Volcanoes National Park
Volcanoes National Park : You may have been on a trip to various African countries, and you may have explored […]
Rwanda Destinations
Rwanda Destinations
Volcanoes National Park is the country’s major tourism driving force, famed for its verdant volcanic peaks and the mountain gorillas. Volcanoes National Park is home to about 800 mountain gorillas, the second highest count after the Uganda’s Bwindi Impenetrable Forest. It is a perfect site for private gorilla tracking. Visitors are given an hour to watch the gorillas engage in their normal life. The gentleness of silverbacks and the playful behavior of young chimps is an amazing thing to learn. This lifetime opportunity of coming close to the gorillas require a special gorilla tracking permit which costs $1500, and is for the people above 15 years.
The Virunga Mountains has eight volcanic peaks, and five of them lie within Rwandan borders. Mt. Karisimbi (4507 m) is the highest peak of all eight peaks making the Virunga Mountains. A hike to the summit of this magnificent mountain is very challenging, and may take you two days. Mount Bisoke (3711 m) is the second most famous volcano in Rwanda with its summit consisting of a crater lake. Climbers can add other volcanic peaks such as Mount Muhabura (4127 m) and Mount Gahinga (3474 m) if they want to.
Akagera National Park is another fascinating destination characterized by its abundant wildlife and birdlife. All the Big Five animals can be viewed within low-lying savannah plains. Much efforts has been employed to convert this park to a world-class destination, and about 18 eastern black rhinos and several lions have been reintroduced. The number of bird species in Akagera is abundant with over 490 colorful bird species recorded. A dozen lakes host several Nile crocodiles, hippos and water birds. Boat cruises are also organized in Lake Ihema.
Nyungwe National Park hosts the oldest rainforests in Africa that cover its mountainous region. It is an off-the-beaten track destination for wildlife safaris, especially primate tracking. A small population of chimps along with L’Hoest monkeys reside this mountainous region. The red-collared babbler and 321 bird species can be encountered in Nyungwe.
Gishwati Mukura National Park is another newly formed national park aimed at preserving the primates and the two forests of Gishwati and Mukura. It is an astonishing park for chimp tracking and birding activity.
The capital of Kigali is another cosmopolitan destination if you want to spend your holiday in the city. Kigali is modernized with luxurious hotels and buildings. Some beach resorts close to Lake Kivu organize a beach tour on the shores of this stunning lake.
This is just a handful of Rwandan amazing destinations. A trip to this peaceful country will reward you with an unforgettable experience.
Rwanda
Rwanda, a welcoming country in the East-Central Africa that is overwhelmed by her abundant natural attractions as well as vibrant cultural life. It differentiates itself from destinations in the east/central region by its peace, rich cultural heritage and a refuge to the rare mountain gorillas. With a number of destinations, Rwanda deserves a visit by any nature lover who may be interested in exploring one of her splendid attractions, which range from stunning national parks, cultural heritage centers, and historical sites to buzzing towns and cities.
With its tropical climate, Rwanda is favorable for travel by any safari-goer from every corner of planet Earth. This beautiful country has a mean annual temperature of 19 Celsius degrees and a mean rainfall of 1170 mm. Rwanda can be visited all year round. However, you should take of long rain season which is from March to May. Short rains fall between November and February. The choice of the best time also depends on the activity that you plan to do in Rwanda.
Attractions in Rwanda
Rwanda is home to four national parks namely Volcanoes National Park, Akagera National Park, Nyungwe National Park and Gishwati Mukura National Park. Other thriving destinations in Rwanda include towns, cities and the exotic Lake Kivu. Let’s highlight some of the spectacular tourist destinations found in this picturesque country.
Volcanoes National Park
Volcanoes National Park is Rwanda’s famous park which is well known for being home to the mountain gorillas. It is situated with the Albertine Rift Valley, and is part of the Virunga Mountains range. It hosts some iconic volcanoes, the Virungas which make it a perfect place for hiking. This alluring destination is 160 square kilometers big, and is situated in northwest Rwanda bordering the Ugandan parks and the Democratic Republic of Congo’s Virunga National Park.
It is in the Volcanoes National Park where you can track the mountain gorillas, and combine your trip with a hike through the Virunga’s volcanoes. This amazing park is home to a chain of volcanoes, the Virungas, which stretch to the DRC’s Virunga National Park. Some volcanoes of the Virunga Massif that lie within Volcanoes National Park include Karisimbi, Bisoke, Sabinyo, Gahinga and Muhabura.
What to do in Volcanoes National Park
Hiking: A hike through Volcanoes National Park is exhausting since the park is mainly dominated of mountainous region covered with evergreen tropical rainforests. The Virunga Massif makes a hike challenging, especially when you hike one of its five volcanic peaks among the eight volcanoes of the Virunga Mountains range which can be accessed from Rwanda. Mount Karisimbi is the highest peak at 4507 meters above sea level. The summit of this volcano can be reached on a two-day hike, and the hike is filled with awe-inspiring views of bamboo forests. This mountain is covered with snows in certain periods in a year. This mountain is linked with the spiritual beliefs of the locals, who believed it to the home spirits of legends. It offers a difficult hiking experiences than any mountain in Rwanda. Climbers dream of experiencing a sunrise on this snow-capped summit.
Mount Bisoke is another stunning volcano in the Virunga Massif whose highest peak is at 3711 meters above sea level. Unlike Karisimbi which is covered with snows, Bisoke is covered with fog. The summit of Mount Bisoke can be reached through two hiking trails. The first one is popular and much accessible, and it takes about six hours to reach the Crater Lake situated on the summit. The second one leads the way to the Ngezi Crater Lake, the second Crater Lake on Bisoke’s summit taking about three hours. Hikers aim at reaching the stunning Crater Lakes found on the Mount Bisoke’s summit.
Mount Muhabura is 4127 meters high, and is crossed by the Rwanda-Uganda border. However, it can be easily climbed from the Rwandan side. When climbed to the summit, Muhabura offers the spectacular views of the twin lakes, Burera and Ruhondo as well as mountainous landscapes which are spectacularly beautiful. Muhabura offers a challenging hike for both experienced and less experienced hikers.
Mount Gahinga is 3474 meters high, the shortest one among the eight volcanic peaks of the Virunga Mountains. It is perfect of hikers with low experiences.
Gorilla tracking: If you are interested in watching the mountain gorillas, Volcanoes National Park is your perfect spot. It gives visitors a once-in-a-lifetime experience with the endangered mountain gorillas. This exciting park has the second highest count of mountain gorillas after the Uganda’s Bwindi Impenetrable Forest. An estimated population of a thousand gorillas are found in this park, especially in the Virunga Massif.
The Rwanda Development Board permits 96 visitors only to come across with 12 habituated families of gorillas. These include Susa, Igisha, Karisimbi, Amahoro, Sabyinyo, Bwenge, Agashya, Kwitonda, Umubuano, Hirwa, Muhoza and Ugyenda. Each family come across with just one group of eight visitors for at least one hour per day. When your gorilla tracking journey starts, you will hike through the abundant green rainforests that cover the hills and volcanoes for almost 30 minutes before you encounter the gorilla group. Gorilla tracking is done within one hour, therefore, you have one hour to stare at these amazing creatures. The cost for a one hour gorilla tracking permit in Volcanoes National Park is $1500 per person per day. Children below 15 years old are not permitted to track the gorillas.
Following the footsteps of Dian Fossey: Dian Fossey is a British primatologist who spent her life studying the gorilla until her death in 1985. She is remembered because of her efforts to preserve the gorillas something that cost her life. Her grave is situated on the foot of Mount Bisoke, and her footsteps are remarkable when trekking through the Volcanoes National Park.
Other captivating things to do in Volcanoes National Park include birding and game viewing. Volcanoes National Park has an abundant wildlife consisting of golden monkeys, buffalos, spotted hyenas, elephants, bushbucks, smaller primates, and 200 species of birds.
Akagera National Park
Akagera National Park is a scenic destination characterized by its tranquil landscape made of low-lying plains of savannah, wetlands, woodlands, and several lakes another reason you should visit Rwanda. It was once the grazing ground of many long-horned Ankole cattle before it was transformed into a dramatic wildlife sanctuary. It is the second most sought national park after Volcanoes, and one of the oldest park in Africa.
What to do in Akagera
Watching the Big Five: Much efforts were put to resume the lost wildlife of Akagera, especially after genocide in 1994. Lions and about 30 southern white rhinos were reintroduced in Akagera in 2022. All these efforts aim at transforming Akagera into a world-class destination for wildlife adventures.
Akagera is therefore, the only place in Rwanda where you can see all the Big Five that is lion, African elephant, Cape buffalo, leopard, and the black rhino. It is also home to a diverse wildlife including hippos, jackals, Rothschild giraffes, Sitatunga, duikers, baboons, kobs, zebras, crocodiles, warthogs, monkeys, reedbucks, hartebeests, elands, and antelopes, which can be spotted when you are on a game drive.
Birding: Akagera is also a perfect birding site for those interested in bird-watching activity. It is home to over 491 bird species, most of which are colorful and even more attractive. They include Marabou stork, cattle egret, grey-crowned crane, Suaza shrike, swamp flycatcher, raptors, yellow sunbird and the rare shoe-billed stork.
Boat cruises: Akagera is home to a dozen of lakes. About ten lakes lie within the boundaries of this superb national park including Lake Ihema and Lake Shakani. Boat cruises give visitors the chance to explore the stunning crystal lakes found in Akagera.
Nyungwe National Park
Nyungwe is Rwandan third famous national park which is said to have the oldest montane forests. The oldest rainforests of Nyungwe which harbors the chimpanzees and other primates such as L’Hoest monkeys and colobus monkeys.
What to do in Nyungwe
Primate tracking is a primary aim of many visitors who come to Nyungwe National Park. With two habituated chimp families in Nyungwe, chimp trekking is an arguably sensational thing to be done in Nyungwe. The first group is smaller with 30 chimpanzees while the other is bigger with 60 chimpanzees. You can also trek other primates such as black-and-white colobus monkeys.
A canopy walk on a suspension bridge is an exciting aerial view of Nyungwe Forest, which you will enjoy viewing the canopy of this park.
The park is incredibly beautiful with 150 kilometers of constructed walking trails. About 15 trails each with an approximate length of 10 kilometers are there for you. It is also home to over 320 bird species whereby 29 of them are Albertine Rift endemics. Birding is exceptional in Nyungwe since you will view such endemic bird species.
Nyungwe’s forest is made of 1068 plant species, 140 of which are orchids. A guided nature will allow you to explore these wonderful plant species along with over 120 butterfly species.
The wildlife of Nyungwe is another wonderful thing to be viewed in Nyungwe. They include mongoose, leopard, clawless otter, and cerval cat to name but a few.
Gishwati Mukura National Park
Gishwati Mukura National Park is situated on the west of Rwanda with an area of 34 square kilometers. It was established in 2015 when two forests, Gishwati and Mukura were joined together to make this scenic park.
What to do in Gishwati
Chimp trekking: This is authentic when it comes to viewing the chimps. Other primate species are also available in Gishwati including golden monkeys, blue monkeys, L’Hoest’s monkeys, vervet monkeys and black-and-white colobus monkeys.
Gishwati is also endowed with the stunning vegetation made of 60 species of trees, which hosts about 232 bird species as well as blue monkeys and golden monkeys.
Lake Kivu
With an area of 2700 square kilometers Lake Kivu is the biggest lake in Rwanda, and Africa’s sixth largest lake. It is situated on the west of Rwanda in the Africa Great Rift Valley surrounded by majestic mountains. This lake is a perfect spot for beach life in Rwanda. Its red sand beaches are amazing place for sun bathing. Boat cruises and kayaking are commonly conducted activities within this astonishing lake.
Nyanza
Nyanza is a bustling town in Rwanda’s Southern Province, a significant one for cultural heritage. Here you will visit the King’s Palace, which was a traditional royal residence of Mwami (King) Musinga Yuhi V back in 1899.
Rwanda stand itself as a complete travel paradise for everyone wishing to have an unforgettable journey. The magical views of this lovely country can’t be described in full in stories narrated by those who have been there. The best way to have the most outs of Rwanda is by planning a trip to this fabulous country.
