A nature lover, world traveler and influencer, Michelle Karam is beyond a tourist! Founder of TJD- an Adventure Travel Company, she first visited Rwanda in 2020 after the first Rwanda-UAE Tourism Webinar organized by the Embassy of Rwanda in UAE in collaboration with Rwanda Development Board in August last year. Through TJD, over 50 tourists visited Rwanda from November 2020.  Michelle shares her memorable experience in the wonder nature, the remarkable Rwanda!

Share a brief experience of your trips to Rwanda?

Our first trip to Rwanda was in October 2020. It was a detailed trip covering Akagera National Park and Volcanoes National Park. We were there for a familiarization trip to meet with partners in order to build relationships with properties and tour operators that met TJD’s standards, sharing the same values as we do. It was one of the greatest learning experiences we have had on our trips!

Rwanda has so much to offer with a great diversity and history. We learned about locations, wildlife, rules and regulations, the difference in each park, what they have to offer, and how Rwanda has worked towards promoting this incredible small country into a sustainable direction for tourism.

During our travel to Rwanda, we also met with NGO programs and have started working with them to encourage growth in communities.

What are the most exciting memories about your recent experiences?

One of the most exciting memories, of many, is surprisingly the drives. It’s true that Rwanda is a small country of approximately 26,388 sq. km, and you would assume that everything would be close proximity to another, but it’s not. Every drive to a new park, whether it is Akagera National Park or Nyungwe Forest, feels like a whole new landscape. I was constantly blown away during our road trip, which made the drives very pleasant.

Another great memory is, when I first arrived at Magashi Camp in Akagera National Park. The interior design and architecture of this magical place had us fall in love at first sight. It made the tented lodge experience in Rwanda, one of the best memories. The staff at the property, the food, the attention to detail, and the wildlife makes Magashi Camp a unique experience. We are very proud to be partners with Wilderness Safaris and include them on our portfolio.

You have facilitated many tourists with their trip to Rwanda. How do they feel on their tour?

We’ve made over 50 direct bookings on TJD to Rwanda, since November 2020 to March 2021, during the midst of a pandemic. That number is only direct bookings through TJD, the indirect impact that we have had is an unmeasurable number. We have established a strong trust for the past five years with our guests, and we are recognized as experts of the destinations we promote.

Guests who book with us learn of TJD through their network of friends who have traveled with us. TJD has built a strong ecosystem of travelers with high influence. During the pandemic, this has not changed.

During their journey in Rwanda, our guests have been blown away by the nature, the friendliness of the people, the delicious cuisine and activities. From our experience, our guests are almost guaranteed to return back.

How many group trips to Rwanda have you so far organized?

Since November 2020 - March 2021, we have organized 7 groups with approximately 6 guests in each group. The group sizes are dictated by the current travel restrictions, which are in place to protect the local population and communities. These rules also protect the wildlife, as a maximum of 6 people can take part in Gorilla Trekking at one time. In an effort to follow these guidelines, we have capped our group sizes to reflect this. In comparison to our other destinations, we have seen an incredible amount of interest and look forward to welcoming larger groups in the future.

Have you observed any impact of the UAE-Rwanda Tourism Webinar?

The UAE-Rwanda Tourism Webinar was an initial catalyst in our decision to expand our TJD offering to Rwanda. We can proudly say that TJD, has directly increased bookings in Rwanda. From December 2020 to March 2021, we have booked over 200 hotel room nights, 64 business class tickets with Rwandair, and had over 50 unique travelers. This has been possible through our consistent promotion of Rwanda. TJD has generated over 1,000 social media posts, explanatory blog articles, and worked with supporters to host social events and gatherings. With consistency in promoting, we have seen a huge shift in travelers adding Rwanda on their bucket list.

How do you assess Rwanda’s efforts to ensure safety and security of tourists during this pandemic?

On a global scale, Rwanda is at the forefront of managing this pandemic and the impact on the tourism industry. The policies Rwanda has created protect the local population, travelers and businesses, while providing at the same time safety to all. I am blown away at how the country has dealt with it, and grateful that we were able to succeed in a small country like Rwanda in generating sales into the economy.

Which hidden gems have you discovered in Rwanda?

Rwanda as a country is a hidden gem that we are exploring more and more every month! We first started with Gorilla Trekking then moved further along with the rest of the primates: Chimpanzees and Golden Monkey. Often these additional primate encounters can be overlooked by some travelers, but I would definitely recommend the Golden Monkey trek to all. The playful encounters are energizing and should not be missed.

Tell us about your food experience in Rwanda?

Rwanda’s culinary experiences have exceeded all expectations. On TJD, we have met local chefs who have shared their cuisines and hands down, it has been one of the best experiences.

Do you have something more?

We also work very closely with NGO programs and have created our very own program on TJD called ‘I See You’ – A photographic and entrepreneurial project for children in Rwanda. We encourage students to express their mind, heart and creativity through photography. Each student is given disposable camera. After we print their photos, we turn it into a book of images made with photographs the children captured. All income generated from the book goes directly into the school and the families. We are very proud of this project.

We also work very closely with our guests, providing an opportunity where they can donate school supplies to children in a school in Kigali. And, finally, we support Wilderness Safaris and their projects in Akagera communities. These are ways in which as a company, we hope we can influence tourists not only to visit Rwanda, but to also be part of building and helping the community. We would also like to create a space for anyone who wants to learn more about our CSR projects in Rwanda and the many ways you can contribute. Our goal is to help build stronger communities and allow children to express their emotions, mind and heart. TJD has multiple initiatives, and we are very proud to be giving back to the community - as much as Rwanda has given back to us!

TJD offers curated luxury experiences in 7 destinations. You can find out more and book with us directly through our website at www.travelwithtjd.com.