Rwanda Safaris and Wildlife Tours

Rwanda Safaris

Rwanda is one of the smallest and youngest countries in Africa. The country is located in the eastern part of the continent, south of the equator. In the 1994 the people of Rwanda experienced one of the worst genocide in history which claimed over 600,000 lives. As painful as it was, the genocide is what has helped bring the people together towards the common goal of developing their country. Rwanda has now become a model of what is possible if African countries got together, eliminated corruption and used decided to use

resources for the good of all.  Though landlocked and with fewer resources, Rwanda is regarded as one of the fastest developing countries in Africa with lots of industrial, real estate and agricultural projects. It’s capital Kigali is regarded as the cleanest in Africa.

Although Rwanda has seen remarkable transformation and development on all fronts, it is the tourism industry that has mostly caught the eye. Rwanda is dubbed as a land of a thousand hills with about 5 mountains within its borders. As soon as one lands in the country, one is stuck by the scenic hills and profound greenery. Within the hills and mountains are several attractions that compel thousands of tourists to visit the country each year. From its amazing city, cultural and historical centers to its wildlife, Rwanda has a lot to offer tourists. Kigali city and the national parks are the most visited destinations on a Rwanda safari but it is the mountain gorillas at the Volcanoes National Park that attracts the most visitors to the country. The mountain gorillas are one of the most sought after animals in the tourism world. These endangered sub-species of gorillas are only found in Rwanda, Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo. It is always special to encounter them in the wild and Rwanda has taken advantage to an extent that it rivals Uganda when it comes to which is the best gorilla trekking destination. This is remarkable given that Uganda has 50 percent of the overall population of mountain gorillas while Rwanda has about 30 percent. Positioning Rwanda to become a leading gorilla tracking destination is a great testament to Rwanda’s marketing power and better organization.

There are countless tourist attractions and activities that one can choose to engage in while in Rwanda. In a summary they include:

1. A Kigali city tour to see the main market, the genocide memorial center, artisan shops and the former presidential palace among others.
2. Gorilla Tracking in Volcanoes National Park.
3. Chimpanzee/Primates Tracking at Nyungwe Forest National Park and Gishwati Forest Reserve.
4. A forest canopy walk in Nyungwe National Park.
5. Birding in Lake Kivu, Akagera National Park, Gishwati Forest Reserve and Nyungwe Forest National Park.
6. Golden monkey trekking at the Volcanoes national park.
7. A standard safari to spot the big 5 and a boat ride at Akagera national park.
8. Hiking one of the 5 Volcanoes (Karisimbi, Bisoke, Gahinga, Sabyinyo and Muhavura) at the Volcanoes National Park.
9. Cultural experience at Iby’iwacu village Centre – also known as the gorilla Guardians Village.
10. Visiting historical sites and especially genocide memorial centers in Nyamata, Gisozi, Ntamara, Bisesero and Murambi. There is also the former king’s palace and cultural sites on the way from Kigali to Gisenyi.
11. Sport fishing in Lake Kivu and Lake Ihema.
12. Cycling along the Congo Nile Trail.

We will now discuss the main tourism destination in the following chapters: –

RWANDA SAFARI PACKAGES

Rwanda Safari – Places To Visit

Volcanoes national park: This is the most popular and visited game park in Rwanda. The park is located in the northwestern part of the country in Musanze district which is 2 hours away from Kigali city. The Volcanoes National Park is home to almost a third of the total population of the mountain gorillas left in the wild. The park is a part of the famous Virunga conservation area which also includes Virunga National Park in Congo and Mgahinga National Park in Uganda. Much of the park is covered with montane and bamboo forests making it the perfect habitat for the mountain gorillas. Gorilla trekking is the most popular attraction in the Volcanoes National Park. Mountain gorillas are an endangered species whose existence is under threat of extinction if more action is not taken. Gorillas are one of man’s closest relatives and belong to the ape family. Observing them in the wild is enthralling, exciting and fascinating. The park does not only have the mountain gorillas but also other wildlife species like elephants, buffaloes, bushbucks, hyena and 178 recorded bird species.

Apart from gorilla trekking in the Volcanoes National Park, one can also track golden monkeys, hike one of the 5 Virunga Volcanoes (Bisoke, Karisimbi, Muhabura, Gahinga and Sabinyo), visit Dian Fossey’s former Karisoke research Centre and tomb. Who is Dian Fossey? Dian Fossey spend much of her adult life researching and fighting to end gorilla poaching. She established base at the Virunga Conservation area (Including the Volcanoes National Park) from 1967 till her death in 1985. If you are interested in observing gorillas in the wild, then you should check out our 3 days gorilla safari in Rwanda package.

Nyungwe forest national park: Nyungwe forest is the largest tropical rain forest in Rwanda and is located in the southwestern part of the country. The dense forests in the park support 13 species of primates and because of this is considered the primates in Rwanda. The primates include chimpanzees, vevert monkeys, red-tailed monkeys, grey cheeked mangabeys, blue monkeys, black and white colobus among others. However, of all the primate species, what compels tourists to visit the park are the chimps. Tracking chimps is an experience close to gorilla trekking. The chimpanzees are also very intriguing animals to watch in the wild. In fact, chimps are our closest relatives in the primate’s family. Apart from primates, Nyungwe forest also has different species of birds, reptiles, butterflies and tree species. These can be sighted during chimpanzee trekking, nature or while doing the forest canopy walks. The forest canopy walk allows visitors to get an aerial view of the forest from the safety of trails made of rope.

Akagera National Park: Akagera national park is Rwanda’s future answer to the Masai Mara, Serengeti and the national parks in Uganda.  While the Volcanoes and Nyungwe National Park are covered with dense forests, Akagera has savanna grassland, woodland and swampy vegetation. Akagera is home to the big five animals (lions, elephants, rhinos, leopards and buffaloes) and other mammals like hyenas, zebras, giraffes, antelopes and so forth. It is an excellent park for game viewing. Akagera is also home to several water bodies. The most popular is the Akagera River, Lake Shikani and Lake Ihema. Lake Ihema is particularly excellent for birding and a boat ride to see aquatic wildlife (birds, hippos and crocodiles).

Gishwati Mukura National Park: Gishwati Mukura is the newest national park in Rwanda. It is an amalgamation of the two forests of Gishwati and Mukura. It’s formalization into a national park started in 2015 and it was opened for tourism in 2019. It is home to primates like chimpanzees, golden monkeys, blue monkeys and L’hoest monkeys. The Tourism ministry is positioning the park to become a top birding destination in East Africa. Over 200 bird species are recorded and some are endemic to great Albertine rift.

Rwanda Safari – Other Places To Explore

Genocide Memorial Centers: In 1994, a great tragedy occurred in Rwanda which was a culmination of years of tribal hatred between the Tutsi and Hutu. The Tutsi were the most affected and over 600,000 lost their lives in the hands of the Interahamwe militia groups. Apart from lives lost, many families were left with widows, widowers and orphans. By 1998, peace was restored and unity was forged between the two tribes. However, the scars of these deadly killings still remain in the hearts and minds of people in Rwanda. In order to ensure that such an event never happens again, several genocide memorial sites were built around the country. All the centers send a clear message to all future generations of people in Rwanda never to try to involve in discrimination and segregation because the results can be devastating. These genocide memorial centers were also turned into tourist sites in order to inform the world about the need to stop all form of ethnic and racial tensions before they escalate into something worse. In all the sites, you can see tombs, videos, photos and other expositions. Some of these places include Gisozi in Kigali, Nyamata church and Bisesero to mention but a few.

The Congo Nile Trail:  This is a new tourism product Rwanda has put up for its visitors. The trail can be completed by bike, motorcycle or by simply walking. The cycling experience is most popular and takes you through the hilly trails of Rwanda and the beautiful countryside. The trail is built mostly along the showers of lake Kivu and goes through Nyungwe forests among many other notable areas. By the time you complete hiking or cycling through the trail you would have had a clear understanding of the kind of life lived by the people in the countryside. Apart from interacting with the locals, expect to also encounter some wildlife species like butterflies, birds and primates in Nyungwe forest. You will also be rewarded with amazing views of lake Kivu.

Lake Kivu: This is the largest and most famous fresh water lake in Rwanda. It is located in Gisenyi which is a town at the border between Rwanda and Congo. The lake is surrounded by beautiful scenery, stunning vegetation, beaches and clear waters.  Lake Kivu is also a major fish landing site and crossing point into the Democratic Republic of Congo. The lake also harbors luxury resorts like Lake Kivu Serena Hotel where revelers go to laze in the sun, swim, go for a boat ride, catch some fish, spot birds, go on a picnic or go island hopping.

Mount Karisimbi: Karisimbi is one of the mountains in the Virunga conservation area. It is found in Volcanoes National park and at the border between Rwanda and Congo. Mount is one of the highest mountains in Africa. Once you get to the summit, you will be rewarded with stunning views of the other volcanoes, Lake Kivu and national parks in Uganda and Congo. It takes 2 days to get to the summit of Karisimbi. This implies that you need to be fit enough and mentally prepared before taking up the challenge of climbing mount Karisimbi.

Mount Bisoke:  This is a dormant volcano which stands between Rwanda and Congo. The peak is in Rwanda. Mount Bisoke is the most popular volcano for hiking. This is because it takes only a day to reach the summit and get back to the starting point. It doesn’t have snow at the peak like Karisimbi but plenty of fog on certain times of the day. Much of it is comprised of equatorial vegetation, bamboo and alpine meadows. The bamboo forests on the lower slopes of the mountain support some of the mountain gorilla groups in Rwanda. It is therefore possible to encounter one of the gorilla groups on your way up the mountain. Some tourists combine hiking Mount Bisoke and gorilla trekking.