hotel in the heart of Kigali. If you do not come a day or two early, we strongly advise booking flights that land after 9AM and before 6PM wherever possible. Hotel check-in is 2:00 PM. Go to bed early as the real adventures begin tomorrow!
Benji’s Reading List:
Gorillas in the Mist: by Dian Fossey
Temperatures: In February at our highest elevation parks, it could be as cold as 45° F in the morning with afternoons as warm as 70° F.
In July at our highest elevation parks, it could be as cold as 40° F in the morning with afternoon as warm as 60° F.
Elevation: 5,141 feet
Meals: None (arrival day)
Key Times:
2PM: Hotel Check-In
OPTIONAL: LEAF Junior Troupe Performance – Meet at 4PM
If you booked an extra day in Kigali, this is the day that you will visit the LEAF Junior Troupe Performance. Plan to meet in the lobby for departure at 4:00 PM and to return to the hotel by around 7:00 PM that day. LEAF is a global arts organization based in Asheville NC with programs around the world. Their founder is a friend of Benjamin and this program regularly gets rave reviews from our travelers. Here’s a snippet from LEAF RWANDA: The Rwanda JR Troupe is a talented, ambitious group of youth drummers & dancers from various life backgrounds. These youth have an abundant amount of resilience & devotion. The youth have so much pride in being Rwandan and their excitement around learning their own culture is an intangible feeling. The opportunity to learn their culture is an extremely valuable tool and for most, the only sprinkle of enjoyment they receive in a day. Even on ‘off’ days, the kids come to the center to watch the culture keepers practice and have a break from the hardships of their day to day lives. Currently, the Junior Troupe has more than 200 youth members and practice up to 3 times per week.
Hotel | Genocide Memorial | Ascend to Volcanoes National Park
After a delicious breakfast overlooking the courtyard, we’ll head to one of the heaviest and yet most vital stops in all of Rwanda – The Kigali Genocide Memorial. Here you’ll learn more about the horrific Rwandan Genocide. The mission of the Genocide Memorial is to prevent future genocides by openly sharing what actually happened in Rwanda in 1994.
As we wind through the “land of a thousand hills” en route to Volcanoes National Park, take note of the steep hillside farms and valley villages as the many locals go about their day. Upon arrival to our luxurious accommodation, we’ll settle into our rooms, followed by Sundowners (a traditional E. African happy hour with both alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks) followed by our first dinner as a group.
Benji Tip: Y’all, my advice was / is to get in shape for your Gorilla Trekking experience! If you’re reading this ahead of time, heed my advice – what an amazing excuse to hire that trainer, go on a hike, and work on your health! If you’re reading this on the trip, my advice is to be honest about your state of fitness when my team asks. This is the evening we will report your fitness level on your behalf and request an “easy” or “moderate” or “difficult” Gorilla Troop to visit tomorrow based on your level of fitness. Keep in mind this is a relative scale and easy is often perceived as moderate, and moderate is perceived as difficult, and so on. Also, keep in mind we can request but we cannot guarantee how easy or hard any trek will be as we are going to visit wild Mountain Gorillas and they move constantly. If you’re really worried about your fitness ability, advise my team and we’ll discuss the option of the Rwandan Helicopter – a stretcher carried by 4 sturdy young men that can be used the whole time or as a backup – the fee for this additional assistance is paid in cash directly to the local villages and usually runs around $200 per day. Everyone else will be offered the assistance of a porter, which I highly recommend.
Benji’s Reading / Watch List:
Hotel Rwanda: directed by Terry George
An Ordinary Man: The True Story Behind Hotel Rwanda: by Paul Rusesabagina
Elevation: 7,770 feet
Meals: Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner
Key Times:
6:30AM Breakfast
9AM Depart for Genocide Memorial
9:30AM Genocide Memorial Visit
5PM Return to Lodge
Gorilla Trekking
Gorilla Trekking
After a hearty breakfast, pack your lodge provided – rain jacket, packed snack and backpack – along with at least 1 liter of water, sunscreen, cash tips for the day. Then, strap on your gaiters (provided), grab a hiking stick (provided), and head to Gorilla Briefing! You can use the lodge provided backpack or even your WALLSabout Souvenir Tote (your porter will carry anything you give them, big or small). There we’ll meet up with our Ranger for the day, receive a quick 411, and discover which troop we will be visiting! After the briefing, we’ll jump back in the 4×4 and head off to the trailhead closest to the troop we will be trekking up to see. At the trail head, we’ll meet a group of passionate trackers that have already found our troop and know exactly where they’re located. We’ll also be connected with a group of local community members that will offer assistance as our porters for the day.
RANGERS: An official Park Ranger will lead you up the mountain to find the troop of mountain gorillas!
TRACKERS: This is the group of hardy individuals from the local communities that track the gorillas each day and radio their location back to the rangers so you know exactly where to go as you hike up the mountain.
PORTERS: These are local community members that are paid to help carry your bag and they will even give you a helping hand on your trek up the mountain.
Benji’s Read / Watch List:
Unforgotten: The Wild Life of Dian Fossey and Her Relentless Quest to Save the Mountain Gorillas: by Anita Silvey
A Gorilla Story: Told by David
Attenborough: directed by James Reed
Meals: Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner
Key Times:
5:30AM Breakfast
8AM Drive to Trailhead
9AM Begin Trekking
3PM Return to Lodge
Volcanoes to Kigali | Depart Rwanda | Farewell
Today we bid farewell to newfound friends.
Key Times:
9AM Depart lodge for Kigali
END of WALLSabout Gorilla Extension Services
Lodging
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Gorilla Trekking Highlights
What's Included & Excluded
Price Includes
- All accommodations
- All meals listed on itinerary
- All internal (domestic) flights
- Full concierge assistance before your trip
- Services of veteran driver guides
- Fully guided activities/meetings/exchanges (including all park and entrance fees) as noted in the itinerary
- All airport transfers
- Coffee/tea/soft drinks/water
- Local bottled water during sightseeing
- Porterage of one (1) carry on size bag (11 lbs) and one checked size bag (33 lbs)
- All lodge taxes and service charges
Price Excludes
- Personal expenses, i.e. laundry, phone, souvenirs, etc
- Alcoholic beverages not listed in itinerary
- Optional activities / excursions
- International airfare
- Guide / Program Director Gratuities
- Travel Insurance
- Visas/passports
- Vaccinations / Covid Tests
- Excess baggage charges
Reviews (scroll right to view more)
Our experience with WALLSabout Luxury Travel was simply amazing! From the great care and service before the trip to a perfectly curated and executed itinerary, we were always in great hands with the WALLSabout team. Beyond a first-class safari experience where our highest expectations were exceeded every single day, we really appreciated the attention to conservation and stewardship throughout the trip. That made our trip of a lifetime even more worthwhile--we were proud to travel with WALLSabout and would gladly book with them again in the future!
It’s not just the animals—although they are obviously the star of the show—it was the carefully curated, five-star lodges, all within the parks; the wonderful food; the expertise of the local guides; the truly amazing program director and 24/7 stateside concierge service; the length of the trip (so many safaris are just too short, this one has the luxury of taking you to seven different, distinct locations in Kenya and Tanzania), and the off-the-beaten-path visits to places like Jane Goodall’s chimp sanctuary, the rhino sanctuary that is home to the last two northern white rhinos, a Masai village, and a visit in the Serengeti to a museum devoted to fascinating anthropological discoveries in the area.
And, oh yes, the animals and the scenery, as well as add-ons such as the giraffe and elephant sanctuaries in Nairobi (yes, go!) and gorilla trekking, Mt. Kilimanjaro climbing, and hot air ballooning at sunrise (we regret that we didn’t sign up for those).
Was I skeptical about signing on with a small, stateside travel company? Yes. Was I wrong? Absolutely.
You couldn’t be in better hands with WallsAbout. You get what you pay for, and when it comes to travel in Africa, we thought it was important to truly be looked after and to be given a top-notch experience. We were right!
From the moment we booked to the last day of the trip the team at Wall About were on top of every detail.
We are usually DIY travelers but when we saw the New Zealand itinerary we couldn't resist putting our trust in the Walls team to take the lead and guide us through this beautiful country.
Special features: beautiful accommodations in every location, a program director and drivers who knew the local culture and most efficient routes, exceptional attention to delicious food, and a wide range of activities.
We can't imagine that we could have seen as much of New Zealand in such an enjoyable and relaxing way! Highly recommend!
Our trip was to East Africa Feb. 2025. Phenomenal trip, excellent staff both here and abroad. The program director was easy to travel with and handled everything both planned and unplanned during the trip. The accommodations and meals were excellent. The rather complex travel arrangement were handled without a flaw including a international border crossing. My wife and I are already booking another trip with Wallsabout.
Walls About provided us with the most INCREDIBLE travel experience! Every detail was taken care of - we had luxury accommodations, excellent guides and amazing experiences! We toured Nairobi, summited Kilimanjaro, and visited Zanzibar on our travels! Every bit of the trip was perfect. Walls About's team is exceptional and we can't wait to do another adventure!
My wife and I just returned from a WALLSabout safari in Kenya, Tanzania and Rwanda. What an amazing trip! From the start, the organization of the tour was professional and seamless. WALLSabout thought of everything. We were very well prepared with travel advice and trip information. The Concierge Team was available 24/7 through What's App. They handled all the in-country bookings lodges, travel, meals, programs, tipping, etc. Over the years, WALLSabout has nurtured in country contacts and fine-tuned the trip. The game drives were amazing. Who knew we could be on one ourselves. Our experienced program director brimmed with enthusiasm and kept everything running smoothly. He and the driver guides knew an incredible amount about the parks and where we had the best chances of finding the animals. They took care to set us up for pictures, taking advantage of what nature had to put in front of us, cats, elephants, giraffes, buffalos, rhinos, zebras, hippos, etc. The splendor of the parks was incredible, not to mention Mt Kilimanjaro and Kenya in the distance.
We were 10 travelers split between 2 Toyota Landcruisers with raisable tops. The lodges we stayed at were all upscale. The people of Kenya, Tanzania and Rwanda take pride in their animals and want ecotourists to have an unforgettable experience. They could not have been kinder.
WALLSabout blended other activities with the game drives: tour of a Masai village, giraffe, elephant, chimpanzee and rhino sanctuaries, lectures from rangers and an archaeologist (Olduvai Gorge), African dance recitals, a hot air balloon ride, shopping in Arusha.
Hope we get a chance to do another WALLSabout trip. I give it a 10 out of 10.
My husband and I worked with WALLSabout Luxury to plan and experience an epic safari trip to Kenya and Tanzania! Benjamin and associates put together an incredible itinerary for us where we met other like-minded adventure travelers. The attention to detail, responsiveness, and follow-up throughout the trip was extraordinary! They even surprised me with a birthday cake celebration at one of the lodges! We highly recommend WALLSabout Luxury to any traveler looking for a boutique traveling experience that goes above and beyond expectations!
WALLSabout Luxury Travel provided a truly unforgettable one-in-a-lifetime adventure to Africa! Every detail was well thought through & executed.
Our tour director ensured everything ran smoothly. He was very attuned to the needs of each and every person in our group.
The driver/guides were extremely knowledgeable & adept at managing the rough roads…and always seemed to know the best spots for seeing all the different species…getting us super close to all the animals.
The lodgings hand-selected by Benjamin for our different safaris in Kenya & Tanzania each had their own special character.
Our visit to a Maasai village was very emotional & left a lasting impact on me. The women of the village welcomed us with a wonderful tribal dance & warmly shared their culture with us. I was most touched by getting to meet & see the children in their schoolhouse.
The sunrise hot air balloon ride over the Serengeti was like nothing I’ve ever experienced. I still get goosebumps thinking about how amazing that experience was!
It was comforting to have a 24 hour concierge service for any questions we had during the trip. The team back in Asheville worked diligently & were in frequent contact to pass along necessary logistics/details.
In summary, I highly recommend WALLSabout Luxury Travel for your African Safari. I was so pleased with them, I’m planning on choosing them for my next adventures in Australia & New Zealand in 2026.
It’s been over a month since my husband and I got back from our safari adventure and we still flip through our Shutterfly book and get excited about the amazing things we saw and did. WallsAbout made everyday a “best travel moment” and our drivers and guide were outstanding.
My wife and I found WallsAbout travel by accident and what a great find it was! While in Ashville we walked by the gallery and admired the artwork and told Cassidy how an African Safari was on our bucket list. She told us how they lead these Safaris and as we quickly learned more, we booked the trip and included some close friends who also wanted to go on a trip like this. My wife and I have traveled throughout the US and Europe but mostly on solo trips. This African Safari was our first organized tour and we were apprehensive of who will be on the trip. To our surprise (and I think this happens quite often) everyone on the trip was wonderful and would soon become close friends that we would keep in touch with well after the trip. The trip itself was VERY well organized and our leader Fro was outstanding. I think we were an easy group, but he was not frazzled by anything. He was able to read the group’s feelings and made quick modifications to the schedule based on our needs and how tired or energetic we were. The accommodations were first class and extremely comfortable considering how remote some of the locations were. All of the lodges were right where the action was, and we could often see wildlife right out of our room. Our driver guides were outstanding and both informative and entertaining. They put us in perfect positions to see all of the wildlife and always worked hard to anticipate where the animals would go next so we could be ahead of the other tours. Fro helped us all with our photography skills and this trip helped me rekindle my love for photography. I took thousands of pictures and was able to narrow it down to 3500!! When we got home, we had to buy a new digital picture frame so we could share our experiences with family and friends who visit. We already have a reunion planned with our group and are also planning some trips together in the future. Some in our group have already booked their next WallsAbout adventure. If you are looking for an experience of a lifetime, we strongly suggest WallsAbout for a trip like this.
Benjamin, I have no words, this trip exceeded all expectation and was quite the adventure. It’s going to take me a while to decompress. I’m so grateful to have been able to make this journey with WALLSabout. I couldn’t have been more impressed it was, as I told Fro, a trip of a lifetime. It began with a warm reception both at the airport and hotel and never stopped. Our guides were the greatest, they were so incredibly knowledgeable and attentive in both locations, they wouldn’t stop until we saw it all and we saw it all! The accommodations were amazing and the staff at each location very friendly and helpful. You have done a magnificent job putting this all together. What a beautifully well oiled machine. Your icing on the cake is Fro, this group did not make it easy on him and he handled everything that was thrown his way with ease and grace. I’m so pleased to have taken this journey, thank you from the bottom of my heart! I hope to see you in the very near future.
I love exploring new places but generally opt to book things myself versus going with a tour group. However, going on safari I knew I would have a better experience with a group. So I decided to let WALLSabout take me on this adventure. I’m so glad I did! Every part of this trip was incredible. Benjamin Walls and his team create the most amazing experience. The guides are the very best. The hotels selected for each part of our trip were beyond my expectations. I met so many amazing people I now call friends. I saw every animal I had hoped to see (y’all lions are for real majestic!! I was speechless). I also opted to climb Mount Kilimanjaro. Because if you’re flying to Tanzania, why not?! It was also a truly incredible experience. The team that led us up the mountain were very experienced and that helped me feel safe. On summit night I started to feel the altitude and was concerned I wasn’t going to be able to make it but our guides knew what to do and continued to check on me to make sure I was still in a place to safely finish the climb. I’m happy to report I made it to the top! Everything about our trip was planned out and taken care of. I enjoyed it so much I decided to sign up to go to New Zealand with WALLSabout in 2023! They’ve made a tour group believer out of me!
I would recommend WallsAbout to anyone interested in experiencing an African Safari. The itinerary is so thoughtfully curated and specialized. I have only glowing comments about the entire trip.
A trip of a lifetime! Returned 10 days ago from our safari in Kenya and Tanzania. Hard to describe how beautiful the scenery and the wildlife were, not to mention the people. We saw the "Big Five" plus many, many more animals and birds.
We stayed at a variety of lodges which was fun. The guides were all first rate and made our experience each day more special than the last. The staff at all the lodges couldn't have done more to make our stays comfortable and safe.
We did the Rwanda Gorilla Trekking and the Zanzibar add-ons following the safari portion of the trip and both were more than worth it. Visiting the gorillas was one of the most exciting experiences of my life.
The WALLsabout team in Asheville were on top of all the logistics and details both before and during the trip. Our safari leader Steve was outstanding. He made every effort to get to know each member of the group. He was professional and very knowledgeable, and he was great fun.
Without hesitation, we highly recommend WALLSabout Luxury Travel.
Going through WALLSabout Luxury Travel for our trip to the Canadian Rockies was the best travel decision we ever made. The level of detail and planning from the WALLAbout team was very evident throughout the trip. As someone who is a nervous traveller and sweats the details, I was extremely impressed. We felt well cared for and pampered but never to the point of being intrusive. We were free to explore on our own or take part in a group excursion. Everything about this trip exceeded my expectations. The scenery was beyond amazing from Vancouver to Banff and the hotels and food were exceptional. Going with WALLAbout allowed us to just enjoy the experience and that's the best way to travel.
What an amazing “once in a lifetime” trip! WALLSabout Luxury Travel took care of every detail…unique accommodations, domestic flights, visas, etc. We had excellent drivers/guides and a program director who managed all of the details during our safari. The itinerary was excellent and included up close and personal animal interactions. The concierge staff provided outstanding support before and during this outstanding trip.
My husband and I had the trip of a lifetime with WALLSabout Travel in July 2021. No detail was overlooked for our amazing African Safari. The itinerary was incredible and each day was better than the previous one. Our guide became an instant and lasting friend and we became close with the other travelers in our group. We were personally a little naive about what to expect in Africa and that added to the thrill of the experience. Everything was handled by a huge team of people, making sure our travel was safe and seamless. We totally entrusted WALLSabout travel and they absolutely delivered a dream vacation. The luxury and concierge treatment was top notch, but did not compromise the sense of exhilarating adventure. This is a life-changing trip that is extremely special, it could not have gone any better. I recommend WALLSabout without reservation and hope to travel again with them soon.
Simply put, WALLSabout gave us the trip of a lifetime. Our African safari was perfect in every way. Their attention to detail and customer service was truly amazing. The lodging was breathtaking. Their program director, Fro, has become a lifelong friend. Each day of the safari surpassed the previous. There were countless times my wife and I said “I can’t believe what I’m seeing”! I can’t imagine a better travel experience than what Wallsabout provided.
My husband and I wanted a special trip for our 35th wedding anniversary and WALLSabout Luxury Travel exceeded our expectations. The Wallsabout team's attention to every detail was exceptional. From the places we went, our accommodations, who took care of us and their availability before and during the trip made this trip a very memorable trip. Thank you.
My husband and I travelled with Wallsabout to Eastern Africa for Gorilla Trekking in Rwanda followed by a Safari in Kenya & Tanzania. We found our very high expectations to not only be met but exceeded throughout our 18 day African Adventure. The itinerary included multiple National Parks which featured varying climates, geographical, geological and wildlife viewing led by knowledgable guides imparting interesting and relevant information throughout each days excursion. The many cultural experiences from the Rwanda Genocide Museum, the LEAF Global Arts Program, the Campus of the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund, the Maasai Village, the OlPejeta Conservancy and the Olduvai Gorge archeological site were appreciated, enlightening & fascinating. Steve Harkey, our program director was the consummate professional who tied all the varied and many elements of this amazing trip together. With his considerable talent and extensive experience he insured that all elements of the trip from beginning to end were perfect as we traversed across East Africa. I would highly recommend this once in a lifetime adventure with Wallsabout to those wanting to have a unique and life changing experience.
Where to start!!!!! This trip was beyond our imagination and expectations. From talking about it to booking and finally going, everything was seamless. You could tell that every aspect of this trip had been well thought over. Food and lodging were exceptional and our guides were the best. The extent of their knowledge was amazing, like having a live encyclopedia traveling with you. The sights were mindblowing especially being very lucky to spot rarely seen activities like momma cheetah chasing and catching a gazelle then getting her cub to share the catch. So many amazing moments that will last a lifetime in our memories. This experience was worth every single pennies and then some. Looking forward to another adventure with Wallsabout
We had the most amazing experience on our safari. It truly was a trip of a lifetime. From the pre travel support to the guides and accommodations everything was beautifully curated. Everyday was was a 10 out of 10. We will return again but only with the Wallsabout team. Nothing will ever compare to our experience.
SIMPLY THE BEST VACATION EVER!
My husband and I had been saving for a trip to East Africa for many years. When we stumbled upon Benjamin's gallery in Asheville and realized he had a travel company we were thrilled. He was there at the time and spent 1.5 hours with us "on the fly" to explain where we would go/stay and what to expect. After spending time with him, we signed up on the spot and gave a deposit that day. The trip was simply the BEST vacation I have EVER been on for many reasons. The staff at Walls are top notch, extremely professional and don't miss ANYTHING. They are there to guide you through everything from start to finish. I can't imagine having to plan this magnitude of a trip on my/our own. No detail is overlooked. If you are even remotely thinking of going on a Walls trip please call them for a detailed account of how it all comes together. Would I use Walls again? YOU BET I WOULD and will in the hopefully very near future.
The gorilla trip in Rwanda was an add on. Our driver guide was exceptional, just like the ones in Kenya and Tanzania The gorilla piece in the picturesque Volcanos' National Park was safe and well organized, utilizing trackers, rangers and porters. Groups of 8-10 people were shepherded into the forest to encounter families of mountain gorillas. We were within several yards of them! On the way back we visited the Dianne Fossey/Ellen Degeneres Museum. While in Rwanda, WALLSbout arranged for a visit to the Leafe youth center (art, music and dance to promote educational opportunities for local youth), a tour of the genocide museum in Kigali, a visit to a local village, a dance performance at the Amarembo resort. Dancing and singing is how they express welcome in those countries.
All in all, it was an exotic blend of nature and culture that exceeded our expectations. Add to that a great bunch of fellow travelers.
Amazing company, easy to work with, personalized service, attention to details, and a bucket list trip all describe our spring 2019 safari with WallsAbout Travel. It was truly a trip of a lifetime. I have amazing picturea and fantastic memories. The company owner, Benjamin, who is also a professional photographer has hand picked this trip from the time of year (baby animals including wildebeest calving), itinerary, lodges, local guides to the program director, Fro, with the lovely Aussie accent who was a blast. Maggie is so helpful getting it all set up. Highly recommend!!!