Visiting Rwanda is a bit like doing a triathlon. It’s challenging, exciting, tiring and emotional. It also has three important aspects: people and culture, national parks and gorilla watching. Rwanda is much loved for the gorilla safaris in Volcanoes National Park, and Rwanda has two other national parks that are wildlife havens. Nyungwe boasts chimps and other primates and Akagera is a veritable ark.
It’s the people, their history and culture that will make your heart skip a beat though – as you’ll discover not only in the moving genocide memorials, but also by immersing yourself in the infectiously life-affirming culture. Gorillas, Chimpanzees, breathtaking landscapes and inspiring people make a Rwanda safari holiday truly special.
Landlocked and compact, verdant Rwanda is often affectionately called the ‘Land of a Thousand Hills’. In this absolutely charming little country, visitors can explore a spectrum of habitats and eco-types that range from the dramatic Virunga volcanoes to the quintessentially African Savannah, light woodland and plains of Akagera National Park.
There is also the impressive and very beautiful Nyungwe Forest National Park, which protects the largest remaining swathe of tropical montane forest in East and Central Africa. Scenic, high-altitude Lake Kivu is one of the 20 deepest lakes in the world.
Among Rwanda’s many other scenic highlights are pretty lakes such as Burera, Ruhondo, and Karago, which are ringed by steep hills; there are many waterfalls, and in often intensively cultivated rural areas, villages punctuate the farmlands, with the stunning Virunga’s providing a breathtaking backdrop.
Most holidays to Rwanda are arranged in the hope of catching a glimpse of the incredible mountain gorilla during a walking safari; the dramatic landscape of Volcanoes National Park is one of the best places in the world for gorilla sightings. For the ultimate experience of Rwanda’s wildlife, combine chimpanzee and gorilla treks.
Don’t be put off by the rains of November or March to May, as you will have the forests, lakes and mountains to yourself. And occasionally cheaper gorilla watching permits, too. The majority of visitors come to see these fascinating great apes, and so travel dates are often dictated simply by whenever you can get a highly in-demand permit. Keen wildlife photographers may even prefer the rainy season, as there is less light contrast coming through the trees, allowing you to focus solely on your subject matter.
While here, you might also pay your respects at Dian Fossey’s grave the gorillas’ greatest champion. South of Volcanoes is Lake Kivu, one of the African Great Lakes, where night-time fishing trips can sometimes be arranged. And south of Kivu is Nyungwe Forest National Park, a primate-watcher’s paradise.
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