Hike and Kayak Rwanda

No previous experience is needed, but you'll be spending long days on Lake Kivu so you should have reasonable upper body strength to enjoy it to the full. The trekking, while not technically difficult, is at altitude and the Karisimbi summit trek involves a lot of climbing. You should feel comfortable walking for up to 9 hours in a day across steep and uneven ground. The cycling is largely downhill with no technical sections, so while you should be confident riding, you don't need any previous experience.

Sure can! Over 70% of our travellers travel solo, it’s a great way to meet like-minded people.

While tap water is unsafe for drinking, please bring a refillable water bottle with you as a plentiful supply of filtered/treated water will be available during the trip.

Rwanda is warm and spring-like all year round. Temperatures average 24-34°C in the daytime and 17-20°C at night. Short thunderstorms that usually pass within an hour or so can occur at any time of year, but the main wet seasons are March to mid-May and September to mid-November.

Rain is unlikely in the main dry season from the start of July to mid-August but it can be a little more hazy due to the dust in the air. Rwanda is a great place to visit at any time of year however, December to January are the most popular as there's lots of sunshine and the landscape is lush and green.

During the trek you'll only need to carry your day pack containing lunch, waterproofs, camera, water etc. Your larger backpack will be carried by your porters.

This is a once in a lifetime opportunity, so if you want to see these incredible animals in the wild this can be arranged for you on Day 8. Gorilla viewing permits are limited and the price is set by the Rwandan Government.

Gorilla permits are non-refundable and to secure one a USD618 deposit is needed upfront at the time of booking. Please let your host know in advance if you would like to arrange this experience.

Gorilla health is taken very seriously in Rwanda. This means that if you are ill (even the slightest of colds), you will be unable to visit them. The government does not offer refunds so if this was to occur you will need to try and claim this on your travel insurance (please check that you are covered for such an eventuality).

When you trek in the mountains, there's always the risk of getting altitude sickness, regardless of how old, young, fit or unfit you are. We would expect most trekkers to feel some mild symptoms of altitude sickness (headache, sleeplessness, heavy breathing) when over 3000m. Our guides are trained to identify the symptoms of altitude sickness so if any more serious symptoms are noted, there is a strict procedure regarding extra care or a rapid descent or evacuation if needed. All of our trips have been designed with altitude best practice in mind so acclimatisation days have been built in and our experienced guides follow advice to ‘walk high and sleep low’.

Adventure tourism is relatively new to Rwanda and the government is keen to ensure that it develops in the right way - i.e. with maximum benefit to the local communities and minimum impact on the environment.

To support this a permit system has been put in place: visitor numbers are restricted and conservation is funded, so that the park is protected and travellers must hire local government guides to guarantee employment. Trekking in the Volcanoes National Park comes with a permit fee of $300 per person (included in the trip price), but you can rest assured that you are creating a positive impact as you go!

We recommend checking out the country specific information here and also talking to a travel nurse.

For current advice about travelling in Rwanda, have a read of the UK Foreign Office pages here.

Tips are not included in the trip cost. These are entirely at your discretion but there is an expectation to tip for good service. Your guide will help with advice, however, we'd suggest the folllowing as a guideline per person:

Guide: approx $25-50pp Driver: approx $15-30pp National park guide: approx $8pp Porters: approx $2pp Total: $50-90pp

Of course, you are free to tip more or less, and the amount should be reflective of your perception of service and quality - a tip is not compulsory and should only be given when you receive excellent service.

All foreign nationalities entering Rwanda require a valid visa. This can be obtained upon arrival in Kigali and in many cases, is free. The Visit Rwanda website provides more information. Please check the regulations for your nationality.

Our recommended travel insurance provider is Campbell Irvine.

Travel insurance is compulsory for all of our adventures and you are required to provide your policy information before departing.

Your insurance should include adequate protection for overseas medical treatment, evacuation/repatriation, your baggage and equipment and the specific activities involved on your adventure. We also strongly recommend it includes cancellation and curtailment insurance, should you be unable to join your trip for specific reasons such as illness.

We fully endorse Campbell Irvine as their insurance offers all of the above, so get in touch with them or call on 020 7938 1734 to get your insurance sorted. We suggest that you book travel insurance as soon as you book your adventure, just to cover you for any last-minute life changes. We know you’re an active lot and injuries do happen!

We automatically convert prices from the local currency that a host receives to your chosen currency. We update our exchange rates on a daily basis so this does mean that prices displayed on the site are subject to currency fluctuations, which is why you may see them change over time.

If you wish to change the currency you pay in, head to the bottom of the page.

All of our group adventures are specially designed for adults to enjoy (18+) as we want these adventures to bring together outdoorsy people who are truly like-minded. Children can be accommodated on some private departures.

You're always in good company on one of our adventures.

Our trips are typically made up of a mixture of solo travellers and small groups of 2 or 3 friends, with most in their 30s-50s.

Our sociable adventures are solo-friendly by design and naturally attract outdoorsy people with a shared mindset; a love for adventure, a desire to push themselves and meet awesome, like-minded people along the way.

It’s this camaraderie that has so often turned a great adventure into a life-changing one.

Don't just take our word for it:

• 95% of people rate the group dynamics on our trips 5/5
• 90% of people recommend joining a trip to make new friends
• 75% of people have met people on our trips that they would now consider friends

See here for more info about the Much Better Adventures tribe.

Interested in a more exclusive experience? Opt for a 'Private Group' through the dates and prices tab to book this adventure for just you and your chosen companions.

Our team of Adventure Hunters create exclusive adventures with highly vetted, specialist hosts. We only work with independent, local in-destination experts who know the very best places to explore and how to stay safe. See here for more info about the local teams we partner with.