Rwanda was the first country we visited in Africa. Although small in size, this beautiful country is full of unbelievable wildlife, volcanic mountains, and incredible people. Unfortunately, the first thing that most of the world thinks about when they hear the name Rwanda is the 1994 genocide that left nearly 1 million people dead in less than 100 days. Although it is the saddest moment in the country’s history, Rwanda does not want to hide or forget this tragedy in order to help future generations to make the same mistakes that led to such a horrific event. Today, Rwanda is known as the land of a thousand hills and a thousand smiles. The people were some of the most friendly people we have met in all of our travels!
Unfortunately, Emily and I were only here for a few short days. We definitely hope to be back someday to explore more of this enchanting country. Even if we couldn’t see all of the country, we wanted to make the most of the time we had and learn as much as we could from a local. That’s how we found Rwanda Eco Company & Safaris. They specialize in eco friendly gorilla tours, wildlife safaris, and local cultural experiences. They not only offer tours in Rwanda, but also all throughout Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, and D.R.C. We loved talking with Reginal Hakizimana, founder of Rwanda Eco Company & Safaris, and hearing his passion for sharing the beauty and culture of his country with others.
Based on our experience, research, and suggestions from Rwanda Eco Company & Safaris, here are 7 of the best things to experience in Rwanda.
1. Gorilla Trekking at Volcanoes National Park
One of the only places in the world to see endangered mountain gorillas is in Rwanda. And what better place to go see them than at a beautiful volcano. Today, there are less than 1,400 mountain gorillas in existence. Em and I went gorilla trekking (in Uganda, but you can also go in Rwanda) and it was by far one of the coolest animal experiences we have ever had! Being in the wild, feet away from these powerful yet playful creatures, is a surreal feeling! Gorillas are social animals and hang out in groups of families. It is really interesting getting to learn and see their different personalities they have as they interact with each other. When we saw the gorillas, there was a curious and playful baby that beat his chest like the large silverbacks do to show us how strong he was. It was definitely the cutest thing I’ve seen an animal do! The treks usually take around 4-8 hours but are well worth the hike! Although we did our trek in Uganda, Rwanda Eco Company & Safaris – the company we toured with in Kigali – also specializes in gorilla treks. They do a great job of caring about conservation and giving back to the local communities, so we highly recommend checking them out!
Volcanoes National Park itself is one of the most beautiful places in the country. Even if you don’t go on a gorilla trek, this place is worth just hiking around. Unfortunately, we didn’t have time to explore this area. But we did talk with a group of girls from the Netherlands who had spent 3 weeks driving around Rwanda and who had just hiked in the national park. They said that Volcanoes National Park was their favorite place in the whole country. Judging by the pictures I have seen, it’s easy to see why.
2. Kigali Genocide Memorial
In 1994, nearly 1 million Tutsi people were killed in just 100 days. It is one of the most horrific genocides of modern times. Today there are approximately 250,000 people buried at the Kigali Genocide Memorial. It is the largest memorial in the country. The museum does an excellent job of remembering and honoring the victims of the genocide. It was the first place that Em and I visited when we arrived in Rwanda. It was chilling to read about the children and families who passed away due to the senseless violence that happened in 1994. As I mentioned above, the country of Rwanda does not want to hide or forget this tragedy. Instead they want to honor the people who lost their lives and remember this tragic event in order to help future generations to make the same mistakes. Many of the people have lived through this senseless genocide, but choose not to let that event define them as a country. Even though we were only there for just a few days, Rwanda was one of the friendliest countries we visited and it’s easy to see why its known as the land of a thousand hills and a thousand smiles. If you are in Rwanda, we highly recommend visiting the Kigali Genocide Memorial.
3. Kigali
I’ve heard some people describe Rwanda as the Singapore of Africa. It may be smaller in size, but its relevance and economy are quickly growing. If you are flying to East Africa, there’s a good chance that you may fly through Kigali, the largest city and the capital city of Rwanda. Kigali is one of the cleanest cities that we have ever visited!
Everyone we met in Kigali was so friendly. During our visit there, we took a tour of the downtown which included seeing Hôtel des Mille Collines, the hotel that is featured in the movie “Hotel Rwanda.” This hotel helped house more than 1,000 people during the Tutsi genocide. One of my favorite stops in Kigali was to Kimironko Market. This is a large, local market that sells everything from rice to custom made jackets! For anyone visiting Kigali I recommend visiting the Nyamirambo Women’s Center. This center gives vocational training to local women so they can have better employment opportunities and help provide for their family. It was amazing getting to meet some of the women and see the difference that the Nyamirambo Women’s Center is making in the local community.
You can read more about our experience in Kigali in this blog post.
4. Chimpanzees in Nyungwe Forest National Park
Before traveling to Africa, I pictured the whole content to be like the African savanna or the Sahara desert. One visit to Nyungwe Forest National Park and it’s easy to see that this is definitely not the case! We didn’t have time to visit here ourselves, but our guide showed us pictures that looked like we were back in the Costa Rican rainforest. Nyungwe Forest is one of the oldest rainforests in Africa and is full of wildlife.
One of the most popular reasons to visit Nyungwe Forest is to go chimpanzee trekking. At 98.8% DNA similarities, these incredible primates are the closest animals to resemble humans. Our guide told us that they are a very fun animal to see in the wild as they are very active and playful. He said that it’s common to see them swinging from the trees and interacting with each other. This is at the top of our list for the next time we visit Rwanda!
5. Akagera National Park
Although small in size, Rwanda truly has it all. A visit to Eastern Africa wouldn’t be complete without a game drive to try to spot the “big 5.” That’s exactly what you can experience at Akagera National Park in the northeastern part of Rwanda. The park is home to lions, leopards, elephants, rhinos, giraffes, hippos, zebras, and a host of other amazing animals. Although this park isn’t the most popular for game drives in Eastern Africa, if in Rwanda it is a great opportunity to try and spot these incredible animals! The park itself is a testimony to Rwanda’s commitment to conservation and restoration of their wildlife population!
6. Lake Kivu
If you need a place to relax from all of the adventuring in Rwanda, Lake Kivu is the perfect place to visit. At over 1,000 square miles big, Lake Kivu is the largest lake in Rwanda and the largest in Africa. Many visitors often visit the town of Rubavu after gorilla trekking in Volcanoes National Park as it is only an hour’s drive away. It is full of hotels and restaurants that overlook the water. But it looks like you can’t really go wrong with wherever you choose to visit the lake. There are dozens of beautiful locations along the water that make Lake Kivu a perfect rest stop for the weary traveler!
7. King’s Palace Museum
If you’re looking for a place to learn more about Rwanda’s history and traditions, a stop by King’s Palace Museum is a great place to visit. King’s Palace is a “reconstruction of the traditional royal residence.” Historically, the city of Nyanza was the most important city in the country. One of the main attractions of the museum are the Inyambo, or long-horned cows. These cows are adorned with elegant necklaces and play an important role in the royal ceremonies. The museum is an amazing replica of the King’s Palace and a great way to learn more about Rwanda’s history!
We loved our visit to Rwanda and hope to visit again someday. Click here for more blog posts about the best things to do in East Africa.
