Rwanda

Board your international flight from Los Angeles to Kigali with a connection in Amsterdam.

Arrive in Kigali in the evening. Check in to your hotel and share a welcome dinner to begin your journey.

Begin with Kinyarwanda basics and a briefing on cultural norms. Visit the Kigali Genocide Memorial for a self-guided tour, with a survivor sharing reflections before and after your visit. Later, join a women’s cooperative like Gahaya Links to learn how crafts create economic independence. Participate in a weaving workshop and hear how artistry has empowered Rwandan women.

Visit the Ntarama Genocide Memorial with a local historian, then meet Rwanda’s long-horned Inyambo cows at Vincent’s farm. In the afternoon, spend time in a Reconciliation Village, where survivors and perpetrators of the genocide live together. Hear testimonies of forgiveness, healing, and the meaning of community.

Meet with Inkomoko Entrepreneur Development to learn how women launch and grow businesses. Visit a local entrepreneur who has benefited from training and loans. Take part in a gender justice workshop with RWAMREC, a men’s network that advocates for equality. End the day with a cultural performance at the Mille Collines Hotel or cheer on women athletes at a basketball game (schedule dependent).

Travel to Musanze and join Gorilla Guardians, a cultural village of former poachers who now share traditional practices through community-based tourism. In the afternoon, take part in a wool workshop at Handspun Hope, where women spin, dye, and weave wool, supported with healthcare and childcare.

Hike into Volcanoes National Park to observe golden monkeys in their natural habitat. Visit the Ellen DeGeneres Campus of the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund to learn about conservation science, then meet with Gorilla Doctors to hear how veterinarians protect gorilla health and ecosystems.

Join Grace Girls’ Coalition for a hands-on skills training activity with young women working to create brighter futures in rural villages. Afterward, travel to Akagera National Park, where you’ll have time to relax at the lodge pool.

Head out on a safari game drive in Akagera National Park. Depending on the day’s plan, take one long drive or two shorter ones, with the chance to see giraffes, elephants, and even lions. Spend the evening relaxing at the lodge.

Take a morning boat safari on Lake Ihema before returning to Kigali. Stop at Imigongo for lunch and souvenir shopping, then head to the airport for your evening flight home.

Arrive back in Los Angeles with new stories, insights, and connections about women’s empowerment and equality around the world.