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

-- Visiting Mt. Kigali for views of the city and the countryside

-- Tasting some of the world's best coffee and visiting a local milk bar

-- Enjoying the bustle of 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 a casual dinner on the outdoor balcony of ONOMO's Ijuru restaurant.

Enjoy complimentary breakfast at the hotel. We depart at 8:30am for a day of exploring inspiring entrepreneurship in Kigali.

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. ALU students declare "missions, not majors." We are hosted on ALU's Kigali campus by Zulfawu "Zu" Tahiru and Beke Chakavanda. We meet Stephen Khan who leads ALU's Student Venture Program, and are paired with students from various African countries like Chisom Chimezie who each share their mission with us.

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 head to Inema Arts. Founded by brothers Emmanuel Nkuranga and Innocent Nkurunziza, Inema is the lynchpin to the buildout of Rwanda's artistic community. Innocent and his brothers share their stories and art with us. We stay for the beginning of Inema's weekly community Happy Hour. Afterward, we enjoy 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, Africa's largest hub for entrepreneurship. Norrsken is a global ecosystem connecting founders with capital, knowledge and networks. Kigali is their East Africa hub. Pacific Tuyishime is our host.

Among Norrsken members is Africa impact investing leader RENEW Capital. Renew started in Ethiopia over 10 years ago and now invests in 14 African countries. Renew's Nicolas Malonga and Andrew Larsen are our hosts, helping us 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 Sawa Energy, which builds solar systems for East African businesses, and Kabisa, Rwanda's largest EV charging network. Both companies serve Norrsken itself.

We visit a beauty bar and meet Gisèla Van Houcke, founder and CEO of Zuri, which empowers Black women through its beauty tech platform. Renew invested in Zuri earlier in 2024. 

We stop for a healthy lunch (and coffee!) at Kivu Noir . Afterward, we stop at a charging station of Ampersand, charging station, which builds affordable e-motos and charging systems for the three million motorcycle taxi drivers in East Africa. 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).

Our last stop for the day is Kweza Craft Brewery. We meet CEO Jessi Flynn, who shares more about this women-owned and led craft brewery—the first in Rwanda! (Forbes article)

We enjoy an afternoon break at ONOMO. With a lot to take in and talk about, we reconvene for a casual dinner at 7:00pm at nearby Indian favorite Khana Khazana.

Today we grab a quick early breakfast for a 6:15am departure and spend the day as guests of a local community. Dress comfortably and casually.

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.

You will be the rare visitor to participate in this monthly Rwandan tradition.

We travel (about 1.5 hours) to the Kayonza District and will be hosted by friend Doreen Kalimba. Doreen is the mother of Jodi's former SHE-CAN mentee Maureen who attended Tufts (B.A.) and Harvard (M.A.). The community decides the plan for the day, so we learn more that week.

Afterward, we enjoy lunch at the Urugo Opportunity Women Center. Don't miss the adjoining gift shop with crafts from the local women.

After returning to Kigali, enjoy the afternoon on your own. Take a nap, or it's a great time to do some final shopping (Des can provide recommendations). You can arrange transportation from the hotel.

We spend our last hours in Kigali exploring art and community over a very special dinner at Treasures of Ikoro. Opening in 2023, the restaurant is named after the single lava stone from the Volcanoes area which is the cornerstone of their architecture. Chef Eric Wanyonyi leads us on a multi-course culinary adventure fusing Africa, Caribbean and European flavors.

While it's our last evening in Kigali, there's still more 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. We're special guests to VMS' soft opening. For an enjoyable read about the journey thus far, don't miss this blog.

CEO Karen Sherman and her husband and co-founder Bill Wasserman tour us through the distillery. We are the first visitors ever to a private tasting and lunch at their BBQ restaurant. It's an insider's view of designing and operating a new business in Rwanda (VMS Overview). 

We check-in at Sambora Kinigi. Enjoy the afternoon taking in the mountain views or enjoy a massage. We reconvene for a private dinner at the lodge before a restful night in the mountains.

Enjoy an early complimentary breakfast at Sambora Kinigi. We depart at 8:00am to enjoy the Musanze countryside and observe day-to-day rural life. 

We visit the Sunzu Yacu Community Center in Musanze. On a hilltop overlooking Burera Lake, the compound includes a library, classrooms and a women's sewing cooperative. We have made a collective donation of funds and supplies as part of our visit. Enjoy interacting with the children who happily welcome you.

From the Sunzu Center, we enjoy the most inspiring views with a hike on the strip of land separating Lake Butera and Ruhondo, ending at Byiza Lodge ("Byiza" means "beautiful" in Kinyarwanda. 

We head back to Sambora Kinigi for a special last lunch. It's a fitting end to our Venture. We take time to share all that we've experienced during the week. 

From here, stay on for single or multi-day trip excursions (Rwanda gorilla trekking, Akagera National Park safari, Lake Kivu, adventures in Uganda) organized directly with Go Further. 

Alternatively, 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 are 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 one hour. Permits must be purchased from the park service well in advance. Permits are non-refundable.

Go Further (hello@gofurther.tours) offers gorilla trekking. Indicate your interest as part of trip registration. Cost per person declines with larger group size. 

If you have interest in multiple days, combining with a safari or other excursions in Rwanda or East Africa, the Go Further team can work with you to customize your perfect pre- or post-trip experience. 

Sample Itinerary: Rwanda Gorilla Trekking 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 Further (hello@gofurther.tours) offers safaris in Akagera. Indicate your when registering. Cost per person declines with larger group size. 

If you have interest in multiple days, combining with gorilla trekking or other excursions in Rwanda or East Africa, the Go Further team can work with you to customize your perfect pre- or post-trip experience. 

Sample Itinerary: Akagera Big Five Safari