About Rwanda
Situated in the eastern region of Africa, Rwanda is an epic destination for safaris, which was shaped by historical events. From the post-colonial period, Rwanda has had a series of events that have defined its development. Bordered by Uganda from the north, Tanzania from the east, Burundi from the south, and the Democratic Republic of Congo from the west, Rwanda is an enclave of beauty summarized in its hilly terrain. Its safaris and tours are stretched across its incredible destinations, cultural, and historical sites. Rwanda's scenic beauty, depicting why it is termed the land of a thousand hills, is centered on its highland terrain. A dark history of the 1994 Rwanda genocide against the Tutsis forms the country’s heritage. This was 100 days of pure terror that saw over a million Tutsis and a few Hutu sympathizers killed from 7th April to 4th July, 1994. This terror was orchestrated by Hutu militias who were supported by the government forces. This genocide was ended by a rebel group after overthrowing the genocidal government. Rwanda’s capital, Kigali, is regarded as the cleanest city in Africa and has seen a spike in tourist population because of this.
When is the best time to visit Rwanda?
Rwanda is open and free for visiting and exploration any time of the year, however, the dry season is always the best time to visit. Given the country’s proximity to the equator, it receives an equatorial or tropical type of climate with two wet and dry seasons per year. The dry season runs from June to September and December to February, while the rest of the months are for the wet season.
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National Parks in Rwanda
Rwanda has several national parks scattered across the country’s chain of command that harbor various wildlife and also offer great scenic views. Below are some of these national parks.
Akagera National Park
Akagera National Park is the only savannah national park in Rwanda, spanning 1,122 square kilometers. It is stretched out across the eastern border, on the border with Tanzania. The park hosts several wildlife species, with the famous being the Big 5 animals that can be spotted roaming the park’s savannah territory. Hyenas, giraffes, zebras, antelopes, warthogs, waterbucks, foxes, and reedbucks, to mention but a few, can also be spotted.
Volcanoes National Park
Volcanoes National Park is arguably the major national park of Rwanda, which it holds as its treasured possession. This park is situated in the northern region of the country, bordering Uganda. Part of the Virunga Conservation Area, Volcanoes National Park hosts mountain gorillas. This is an endangered species of primates that is only native to this area of East Africa in the entire world. The park also hosts the rare golden monkeys, and over 5 of the 8 mountains of the Virunga rangers are in this park.
Nyungwe Forest National Park
Situated in the far southern region of the country, Nyungwe Forest National Park is a chimpanzee haven. With an estimated number of 500 chimpanzees, Nyungwe is a place to reckon with, especially when interested in chimpanzee trekking. Stretched out over 1,019 square kilometers, Nyungwe Forest National Park is dominated by a tropical montane vegetation type. A suspended canopy trail over 70 meters high adds to the adventure experience in this park.
Other Attractions in Rwanda besides the national parks
Rwanda’s tourism is not just run on the national parks the inhabitants but also other attractions as uncovered below.
Genocide sites
After the 1994 Rwandan genocide against the Tutsi by the Hutu militias, several genocide sites were established in remembrance of the events that took place in those places. Some of these sites include the Kigali genocide memorial that holds the remains of over 25,000 people, the Nyamata genocide site, the Campaign against genocide site, among others. These sites attract several tourists who come to learn about the events of the genocide.
King’s Palace Museum
The King’s Palace Museum in the Nyanza district is also an important place to visit since it showcases the country’s heritage on culture and tradition. This museum was the home of the last King of Rwanda, who was killed in the genocide.
Safety & Security in Rwanda.
Rwanda has excellent safety and security with a zero tolerance to crime, and for many years, the country has been peaceful and stable. Visitors are assured of their safety and that of their property. There is a need for visitors to follow the rules and regulations set out by the government.
Rwanda Safari Tips.
When planning on embarking on a safari tour to Rwanda, there are important safari tips to note for you to have a seamless experience and adventure in the country. These safari tips in Rwanda include the following.
- Carry all necessary travel documents
- Pack the essential safari gear
- Choose the best tour company to organize your safari
- Follow the set safety guidelines
- Obey the country’s rules and regulations
- Follow the climate patterns to choose the best time to travel
- Observe sustainability and responsible travel
Things to do in Rwanda
With ample tourism destinations evenly distributed across its perimeters, Rwanda offers a wide range of things to do that are interesting to engage in. The following are some of these things.
The process of navigating through the vast vegetation and rugged terrain, searching for mountain gorillas, is known as gorilla trekking. This is the major tourist activity in the country and is only done at Volcanoes National Park. Gorilla trekking awards visitors an hour in the presence of the primates as they go about their daily chores.
Chimpanzee trekking sees visitors traversing the dense tropical thickets of Nyungwe Forest National Park searching for chimpanzee primates and spending up to an hour in their presence. Chimpanzees are playful, and visitors can tap into this entertainment as they jump from tree to tree while taking pictures and recording videos.
Game drives give visitors are chance of getting closer to the action on a savannah platform in the comfort and safety of a safari vehicle. Game drives in Rwanda take place in Akagera National Park, where visitors can spot lions, hyenas, leopards, elephants, buffaloes, warthogs, rhinos, and antelopes, among others.
Boat cruises are also a popular tourist activity that takes place on a few designated waterbodies, such as Lake Kivu and Lake Ihema. Different boat cruise destinations offer different experiences. For instance, a boat cruise on Lake Ihema is an exploration journey of the aquatic life of Akagera National Park, where animals like hippos and crocodiles can be spotted.
The many tourist destinations of Rwanda are home to several wildlife species and are the very reason why the country records a high turnout of visitors per year. Below are some of these animals in Rwanda.
The Big 5 animals include lions, elephants, rhinos, leopards, and buffaloes, encountered in Akagera National Park. The term Big 5 came during the pre-colonial era when trophy hunting was at its peak. Lions, elephants, rhinos, leopards, and buffaloes were categorized as the Big 5 since they were very hard to kill by the trophy hunters.
Rwanda has a high population of primates thriving in the various destinations across the country, such as Volcanoes and Nyungwe National Parks. These primates include mountain gorillas, chimpanzees, colobus monkeys, golden monkeys, vervet monkeys, olive baboons, and grey-cheeked mangabeys, among others.
The country’s vast ecosystem hosts over 700 bird species that range from endemic birds, which are the residents, to migratory birds that fly in seasonally. These birds add a significant percentage of tourism to the country by attracting birders.