Searching for a comprehensive list of tour companies in Rwanda, Akagera safari companies or the best gorilla trekking companies in particular?
As tiny as it is, visiting Rwanda requires the best planning. Considering the fact that only three of the four national parks are frequently visited, you’ll want to stick to the highlights, else you’ll spend a lot of time driving on the road and spending a lot of money on your trip.
The best Rwanda tour operators will plan for you an amazing trip to Volcanoes National Park, Akagera National Park, Nyungwe Forest National Park, Gishwati-Mukura National Park and Kigali while putting to account a lot of factors.
Please note that most of these companies also organize trips to Uganda, DR Congo, Kenya and Tanzania; with some extending their boundaries to Ethiopia, Madagascar, Namibia, Botswana, Zambia, Zimbabwe and South Africa among other countries
Introduction to Rwanda’s Top Tour Operators
So who are the best gorilla trekking companies and top 10 tour operators in Rwanda? See our highly recommended list of tour companies in Rwanda below:
- Magical Gorilla Adventures
- Standard Safaris Ltd
- Gorilla Holidays (U) Ltd
- Amahoro Tours
- Volcanoes Safaris
- Thousand Hills Africa
- Gorilla Trek Africa
- African Gorilla Tours
- Discover Africa Safaris
- Gorilla Riddles Ltd
- Visit Rwanda Safari Tours
Why Choose a Rwanda Tour Company for Your Next Adventure?
Booking your trip through a registered Rwanda tour company is the best insurance you have. Do not be lied to that you can plan a trip on your own and rely on the locals for assistance.
The locals have nothing to lose and they do not advocate for tourism in Rwanda. A Rwanda tour company has a lot to lose and they’ll do everything possible within their means to ensure a seamless Rwanda safari experience.
In scenarios of vehicle breakdowns, last minute accommodation changes, trip cancellations, postponing a trip with less to little charges, sickness during a trip and any other unforeseen circumstances, a Rwanda tour company has enough capacity to handle all these in the best way possible.
Regarding tour planning, we all understand the dynamic nature of the Rwanda tourism industry. New establishments come up, some wind up, routes change and policies change. All these factors are put into place when planning for your tour and an experienced driver guide is assigned to deliver the exact experience.
So what does this means is there is always a chance to enjoy new establishments and keep up to date with the tourism industry when you book through a company.
Lastly, there are lots of discounts to be enjoyed. All registered tour companies book accommodation and other facilities at discount rates; especially the ones in national parks. Most of them extend these exact same rates to you.
So how do you choose the right Rwanda Tour Agents for your trip?
With so many Rwanda tour agents available, it could be a bit challenging to choose the right company for your trip. However, we cab give you a few tips to consider.
- The agent should have over 20 reviews on popular review platforms like TripAdvisor.
- The agent should registered and licensed to do tour operator business.
- The agent should have a good response time.
- The agent should price your package reasonably.
- The agent should tailor the best tour package with minimal driving times. This is what separates the experienced companies from novice companies.
- The company should use their company account to receive your deposit. Accepted credit card gateways here include Pesapal and Direct Pay Online. You can also make your payment through Paypal.
There are so many other factors to consider. However, the ones above carry the most weight and will always land you an appropriate Rwanda tour agent.
Exploring the Services Offered by Rwanda’s Leading Tourism Companies
There are quite a number of services offered by Rwanda’s leading tourism companies that make up a trip.
Some of these include car hire, driver guide booking and allocation, gorilla permit booking, chimpanzee permit booking, golden monkey permit booking, other adventure tourist activity booking, accommodation booking, trip planning, back to back consultation and advise to clients, flight ticket booking, travel insurance covers, Visa and travel document assistance, guided tours, and a whole lot more.
The experiences include luxury safaris, budget safaris, group safaris, community tours, birding safaris, helicopter tours, wildlife safaris, gorilla trekking tours, chimpanzee trekking tours and many more safari experiences.
Is Affiliation to Rwanda Tour Operators Association Mandatory?
The affiliation of a particular company to the Rwanda Tour Operators Association (https://rtta.rw/) is not mandatory. What matters most is company registration and a tourism license. The Rwanda Tour Operators Association has several policies that tour operators must oblige to but it is not mandatory to join them.
Besides, there are so many good companies out there that are not affiliated to this membership organization and companies you might never heard of that are members of it. And besides, a good number of Uganda tour operators too carry out Rwandan trips normally and vice-versa. These companies might not be licensed in Rwanda but they are in Uganda. The same applies to Rwanda companies too.
Tourism vehicles cross the borders normally.
Comparing reviews of tour companies in Rwanda
Reading reviews of tour companies in Rwanda is a great way to judge their service. It will give you an insight into the operations of the company and predict what your experience might turn out like.
The best way to benefit from reviews is to read all the good read reviews then compare the three star and four star reviews. Carefully read each review till the end and see if they have something similar. They should mention a particular name of a company employee or tour guide. That’s how you know that they are genuine.
Any tour companies in Rwanda with 20+ reviews are good enough to handle your trip. The number doesn’t matter really but the experience does. An owner of a company that has 20 reviews might have been the best employee of a company that has over 100+ but left to start on their own.
With the points about the criteria used to select the best tour companies in Rwanda mentioned above, you cannot fail to get a good tour operator for your trip.
Budget vs Luxury Rwanda Safari Companies
There are specific Rwanda safari companies that specialize in organizing budget trips to Volcanoes National Park, Akagera National Park, Nyungwe Forest National Park, Gishwati-Mukura National Park and Kigali. These companies usually have various price reduction mechanisms in place that affords them to sell their trips at very low rates.
It doesn’t mean that their quality is poor; but sometimes they go an extra mile to search for the best budget-friendly facilities and bargain for a good price on your behalf. It is hard for luxury Rwanda safari companies to beat that.
The same applies to luxury Rwanda safari companies. They can afford to have the best rates on luxury accommodation facilities that the budget operators cannot even get close to.
So, if you are a budget traveler; choose a small company. A company with over 70 reviews is big enough to handle a luxury tour in Rwanda.
The Best Travel Companies in Kigali
There are so many good travel companies in Kigali City for walk-in-and-book experiences. However, the most common way to book a tour is through email conversation with a fully registered company.
This way, you can keep your email conversation thread and refer to it in case you need any clarity and want to make any adjustments.
Also as mentioned above, you do not necessarily have to deal with the best travel companies in Kigali to organize a safari to Rwanda.
You’ll chance Ugandan based tour operators who will actually give you a better price and experience that the companies in Rwanda.
Navigating the List of Travel Agencies in Rwanda
There are so many places where you can get the list of travel agencies in Rwanda; with the most popular being the respective tourism board websites. Here, you will find a lot of options that you can work with.
However, the only downside is you are likely to chance a company with little experience. New companies seek affiliation each day and once they meet the vetting criteria, the are granted n annual license.
You have to go an extra mile by checking for the company reviews on platforms like TripAdvisor, comparing them across other companies and making a choice based exactly on that.
Airline Travel Agencies in Kigali
There are some travel agencies in Kigali that are directly or indirectly affiliated to airline companies. Such companies will book your flights and in most cases book them at a much lower discounted rate.
They are flexible enough to change your flights in case of any reschedule and sometimes actually refund you depending on the airline policies.
Some airline companies offer credit notes for cancelled bookings that a travel agency can use for booking their next client.
Depending on the available policies, some airline travel agencies in Kigali will offer you a refund on flights. However, such scenarios are very rare.
We still advise you to book your own flights without going through any company; let it be airline travel agencies in Kigali.
Exploring the Best Rwanda Travel Agencies & what Sets Them Apart
So many travelers consider reviews more to service. This is wrong; unless the reviews communicate good service. You can never choose the best Rwanda travel agencies based on how many reviews they have or how big and established they are.
As you may know, a small company is likely to offer a great service because they want to grow. Big companies on the other end work based on company policies.
A trip that would’ve gotten you a good service from a small Rwanda travel agency might get you a budget experience from a big company.
Look, every company started somewhere. If a company with 20+ reviews offers you the best quote, do not hesitate to book with them.
The Role of Rwanda Tour Operators in Promoting Sustainable Tourism
The role of Rwanda tour operators is crucial is maintaining balance in the Rwanda tourism industry. They are cautious and will do everything to ensure that they have the best services, facilities and access in the tourism.
Without Rwanda tour operators, a lot would be lacking in the industry; hotels would not be up to standard, the road networks wouldn’t be good and a lot of policies that favor tourists wouldn’t be in place. They are the voice between tourism and the Rwandan government.
So booking your trip with registered Rwanda tour operators is part of sustainable tourism in Rwanda. Organize your trip on your own and relying on locals for help will not help the tourism industry.
As mentioned earlier on, the locals will not do much to promote the Rwandan tourism industry.
How to Find the Best Tour Company in Rwanda for your Needs
Needs vary! You could want a budget, mid-range or luxury trip. You could want a bird watching trip with a very knowledgeable guide, or a honeymoon, mountain hiking adventure and so on.
Truth is each company is good at something and average at something. If your primary focus for the trip is gorilla and chimpanzee trekking, I’d advise you deal with gorilla trekking companies instead.
if you plan to book a budget safari in Rwanda, choose the small operators and deal directly with them. The same applies to clients who want to book a luxury safari in Rwanda.
Do not choose a luxury company to organize a budget trip for you and vice-versa.
In most cases, small companies don’t have the capacity to handle large refunds. Most of them actually don’t even have travel insurance.
You would choose a big company to handle an expensive luxury trip because of their capacity.
Why Magical Gorilla Adventures Stands Out
With over 70 reviews on TripAdvisor, communication and service gives Magical Gorilla Adventures a great edge over many companies. The company’s choice of tour guides and accommodation are also excellent.
They have the capacity to organize both budget and luxury safaris in Rwanda and are always up to date with the current trends of the East African tourism trends.
Visit multiple destinations in east and southern Africa with them at bargain rates. Some of the countries include Uganda, Rwanda, DR Congo, Kenya, Tanzania, Ethiopia, Madagascar, Namibia, Botswana, Zambia, Zimbabwe and South Africa among other countries.
They are primarily based in Kampala, Uganda but have agency offices in Kigali, Nairobi, Arusha and Addis Ababa.
With Magical Gorilla Adventures, your trip to Akagera will be stunning.
A Final Word on Rwanda’s Best Tour and Travel Companies
Rwanda’s best tour and travel companies are registered companies that will offer you a good and detailed priced package, communicate well with you and execute your package as planned. They are flexible enough to handle any changes along the way and unforeseeable occurrences.
A good Rwanda tour and travel company should be a good communicator and problem solver. They should also think out of the box and be able to get out of policy once in a while if that satisfies a client.