Consider us for a truly Safaris Boutique Company
Hermosa Life Tours and Travel
- Office In:
- Size:
- 10-20 employees (Founded in 2012)
- Member Of:
- ATTA, ASTA, RTTA, RDB, Rwanda Chamber of Tourism (CoT) & Tripadvisor & VISIT RWANDA
- Tour Types:
- Custom mid-range & luxury tours that can start every day
- Destinations:
- Price Range:
- $200 to $1,700 per person per day (USD, excl. int'l flights)
for a custom tour
Your request will be sent directly to the operator
If preferred, you can contact the operator directly
Reviews
Email Samindi | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Responsive and easy to work with.
We arranged a 2 day gorilla trekking tour in Rwanda with Hermosa. The Hermosa team were very helpful and responsive to all our questions and worked with us to tailor the experience to us. Our guide Faustin was exceptional! He was so knowledgeable about not only gorillas but also Rwanda and generously shared his knowledge and insights with us. Having Faustin help us navigate the process made it very easy and stress free. Thank you Hermosa team and Faustin for making this and unforgettable trip!
Email Karalyn | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
2 weeks in Rwanda for family of 6, trip of a lifetime
Our family of six (including four kids ages 16-24) spent two weeks in Rwanda. Hermosa Tours nailed the itinerary: a perfect combination of what we knew we wanted (gorillas) and what we had no idea we wanted (all kinds of cultural experiences and adventures). This small country is densely packed with beauty and wonders, and I’m so glad we had time to see more than gorillas (which are of course amazing).
Short version:
Our trip included three main stops: Nyungwe National Park, Lake Kivu, and Volcanoes National Park. We also had a half-day in Kigali. All six of us were highly engaged the whole time, which doesn’t happen often. Hermosa Tours was great in terms of communication, transportation, selecting hotels (we opted for mid-level, and all were excellent), and most of all, providing us with our knowledgeable, charming and dynamic driver/guide, Abu. Everything went smoothly, and we felt very welcome and well-cared for. We loved this trip. We definitely recommend it!
Long version:
During our three days at Nyungwe, we saw chimpanzees and Colobus monkeys, worked at a tea plantation, and had some zip line adventures. For our chimp trek, a guide led us on a hike deep into the forest. Groups of trackers, we learned, stay in the forest at all times to monitor the chimps’ location, making it possible for the guides to find them relatively quickly. Once we found our group, having their mid-morning rest on the forest floor, we got to spend an hour watching them, about 25 feet from us. We were fascinated by how their bodies and hands moved, how they climbed and played, how they communicated with their voices and gestures, and how they groomed each other. The next day we hiked in a different area of the park to see Colobus monkeys. Our guides cleared the way through the vines on the steep hillsides, taking us up high so we could be closer to the tree tops, where the monkeys were hanging out. We spent an hour mesmerized by their acrobatics, watching them eat leaves, play, and fly from tree to tree. Afterwards, we got to fly a little too - on a zip line tour, canopy bridge hike, and ropes course, all with breathtaking views. Another afternoon we toured one of the area's beautiful tea plantations, which you see everywhere, lush and bright green, covering the hillsides. We learned how tea is grown, harvested and processed, then we suited up and went to work in the fields ourselves, harvesting tea leaves alongside one of the workers. We really enjoyed the experience and appreciated getting to understand at least a little of what life is like for people here, how they work and live.
Our next several days were in Lake Kivu, a beautiful, deep, and narrow lake in the African Great Lakes region, part of the African Rift Valley. We enjoyed swimming and boating, including a hike on an island with thousands offruit bats hanging upside down from the low branches of guava trees, right at eye level. One of our favorite experiences was night fishing. The local staple fish, a kind of sardine called sambaza, are harvested at night, when they come up from the deep water to feed near the surface by moonlight. We joined an active fishing crew one evening on board their vessels - a set of three long and narrow wooden boats, connected side-by-side with bamboo poles. The crew made room for us (all six of us), let us take turns rowing, and showed us how they work together to spreading their giant net underneath the three boats and lower it deep down into the lake. We also visited a coffee cooperative and learned about this important crop from bean to cup.
Our last major destination was Volcanoes National Park. At a pretty high altitude, 7800 feet, it was misty and cool, perfect for evenings by the fireplace in our cozy guesthouse. The park itself is very has a constant air of excitement, with all the tour groups gathering at the entrance each day at 7 am for delicious free coffee and dance music to get you going! On our first day, we saw gorillas. Led by our guide, we hiked for an hour up a mountain through dense grassy shrubby jungle. We then put on our face masks (to protect the animals from our germs) and quietly entered a little grove of trees and bushes where “our” group of gorillas was relaxing. We spent an amazing hour in quiet awe with a family of 25 gorillas: big powerful silverbacks, moms cuddling with babies and young ones, curious toddlers, “kids” wrestling and playing games. Some of them seemed curious about us, while others seemed completely uninterested. We were able to stay within a few feet of them, being sure to do whatever our guide told us to do to behave safely and non-threateningly. We took tons of amazing pictures and felt completely safe. We also spent a few hours at the Dian Fossey museum and visitor center - very informative about gorilla research and effective conservation efforts.
Later we went on another a guided trek to see Golden Monkeys. We spent an hour watching these gorgeous animals dig around in a potato field just outside the park border, finding small potatoes that were left behind after the field was harvested. Another highlight was visiting a traditional cultural village - a recreation of traditional village life, with people demonstrating things like drumming and dancing, grinding grain with stones, brewing beer, making medicines, hunting with bow and arrow, and a traditional wedding ceremony (in which, we were surprised to learn, we were to be the bride and groom). We also enjoyed a canoe trip down a winding river, among rice paddies and other farms, greeting the children swimming in the water and farmers working in the fields, and seeing tons of beautiful birds.
On our last day in Rwanda, we returned to Kigali and visited the Genocide Memorial, moving and chilling, a must-see to get a sense of the horror that Rwandans have been through and how they are moving forward.
Our driver/guide Abu will be forever in our hearts. I can’t imagine a better friend and guide. He was so good at connecting with each of us, making sure each kid was engaged in ways that were meaningful for them. Sometimes he'd add a quick stop to get a special snack for us or show us an extra sight that he thought we’d enjoy. He made sure we always had food that suited our dietary needs (pescetarian and vegetarian = no problem). On our drives to and from our various destinations, we had lots of time to talk, laugh, and get to know each other, sharing stories about families and plans for the future, discussing food, politics, history, movies, all kinds of things. After each experience, each hike or new sight, we couldn’t wait to get back and tell Abu all about it, ask him questions, and get his take on things. We had the trip of a lifetime, thanks to Abu. Overall, we loved this trip. Can’t recommend it highly enough.
Email April | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Fantastic to work with, Wonderful experience
This was an absolutely fantastic experience. I highly recommend this company. We did a 3 day gorilla and golden monkey tour. We also went to the Rwanda genocide Memorial, Ellen DeGeneres/ Diana Fossi education center, and the gorilla guardians cultural center. Hermosa was so well organized and communication was seamless. We had last minute flight delays and changes, they were easy to communicate with and flexible with the changes. Victoria made sure everything was taken care of for us. They took amazing care of us from the time that we arrived at the airport until we left at the end of the trip. Our driver Abou was amazing. Handoffs between him and the guides were easy. We were never confused about where we were or left alone to find our own way. They got the gorilla tracking license for us. We stayed at the Ingagi resort which was absolutely beautiful. The staff were so friendly and knew our names. All meals were included and they even gave us snacks to take on our hikes. When we returned to the resort after hiking to the gorillas, the staff took our gators and hike shoes and cleaned them for us! The entire experience was five stars! I would use this company again, and I highly recommend them. Rwanda was very safe in our experience and beautiful.
CA
Email Paule | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Awesome experience!
We had an excellent experience with this tour company in Kigali!
They helped us organize a one-day gorilla trekking experience, and everything went perfectly. Our guide, Faustin, was great. He also spoke French, which made communication very easy. We especially appreciated that he personalized the drive and made a few stops based on our needs.
The agency was very responsive and answered our questions quickly, making the planning process smooth and stress-free.
At the last minute, we also decided to book a safari with them. Once again, they responded quickly and handled everything efficiently, allowing us to enjoy an unforgettable experience.
I highly recommend this company to anyone planning a trip to Rwanda.
BE
Email Kizito K | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
The Best Way to Experience Akagera
Our Akagera National Park game drive was an unforgettable experience, made exceptional by Hermosa Life Tours & Travels. Their professionalism, clear and insightful explanations, and genuine passion for creating memorable adventures truly stood out. They consistently went above and beyond to ensure we enjoyed every moment and got the very best out of our visit. If you’re looking for a tour company that delivers outstanding service with care and dedication, I highly recommend Hermosa Life Tours & Travels!
Excellent!
Hermosa travel Provided an exceptional 11 day tour which was both educational and cultural with many WOWS along the way, including a second visit to the gorillas o very short notice. Our tour included three days in Kigali with excellent activities each day. Our visits to both Nguyme ? and Volcanos Parks gave us remarkable experiences with the animals, with the gorillas at the top, that will not easily be forgotten. Our driver/guide, Danny Mpabuka, is a fountain of knowledge and great fun to
Spend time with and never once complained about 3 middle of the night trips to the airport. All 4 of our accommodations exceeded our expectations. We wouldn’t hesitate to recommend Hermosa travel.
BE
Email Nico H | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
A wonderful journey
We took a wonderful trip in Rwanda with our 11 family members. Hermosa Life put together a varied itinerary for us: Kigali, Safari in Akagera National Park, chimpanzee trekking in Nyungwe National Park, kayaking and visit to a coffee plantation in Kibuye (Lake Kivu), ... The communication beforehand was excellent. Guides Pacifique and Damascene got us safely to every accommodation and every activity. A top team!
Email Carrie | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Amazing gorilla tour
We had a great experience with our gorilla trekking tour booked with Hermosa Life Travels! The booking experience with Tiamo was very smooth and he was quick to respond to all of our questions. Our driver Richard was amazing and even took us out one evening to try local cuisine which we very much enjoyed and wasn’t part of our original itinerary.
NL
Email Daniel | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Extremely helpfull and very nice people
We loved everything about our trip to Rwanda with Hermosa life tours. Our trip to Rwanda set out in order to get a once in a lifetime experience seeing the world famous mountain gorillas and with the help of Hermosa life tours we were able to do just this. From arranging the needed permits, helping us getting the right documents and vaccinations to enter the country or just helping with questions in general. One of the clearest examples I can give of their helpfulness was when my mother got foodpoisoning on the day of the hike to the mountain gorillas. Normally, this would mean bye permit(1500$) and bye chance to see the mountain gorillas unless you want to pay for the permit again. However, Hermosa went above and beyond driving us to various hospitals and clinics until we finally found a doctor that would sign for the fact that my mom was sick. Later, after some fighting with park officials and showing the sick note from the doctor Hermosa was able to send my mother up the next day to see these majestic creatures without us having to pay for anotherr permit. And this was just one example of the amazing service they had provided througout the few days that we stayed with them.
Email Michael | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Great service, easy to work with and always there to help
We booked through Hermosa Life to do gorilla trekking in Rwanda and they were easy to work with from start to finish.
We used them for 2 days to do gorilla trekking and to visit Dian Fossey's grave. Our guide and driver, Faustin, was excellent, with great information and knowledge of the local communities and history