Most Attractive Destinations in Rwanda
August 14, 2021
The most attractive destinations in Rwanda comprise three national game parks, the capital city Kigali and the tranquil beaches at Lake Kivu. High up above all attractions are the mountain gorillas that roam the slopes of the Virunga Mountains, where the famous Dian Fossey spent decades studying these magnificent creatures.
Her work brought so much attention to the plight of the primates whose population was fading fast to extinction. And now, the mountain gorillas are Rwanda’s single highest tourism earner, holding Rwanda up high on the top African destinations to visit.
Compared to most African safari destinations, Rwanda is a new kid on the block, climbing the travel ladder at impressive speed. This tiny East African country is packed with remarkable attractions offering unsullied cultural experiences, primate jungle adventures, safari game drives, and incredible birding and site-seeing.
Without taking so much of your precious time planning your Rwanda gorilla safari, let’s take a look at the most popular destinations in Rwanda you can include on that trip.
Most Attractive Destinations in Rwanda
- Volcanoes National Park
- Nyungwe Forest
- Akagera National Park
- Kigali
- Lake Kivu
Volcanoes National Park
Sitting on Rwanda’s northeastern border with DRC and Uganda, Volcanoes National Park protects Rwanda’s side of the Virunga Mountains and protects part of the last mountain gorillas within its rainforest jungle. Also known as Parc National des Volcans, a French name, Volcano National Park is the most attractive destination in Rwanda—attracting the largest number of leisure travelers into the country.
This verdant swathe of emerald greenery and dramatic scenery stretches along the steep slopes of five dormant volcanoes where the park gets its name. The dormant volcanoes include Mount Karisimbi, the highest at 4,507m, Mount Bisoke with a stunning crater lake on top, Sabinyo shared between the three countries, Gahinga and Muhabura in the far east.
The park protects a rich mosaic of montane ecosystems, including evergreen and bamboo forests, open grassland, swamp, and heath. Its best-known inhabitants are the mountain gorillas, but it also hosts golden monkeys, black-fronted duikers, buffalo, spotted hyena, and bushbuck. There are 178 recorded bird species in Volcanoes National Park, with at least 13 species and 16 subspecies endemic to the Virunga and the Rwenzori Mountains.
The most famous activity in this park is tracking the mountain gorillas. The park has twelve gorilla groups habituated for gorilla trekking excursions that set out every morning to trek and spend a memorable moment with the mountain primates. Setting out from Musanze, just outside the park, expert guides and rangers lead small groups of tourists to each gorilla family and allow them to spend at least one hour savoring the once-in-a-lifetime moment with the gorillas.
A gorilla permit that allows you the guided gorilla trekking experience in Volcanoes National Park costs $1500 per person per day. Outside the park, in Kiningi, are a great selection of camps and lodges catering to all kinds of travelers. A luxury traveler who seeks exotic comfort will definitely find Volcanoes National Park the most attractive destination in Rwanda.
Encounter Africa organizes gorilla trekking tours in Volcanoes, processing the gorilla permit, accommodation, and planning transport and meals so that you can enjoy trekking the gorillas.
Toping the list of most attractive destinations in Rwanda, Volcanoes National Park also offers a wide variety of other hikes, besides gorilla trekking, making it possible to spend several days around the park. Tourists can visit a habituated troop of the unique golden monkeys, an endangered species whose range is restricted to the Virunga Mountains slopes.
Another popular activity in the park is the hike to Dian Fossey’s former camp and grave at the base between Mount Karisimbi and Bisoke, aptly named Karisoke Research Center.
Fewer tourists embark on the arduous day treks to Mount Bisoke (famous for its beautiful crater lake) or Mount Muhabura and Mount Karisimbi summits.
Around the park, hiking, canoeing, mountain biking, and village cultural experiences offer something interesting for all travelers.
Nyungwe National Park
Nyungwe National Park lies in southwest Rwanda, contiguous with Burundi’s Kibira National Park. It's one of Africa’s most diverse montane rainforests protecting many species, including chimpanzees, owl-faced, and colobus monkeys.
Considered one of the most attractive destinations in Rwanda, Nyungwe Forest has a 70-meter high suspension bridge over the ravine that offers canopy walks to view its spectacular beauty from above. The canopy walk provides breathtaking views over the valley and the full majesty of the forests—a must for all birders that want to tick off their birding list.
Nyungwe is rich in biodiversity teaming with 75 known mammal species, 322 birds species, and 1068 plant species. The park protects a small population of chimpanzees and 15 other primates, some of which are endemic to the Albertine Rift.
Most popular among the visitors to Rwanda are the habituated chimpanzee troops that swing the treetop. The steep forested slopes have well-maintained trails for forest hiking and bird watching—among the best in Africa.
With all the various activities in Nyungwe, one could easily spend at least a week sampling the delights of the pristine forest. If you don’t go primate tracking, you can walk one of the 15 trails around the jungle—the most memorable being the walk up the Isumo waterfall and the canopy walk along the Igishigishigi trail.
The stunning views of vast tea plantations that border the edges of the park are something to marvel at. Additionally, visitors can watch a troop of Ruwenzori colobus monkeys and forest fringe birds at Gisakura.
Nyungwe National Park is usually added to gorilla trekking safari packages in Rwanda, adding chimpanzee tracking to the exhilarating mountain gorilla encounter. Contact any of our consultants to help you plan your Rwanda safari package, including the most attractive destinations in Rwanda.
Akagera National Park
The relatively unknown Akagera National Park is the only savannah game park of the four safari destinations in Rwanda located in the northeastern border contiguous with Ibanda Game Reserve in Tanzania. The park is mainly comprised of vast savannah plains, woodland, swamps, and a dozen lakes that attract an incredible number of bird species.
Game viewing is one of the main attractions in Akagera. Visitors will be sure to see a family of lions, eastern black rhinos, giraffes, elephants, buffalos, antelopes, zebras, monkeys, and 490 bird species on a typical game drive.
Another activity in Akagera we highly recommend is the boat safari on Lake Ihema. The lake has large pods of hippos, crocodiles, and the island in the middle harbors abundant waterbirds.
If you’re up for a low-key Africa safari game drive after your encounter with Rwanda’s mountain gorillas, add Akagera National Park to your gorilla trekking safari and fly back home without crossing African borders. It saves you the ordeal of dealing with border crossing bureaucracies.
Kigali City
Sitting across hills and valleys, Kigali is Rwanda’s administrative and cultural capital aptly positioned in the country’s center. The colorful, vibrant capital brags of being the cleanest and most pleasant city on the continent with wide tree-lined streets and unsullied green squares—great for unguided walks.
Kigali’s flourishing art scene, dining, and hotel scene will be something to keep you in the city enjoying the panoramic views and multi-cultures before you hit the country roads. If you’re proudly attracted to African art, check out the Kigali Cultural Village—a space for local artisans and food vendors to exhibit and sell their incredible creations and where you can buy your local souvenirs.
A world-class convention center styled like an ancient King’s Palace lights up the night sky atop one of the gorgeous hills that form the city’s landscape. It is a site that will hold a visitor’s gaze for a memorable time. Golfers will find the 18-hole golf course on the edge of Nyarutarama Lake interesting to visit. Nature walks around the lakeshore tracks are tranquil and great to explore Rwanda’s urban birdlife.
The brutal 1994 genocide memories are beautifully exhibited in the Kigali Genocide Memorial, which honors the memory of those who perished in this unforgettable event. The center has three permanent exhibitions and burial gardens that make powerful story presentations to visitors.
Kigali City, where you’ll get into the country, is a must include on your list of most attractive destinations in Rwanda to visit. Spend a day or two before heading into the country for gorilla trekking or primate encounters.
Lake Kivu
Straddling the border between Rwanda and the DRC, Kivu is one of the string-of-lakes lining the East African Rift Valley. Majestic volcanic mountains surround the lake’s emerald reflecting waters with stunning landscape views across Rwanda’s west. Lake Kivu is the sixth-largest lake on the continent and Rwanda’s largest.
The perfect place to relax after gorilla trekking and the most popular attraction at Lake Kivu is Rubavu (aka Gisenyi)—a beautiful town on the lake’s northern edge, an hour’s drive from Volcanoes National Park. Colonial mansions and hotels line up on Rubavu’s waterfront, creating a perfect atmosphere for an African sundowner and romantic evenings.
Stretching from Rubavu in the north to Rusizi in the south along Lake Kivu shoreline is the 227-kilometer Congo Nile Trail—arguably the best backpacking biking trail in Africa. The trail tenderly arcs around the coastline as it snakes through terraced hills and mountains with eucalyptus trees lining the single track. It primarily makes Lake Kivu one of the most attractive destinations in Rwanda for adventure seekers.
Lake Kivu is an excellent attraction for romantic travelers and adventurers. Encounter Africa usually includes Kivu in our Rwanda gorilla trekking safari packages to seal the excitement of visiting Rwanda.
When Should You Visit Rwanda?
You can visit all the attractive destinations in Rwanda any time of the year. However, the best time to visit Rwanda for gorilla trekking is during the two dry seasons of December to February and June to September, when the trails are dryer.
If you’re planning to see chimpanzee troops in Nyungwe, the best time to go is during the two wet seasons of February to June and September to November. There’s plenty of fruit and plants during the rainy seasons for the chimps to stay in easy to access places than in the dry seasons. In the dry seasons, chimps forage in the deeper forest zones making it challenging for trackers to find them.
Start planning your safari to explore the most incredible destinations in Rwanda with a local expert. We have all the ground information and are willing to share it with you to fix the best Rwanda safari that suits your liking.
Send us an email at info@gorilla-tracking-uganda.com, and a safari consult specializing in planning Rwanda private trips will be replying to your email immediately.
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