Rwanda Active Adventure Holiday Destination has been indelibly associated with the horrific genocidal events of 1994. Now undoubtaby one of the safest places in Africa, this tiny nation is now attracting growing more visitors. Rwanda is small and easy to get around despite the hilly terrain. Good tar roads wind through fertile hillsides terraced with tea and coffee plantations making it is known as ‘The Land of a Thousand Hills!' Most places are within three hours drive from Kigali, the capital.
Most travelers come to enjoy a Rwanda gorilla safari in the Volcanoes National Park with the rare chance to see some of the last wild population of mountain gorillas. The natural habitat for the gorillas is the high altitude rainforest of the Volcanoes massif which is home to roughly half the world's estimated population of 700 mountain gorillas. There are 8 habituated mountain gorilla groups in the Volcanoes National Park so this is one of the best places for a clear sighting. Other highlights of a Rwanda gorilla safari include visiting the research centre of the late Dian Fossey (the renowned primatologist featured in Gorillas in the Mist) and also tracking the rare Golden monkeys.
Other ‘must sees’ include the ancient high-altitude forest of Nyungwe National Park in the southwest which is a paradise for primate fans. Ruwenzori colobus monkeys and chimpanzees are among the 13 different primates to be glimpsed on forest walks. The largest protected mountain forest in Africa, Nyungwe is home to 310 bird species (26 of which are endemic) including the great blue turaco, and a startling array of orchids and butterflies.
If you need to stay a night in the pleasant and safe capital of Kigali, the immensely moving Kigali Genocide Museum is well worth a visit as well as the King’s Palace once home to Rwanda’s last king. A good place to relax between chimpanzee and gorilla trekking is the beautiful freshwater Lake Kivu in Western Rwanda.
Our Featured Rwanda Active Adventure Holiday Destinations
Cyangugu Town (pronounced 'Shangugu' – its new name of Rusizi Town is easier to pronounce!) is the most southerly of Lake Kivu's ports that sprawls along a road through the green hills that run down to the lake shore. It is an old border town whose fading façades tell of its past as a vital trading gateway.
Akagera National Park – lies on the eastern border of Rwanda with Tanzania. This low-lying park offers a more traditional safari experience than the mountain forests. Its rolling African savanna plains are home to buffalo, elephant, zebra and giraffe but you'll share the roads with virtually no other vehicles.
Nyungwe Forest National Park in southwestern Rwanda is south of Lake Kivu on the border with Burundi it is one of the oldest forests in Africa. Home to the Chimpanzee and thirteen other species of primate, Nyungwe Forest is wonderfully populated with a wide variety of animal and plant species and is a must visit on the Rwanda Safari circuit.
Volcanoes National Park, 'Parc National des Volcans' in French, lies in northern Rwanda and borders Virunga National Park in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Mgahinga National Park in Uganda. The national park is known as a haven for the mountain gorilla - 300 of these gentle giants make the park their home and there are eight habituated families that tolerate the presence of humans in their midst making this is one of the best places for gorilla tracking.
Butare Town – is the original capital of Rwanda and still its cultural centre. It was also the largest and most important city in Rwanda prior to 1965 when it lost out to more centrally located Kigali. Today the site of several academic institutions, including the country's largest university, Butare is still considered the intellectual and cultural pulse of Rwanda. It also has an impressive royal palace as well as an absorbing national museum.
Musanze Town (Ruhengeri), Northern Rwanda Destinations. The bustling market town of Ruhengeri now known by its new name Musanze has a memorable setting at the base of the Virunga Mountains.
Kibuye Town (Karongi), Lake Kivu, Western Rwanda is about 100km south of Gisenyi, Kibuye town (also known by its new name Karongi) is probably the prettiest of Lake Kivu’s towns. It’s a verdant, tropical spot surrounded by hills covered in eucalyptus and pine and interwoven with the lagoon like arms of the lake which give the area a pristine, almost Alpine feel. If you're visiting in August, you may catch thousands of yellow-billed kites here flying over Lake Kivu on their annual migration. Most of Kibuye’s hotels are in beautiful locations overlooking the lake and facing the sunset with small private beaches and water sports activities.
Gisenyi Town is the largest city on the shores of Lake Kivu also referred to by its new name Rubavu, known for its water sports and surprisingly tropical beaches. The town resembles a forgotten tropical beach resort with an endearing mismatch of architectural styles, sandy red shore, and lakeside extremely rich in birdlife. The northern shore of the lake where the towns of Goma and Gisenyi are found features lava formations from the eruptions of the nearby Mount Nyiragongo. Gisenyi is also home to Bralirwa, the only brewery in Rwanda - nothing like a cold beer to relieve stress.
Lake Kivu is one of Africa's natural wonders and one of the Great Lakes of Africa with sandy tropical beaches set amidst spectacular mountainous landscapes. And on its shores you will find the charming and picturesque towns of Gisenyi to the north, Cyangugu in the south and Kibuye in the middle.
Rwanda is a small country, with its modern capital, Kigali City is a pleasant safe city and important business centre which ranges over several hills, at the centre. From here the roads radiate outwards, like the spokes of a wheel, and hence on most Rwanda holidays you'll occasionally spend a night here as part of any itinerary. The several hills scattered over the city keep visitors occupied for a couple of days and are easy to walk around with plenty of bars, cafes and restaurants for sustenance.
The Kigali Genocide Memorial Center in Kigali City was created by a joint partnership of the Kigali City Council and the UK-based Aegis Trust. It contains a permanent and extremely moving exhibition of the Rwandan genocide and an exhibition of other genocides around the world. The Kigali Genocide Memorial Centre is a worthwhile important place to visit while in Rwanda and Kigali City.