Rwanda

“Noise preceded sight, and smell preceded both in the form of an overwhelming mixture of stable and musk, but also reminiscent of human odor. Suddenly, a series of high-pitched screams rent the air, followed by a rhythmic sound produced by the dry heaving of a gigantic silverback buck on his chest. [...] Peering through the vegetation, we could make out a group of shaggy-headed black primates who were watching us as intently as we were watching them. Under bushy eyebrows, their beady eyes shifted nervously as if trying to guess our intentions. I was immediately taken by the physical magnificence of these huge black bodies that contrasted with the green forest foliage.”

This is how American primatologist Dian Fossey described her first encounter with mountain gorillas in her book Gorillas in the Mist. This moment transformed her, inspiring her to live among these majestic creatures for thirteen years, studying, protecting them from poachers, and sharing her discoveries with the world. She did all this in Rwanda, where today you can still experience a similar encounter that leaves a lasting mark.

Rwanda is a land of lush green hills, a place that has embraced exclusive, peaceful, and respectful tourism, seeking to balance development with respect for nature.