Rwanda is located in central and eastern Africa. Located a few degrees south of Equator, it shares its borders with Uganda to the north, Tanzania to the east, Burundi to the south, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the west.
Rwanda, a small landlocked country with so many beautiful hills! has various / several tourist attractions to any one traveling to Africa may be for tourism, visiting, exploring, studying and research purposes and for many more other reasons. Among Rwanda’s beauty, you will be able to enjoy her endangered mountain gorillas, wildlife (chimpanzees, golden and colubus monkeys, etc.), birding, relaxing and chilling out places, cultural visits to the indigenous local tribes of Rwanda, (where you can see how different African cultures do survive in their world), as well as the Historical sites and information that is especially good for the explorers, i.e. The 1994Genocide between the Hutu and Tutsi tribal groups of Rwanda. In its tourism services, Rwanda can offer / provide you with volcanoes mountain climbing, hiking and biking, wildlife adventure for the wild (chimpanzees, mountain and lowland gorillas’ trekking, colubus and golden monkeys’ tour, and so much more.
A Safari in Rwanda
With in the enchanting rain forest of the Virungas in northern Rwanda, mountain gorilla tracking is not-to-miss adventure that adventure seekers look for in the counry. The famed Volcanoes National Park offers travelers the opportunity to see the last remnant population of the endangered mountain gorillas.
Rwanda is no ordinary destination. It offers travelers not only a great gateway to escape from life hassles and stress but also to experience nature and wildlife in well protected areas. The rare feeling of meeting the silver back and its family members after a tough rewarding gorilla trek creates truly a life changing experience in the life of every tourist who take on the challenge. The magical and changing sequence of the gorilla encounter creates a relaxing mind set as you meet up with several forest beauties. Colorful birds and monkeys cheer up the journey until the final meeting of the mountain gorillas. The abstractions they cause make you forget the hassles and challenging walks you have experience in the past few hours. Smiles and happy expressions fill up trekker’s faces as they proceed with the day search. Those with walking sticks rest on them as they gain more strength to carry on with the rewarding forest walk.
Interestingly, everyone is invited to join the gorilla tracking expedition as they explore the natural beauty of the rain forest. Simple challenging hikes and treks, morning meet ups with the park rangers together with other day’s trackers from different corners of the world prepare you even more for the life time adventure. After briefing and trekking through the forest, the experience clears off the mind and turns everything into memories that are celebrated for generations. Indeed Rwanda gorilla tracking offers a ultimate experience for those looking for natural jungle primate adventures. By the way to track Rwanda mountain gorillas, the logic is simple, simply spare 1-3 days to engage in the life changing adventure. One must have a Rwanda gorilla permit as a must and a valid travel document “passport” for issues of verification. When you engage in a Rwanda gorilla tracking tour, it’s another way of supporting the primate conservation drive that is aimed to serve generations. Besides some percentage of the gorilla permit fee goes to the local community for their well being in terms of health, Education and sanitation.
Top Highlights
- The most popular adventure activity carried out in Rwanda is gorilla tracking. Tourist taking gorilla tours in Rwanda feel happy and joyful to see their wish come true – watching the mountain gorillas in the natural forest of Volcanoes National Park.
- Visit the Lake Kivu Region and enjoy a leisurely holiday at Rwanda’s beast beaches. Within the islands there are many other attractions.
- The Volcanoes National Park is not only home to the mountain gorillas but also other primates. Don’t leave the park without tracking the golden monkeys, the rare primate that can only be seen in PNV and Mgahinga.
- Pay tribute to the works of Dian Fossey by visiting the Karisoke Research Center. Visit the Tomb of Dian Fossey a gorilla idol in history featured in the famous “Gorillas in the Mist” movie. For Mountain climbers and hikers, Bisoke and Karisimbi volcanoes wait each day for your visit and tap what they have for you.
Where to go in Rwanda/ Paces to Visit in Rwanda
- Virunga Mountains for Gorilla Tracking/Trekking in Parc Des Volcans
- Genocide Memorials site,
- Dian Fossey’s Remains-Karisoke Research Center,
- Akagera National Park
- Nyungwe forest National Park
- Musanze Cave
- Gisenyi city
- Virunga Mountains
- Kinigi City
- Ruhengeli Town
- Lake Kivu
- Kigali city
What is the Best Duration for a Rwanda Holiday
Though most travelers prefer to take shorter Rwanda Safaris, there are many exciting trips that are offered by different tour operators. Some tour offers also combine visiting the most popular attractions in Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
- A 1-2 days volcano hiking tour to these lovely volcanoes is rewarding and allow tourists to deepen their hiking experience as they explore the beauty of the land of thousand hills and views.
Top Things to See
Wildlife
Akagera National Park is the main wildlife park where game viewing can be done. Rwanda has a wide variety of wildlife. These include the endangered mountain gorillas, herds of elephant and buffaloes, Giraffes and zebras milling in the savannah, more than a dozen species of antelope which include the chestnut-coated impala, the diminutive oribi, the ungainly tsessebe, the secretive bushbuck, the statuesque Cape eland etc.
When to visit Rwanda
The country can be visited at any time of year. The dry season range from mid-May to mid-October and this season is easier for tracking mountain gorillas. Peak season for gorilla tracking is July and August, traveling outside this time means it is easier to arrange a permit.
Things to Do in Rwanda
There are lots of things to do in Rwanda. Here are the some of the most popular adventures you can engage while on holiday in Rwanda;
- Gorilla Trekking: This is the most popular tourist activity that pulls travelers to Rwanda. The Volcanoes National Park in the northern part of the country is the favorite to travelers looking for gorilla trekking tours in Africa. Trips from short day tours to 2-7 days gorilla treks can be booked from listed local tour operators.
- Golden Monkey tracking – The Volcanoes National Park hosts some of the rare primates; the endangered golden monkeys. You can track these elusive monkeys on your next trip in Rwanda.
- Genocide Memorial tours – There are several genocide memorial sites including the Kigali Genocide Memorial, Nyamata, Ntarama, Gisozi and more.
- City tours – there are two major cities; Butare and Kigali. There are several attractions in these cities including museums, art galleries and natural monuments.
- Bird watching
- Boat cruise
- Dian fossey
Gorilla Trekking safaris
Rwanda is a famous destination for mountain gorilla tracking safaris in Africa. Together with Uganda and Congo, the country protects the remaining few 720 mountain gorillas that thrive in the world. Gorilla Tracking is carried out in five gorilla groups within Parc Nationale des Volcanoes. Gorilla Permits can be arranged by a travel operator, or can be purchased directly through the Office Rwandaise du Tourisme et des Parcs Nationaux (ORTPN) / The Rwanda Office of Tourism and National Parks, at the headquarters in Kigali, or at their office in Musanze.
Experience Kigali City
Kigali is the capital city of Rwanda that became the capital of free Rwanda in 1962. It is an important economic, cultural, and transport hub of the country. It’s the most densely populated area of the country with most of its population rising from the misplaced peoples by the 1994 genocide. Since then, ( 1994), Kigali has been slowly rebuilt and income from tourism especially mountain gorilla trekking together with the numerous aid works and volunteering organizations have all helped spark off her economy. It is a relatively safe and sophiscated small city that has developed in quite a shortwhile. It is a beautiful city sprawling over several hills, with nice avenues (full of flowering trees) as well as the green mountains surrounding the city. While in Kigali, one thing you should not be afraid of is communication since a few international languages are used there that is; Kinyarwanda, English, French and even German etc. Kigali is usually the arrival spot for many county’s visitors .It has some interesting sites that are easily reached even by taxi such as the Kigali Genocide Memorial Center (a permanent exhibition of the genocide remains), Caplaki (market shops where shopping can be done on items like wood carvings, drums, baskets ceramics etc), community nature walks can also be enjoyed here especially a the dancing pots where you will find the Batwa pottery and also learn more about the Twa people. With all this going on in Kigali, it is evident that the capital can provide you with such a wonderful city tour.
