Rwanda, the land of a thousand hills and ‘hundred attractions’ is an extraordinary place where serene scenery and placid people greet you at every turn. Rwanda is safe and secure with an overwhelming revival of Rwandan national pride and cultural rebuilding. It is full of sights and delights just waiting to be explored. If Rwanda is on your travel bucket list, there’s no better time to get away to Rwanda… visit today and you’ll want to stay.
The country is well known mostly for its horrific recent history and one might think that Rwanda should therefore be more the arena for no government organization than for travellers. Today, nothing is less true. Rwanda has wonderful people, stunning beautiful lakes, challenging mountains, stunning landscapes, perfect weather, rare ape species, great roads, express buses, good and cheap food and beer, various accommodation options, fast internet, only a few tourists outside the gorilla. homes, you’ll find it all in Rwanda, a safe and yet to be discovered backpacker haven!
Due to its small size, Rwanda’s attractions are close to each other and can be reached quite easily and safely.
1. KIGALI CITY: A GOOD PLACE TO EXPERIENCE AN AFRICAN CAPITAL
Kigali is an interesting mix of rural and urban city spilling over into juxtaposed mountainous terrain. New construction is everywhere, and grand mansions stand alongside mud-brick shacks and narrow roads. It has a peaceful feeling and the center is located on the hilltop expanse. It feels safe and getting around is easy on foot or by minibuses… many and new. For a little more, taxis can take you anywhere without breaking the bank. Kigali is a good place to experience an African capital.
2. KGALI GENOCIDE MEMORIAL CENTER IN GISOZI
During the Rwandan genocide in 1994, more than a million people were killed. Some 250,000 perished on the streets and in the homes, churches and hospitals of Kigali alone. The Kigali Genocide Memorial Center contains ten mass graves, a burial place for almost the victims, who were killed in the Kigali region. After the genocide, mass graves were discovered around the city. It was decided that a single memorial/burial site should be created, where the victims could rest with dignity, this is now their final resting place. The memorial houses a children’s section, a particularly powerful experience to read about children: how they lived and how they died. Among other things, it traces how things got so bad, how the ideology of genocide came to be, how the tragedy could have been prevented, and how the world repeatedly ignored signs and warnings. Some of the genocide survivors have been trained as guides at the center. Open from 10 am to 5 pm every day. Admission is free but there is a box for donations at the door. The place is really heartbreaking!
4. MOUNTAIN GORILLAS TREKKING
A Mountain Gorilla Trekking is the pinnacle of all the wildlife experiences available in Africa and Rwanda is without a doubt the best place for this. People are limited to spending just one hour with the gorillas and expect to walk two to four hours to see them. These incredible primates are divided into four groups that have habituated over the decades; It is something not to be missed in Rwanda. Be sure to spend an hour with these magical creatures. It does require some advance planning and contacting the National Park or a local tour operator to check what is the latest system they have in place regarding how to get a permit, but it’s all worth it. Also, don’t be put off by the price: a high price is needed to ensure that gorilla protection is economically sustainable for the local area.
5. MOUNTAIN CLIMBING
The national park office offers guided climbs to the top of 2 volcanoes among the 5 of the Virunga chain, Visoke (3711m) and Karisimbi (4705m -the highest).
The climbs to the summits are not technical and can be done by fit hikers. The scenery is great! However, the Karisimbi summit trek is an overnight trek and you need to prepare accordingly.
6. NYUNGWE FOREST NATIONAL PARK
This national park is a preserved part of the rainforest that is home to 13 species in all, including humanity’s closest living relative, the chimpanzee, as well as L’Hoest’s beautiful monkey and the hundred-strong troops of the delightfully acrobatic Angolan. colon. Nyungwe, Rwanda’s most important ornithological site, is home to nearly 300 bird species, two dozen of which are restricted to a handful of montane forests in the Albertine Rift. Come with your car or book a tour with a local tour operator; otherwise it is very difficult to reach the place and escape. You can camp there and pitch a tent, but you should consider bringing all your food and water as facilities are limited. The entrance fee has recently increased, so please check the current fees.
7. AKAGERA NATIONAL PARK
Akagera is the best national park in Rwanda – a very helpful park ranger helps to find all the animals in the park, mainly giraffes, zebras, antelopes, baboons, buffaloes, hippos and crocodiles.
8. RUSUMO JUMP
Rusumo is a wonderful and spectacular waterfall on the Akagera River, a part of the more distant headwaters of the Nile River. The falls are located in the eastern part of Rwanda on the border with Tanzania. If you cross the Tanzanian border in Rusumo, don’t forget to see the Rusumo Falls.
9. THE BEAUTIFUL LAKE KIVU
The beautiful Lake Kivu is a large freshwater reservoir that marks the western border with the Democratic Republic of the Congo and one of the Great Lakes of Africa. The lake is in the Albertine Rift, a part of the Great Rift Valley. Lake Kivu empties into the Ruzizi River, which flows south to Lake Tanganyika. Beneath the lake lie vast untapped reserves of approximately 55 billion cubic meters of dissolved methane gas. Lake Kivu is a resort, safe for swimming (but just ask locally to be completely sure). There are nice beaches, beautiful landscapes and the sunsets are regularly impressive. There are some great places to stay on the lakefront, such as Kibuye, and especially Gisenyi, near the border with the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
10. CITY OF BUTARE IN HUYE
The most popular tourist attraction in Butare is the magnificent National Museum, which houses perhaps the best ethnographic collection in East Africa. The rooms are spacious, without the excessive clutter of distracting memorabilia. This makes well-labeled displays easy to appreciate and enjoy. The absorbing displays of traditional artifacts are illuminated by a fascinating selection of turn-of-the-century monochrome photographs, providing insight not only into pre-colonial lifestyles, but also into Rwanda’s subsequent development as a modern African state. Intore dancers can be hired to perform here, but this is not a good deal for a single traveler. If a group is in attendance the price would definitely be worth it as shows are few and far between.
