Rwanda is one of the safest and most beautiful countries in the world. It's a model for countries in Africa and globally. The best way to understand Rwanda and its future? Through its people. 

Join us for 7 days/6 nights to connect to a dynamic and trailblazing Rwanda. You hike in the land of a thousand hills, convene with entrepreneurial visionaries, visit Africa's leading education hubs, and enjoy the food, beauty, art, and history of Kigali before heading to the beautiful Virunga Mountains, home of Rwanda's famed mountain gorillas. Scroll below to view the itinerary.

CGG founder Jodi Morris leads this unique CGG Experience to connect us to the economic and cultural beat of Rwanda. Entrepreneurs illustrate their country’s economic and social trajectory. Insider experiences help us better understand art, culture and history. We explore all this as a small, curious-minded community. 

Rwanda. It's known for coffee, gorillas and a genocide past told through movies like Hotel Rwanda.

Kigali isn't what most expect from a major African capital. When Jodi first visited in 2015, she wondered Where Am I? The world has discovered this small, landlocked, country of nearly 13 million people executing its big vision. Kigali is called The Most Inviting City in Africa. Whether it's animal conservation or technology, healthcare, hospitality, entrepreneurship or gender equality, the citizens of Rwanda are proud to share their vision—for life, family, and country.

Through this unique experience, you personally participate in the Rwanda success story. Your stories will be the most practical and memorable souvenirs. But don't leave too soon. We encourage you to take advantage of only-in-Rwanda excursions, including Rwanda's famed gorilla trekking.

To reserve your spot, make a $1000 USD non-refundable trip deposit. You'll receive a confirmation upon receipt of payment. Full payment is due 60 days prior to the start of the trip.

CANCELLATION POLICY

We understand that unforeseen circumstances can occur. For cancellations made more than 60 days prior to the trip, we will gladly reimburse you, less your non-refundable initial trip deposit.  Any cancellations made less than 60 days prior to the trip will incur the full 100% cancellation fee.  We always recommend the purchase of travel insurance, which typically covers trip cancellation fees. For more information, see Connecting Growth Globally - Terms & Conditions.

Visas

To enter Rwanda, you need a valid passport with at least two blank pages and six months of validity remaining at the time of entry. It is easiest to purchase a tourist visa on arrival at Kigali International Airport. Alternatively, use the government portal Irembo to apply in advance. A tourist visa is $50 USD for one month, single entry (Entry Visa V-1). The East African Tourist Visa, which is $100 USD, grants you 90-day multiple-entry access to Rwanda, Kenya and Uganda. Pay by cash or credit card.

Medical Recommendations and Immunization Information

All trip participants should visit their doctor at least 4-6 weeks in advance of their departure date for recommendations for travel medications and immunizations. For more information on immunizations either recommended or needed for Rwanda, please visit the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) website. 

Please be aware that if traveling from certain countries prior to Rwanda, travelers will need to show proof of Yellow Fever immunization upon entry.

All participants are required to show proof of being fully COVID vaccinated as part of trip registration. We recommend you carry proof of vaccination during your travels. For information on COVID-19, please see updates from the WHO Africa and the U.S. Embassy in Rwanda.

Travel Insurance

We recommend that participants purchase travel insurance, or ensure their regular health insurance plans cover travel-related illnesses and injuries. Insurance must cover personal injury, medical expenses, repatriation expenses, and evacuation expenses. A reminder that Medicare does not cover international medical expenses. All participants to note health insurance information as part of trip registration. Even if you have health insurance which covers international travel, we strongly recommended you also obtain coverage for trip cancellation, interruption, curtailment, and personal property. Two options are Travelex and World Nomads. Consider which plan is best for you.  

Rwanda Travel Basics

• Money In Kigali, major credit cards are accepted and ATMs are widely available. It is helpful to have local currency on hand in rural areas. 
• Currency  Rwandan Franc (RWF); $1 US = 1100 RWF (xe.com)
• Tipping For tour guides is greatly appreciated. In restaurants, up to 10% of the bill is common.
• Weather & Climate  Rwanda's weather is remarkably consistent year-round. Days hover around 70 degrees Fahrenheit (20 Celsius) and nighttime is slightly colder. Rainy season is generally March through May. Expect slightly cooler temperatures and possible precipitation in the mountains. 
• Elevation  Kigali is about 5,000 ft (1,500 m) above sea level; Musanze is over 7,000 ft
• Electricity/Voltage/Plug Type  230 V / 50 Hz / plug type(s): C, J (two pins)
• Time Difference  Central African Time GMT +2 (+9 hours from Pacific during Daylight Savings)
• Water Avoid drinking tap water. Boiled or bottled water is recommended for drinking (even teeth brushing). Please bring a personal water bottle for refilling throughout
• Population 13 million (1.25 million in Kigali)
• Major Languages The national language is Kinyarwanda. However, many people speak English (younger generations) or French
• Religion Over 90% of the population is Christian (Catholic, Protestant) with less than 5% Muslim (mostly in Kigali)
• Government  Rwanda's president is His Excellency President Paul Kagame
• Safety Rwanda is a very safe county, but always be aware of your belongings, especially when on public transportation, in markets or in crowds in larger cities
• Transportation  Uber is NOT available in Rwanda. YEGO Rwanda is preferred ride-hailing app
• Clothing Conservative dress is recommended (knee-length shorts & skirts). 

Rwanda Background Info

• Practical Information from www.VisitRwanda.com
• Lonely Planet Travel Guide - Rwanda
• Living in Kigali
• State Department - U.S. Relations with Rwanda
• USAID Overview - Rwanda

Rwanda Book Recommendations

• Left to Tell by Immaculee Ilibagiza (2007). Personal tale of the Rwandan genocide (movie)
• Thousand Hills: Rwanda’s Rebirth and the Man Who Dreamed It by Stephen Kinzer (2008) Story of Paul Kagame
• We Wish to Inform You That Tomorrow They Will Kill Our Families by Philip Gourevitch (1999) Chronicles what happened post-Rwandan genocide
• Rwanda, Inc.: How a Devastated Nation Became an Economic Model for the Developing World by Patricia Crisafulli (2012) Implications of Rwanda’s success for Africa & world
• A Thousand Hills to Heaven: Love, Hope, and a Restaurant in Rwanda by Josh Ruxin (2013) One couple’s story of moving to Rwanda and building a restaurant named Heaven
• Brick by Brick by Karen Sherman (2020) Memoir and stories of remarkable Rwandan women
• Hotel Rwanda (movie) (2004) Acclaimed Hollywood story of the Rwandan genocide
• Rwanda: The Royal Tour (movie) (2018) Perfect one-hour overview led by journalist Peter Greenberg and Rwanda President Paul Kagame

- Group size is limited to 10 to create a community-building experience. 

- Health Considerations include heat, humidity and altitude. For their own safety and comfort, participants should be in good health. 

- COVID Vaccinations are required of all trip participants. Participants required to follow all travel protocol recommended by the WHO, CDC, the Rwandan authorities and individual businesses while in-country.

- Pre and Post-Trip Travel Planning Services can be provided by Go Kigali Tours by contacting info@gokigalitours.com. Additional excursions are optional, but highly encouraged.

- To Learn More, contact trip leader Jodi Morris (Jodi@ConnectingGrowthGlobally.com)

Please note that details within the itinerary are subject to change.

Welcome to Rwanda! You are met by your driver at the Kigali International Airport. As you transfer to the ONOMO Hotel Kigali, you immediately see why Kigali is the cleanest and safest city in Africa. If you are seeking to link your pre-trip hotel reservations, refer to our group Booking.com Confirmation #2532.438.110.

Enjoy the day at your leisure enjoying the comforts of ONOMO, a 12-year-old African hotel brand that proudly emphasizes "Africa's Finest" in their materials, decor, and food and drinks. Be lured by the main level indoor/outdoor space with an infinity pool and mountain views. Take a walk or arrange for taxi transport to explore Kigali.

We meet on the outdoor deck at 5:00pm and depart for our opening dinner at Heaven, a gorgeous restaurant and hotel founded by Americans Josh & Alissa Ruxin. As shared in the book A Thousand Hills to Heaven, Heaven plays a major role in Rwanda's high national standards for hospitality excellence. 

Enjoy complimentary breakfast at the hotel. We meet at 9:30am in the lobby to meet our private shuttle and Desiree Izzere. Born and raised in Kigali, Desiree shows us the favorite parts of her city. Highlights include:

-- Walking around Mt. Kigali for views of the city and the countryside

-- Visiting a local milk bar & tasting some of the world's best coffee

-- Enjoying a traditional neighborhood market

-- Exploring the city's outdoor murals on a neighborhood walk

We also visit The Kigali Genocide Memorial. This incredibly moving Memorial is the final resting place for more than 250,000 victims of the Genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda in 1994. It honors the memory of the one million+ Rwandans killed through education and peace-building. Understanding Rwanda's genocide past is important to understanding its present and future. Audio guides are available for rent if you choose.

Midday, we stop to enjoy a delicious Rwandan lunch. We end our afternoon enjoying a sundowner overlooking our new favorite African city before returning to the hotel.

We gather for dinner at 7:00pm on the outdoor balcony of ONOMO's Ijuru restaurant.

Today, we meet for breakfast together at 8:30am. We're joined by Nadine Niyitegeka, a passionate leader in higher education who began her career at Rwanda's Davis Akilah, from which she graduated in 2013. Nadine's story is the perfect backdrop as we dive deeper into education.

By 2035, Africa will have the largest and youngest workforce in the world. Founded by Fred Swaniker, the African Leadership Group seeks to capture this massive talent pool with the potential to become a source of untold global innovation and entrepreneurship for Africa and the world. 

Part of that ecosystem is African Leadership University (ALU), an out-of-the-box university focused on identifying, developing and connecting Africa's young leaders.  We are hosted on ALU's newly-opened Kigali campus by Beke Chakavanda. We learn about ALU's student venture program and meet current students like Chisom Chimezie and Nelson Kalimba who share their personal mission, ALU's vision and why Rwanda is ALU's chosen base.

Afterward, we visit one of Rwanda's top fashion brands--Haute Baso. Founders Candy Basomingera and Linda Mukangoga are committed to collaboration with Rwandan artisans--read more about them. We enjoy lunch at their adjacent cafe.

After returning to ONOMO for a short afternoon break, we transport to Inena Arts. Founded by brothers Emmanuel Nkuranga and Innocent Nkurunziza, Inema is the lynchpin to the buildout of Rwanda's artistic community. We enjoy the first part of Inema's Thursday night community gathering before heading to dinner with live jazz music at local favorite Repub Lounge.

Enjoy complimentary breakfast at the hotel. Today is about tech entrepreneurship. It's a strategic national focus--Rwanda's Vision 2050 is President Paul Kagame's roadmap for transforming Rwanda's economy and modernizing the lives of all Rwandans. 

We begin at Norrsken House Kigali, a newly-renovated space by MASS Design that is Africa's largest hub for entrepreneurship. Our partners at Africa impact investing leader RENEW Capital—Matt Davis, Laura Davis, and Lincoln Ford—contrast the ecosystem in Rwanda and East Africa relative to the U.S.

We visit a variety of companies that bring Rwanda's vision alive. Examples include Ampersand, which builds affordable e-motos and charging systems for the three million motorcycle taxi drivers in East Africa, starting with Rwanda. By making it cheaper to buy and operate an electric motorcycle, Ampersand helps drivers double their income and Africa leapfrog to a zero-carbon future (more about Ampersand).

Uzuri K&Y is an African-inspired eco-friendly footwear brand with a mission to craft viable solutions for recycling waste like old car tires. Founded in 2013 by two visionary friends Ysolde Shimwe and Kevine Kagirimpundu, in 2018, they were named the best "Made in Rwanda" enterprise of the year and are among the top companies creating change across Africa. 

After a local lunch, we visit Kasha, an e-commerce company for women's health and personal care in East Africa. Launched in Rwanda in 2015, Kasha is improving health, education and economic opportunity for women and their families (more about Kasha). Kasha's Natacha Mugeni leads us in exploring Kasha's impact.

With a lot to take in and talk about, we reconvene for dinner as a group at 7:00pm at Indian favorite Khana Khazana.

Enjoy complimentary breakfast at the hotel. And get ready to join the community.

Every month, Rwandan citizens come together with a common purpose. Umuganda is Rwanda's nationwide mandatory community work day, created to promote peace, unity, and prosperity across the country. On The Last Saturday of every month from 8-11:00 am, businesses close and traffic halts as citizens across the country take to their neighborhoods. Listen to Desiree Izzere talk about the importance of Umuganda.

As a visitor, you participate in this monthly Rwandan holiday. We learn more specifics the week of. Dress comfortably and casually.

Afterward, we stop for a light lunch at Baso Patissier. We are joined by Candy Basomingera, who originally founded Baso and currently serves as the Deputy CEO for the Rwanda Convention Bureau. Candy lives the "Made in Rwanda" slogan.

You are encouraged to spend the afternoon on your own. It's a great time to do some final shopping at locations like Rwanda Clothing, Kigali Cultural Village, or even partake in a short class at Azizi Life Studios. You can arrange transportation from ONOMO Hotel.

We spend our last hours in Kigali exploring art and community over a very special dinner at Choose Kigali, an immersive creative space in Kiyovu with an Italian tasting menu and some of the best views of Kigali. Our host founder and artist Emmanuel Nkuranga, who co-founded Imena Arts with his brother Innocent Nkurunziza. You take in Emmanuel's personal story and how his art and hospitality vision connects Rwanda to the world.

Enjoy your last evening in Kigali. There's still a whole Rwanda to explore!

Enjoy complimentary breakfast at the hotel and check-out. At 8:00am, we transport for 2+ hours via private vehicle to Musanze—recently named by Time as one of the world's greatest places. 

Mountain gorillas remain critically endangered—there are over 1000 left in the world. Rwanda is one of only three countries where you can visit them. 

We visit the newly-opened (2022) Ellen DeGeneres Campus of the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund nestled in the foothills of Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park. Another MASS Design project that takes inspiration from Dian Fossey’s original tent camp in Rwanda 50+ years ago, the campus showcases environmentally conscious design, invests in local livelihoods and scientific capacity building, and supports Rwanda’s ecotourism sector (video). It's been named among the 10 most anticipated architecture projects in Africa.

Next, we go behind the scenes on one of Musanze's newest 2024 openings—Virunga Mountain Spirits (VMS)—a female-operated distillery whose flagship "Made in Rwanda" product is potato vodka. CEO Karen Sherman walks us through the property and invites us to her personal home to enjoy a BBQ with her husband and co-founder Bill Wasserman. Through Karen and Bill, we learn what it takes to design and operate a new distillery business in Rwanda (VMS Overview).

We check-in at Amarembo Gorilla Lodge. Enjoy the afternoon taking in the mountain views or taking a dip in the pool. We reconvene for a private dinner at the lodge before a restful night in the mountains.

Enjoy an early complimentary breakfast at the lodge. We depart at 8:00am to enjoy a morning hike in the Musanze countryside and observe day-to-day rural life. 

We end our hike with a farewell lunch at Byiza Lodge. Byiza means "beautiful" in Kinyarwanda. Situated on a hilltop between the twin lakes of Ruhondo and Burera, and overlooking the Virunga volcanoes, it's a fitting end of our CGG Experience in Rwanda. We take time to share all that we've experienced during the week. 

From here, participants may choose optional single or multi-day trip excursions (Rwanda gorilla trekking, Akagera National Park safari, Lake Kivu, adventures in Uganda) organized directly with Go Kigali.

Alternatively, we return via private safari vehicle to the Kigali International Airport (KGL) for outbound international flights departing in the evening. 

Book separately. Rwanda’s famous Mountain Gorillas located 2.5 hours outside of Kigali. It's estimated there are less than 900 Mountain Gorillas left in the world. Rwanda is one of only three countries where you can visit these critically endangered animals.

Each hike to reach a gorilla family is different; some hikes are as short as 45 minutes others as long as several hours. The terrain varies, and altitudes may reach up to 4,000m (13,000 feet) with a starting altitude of 2,500m (8,200 feet). Guides arrange with the park service to assign you to a group based on your fitness level and preference. Groups are limited to only 8 visitors per gorilla family to minimize disturbance to the gorillas. Each group can be visited for a one hour period. Permits must be purchased from the park service well in advance. Permits are non-refundable.

Go Kigali Tours offers a one-day Gorilla Trekking. If you have interest in multiple days, combining with a safari or in other excursions in Rwanda or East Africa, the Go Kigali team can work with you to customize your perfect pre- or post-trip experience. Please contact info@gokigalitours.com.

Sample Itinerary: Gorilla Trekking in Volcanoes National Park Day Trip

Book Separately. Less than a 3-hour drive from Kigali along the border with Tanzania, Akagera National Park is home to the "Big Five." Animals to be seen include giraffe, zebra, elephant, lion, leopard, hippo, rhino, antelopes, buffalo and hundreds of bird species, including rare birds like the Shoebill.

Go Kigali Tours offers a one-day Safari. If you have interest in multiple days, combining with gorilla trekking or in other excursions in Rwanda or East Africa, the Go Kigali team can work with you to customize your perfect pre- or post-trip experience. Please contact info@gokigalitours.com.

Sample Itinerary: Akagera Day Trip Itinerary