Rwanda is a landlocked country with an area of 26,338 sq. km located in East Africa 75 miles south of the equator in the Albertine rift valley. There are some spectacular physical features including the Virunga Mountains which is famous for harboring 604 mountain gorillas of which one third live in Rwanda’s Volcanoes national park.
From the Virungas in the northwest, rolling savannahs and rich wetlands in the east, to the shores of Lake Kivu and montane tropical forest in Nyungwe in the southwest, Rwanda is known as “Land of A Thousand Hills” due to spectacular scenery, making for a must-visit gem in East Africa.
While gorilla safaris is the main attraction, the country offers other remarkable wildlife experiences including golden monkey, chimpanzee and colobus monkey trekking; canopy walk and Big Five safaris. Rwanda’s history tracing back when it was a powerful monarchy and its incredible recovery from the genocide against Tutsi the 1994 shows a sense of pride and resilience among its people.
With a strong commitment to digital transition and sustainable development, Rwanda’s Kigali capital is one of the cleanest and safest cities in Africa. Such has created good public spaces and enhanced the quality of life for citizens, making for an emerging destination for multigenerational family travel seeking for meaningful experiences and responsible travel.
People and culture
Rwanda has only 3 ethnic groups which include Batwa pygmies (hunter gatherers), the Hutu (cultivators), and Tutsi (cattle keepers). They all speak the same Kinyarwanda language and share a lot in common, however. Batwa way of life is different given that they originally survived in the forest as hunter gatherers before they were evicted.
English is the official language adopted in 2008; however, many people speak French as it was used during the colonial rule. Language is one of the ways Rwandans have preserved their rich cultural heritage from generation to another through storytelling and poetry which expresses the social life from the ancient times of Rwanda monarch to modern times.
Those intending to explore language, literature, and storytelling can explore various attractions including Kigali Public Library in Kigali city and University of Rwanda Library in Huye town. Visitors can engage in poetry nights, language workshops, storytelling sessions, and cultural discussions at Rwanda Cultural Heritage Academy among other cultural hubs in Kigali capital city such as Ikirezi and Impact Hub.
Music and dance is an integral part of cultural heritage in Rwanda and there are two traditional dances which include Intore and Inkinimba. Intore dance inscribed on the UNESCO intangible cultural heritage list in 2004 is a warrior dance performed by a troupe in which dancers organize themselves in a line that represents the ranks of warriors on a battlefield.
They mimic a battle fighting with an invisible adversary, leaping and wielding their spears and shields to the rhythm of the traditional musical instruments such as drums, horns, flute, and a string instrument known as Inanga. Inkinima dance is performed to celebrate a season of harvest season.
For an inside look at the culture of Rwandans visit some of the cultural sites such as the Gorilla Guardian’s Village near Volcanoes, King’s Palace Museum in Nyanza along the route to Nyungwe forest national parks. The dancers also put on attractive attire such as white sisal head robes and beads on their legs.
Women wear a long strip of cloth over the shoulder which blends well in the growing art and fashion industry. In Kigali capital city there’s a wide range of art and fashion stores and ateliers open to visitors, making fashion for those intending to get clothing or accessories custom made for them.
Where to go
Kigali capital city
Kigali capital city is the commercial and political center with a population of over 1,745,555 million people. The city is famous for its clean atmosphere and good planned infrastructure with clearly marked roads and traffic is relatively manageable. The distance from the central business district to Kigali international airport is 11 km providing easy access for both international and domestic flights.
The city is divided into different suburbs including Kimihurura home to the Kigali Convention Center, Marriot and Raddison Blue Hotels. The suburb is best for luxury travelers and offers a wide range of hotels, restaurants, and vibrant nightlife. Among other neighborhoods of Kigali include Kimironko famous for harboring the largest market in Rwanda, making for a great place for those intending to explore the local culture and shop for food and souvenirs.
Nyamirambo suburb is best for community tourism with a women’s center that offers education and skills training to the disadvantaged women and youth in art, handicrafts and sewing, culinary, and walking tours. After figuring out which suburb suits your interests, you can decide where to stay as your starting point for tours and safaris across the country.
Nyandungu Urban Wetlands Park
The Eco Park is located in Kicukiro district 11 km south east of Kigali central business district. It was created by restoring a 121.7 hectares Nyandungu wetland through planting local tree species, creation of walkways, and tourism facilities including toilets, benches, children’s play area, information center and a restaurant. The park offers a wide range of children friendly activities including cycling and educational lessons about environmental conservation.
Mount Kigali
Mount Kigali has an elevation of 1,853 meters (6,079 ft) and offers opportunities for hiking and zip lining at Fazenda Sengha recreational center. Located in Nyarugenge district, visiting Mount Kigali is just an Eco excursion away from the city.
Volcanoes national park
One of the best places for luxury gorilla safaris, Volcanoes national park is famous for harboring almost one third of the world’s mountain gorilla population and there are 10 gorilla families that have been habituated for tourism.
Gorilla trekking in Rwanda is tied to the legacy of the legendary Dian Fossey which has been kept alive through transformation of her original research site, Karisoke Research Center into a state-of-the-art Ellen DeGeneres Campus of the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund
International, where scientific research, and education is conducted to conserve gorillas and their natural habitat in partnership with local communities. The campus contains an interactive museum and exhibitions including a replica of Dian Fossey cabin and a laboratory where gorilla dung is analyzed to understand the health status of the primates.
Given that children below 15 years of age aren’t allowed to visit gorillas, they can stay behind and take tours to learn and participate in latest conservation trends including the gorilla chat how gorillas communicate.
The 160 sq. km protected area forms part of the larger Virunga Mountains, a chain of 8 volcanoes straddling the borders of Rwanda, Uganda, and DR Congo. Mount Karisimbi the highest peak is in the park along with other four which include Bisoke, Gahinga, and Sabinyo are covered by a swath of tropical forests, bamboo, hagenia hypecerum and afro-alpine vegetation supporting rich biodiversity including golden monkeys, 168 species of birds and mammal species such as forest buffaloes.
In addition to gorilla trekking, the park offers a wide range of activities including golden monkey trekking, volcano hiking, Dian Fossey grave site hike, and birding. The adjacent local communities offer cultural experiences such as the Gorilla Guardian’s Village and boat rides on Twin lakes of Burera and Ruhondo.
Akagera national park
The protected area is one of the most successful examples of Rwanda’s efforts to restore and conserve biodiversity. Before the civil war and genocide against Tutsi in 1994, Akagera national park was home to Big Five mammals, however. Due to lawlessness and poaching the rhinos and lions became extinct and the park’s size was also reduced due to human encroachment.
In 2010, the government of Rwanda formed a long-term partnership with African Parks Network to restore the park to its former glory. Lions were reintroduced in 2015 followed by black rhinos from South Africa and their numbers have since multiplied to 58 lions, 20 black rhinos, and 30 white rhinos. Akagera offers an opportunity to spot the Big Five animals in addition to boat safaris on Lake Ihema which give the park an edge over the famous Serengeti or Kruger national parks.
Nyungwe national park
Nyungwe national park is situated in southwest Rwanda in the Albertine rift valley and covers 1,020 sq. km of montane tropical forest with rich biodiversity including 1,100 flowering plants; 12 primate species including eastern chimpanzees, colobus monkeys, L’hoest monkeys, red tailed monkeys, Hamlyn’s monkeys, and olive baboons; 85 mammals, and over 345 species of birds of which 17 are Albertine rift endemics.
The management of the park was entrusted over to the African parks Network in 2010. Working in partnership with the RDB, they have greatly improved conservation and eco-tourism potential. Nyungwe offers chimpanzee trekking, colobus monkey trekking, canopy walk and over 13 hiking trails that allow you to explore the park’s diverse flora and fauna.
You can also experience the local culture by visiting the adjacent local communities including Nyungwe cultural village cooperative to participate in cultural performances and lessons on tea harvesting at Gisakura tea plantation. Kids of 6 years old allowed participating in the canopy walk as well as in cultural tours such as cooking and painting classes while adults go for chimp trekking.
King’s Palace and Ethnographic Museum
King’s Palace is located in Nyanza and the Ethnographic museum is in Huye town, Rwanda’s cultural and educational hub. The sites can be visited en route to Nyungwe or on a day trip from Kigali capital city just 90 km (2-hour drive).
The palace itself is a replica of the former Rwandan kingdom royal residences, dating back to the 5th century, the monarchy ended in 1962 following declaration of independence. One of the greatest symbols of wealth and power in the monarchy were the Inyambo cows with their elegant white long horns.
The cows are kept there and rituals are performed to honor them including naming and milk rituals accompanied by special songs and dance that the cows can be seen moving in sync. At the Ethnographic museum in Huye, you can see the most impressive preservation of historical and cultural heritage of Rwanda through artifacts and interactive exhibits.
When to visit Rwanda
Rwanda can be visited at anytime of the year, however, the dry season which lasts between June to September and December to March is the best time to go on safari. Temperatures are cool and warm ranging between 16°C to 17°C and due to little rainfall the forest trails are relatively dry, less slippery making for good conditions for primate trekking.
However, visitors should expect relatively longer treks especially for chimp trekking in Nyungwe forest given that the animals tend to move frequently from one place to another in search of food. The savanna grasslands in Akagera tend to become thinner and less mud on the roads most of the game tracks can be reached by car.
As such, tour guides can easily predict and track wildlife around water sources offering higher chances to spot wildlife, including the Big Five mammals which include rhinos, elephants, buffaloes, lions and leopards.
How to get around
The most common way to get around in Rwanda is by car through public buses, mini busses, motorcycle taxis, and private cars. Public buses in Kigali capital city operate on a smart card system called Tap&Go connecting to other towns like Rubavu and Cyangugu.
Some bus companies like Volcano Express operate between Kigali and Uganda’s Kampala capital city offering a budget friendly option for locals and international travelers alike. Mini buses keep their operations within Rwanda and offer frequent stopovers than buses.
Private cars including SUVs for luxury city tours as well as 4×4 cars are widely available for hire through car rental operators in Kigali city. some companies offer exclusive car hire service that includes a professional drive who takes care of the driving, allowing you to relax, work, or enjoy the ride without needing to focus on driving.
Self driving services are also available for those with professional driver’s license. Motorcycles locally known as Boda bodas offer convenient way to navigate through congestion and traffic in Kigali and other towns. They’re safe and provide protective helmets for passengers.
Given that Rwanda is bordered by Uganda to the north, DR Congo to the west, Tanzania to the east and Burundi to the south, it is relatively easy to combine it in an ultimate East African safari adventure that includes the Great Migration in Tanzania or Kenya.
Where to stay
Rwanda offers a wide range of accommodations including family-friendly hotels and lodges from high end to luxury boutique hotels in Kigali capital city. Many of these lodges offer family suites, babysitting services, and activities tailored to families such as archery and drumming lessons at One&Only Gorillas Nest.