From the moment you step foot into the opulent boulevards adorned with majestic palm trees, Kigali surrounds you with alluring exclusive retreats in the dynamic city. You can take a luxurious refuge at The Retreat offering a perfect blend of native finesse and contemporary architecture. It boasts Kigali’s first completely environment-friendly solar-powered resort. Set up with elegant white and grey furnishings and sustainable teak wood furniture, the spacious pool villa is perfected with private saltwater solar-heated plunge pools, front and back gardens, an indoor rain shower with teak bath vanities and an outdoor shower with private deck seating. While basking in the Kigali cityscape from the open-air terrace restaurant of Heaven, you can savour modern African cuisine with Rwandan ingredients sourced from local farmers and organic gardens.

When it is time to look for the chimpanzees and 13 other primate species in the closed canopy rain forest of Nyungwe, the Nyungwe Forest Lodge is our ultimate pick. Surrounded by tea plantations, the forest-facing suite decked with all the luxurious amenities is a gateway to the Kamiranzavu Swamp and Waterfall. The outdoor heated pool overlooking the tea bushes, spa treatment rooms and a bistro whipping up regional delicacies will feel like a heavenly abode on the edge of the rich rainforest.

In the foothills of the magnificent Volcanoes National Park, the opulent retreat of One & Only Gorilla’s Nest will get you front-row seats for mountain gorilla encounters. The crowning Silverback Suite set amidst the picturesque enclosure of eucalyptus forest and Pyrethrum farmlands will allow you to sip cocktails in your private open-air lounge, relish grills on the barbeque terrace and swim in a private pool. While connecting with the volcanic lands of the park you can relive adventure stories around the cosy firepit in your suite.