I’ve just returned from two weeks in Rwanda and Kenya, and there is so much to share, it’s hard to know where to begin. This was a FAM trip I was invited on with Giltedge Travel, and six other advisors and I had the opportunity to experience a trip of a lifetime.
I have been traveling the world for 20 years, and this trip marks my 42nd and 43rd country I’ve been blessed to see. I have always known travel was a blessing, but I have a far deeper appreciation for it now than ever before.
I also understand that for many right now travel can feel scary and uncertain. It will continue to be a very personal decision, and it’s certainly not an easy one as requirements and protocols seemingly change overnight these days, but the one thing I can do for you is share honestly about my experience.
Here is an overview of my time in Africa and what I learned about what it’s like to travel there right now.
What precautions are in place?
For my two-week stay in Rwanda and Kenya, I had five COVID tests. This included my PCR test before I left the U.S. within the 72-hour window before traveling, a test on arrival to Rwanda (mandatory for all arriving passengers), another test to travel from Rwanda to Kenya, a test before leaving Kenya to be able to travel back to the states and for good measure – a test within four hours of departure from Kenya that was required to fly KLM if you were transiting through Amsterdam.
Needless to say, five tests in two weeks makes me feel like I had done my due diligence when it came to testing. I never went more than three days without a test, and while yes, this can be an inconvenience, it also allowed me to have one of the coolest travel experiences of my life. For me, it was worth it.
In America, we often experience some people following protocol and some people who don’t. That’s not the case in Africa. Masks are part of people’s daily wardrobe; sanitization happens constantly; temperature checks occur any time you enter an establishment, and they stay on top of all of it with the support of everyone.
What was my experience like?
Both Rwanda and Kenya were countries I have never visited before, but they were certainly on my shortlist. Of course, gorilla trekking had become a bucket list adventure I was dying to experience, and I will tell you now that it did not disappoint. However, this trip was so much more than I could have ever imagined.
A few highlights...
Accommodations
The places we stayed on this trip enhanced our experience in the best way possible. I believe that nobody does luxury accommodations quite like they do in Africa. These lodges have an incredible sense of place and a natural beauty that leaves out no small detail.
My absolute favorite from this trip was Singita Kwitonda Lodge in Volcanoes National Park. I already consider myself a Singita super-fan, and a visit to this property only enhanced my love affair.
I also fell in love with Segera Retreat, located in the grasslands of the Laikipia Plateau, with incredible views of Mount Kenya. My villa felt like my own little treehouse, and I could do some game viewing while I soaked in my sunken jacuzzi on the deck outside my bedroom. They also offer this incredible opportunity to do a sleep out in their Bird’s Nest, which I took advantage of. It is located about 10 minutes from the lodge, and you sleep out underneath the stars, listening to the sounds of the savannah.
Experiences
For most people, myself included, a gorilla trek is at the top of the list when they think of visiting Rwanda. You have the ability to encounter one of Africa’s most majestic and gentle creatures in the wild, while immersed in the beauty of their pristine natural habitat.
There are 13 gorilla families available for tourists to visit, and each group is currently maxed at six people. After a challenging trek through the forest with our guide (the distance of each gorilla trek is varied, so depending on which family group guests are allocated, the duration is anywhere from a couple of hours to a full day), we met up with the Muhoza family. There were 19 members, including one very big and strong silverback all the way to a tiny baby gorilla just eight days old.
On arrival, you are allowed to spend one hour with the family. You observe them in their element and although they are aware of your presence, they are not bothered by it. While regulations mandate you stay 10 feet away from the gorillas, nobody communicates that with them, and so there are times where you get very up close and personal.
Game drives in both locations we visited in Kenya were tailored to our interests and schedule and allowed for spectacular sightings without any crowds – during most drives we didn’t even see another vehicle.
Easily one of the highlights of my entire time in Kenya, though, was floating gently over the Maasai Mara in a hot air balloon. I almost turned down this opportunity, and I’m so glad I didn’t. It was the most serene experience ever as the balloon sailed along the Mara River, its adjoining forest and over the open plains. At the end of the ride, we toasted the morning’s activities with a celebratory champagne breakfast – specially prepared under a tree in the middle of nowhere.
For those comfortable with traveling right now , Africa makes the ideal destination for many reasons. It’s the small lodges, the open spaces, the outdoor activities, the wildlife encounters and the communing in nature that create the very best option for travel given what the world is currently going through.
It is also a destination that is incredibly special and is hard to fully describe until you experience it yourself. Africa is a place that seeps into your soul and stays there. You are changed for the better any time you have the opportunity to experience this beautiful land.
The purpose of this trip was to support our industry and these destinations by promoting what I believe to be safe and responsible travel. These local economies that depend so heavily on tourism are full of beautiful people whose livelihoods depend on the ability of travelers to return to their countries safely.
I’m so grateful to have had the opportunity and to start off 2021 with one of the greatest travel experiences of my life.
