Although it’s best known for mountain gorilla trekking, Rwanda is a country that has a lot more to offer, but most of its other tourism offerings are not recognised enough.
With its lush, mountainous landscapes – which earned the Central African country the Land of a Thousand Hills moniker – Rwanda also boasts some of the most amazing sights in the Great Lakes region.
If you’re planning a trip to the central African country, you certainly won’t regret it. Here are our top 10 things to do in Rwanda…
- Visit Kigali Genocide Memorial Centre
- Trek the critically endangered mountain gorillas
- Walk through Nyungwe Forest National Park
- Wander around Lake Kivu in Gisenyi
- Paramotoring
- Tour the capital Kigali
- Wander among a variety of wildlife in Akagera National Park
- Mountain biking
- Visit King’s Palace Museum
- Visit Red Rocks Rwanda
Visit Kigali Genocide Memorial Centre
Although Rwanda has been consistently registering rapid development over the past two decades, it’s important not to forget the atrocities that decimated the country and left a million people dead during the 1994 genocide.
A visit to Kigali Genocide Memorial Centre will help you to learn, know and understand what really happened when the tide of death swept through the country 24 years ago.
An audio tour and the memorial’s heart-stopping exhibits will take you on a trip back in 1994 and offer you invaluable insights into the grotesque atrocities that were committed by Hutu extremists within a period of just 100 days.
The memorial centre is also the final resting place of about 250,000 victims of the genocide.
Trek the critically endangered mountain gorillas
A visit to Rwanda is never complete without trekking the iconic, critically endangered mountain gorillas whose numbers plummeted in the 1970s and 1980s due to war, disease, illegal hunting, human-wildlife conflict, poaching and habitat loss.
Currently numbering about 1,000 individuals, these majestic primates can only be found in Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park, DR Congo’s Virunga National Park and Uganda’s Mgahinga Gorilla and Bwindi Impenetrable national park.
While in Rwanda, make sure to trek these amazing creatures, humans’ closest relatives, in their natural habitat. Rwanda’s gorilla permits cost $1,500 per person.
Walk through Nyungwe Forest National Park
Nyungwe Forest National Park offers one of the best nature walks in Rwanda. The largest remaining tract of montane rainforest in East and Central Africa, the forest protects more than 1,000 plant species, at least 120 butterfly species, 310 bird species, 32 amphibian species and 38 reptile species.
In addition, 86 different mammal species have been recorded in Nyungwe forest, 13 of which are primates, including the famous chimpanzees.
According to available records, at least 27 of the bird species in the forest are Albertine Rift endemics, of which the Albertine owlet, red-collared babbler and Rockefeller’s sunbird cannot be found anywhere else on the eastern side of the Albertine Rift. But most sought after are the great blue turaco and the flycatcher.
Wander around Lake Kivu in Gisenyi
Located on Rwanda’s western border with the Democratic Republic of Congo, Gisenyi – also known as Rubavu – boasts beautiful sandy beaches, shady palm-lined avenues, and a refreshing climate, which make it a perfect spot to chill out.
Gisenyi is Rwanda’s sixth largest town and the largest port on the Rwandan side of Lake Kivu with several recreational activities for you to choose from.
You can go kayaking, visit nearby islands, hike Mount Rubavu, visit the historic Nyundo School of Music, check out the Gisenyi hot springs, or take a swim in the lake, which spans 2,700 km² and sits at an altitude of 2349 km² above sea-level.
Paramotoring
At the time of writing this, paramotoring is not yet available in Rwanda. But the Rwanda Development Board, the government agency that is in charge of the country’s flora and fauna, says this strange sport will be available for paramotorists and paramotoring enthusiasts by December 2018.
And what is paramotoring? For the clueless, paramotoring is a form of paragliding where the pilot wears a motor on his or her back, which provides enough thrust to take off using an adapted paraglider or paramotor wing. It can be launched in the still air, and on level ground, without assistance.
“The new adventure tourism experience will be officially launched in six months and visitors will be able to enjoy paramotoring in the historic Huye town, the picturesque lakeside towns of Rubavu and Karongi and at one of the best preserved montane rainforests in Africa, Nyungwe National Park,” RDB said recently in a statement.
Tour the capital Kigali
Like most cities around the world, Kigali also has a lot to offer in terms of travel experiences. The Nyamirambo neighbourhood, awash with lots of craft markets and art galleries, will introduce you to the country’s contemporary urban culture while Kigali’s tidy streets make for a perfect place for strolling and people watching, especially in the evenings.
The tour of the city will also show you how, 24 years after the 1994 genocide that left about one million people dead, Rwandans have put those dark days behind them and literally rebuilt their country – one picturesque building at a time.
Wander among a variety of wildlife in Akagera National Park
Rwanda’s biggest national park, Akagera spans over 1,085 km² and is situated northeast of the country on the border with Tanzania. Named after the river that runs along the country’s eastern boundary, Akagera is Rwanda’s counterpart to the famous savannah reserves of Kenya and Tanzania.
More than 80 and 500 animal and bird species respectively are residents of this staggeringly beautiful national park, which ranks among the most scenic of Africa’s savannah reserves. Lions, elephants, zebras, cheetahs, hyenas, buffalos, giraffes, monkeys, hippos, bush pigs, warthogs, baboons, crocodiles, leopards, antelopes and a host of other wild animals are some of the sightings you should expect. The park also boasts more than 10 freshwater lakes.
Mountain biking
Mountain biking is one of the latest offerings available for intrepid travellers in Rwanda. The Rwanda Development Board (RDB), the country’s tourism regulator, recently mapped 11 different trails with a combined distance of 760 kilometres, catering to all skill levels. Now beginners and professionals alike can rediscover Rwanda as it is rarely seen – from the seat of a bicycle.
“To give the cyclist a rewarding experience, RDB has ensured the maintenance of the different cycling trails and designed and mounted clearly understood signposts along the trails to guide cyclists,” RDB said recently.
“In addition, RDB has trained specialised guides and bicycle mechanics to ensure that the cycle experience is as seamless as possible. Secure campsites and other accommodation options are available on the cycling trails.”
Visit King’s Palace Museum
In Nyanza town, south of the capital Kigali, you can explore the traditional palace that was built by King Musinga Yuhi V and the first house that was built by King Rudahigwa Mutara III, which were recently restored to form the King’s Palace Museum.
This impressive, enormous structure was built using traditional materials, creating a perfect replica of its 19th Century look. After the demise of King Mutara III in 1959, his widow Queen Rosalie Gicanda continued occupying the palace up until 1964 when she was forced out.
The palace was restored later and now provides a glimpse of the country’s spirit during the pre-colonial days. In 2006, the building was transformed into a museum that hosts an exhibition related to monarchial history.
On the neighbouring hill of Mwima rest the remains of King Rudahigwa together with Queen Gicanda, who was killed during the 1994 Rwandan genocide.
Found in the valley with an idyllic view from the King’s Palace is the National Art Gallery. It displays contemporary art pieces that are representative of Rwandan creativity that draws inspiration from the past and modern-day Rwanda.
Visit Red Rocks Rwanda
After you have come into contact with all the wonders and worries of this hilly country, wrap up your odyssey with a visit to the Red Rocks Cultural Centre, tucked away in Nyakinama village in Musanze district, north of the country.
Away from the hustle and bustle of urban life, Red Rocks Cultural Centre offers that much needed laidback environment after a long journey, after experiencing it all.
Frequented by tourists from all corners of the world, you’ll find here one of the best campsites in the country, some of the best local food, and some of the most charming people to swap your adventure stories with.
