I wanted to visit Rwanda, Burundi, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Uganda in one trip. In early 2018, I arranged a customized program for the coming November with Obed – who was recommended to me by a fellow traveler. Originally from the DRC, but now residing across the border in Rwanda, Obed had the contacts and expertise to make my plan happen. In addition, he was competitively (and reasonably) priced. From the planning process to the time of booking, I received nothing but excellent customer service. Obed listened and made sure to deliver. He appropriately took care of the required permits for me – no problems anywhere. Communication was never an issue – he replied to my emails and messages in a timely fashion and made sure to address each question, comment, and concern. This continued into the tour. He showed up on time every single day. Obed’s friendly, welcoming personality and energy radiated from the moment he greeted me in Rwanda. Conversations were easy – we shared the same sense of humor. He was informative, yet listened to know when I had enough. Furthermore, he was able to answer all of my questions without any hesitation. He made sure that I was comfortable throughout the trip – whether in the car or checking in to the accommodations. The vehicles used for transportation were comfortable. Most importantly, he was flexible. Anytime that I had an idea, or wanted to add or get rid of an activity, he made it happen. No questions asked. Overall, Obed was a delightful guide and lived up to (and exceeded) my expectations. I strongly recommend Obed and Kumbukumbu Tours if you need a fixer or a tour operator/guide for the area.

Three of my friends and I chose Kumbukumbu Tours to take us from Kigali to Goma, DRC, and lead us on an overnight hike to the Mount Nyiragongo volcano. It was absolutely surreal--the way the vegetation changed on the way up, the different plants, the almost out-of-body experience in reaching such high altitude, and of course the view of the lava pit at the top. We were able to completely soak up the experience because all the details taken care of by Kumbukumbu Tours. They prepared all the meals and carried up the food and sleeping items. Our guide Obed was incredibly knowledgeable and delighted to answer all of our questions-- about local customs, practices, and even politics, as well as our physical surroundings. At the top of volcano, Kumbukumbu staff cooked a delicious meal (some with meat and some vegetarian to accommodate some of my friends) and prepared soul-soothing milk tea. Fellow hikers seemed to wish that they had also booked Kumbukumbu Tours.

I recommend Kumbukumbu to my friends and family when they travel in the region. I hope I return to Rwanda/DRC soon and get to enjoy another expedition led by Obed!