Holidays
Rwanda Rising - Gravel Bikes and Gorillas

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Holidays

Rwanda Rising - Gravel Bikes and Gorillas

Rwanda

Available Departures: May

14 days from

US$6,775

without flights

View Dates & Prices

Cycle

Pioneer

CHALLENGING

Gravel bikes and gorillas unite to create an immersive adventure in the heart of Africa, filled with challenging cycle routes, culture and wildlife experiences like no other.

Trip Code: PXGG

Our Holiday Grades Explained

To show the relative difficulty of our holidays, each trip is graded on a scale of 1 to 12, with 12 being the most challenging. Although we have tried to make our grading system as clear as possible, it cannot take into account your personal interests, abilities or experience. If you have any questions about the nature of a particular trip or its suitability for you, please read the 'Is this holiday for you?' section or contact us.

1 - 3 LEISURELY

Suitable for most people in good health, holidays at this grade include only limited amounts of activity.

View leisurely holidays

4 - 6 MODERATE

Suitable for reasonably fit individuals, such as weekend walkers and cyclists. There can be the occasional more difficult day.

View moderate holidays

7 - 9 CHALLENGING

Physically challenging holidays, where you need to be prepared before you go.

View challenging holidays

10 - 12 TOUGH

Our toughest holidays, involving many long days, often in isolated areas. A high level of fitness and previous wilderness and mountain experience is essential.

View Tough holidays

Section:

Rwanda Rising - Gravel Bikes and Gorillas

Highlights

Follow in the tyre tracks of the world’s finest on a lap of the 2025 UCI World Championships course on partially closed roads, just a few months after the main event.
Spend a day trekking through rainforest in the Volcanoes National Park, to spend time with a band of wild mountain gorillas in their verdant volcano-side home.
Ride on gravel tracks through the many and varied patchwork landscapes that make up this beautiful nation, from rainforests to tea plantations and shimmering lakeshores.
Visit the Africa Rising Cycling Centre, home of the National Rwandan Cycling Team, the beating heart of central Africa’s love affair with two wheels.

At a Glance

Group Size 5 to 12
10 days gravel biking
2 days wildlife walks and gorilla trekking and cultural tours
all National Park Fees included
Max altitude 2,700 metres
Join In Kigali

Accommodation & Meals

All meals included
4 nights Hotel
2 nights Camping
2 nights Ecolodge
1 nights Lodge with swimming pool
1 nights Hotel with swimming pool
3 nights Lodge

Overview

In the land of a thousand hills, the dirt and gravel roads are the arteries of the country, spreading across the land in a sinuous mesh connecting villages to towns, farmers to markets. These ribbons of unsealed road provide the perfect surface for thousands of Rwandans to get around on two wheels too, carrying goods, and each other, on old steel frames with single gears, sometimes carrying loads of over 300 kilos. Bikes are everywhere, and are universally accepted as an efficient and respected way to cover ground. It is on these tracks, and among these cyclists that we will travel through Rwanda, on a gravel cycling adventure that truly gets under the skin of this wonderful nation in the heart of Africa.

Our journey, some 430km of point-to-point cycling, starts in the nation’s capital, before heading out for a loop of the western half of Rwanda. We will pass through pockets of dense rainforest, along the shores of the great Lake Kivu, defining the majority of Rwanda’s western border, eventually reaching the towering volcanoes of the north, the steep forested flanks of which are some of the last bastions of the mighty mountain gorilla. The first stage, in Kigali, retraces the wheels of the finest road cyclists on earth, we start with a lap of the UCI World Championships Road Race course, run just a few months prior to our departure. We will then head into the plantation-cloaked hills of the south, with tea, coffee and eucalyptus plantations growing on the steep sides of these sun bathed slopes. We pass through the wildlife thrum of Nyungwe Forest National Park and pause for a wildlife experience with the 400 strong troop of colobus monkeys. We then head down to the shores of Lake Kivu before turning north for the best part of a week along its shores. We will glide through plantations and villages alive with communities and schoolhouses, with smiling and happy faces, thrilled to see cyclists racing through on two wheels. We will start days with good coffee, before passing through the hillsides where much of the beans are grown, the glaucous leaves and small red berries providing a moment of shade for us, and a wage for the growers that live and work on these slopes. Eventually, after several days of increasingly tough hill-climbing days, we reach the volcanoes and gorillas of the north, as well as the Africa Rising Cycling Centre, the birthplace of the Rwandan cycling team and testament to the incredible successes of this wonderful cycling loving country. Finally, we head back south through the beautiful Twin Lakes region and on towards Kigali, with a short transfer taking us back into the city and the end of our great exploration of this small but mighty country.

Is this holiday for you?

This is a gravel cycling trip with 10 days riding over 430 kilometres. There will be considerable climbing and descending, over 11,000 metres of both, which means that although the stages aren’t long, they are tough, and unrelenting, owing to the high grade for the distance covered. The pace will be relaxed, and include plenty of refreshment stops, however, Rwanda’s proximity to the equator means it will always be warm, and may tire us out more quickly than we are used to. The trails are mostly unsealed but smooth, and although there are sometimes short stretches of more technical terrain, this is never beyond the means of a gravel bike or short travel MTB hardtail and always on double track road. There are a few sections of tarmac, particularly in villages and towns on thoroughfares, and although the roads are busy, cyclists are incredibly well respected, the drivers will pass wide and slow, and in some cases, particularly the larger, heavier trucks will sit patiently behind, only overtaking when they have enough space and momentum to do so. Of course nowhere is without its risks, but nonetheless, Rwanda is a very safe country for cycling in.

Off bike days/half days are designed to promote active recovery and will always include a walk of some description. In Nyungwe we walk on a mix of made paths and canopy walkways through the forest on undulating terrain, as well as some sections of unmade, hacked forest floor, which will likely contain some steep and soft ground with plenty of vegetation. In Volcanoes National Park we walk through hacked bamboo forest uphill for anywhere between 30 mins to 3 hours on often wet and sludgy ground. Our guides kit us out with gaiters before hand, and solid walking shoes with good treads are useful here. In both locations, our guides offer us sticks to help steady ourselves with as well as advice, and porters in Volcanoes will even offer a hand to hold on technical ground.

Why KE?

This pioneering trip is the first foray for KE into Rwanda on two wheels. We have created an itinerary that covers some of the best gravel biking routes in the country, providing short but demanding, and incredibly rewarding stages, whilst also ensuring cultural and wildlife rich experiences when off the bike in two of Rwanda’s finest national parks. These active recovery days really set our itinerary apart from the rest. We will head out on walks through the forest, the gentle movement flushing out the lactic acid built up on the days prior, encouraging your legs to feel better as the day progresses. Be aware though, that whilst your legs are recovering, the flora and fauna that compete for space and light in the dense rainforests will assault your senses.

Your eyes will be fit to deceive as you lock gazes with giant silverbacks, and inquisitive colobus monkeys alike. Their human-like expressions have a way of boring into your soul, reminding us of our primeval ancestry. The smell of fresh overnight rain on humus rich forest floors will drag your soul back to these ancient times. And your ears will ring with the cacophony of the forest, the birdsong and primate howl of day ceding to the frog and cicada hush of night. Both are simply captivating. No cycling itinerary gives you rest days quite like this, and we are confident you will return from this pioneering trip with tired happy legs, and a camera bursting with memories of other worldly wildlife experiences too.

Itinerary

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Day 1

Arrival Day, overnight in Kigali.

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We arrive in Kigali and settle in to our comfortable and cosmopolitan accommodation in the heart of the city before our adventure begins tomorrow. If we arrive in good time, we may be able to head out into town to explore independently before dinner in the hotel restaurant this evening. We'll retire early to get a good night's sleep ahead of tomorrow's UCI Road World Championships loop ride.

Accommodation

Hotel

Meals

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Day 2

Our first day of riding, around Kigali on the UCI World Championships course on partially closed roads.

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After a hearty breakfast, we'll get set up on our bikes for the next two weeks and head out into the city. Our guide will take us on a lap of the UCI Road World Championships course. This is a hilly route with some testing climbs, so we'll be thankful of our MTB gearing as we complete the lap, recounting the drama that will have recently unfolded just a month or so before we take on our challenge. On Sunday mornings, twice a month, here in Kigali, the roads are closed for leisure use only, so where possible, and with care, we will be able to enjoy our ride on closed roads without any motorised vehicles to worry about. This forward thinking initiative has proven very popular, and whilst this is a great thing for our group to be a part of, we must also be careful and mindful of other users, which will likely consist of lots of runners, walkers, and other cyclists. Enjoy the atmosphere and soak into life in the heart of Africa. After we've completed our morning ride and enjoyed a buffet lunch at a local restaurant, we'll turn our attentions to the Kigali Genocide Memorial for an afternoon of reflection and some grounding in what makes Rwanda the place that it is today, in light of the suffering and difficult times that had gone before. A sobering but important visit and a vital way to begin our explorations of this beautiful country. We'll retire once more to our hotel for a second night in the city before starting our journey around Rwanda in earnest.

Accommodation

Hotel

Meals

B L D

Ascent

1110 M

Descent

1110 M

Distance

48 KM

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Day 3

Transfer day to Kitabi Eco Centre via King's Palace and Azizi Life cultural centre.

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We will leave Kigali after breakfast at the hotel this morning and travel south towards the Kitabi Eco Centre, located at the southern edge of Nyungwe National Park. Along the way, we'll enjoy a coffee break at the Stafford Coffee Shop, one of many emerging fine coffee shops in a country that has produced and exported beans for generations but only recently developed the coffee culture to accompany its excellent production. We'll also have an opportunity to interact with local artisan craft makers at the non-profit Azizi Life, picking up a souvenir or two, or perhaps learning how their wares are created from the producers themselves. After we've fuelled up and paid for our souvenirs, it's back on the road to the King's Palace Museum for an insightful afternoon learning all about the history of the Kingdom of Rwanda and how royalty lived both in the days of the Kingdom, as well as under the more recent Belgian rule. We'll then travel on to hopefully reach the Kitabi Eco Centre before dusk, to soak in the incredible views afforded from its lofty position amongst the steep sided tea farmed hills, and the rising mists from the cloud forest of Nyungwe beyond. Dinner will be here before retiring to our basic but quirky rooms built in the style of the grass hut king's chambers we toured around earlier in the day.

Accommodation

Ecolodge

Meals

B L D

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Day 4

Riding into the Nyungwe National Park on roads and forest tracks, with an afternoon canopy walk in the rainforest.

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Breakfast on the terrace this morning will be one to remember, as the white necked ravens catch the breeze overhead and the trees of Nyungwe breathe out the warm mists into the hills, completing a view that makes your African tea taste even sweeter. We will have a short but atmospheric ride this morning, into the heart of the forest to eventually find the visitor centre at Uwinka. We will start out through the last of the tea fields on asphalt, before rising into the edge of the national park, the sights and sounds changing all around us, from wide open farmed hillsides to thick air and impenetrable forest. We eventually finding our turn off onto a newly installed dirt track for bikes, and you'll be one of the first tour groups to use it, designed by African Parks, the National Parks management company of Nyungwe, to encourage users into this beautiful and unique landscape. This rainforest is believed to be one of the oldest in all of Africa, and provides the watershed for both the Congo and Nile rivers. Look out for black-fronted duiker, a tiny forest antelope, and L'Hoest's and Colobus monkeys that often hang out on the road verges, as you wend your way through this ancient Afromontane forest. Today's ride ends at the National Park headquarters at Uwinka, where we'll be treated to lunch and more great coffee. This afternoon, hopefully dodging the heaviest downpours, we'll head into the park on the Igishigishigi trail to the 200m long canopy walkway bridge keeping our eyes and ears open, hoping to spot some of the 13 primate species and over 300 species of bird that call this forest home. This evening we stay at the campsite near the national park headquarters, deep within the rainforest on a stilted platform among the canopy. You'll drift off to sleep enveloped in the sound safari of the rainforest at night.

Accommodation

Camping

Meals

B L D

Ascent

950 M

Descent

870 M

Distance

40 KM

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Day 5

A morning off the bike, rainforest trekking to find colobus monkeys, and then a ride down, down and down again to the shores of Lake Kivu.

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This morning we will wake at dawn as the soundtrack shifts from cicadas and frogs, to birdsong, and have a breakfast among the trees of this magical reserve. After breakfast we meet our guides and collect our sticks, vital support for our off-trail walk through the forest on a path cut out by machete by our guide, to seek out the troop of some 300 strong colobus monkeys, the largest troop of this species known to exist. This wonderful group of characters are arboreal by nature, and it will be possible to spot them leaping from branch to branch above our heads, whilst mothers nurse white furred babies and others preen each other on open branches, their tails hanging down like bell ringers ropes from the boughs above. After a captivating morning surrounded by these photogenic primates we jump back on our bikes to commence the next leg of our gravel biking journey around Rwanda. Today we'll head down through the rainforest and back out onto the open farmed slopes to the magnificent Lake Kivu. Our route takes us on dirt roads, predominantly downhill passing through the edges of the forest, through villages lined with smiling and happy faces, eventually finding views of the lake. We skirt the shores heading to a promontory on the lake and our campsite for the evening, a world away from last night's camp, surrounded by the peace of the lake, save perhaps for a few singing fisherman.

Accommodation

Hotel

Meals

B L D

Ascent

930 M

Descent

1830 M

Distance

45 KM

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Day 6

To the Sangira Restobar for coffee and a tour of the academy, and then up into the hills before heading north and back down to the Lake at Kumbya.

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Waking up to beautiful views of Lake Kivu and the rainforest clad hills of the Congo beyond, we'll take breakfast at the hotel before our ride for the day begins. After a mini prologue into nearby Rugabano village, we will stop for a coffee or perhaps an African tea (delicious milky tea steeped with lots of ginger) with a difference at the Sangira Restobar and academy. We'll have a tour of the facilities here, and learn all about how the benefactors of this trust have set up a catering and hospitality college for underprivileged locals and particularly women, of the community. After our educational drinks stop it's on with the ride, and although short in distance, there are three significant climbs as we make our way inland, away from Lake Kivu and then track North to our next destination further along the shores of this great lake. We'll pass through predominantly arable farmland today, surrounded by the villages that are fed and financed by these slopes, common crops including coffee, tea, eucalyptus, and cassava. This evening we reach our next accommodation before dinner, an eco-lodge on the shores of Lake Kivu, with beautiful views north across this seemingly unending waterscape.

Accommodation

Ecolodge

Meals

B L D

Ascent

900 M

Descent

910 M

Distance

32 KM

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Day 7

A longer day of cycling North among the tea farm lined hills that border Lake Kivu, with three considerable climbs.

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The next couple of days provide a tougher challenge than those that have gone before, but hopefully by now, we have settled into a rhythm and cycling on the dirt roads of Rwanda is beginning to feel like second nature. There are again three main climbs, predominantly on dirt roads, with the largest being 7km long and with some sections of over 15% gradient, which will feel like a tough day out on the bike. Our route will again come away from the lake into the interior, with smiley happy faces and giggling school children lining the roads all the way along the route. Look out for cyclist traders carrying their goods to and from market, sometimes with loads of over 300 kilos, including sugar palms, banana beer, and coal. Our last climb and descent down to the lakeshore includes a short section on busier asphalt roads through Mugonero, before a final 10 km to the lodge on the lakeshore. We'll take dinner here and retire to our rooms after another wonderful ride in the thousand hills of Rwanda.

Accommodation

Lodge with swimming pool

Meals

B L D

Ascent

1410 M

Descent

1410 M

Distance

50 KM

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Day 8

The final stretch of cycling north along the shores of the lake, and a tough day of climbing eventually reaching Karongi, before ending the day kayaking on the lake at sunset.

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From our excellently positioned lodge this morning, we will enjoy another great breakfast, being mindful to stock up on energy reserves before heading back out onto the dirt roads for a challenging but rewarding day on our bikes. Unlike the last couple of undulating days, this day consists of one almost continuous climb, starting out initially on the dirt road we used to reach last night's lodge to get back out towards the hills. After a short stretch on asphalt, our climb into the hills intensifies. Most sections are between 4 and 8% but there are a few short sections of steeper rise, the steepest being around 15%. We reach our highpoint for the day at 36 kilometres in, at nearly 2,500m, and we're already heading north back towards the lakeshore. From here there is an almost completely uninterrupted, but nonetheless winding descent all the way back down through countryside, villages and eventually through the bustling streets of Karongi to the lake edge and our hotel for tonight. Once off the bikes, we should have some time to relax for a short while in the afternoon, before our paddle at sunset on the lake. The waters are refreshing but warm, and usually millpond still, perfect for this evening's activity. Whether new to the discipline or a returning kayaker, we are confident of a great time on the sea kayaks cruising around the multifaceted bays of the lake. Hammerkop nest in the trees around here, and we can often see pied kingfishers hovering close to the shore, before diving down into the water after small fish. We'll explore the bays and islands in our craft and learn the basics of paddling with our expert guides, enjoying the peace and picture perfect views over the water at sunset, before paddling back to the hotel to freshen up for our well-earned dinner.

Accommodation

Hotel with swimming pool

Meals

B L D

Ascent

1580 M

Descent

1670 M

Distance

56 KM

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Day 9

A motor boat across our last stretch of Lake Kivu before heading away from the lake and further north to Gishwati National Park.

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This morning, breakfast at the hotel precedes a motor boat transfer from our peaceful bay opposite the hotel, to a promontory a little further up the coast. Our bikes will be loaded onto one boat, whilst we travel in the second, around the islands and bays of this corner of Lake Kivu. Napoleon Island, is shaped like the general's hat, and is home to a sizeable colony of fruit bats, you may be able to see them roosting in the boughs of the trees as you pass. Other smaller islands are occasionally inhabited by swimming cows, venturing out across the water to find fresh grass to graze. Once back on land, we point our backs to the lake and ride away into the hills bound for Gishwati National Park. Our route although shorter than the last few days, contains a very steady but almost constant climb from the lake edge up into the hills. We will need plenty of sustenance and water to keep us going today as the route traverses up, first along the infamous Congo Nile Mountain Bike Trail, on occasionally steep and unrelenting terrain. The views then open up as we roll through tea plantations and mixed use farmland with dotted villages over more undulating and less steep terrain for a time, before the air thins and the hill sides steepen once more as we climb into the higher reaches of today's stage, and the edge of the Gishwati Forest. Tonight we stay in functional lodge accommodation outside the old forest boundary, in a beautiful hillside location with great views at 2,700m above sea level.

Accommodation

Camping

Meals

B L D

Ascent

1790 M

Descent

570 M

Distance

36 KM

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Day 10

A fascinating ride through the remnants of a once great forest reserve, now tea farm, the Gishwati Forest Reserve with a short transfer to Musanze.

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Although once a thriving forest rich with native flora and fauna of many varieties, this landscape is now a shadow of its former self. During and immediately after the genocide that ripped through the country in the early 1990's, this area was quickly populated by fleeing peoples of the Tutsi ethnic group, who established subsistence farming practices, eventually ridding the hillsides of their ancient forest. Since then, subsistence farming has partly given way to tea plantations, of which we will see many today. There are still however, some remnants of the forest, and where it does exist, it thrives with birdlife and some primates, including chimpanzees. Where possible, this forest is once again expanding, thanks to some heroic conservation efforts from the local community. We'll ride end to end through this burgeoning conservation success story on undulating, graded dirt roads that wind their way north through pockets of forest and open plantation eventually descending to reach Mukamira, and a small but perfectly formed coffee shop which has our local agents doing backflips of excitement over the quality of their wares! A just reward after a great day on the bike, enjoying the patchwork contrasts of the open tea fields, and the occasional envelopes of shade and gentle bird and bug thrum of the fragmented forest network. A short transfer after the coffee shop takes us on to the Ellen DeGeneres Gorilla Fund (optional visit: price $15), a perfect introduction to tomorrow's gorilla trekking experience. We finally catch another short transfer onto our accommodation for the next two nights in Musanze, near to the boundary of the Volcanoes National Park.

Accommodation

Lodge

Meals

B L D

Ascent

820 M

Descent

1420 M

Distance

45 KM

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Day 11

Gorilla Trekking in the Volcanoes National Park, and an afternoon visit to the Africa Rising Cycling Centre.

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We wake this morning in our lodge in Musanze in the far north west of Rwanda, in Volcano country. The buildings, pavement and earth have all darkened to a deep hummus rich colour, sometimes red and sometimes black, remnants of the lava fields that have gone before. From the west to the north, five perfectly conical volcanoes, forming the heart of the Virunga Transfrontier Park, punctuate the skyline. Within the lush green rainforest that surrounds these geological giants is the largest concentration of mountain gorillas left anywhere on earth. There are more than ten mountain gorilla families in the Rwandan portion of the park, and we will visit them (this visit requires a permit that needs to be paid for in advance - see 'Park Fees and Permits' page in essential information tab) and spend an hour in their beautiful, boisterous, and powerful presence. An experienced gorilla guide will join us, take us to the edge of their territory, and brief us on how to behave around these magnificent animals to ensure minimal impact on their daily habits, before we go forth to meet them. This is arguably one of the greatest wildlife spectacles on earth. After an hour we return back to base, our cameras bursting with pictures and memories that will stay with us for a lifetime. This afternoon, if time allows, we will make a visit to the Africa Rising Cycling Centre, and learn how the national cycling team was founded and how it attempts to support current and future talents and catapult them from their humble beginnings onto the world stage. A fascinating visit, the particular highlight being a bike workshop that would likely be the envy of every garage based bike mechanic in Europe and beyond! For a potted history of this incredible movement, watch the film: Rising From Ashes. After a brilliant rest day, we'll fuel up in the hotel restaurant ahead of the final two days riding through the Twin Lakes region.

Accommodation

Lodge

Meals

B L D

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Day 12

Back on the bikes today on an undulating gravel route leaving Musanze and heading for Twin Lakes.

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After a day of wonders in the North West reaches of Rwanda, we head out today to the next geographic wonder, Twin Lakes. Once one large lake, now split in two after a tectonic shift thrust a ridge up through the centre of the water mass many thousands of years ago. We will head out after breakfast and before the heat of the day, on dirt roads climbing first to Kinigi, where we may have met our gorilla guides the day before, skirting the lava laden field networks that border the Volcanoes National Park rainforest boundary, and then heading east and generally downhill towards the Twin Lakes region. Our accommodation for the night is perched in the heart of this tectonic ridge, and our days riding will conclude with a climb up to it's lofty position, affording magnificent views of both Lake Ruhondo and Lake Burera. This shorter day will give us chance to reach our lodge in good time, allowing us some space to relax and take in the views before freshening up for dinner. A laid-back ride after a no doubt fantastic rest day in and around the Volcanoes National Park the day before.

Accommodation

Lodge

Meals

B L D

Ascent

750 M

Descent

670 M

Distance

36 KM

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Day 13

Our final cycling day of our adventure around Rwanda leaves the Twin Lakes heading south through picturesque river valleys and tea plantations to Base.

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After drinking in the views and all the fresh Rwandan coffee and tea we can get our hands on this morning, we head back out onto the dirt roads for our final undulating day, which is never flat, but gifts us with three lovely descents. The first descent is offered straight out of the lodge door, along the ridge between the lakes heading south, then after a short climb, a second descent gathers us into the south-eastern corner of Lake Burera. A second gentler climb carries us out of the valley and away from the Twin Lakes on a path heading straight back towards the capital city. Once we reach the top of the rise we are left with a roughly 25km ride out to our finish point along a track which skirts the hills and follows a river plain. This is on gentle gradients through villages and farmland, and generally underneath the hills that gather all around us, a wonderful finish to riding through Rwanda, the land of a thousand hills. We reach the end of our ride at the bottom of the last descent, and after loading the bikes onto the trailer for the last time, remembering to remove any of our own belongings, and bidding fairwell to our cycling guides, we are transferred the remainder of the journey to our hotel back in the metropolitan capital, Kigali. We will have an hour or two before dinner to either relax in the confines of the hotel, or venture out to explore around the city. This evening will be our last one together as a group. We'll enjoy our time together and toast to an epic gravel ride around Rwanda.

Accommodation

Hotel

Meals

B L D

Ascent

930 M

Descent

1170 M

Distance

44 KM

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Day 14

Kigali city tour including a morning visit to the Nyamirambo Women's Center, before departure on evening flights.

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Our final day in Rwanda begins after breakfast and check out, with a cultural exploration of Kigali. In the morning we will visit the Nyamirambo Women's Centre and learn about this locally run NGO which was established back in 2007 by 18 women from the Nyamirambo area of Kigali. Their intention was to address and combat gender based violence and inequalities in the community by establishing an artisanal centre where women can come to learn and hone skills in clothing and accessories fabrication helping them to secure jobs and earn a fair wage selling these items to the wider community and tourists in the city. To this day the centre has trained over 6000 women, and the number is rising by the day! We say goodbye to the ladies at Nyamirambo and head out across the city on a walking tour, surrounded by the city lights and sounds, a world away from the rainforests and small rural communities that have been our home for the past two weeks. This afternoon we'll say goodbye to our guides and be transferred to the airport to begin our onward journeys.

Meals

B L

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The Route

Point

Airport

Transfer

Cycle

Boat

Essential Information

We've compiled some of our Frequently Asked Questions to help you learn more about this amazing trip.

Holiday

General

Equipment

What's Included

A professional, qualified and English speaking cycling leader
Specialist gorilla tracking guide and team
A single timed airport transfer on arrival & departure
All accommodation as described
All meals
National Park entrance fees
All land and boat transport involved in the itinerary
One support vehicle
Baggage transfer
All activities/excursions mentioned as per the day-to-day itinerary

What's not Included

Travel insurance
Tips for support staff and guide
Miscellaneous expenses; drinks, souvenirs etc
Local bike hire
Bike Carriage on the flights - please check with your carrier for charges

Joining Arrangements & Transfers

The group will meet at the hotel in Kigali.

Transfers are provided from/to Kigali Airport for all clients arriving on Day 1 of the Land Only itinerary, and departing on the last day of the Land Only itinerary.

Hotel contact details and an emergency number will be provided with your booking confirmation.

Meal Plan

All meals included throughout.

Food & Water

Drinking Water

It is not recommended to drink untreated water from the taps. If you are on a trekking or cycling holiday, water is supplied to fill up your individual bottles. This will be boiled, filtered or provided in large jerry cans or 5 litre bottles. Additionally you should take purification tablets or a filter bottle (such as a Water-To-Go bottle) to treat your water when in towns or where water is not supplied. We do not encourage the purchasing of single use plastic bottles.

Rwanda is considered one of the gardens of Africa, with much of the countryside of the nation given over to a mix of plantations and subsistence farming, primarily for food production. A lot of the food produced is exported across the world, particularly tea and coffee, but plenty of it also remains. We will enjoy lots of fresh fruit and vegetables on this trip, much of it grown locally.

Breakfast will regularly consist of plenty of fresh fruits, and often bread and omelettes too. Fruits usually present include melon, papaya, pineapple, persimmon and bananas.

Lunches will be mostly taken on the go, either at a dedicated picnic stop along the route, or on the shorter days, at the end of the route. Our guides will prepare a table of fresh fruits, packets of crisps, and often take a lunch order to pick up at a local sandwich shop along the way. Sandwiches are usually toasted with hams, cheeses, roasted peppers and other vegetables, and the bread is thick and filling. A Cool box full of glass bottled soft drinks will be on hand, usually with a drinks order also taken in advance. Hand sanitizer is always available, and water butts are present for washing/rinsing hands and fruit (sparingly), and for re-filling water bottles.

In the evenings, we eat at the accommodations and a set menu will be provided at each. The menu is varied, with many international dishes served, although this varies from place to place. Local dishes to look out for include grilled tilapia, especially on Lake Kivu, where you might be able to see and hear the singing fishermen heading out into the bay at dusk to catch the fish by moonlight, their lights on poles attracting the fish to the surface, and their songs helping them to row in time. Matoke, a mashed plantain dish sometimes spiced and served alongside meats and fish. Brochette, skewered meat of various types, cooked over an open flame.

Accompaniments often include Ugali, a pulverised maize starch usually cooked in water or milk, performing the same carb role as white rice in many dishes, also grilled or fried plantain, sweet potatoes, and cassava.

On every table in Rwanda you will also find a tiny eyedropper bottle, but please do not attempt to administer to your eyeballs. This is the concentrated chilli oil known as Akabanga. Just one or two drops on your food will transform any meal. Give it a try if you like to wake up your taste buds with pure fire.

Coffee culture is big in Rwanda, and there are many fine establishments along the route with great, locally grown beans available to sample, although milk is likely the only accompaniment so take it black if you would ordinarily be ordering milk alternatives. Tea is also very popular, and alongside the regular black tea offerings, many places offer African tea, which is made with hot milk and plenty of ginger. It usually takes a while to make, so order as soon as you arrive and your taste buds will not be disappointed.

Finally, we should give a mention to the banana beer. This locally made liquor, often seen sloshing around in bright yellow jerry cans, inconceivably stacked high on the back of a bike, is labelled as beer but is probably closer to barley wine in its strength, taste and consistency. Try it, but with caution, the sweetness belies its deceiving strength! Perhaps it is best saved for a rest day or on your return to Kigali, so that you don’t have to worry about riding your bike the following day!

Accommodation

Accommodation on this trip is a mix of hotels, lodges, and campsites.

In Kigali, Karongi and Musanze, we stay in a 3* hotels with functional facilities.

On the shores of Lake Kivu, at Musanze and at Twin Lakes we stay in comfortable lodges sometimes with pools and great views of the surrounding hills.

At Kitabi Eco Centre we stay at a hilltop lodge with great traditional hut rooms. There is a restaurant area with incredible views and friendly welcoming staff, and the rooms are traditional style thatched roof huts in the style of the Rwandan King’s Palace visited a day prior, with basic but clean, shared bathroom and shower facilities in separate blocks.

At Uwinka (Nyungwe forest) we camp in tents with all equipment provided including sleeping bags and mats (although of course you can bring your own if you prefer – further details in the equipment list), on a raised timber built platform within the forest canopy. There are basic wash and toilet facilities a short walk away at the National Park HQ. At Kurumbi Base Camp (Gishwati) we use the same equipment but at a dedicated hillside campsite with facilities on site.

If you are travelling by yourself, you will be paired with another single client of the same sex. If this is not available, you may have to pay the single room supplement. Single rooms are available at an additional cost.

Group Leader & Support Staff

This holiday will be accompanied by an experienced cycling leader. In addition, there will be a support vehicle and driver.

In the national park rest day activities we will be joined by expert wildlife guides. At Volcanoes NP, porters offer their services at the start of the walk, and they are generally recruited to help carry day-packs and offer support on technical terrain. They charge a small fee and the guides suggest that this is vital to keep the local community in work and in support of the national park’s efforts for conservation in the area.

Park Fees & Permits

The $1,100 permit to see the Gorillas at Volcanoes National Park is included in the holiday price. An application for a permit will be made by the sales team, on your behalf, upon completion of your booking. If the sales team require any further details to complete the application, they will be in touch.

Spending Money

We recommend £400GBP will be ample for spending whilst in Rwanda, on excess expenditure, such as drinks, souvenirs, and any snacks required along the way. In most places chip and pin cards can be used, but in exception and when buying objet d’art, our guides will recommend changing some money into the local currency RWF. ATM’s will be sought out in Kigali at the start of the trip, as well as local towns at various points along the route where this may be required, and our guides will help us with this. A zero interest worldwide credit card is highly useful for this trip.

Your Bike

We recommend a gravel bike or cross country mountain bike for this trip. Tyres should be puncture resistant and with a smooth and fast central tread to aid us in covering ground on the few made roads we encounter along the way, as well as the fast rolling dirt roads that form the majority of the trip. Some side knobbles will aid with cornering on loose ground. High volume 40mm plus tyres, and 650b – 29” wheel sizes would be beneficial for covering ground.

If bringing an MTB we would suggest a fork size of 100m maximum travel. The roads are predominantly well graded, and any more technical sections can be picked through without any great need for suspension. Anything larger than this will be too heavy to ride with for the majority of the route.

Since you are depending on your bike to transport you throughout your holiday, it’s important to ensure it is in good working order. If you are not mechanically minded, get your local bicycle dealer to service it for you.

Please contact us if you are unsure about the suitability of your bike.

Bike Hire

Bike hire is available, and is arranged through the local agent for an extra fee, detailed below. There are short travel hardtails available and these will be either a Giant Fathom or an equivalent bike from an alternative manufacturer. There are S/M/L/XL sizes available, but the fleet size is limited. Please provide your height and preferred bike size (if you have a preference) at time of booking.

Frames are aluminium, drivetrain is Shimano Deore 12 speed mechanical or similar, and brakes are hydraulic Tektro or similar. Forks are 100-120mm travel Rockshox. Hire cost: $840 for the duration of the trip.

Travelling With Your Bike

Airlines require that you pack your bike properly for travel and for this holiday we recommend that you use either soft bike bag or a purpose-made bike box or case. Whether you are using a bag or a case, you will need to partially dismantle your bike to pack it. Please note that bike bags or boxes will be placed in secure storage and will not travel with us during the course of the trip.

Vehicle Support

Throughout the holiday, we will have the back up of a minibus support vehicle with a tow trailer for bikes. On those days when we are moving to a different hotel (every day except one), the group’s baggage will be loaded onto the support vehicle which will meet the group at road intersections along the day's ride. The biking leader and the support vehicle driver will watch over the group and they will communicate with each other. Group members will naturally cycle at different speeds and regular stops will be set to allow the group to reform. The support vehicle will carry water, and snacks and each day’s picnic lunch. The support vehicle can be made available to pick up any group members who wish to take a break from cycling, although this is limited to road heads, as the tracks we are riding on are not always through roads. Please make sure to communicate your intentions with the guide if you intend to stop so that the guide and support vehicle driver can arrange a suitable stopping point for you.

Baggage Allowance

Apart from your bike in its bag or box (if you are taking your own bike), you should travel with one main item of luggage, such as a secure but soft trek bag, and a small day pack. Your day pack can be used to carry valuable items such as cameras binoculars and GPS devices in your hand luggage whilst travelling, and on rest day hikes, but will also be useful to separate out items you might want to pick up from the support vehicle during the rides, such as additional clothing.

Your baggage allowance on the flights will depend on your airline. When choosing your flights, whether booking them directly or through KE, you will need to consider the cost of carrying your bike. These costs are your responsibility.

Passport & Visas

The information that we provide is for UK passport holders.

A passport with 6 months remaining validity at the end of your stay is generally required, and you should have at least 2 blank pages for each country that you visit.

For other nationalities, please refer to your own Government website for the latest information.

It is your responsibility to ensure that you have the correct travel documents and visas for your holiday. Please ensure that you check for the latest advice for each country visited before travel.

Visa Rwanda

You must have a visa to enter Rwanda as a visitor. UK and other Commonwealth citizens, can get a free 30-day visa on arrival.

You can also apply in advance for a visa from the Rwandan High Commission in London.

Health & Vaccinations

VACCINATIONS

You should contact your doctor or travel clinic to check whether you specific require any vaccinations or other preventive measures. You should be up to date with routine courses and boosters as recommended in the UK e.g. diphtheria-tetanus-polio and measles-mumps-rubella), along with hepatitis A and typhoid. Malarial prophylaxis are required. A certificate of yellow fever vaccination is required if travelling from countries with risk of yellow fever transmission and for travellers having transited for more than 12 hrs through an airport of a country with risk of yellow fever transmission. On holidays to more remote areas you should also have a dentist check up. A good online resource is Travel Health Pro.

If you have a severe allergy please inform the KE office before you travel. We will do all we can to help, but we cannot guarantee an allergy free environment on KE trips. You will need to carry your own treatment for the allergy with you, as 'adrenaline auto-injectors' are not carried as standard by KE leaders and staff. You should inform your leader on arrival of your allergy, and let them know where you keep your adrenaline pen.

Currency

The currency in Rwanda is the Rwandan Franc, and there are approximately 1900 RWF to the GBP (£) at time of writing.

Preparing for your Holiday

The better conditioned you are the more you will enjoy your trip. We suggest that you adopt a sensible weekly exercise regime and fit in a number of long off-road cycle rides in hilly country to ensure you are physically capable of taking part in this trip - this will also provide you with an opportunity to make sure all your riding kit is tried and tested before you travel. Cycling is obviously the best activity to prepare for this trip, however, running, rowing and swimming are also good for developing aerobic fitness and stamina.

Climate

Rwanda is equatorial, but at altitude, the majority of the country sits between 1700m and 2,500m. This means that the temperature may vary between 20-30 degrees in full sun, but will drop much cooler in the evening especially at higher altitudes.

In the rainforests and at higher altitudes (some days reach 2,700m asl), there will also be some respite from the heat, where there is shade and often a light breeze. We may also have a few thundery showers, and these are quick to form but usually short-lived. Our guides will prepare us for these and mitigate the risk of being out in dangerous weather, perhaps heading out early if the forecast suggests afternoon rain, or using villages and support vehicles for shelter if necessary during the heaviest weather.

Travel Aware

As a reputable tour operator, KE supports the British Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office's ‘Travel Aware’ campaign to enable British citizens to prepare for their journeys overseas. The 'Travel Aware' website provides a single, authoritative source of advice for all kinds of travellers and we recommend that before travel, all KE clients visit the official UK Government website at travelaware.campaign.gov.uk and read the FCDO Travel Advice for their chosen destination. North Americans can also check out the U.S. Department of State website: www.travel.state.gov for essential travel advice and tips.

KE treat the safety and security of all clients as the most important aspect of any trip we organise. We would not run any trip that we did not consider reasonably safe. Should the FCDO advise against travel for any reason, we will contact everyone booked to travel to discuss the situation. We receive regular updates directly from the FCDO and are in constant touch with our contacts on the ground. If you have any questions about government travel advice, please call our office.

Books

Bring with you, or gen-up in advance. This list is by no means exhaustive, but offers some recommendations for reading around some of the many facets of life and culture that you may experience whilst on this trip:

Land of Second Chances: The Impossible Rise of Rwanda's Cycling Team – Tim Lewis

Kibogo – Scholastique Mukasonga

A Thousand Hills: Rwanda's Rebirth and the Man Who Dreamed It – Stephen Kinzer

Travel Insurance

It is an essential condition of joining a holiday with KE Adventure Travel that you have a valid travel insurance policy to cover the cost of medical treatment and to protect the value of your holiday in the event of cancellation. When taking out insurance please ensure the policy you choose covers you for the activities and altitude included in your itinerary.

For appropriate insurance cover we recommend Campbell Irvine Direct. Please go to our Travel Insurance page for further information and to get a quote.

Equipment List

For this trip you will need your usual cycling clothing, including shoes, cycling gloves and helmet (the latter must be worn at all times when cycling).

Whether you are hiring a bike or taking your own, we recommend that you take the usual day-ride essentials of: mobile phone, multi-tool, mini-pump, tyre levers, spare tubes and puncture repair kit, and the knowledge of how to use them.

Bike Wear
Cycling helmet
Cycling shoes
Padded cycling shorts
Long leg cycling trousers or leg warmers
Lycra arm warmers
Short sleeve cycling jerseys
Long sleeved cycling jersey
Lightweight windproof gilet
Lightweight waterproof jacket
Cycling gloves
Buff
Sunglasses
Sun cream (inc. total bloc for lips/nose)
Camera

Other Stuff

Travel and off-the-bike clothing and footwear
Rainforest trekking clothing preferably long sleeved and mosquito proof, waterproof, and good sturdy walking shoes
Binoculars
Wash bag, towel, toiletries
Swimwear
Basic First Aid kit and personal medication
Chamois Cream (e.g. Assos or Ozone)
Reusable cloth bag for shopping (to avoid plastic bags)
Sleeping bag for camping nights, these are provided, but if you prefer to bring your own, please inform us at time of booking. A 2-3 season bag would suit for this trip.
Inflatable pillow for camping nights

Spares

If you are hiring a bike you do not need to bring any spares. The hire bikes are provided in good condition and a supply of spares is carried. You may be asked to pay directly for any spares used, especially in the case of crash damage or damage by mis-use. If you are taking your own bike, you should consider taking a minimum of spares, including a couple of spare spokes (for each wheel if they are different), spare brake blocks (or brake disc pads), chain links/chain connector, rear derailleur hanger and any non-standard parts specific to your bike.

If hiring, and you use spd shoes, bring your regular pedals with you and the cycling shoes that clip into them. This will help you to feel comfortable on your hire bike as well as requiring minimum set up and adjustment on the first day of your trip, just remember to uninstall them again on the last day. If you are used to riding flat pedals, just bring your regular riding shoes, as all hire bikes in Rwanda are fitted with flat pedals as standard.

Repairs

Whilst not essential, it is a good idea that you familiarise yourself with how to carry out at least some basic repairs to your bike e.g. changing an inner tube and fixing a puncture. Your bike guide will be happy to help with repairs and general maintenance, but being able to carry out a simple repair yourself could save the inconvenience of having to wait for assistance.

Hydration and Energy Snacks

You should take 2 standard water bottles (we encourage re-filling water bottles rather than single use plastic) and also consider taking a small supply of the gels, power bars or sports drink mix that you would normally use on a ride at home.

In Rwanda, safe drinking water is scarce, so if possible, bring purification tablets or a filter bottle (such as a Water-To-Go bottle) to treat your water when in towns or where water is not supplied. We do not encourage the purchasing of single use plastic bottles.

As an addition, the support vehicle will carry a 20l jerry can of filtered water, but this will only be available at the lunch stops and a few other infrequent points along each of the off-road routes.

Please contact us if you have any questions about your equipment.

Recommended Outdoor Retailers

Many of the equipment items listed above are available from Cotswold Outdoor - our 'Official Recommended Outdoor Retailer'. When you book a holiday with KE you will receive a 12.5% discount with Cotswold Outdoor, Snow+Rock and Runners Need. The discount code can be downloaded from your MyKE account and you can use this code at the checkout, either in store or online.

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Rwanda Rising - Gravel Bikes and Gorillas

Holiday Grades

Our Holiday Grades Explained

1 - 3 LEISURELY

4 - 6 MODERATE

7 - 9 CHALLENGING

10 - 12 TOUGH

Rwanda Rising - Gravel Bikes and Gorillas

Highlights

At a Glance

Accommodation & Meals

Overview

Is this holiday for you?

Why KE?

Itinerary

The Route

Essential Information

VACCINATIONS

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