Destination Rwanda

Rwanda is bordered by Uganda to the north, by Congo to the west, Tanzania to the east, and Burundi to the south. You will be delighted by its topography that includes plateaus, plains, and highlands. Prepare to be stunned by the rugged hilly landscape, hence the country being referred to as the “Land of a Thousand Hills.”

Rwanda is also blessed with a diversity of ecosystems. These include savannah grasslands, savannah woodlands, afromontane forests, lowland forests, tropical forests, wetlands, lakes, rivers and agroecosystems etc. Rwanda is also biologically diverse since it is also located in the Albertine Rift region. This is the most biodiverse part in the entire African continent. Highlights include 402 mammal species, 1,061 bird species, 293 amphibian and reptile species and 5,793 species of higher plants.

Come and see a country that has a human population of around 14 million. You will interact with the most beautiful people in Africa. You will explore their rich cultural tapestry including their centuries of rich historical details. There are opportunities for the local people to offer you insight about their history, traditions and practices. The indigenous population is either from the Tutsi, Hutu or Twa tribes. They are known as Banyarwanda and are very welcoming people. You will learn about how they were governed in the past and their socioeconomics.

Come and get insight into the 1994 Rwandan Genocide that has played a significant role in shaping the country’s sociopolitical sphere. This was a dark poignant part of their contemporary history, and millions of lives were lost in 100 days. You will also visit sites which play a significant role in their reconciliation efforts following this heartbreak. There is also a memorial site with some of the remains of the victims. Their history also involves colonial rule under the Belgians before attaining independence on July 1, 1962.

Climate of Rwanda

Rwanda has a tropical climate represented by the long rainy season (March to May) and short rainy season (September to November). There are 2 dry seasons that alternate the rainy seasons. These are the long dry season (June to August) and short dry season (December to February). Rainfall amounts received have a minimum of 700mm and maximum of 1,500mm. The mean annual temperatures vary slightly with topography. The highlands like Volcanoes National Park experience between 10^o to 18^oC. Other areas experience around 20^o to 22^oC.

Akagera National Park

Situated in eastern Rwanda and covers 1,122 km² of land. Akagera National Park was established in 1934 and got its name from the River Kagera. Your tour to Akagera National Park will give you the possibility of seeing 90 species of mammals, 530 species of birds, 35 species of fish and 1,000 species of plants. Among the mammals, Akagera National Park is blessed with the African Big Five (lions, elephants, leopards, rhinos and buffaloes). Other mammals to see here include oribi, bushbucks, zebras, topis and African wild dogs.

Bird species here comprise the African swift, swamp nightjar, Denham’s bustard, papyrus gonolek, shoebill stork, grey crowned crane, African swamp hen, crowned lapwing, pied cuckoo and martial eagle etc. Flora is plenty and you can see the acacia species and sporobulus grasses. You can also see the Lake Ihema, River Kagera and surrounding swamps. These are excellent opportunities to take pictures for your beautiful future memories. On Lake Ihema you will have a boat cruise.

Nyungwe National Park

This was established in 1933 and became a national park in 2004. Nyungwe National Park in southwestern Rwanda now covers approximately 1,019 km². Nyungwe National Park is also a UNESCO World Heritage site. The wildlife here is comprised of 85 mammal species, of which 13 are primate species. Other components include 285 bird species, 13 amphibian species and 1,068 plant species. You could see mammals like bushpigs, duikers, otters, mongooses, porcupines and the Rwenzori sun squirrels etc.

The primates include chimpanzees, L’hoest’s monkeys, blue monkeys, Angolan black and white colobus monkeys, owl-faced guenons, olive baboons, mona monkeys, grey-cheeked mangabeys and red-tailed monkeys etc. The birds you are most likely to see in Nyungwe National Park include Equatorial akalat, brown woodland warbler, Senegal coucal, grey parrot, northern double-collared sunbird, Chinspot batis, Diederik cuckoo, grey apalis, black cuckoo, brown-capped weaver and yellow-bellied wattle-eye.

Volcanoes National Park

This covers 160 km² in northwestern Rwanda and was gazetted in 1925. Volcanoes National Park is nestled in the Virunga massif. The park comprises 5 of the 8 volcanoes in the Virunga ranges. These are Sabinyo, Muhabura, Karisimbi, Gahinga and Bisoke. Volcanoes National Park is known worldwide for its healthy population of mountain gorillas. Including the mountain gorillas, there are 115 mammal species, 187 species of birds, 27 reptile species and amphibians, and 33 insect species.

Other primates that you can see in Volcanoes include golden monkeys, vervet monkeys, black and white colobus monkeys, mona monkeys, red-tailed monkeys, owl-faced monkey and olive baboons. Plenty of mammals can be seen here. These comprise spotted hyenas, black-fronted duikers, bush buffaloes, bush elephants, bushbucks and warthogs etc. Bird species include Rwenzori turaco, Shelley’s crimson wing, Rwenzori nightjar, Rwenzori double-collared sunbird, mountain masked apalis, Kivu ground thrush, strange warbler and Rwenzori batis etc.

Other tourist destinations you can enjoy on your visitation include Lake Kivu, the Genocide Memorial Site, Kimironko market and Inema Art Center etc.

In Rwanda, the list of popular tourist activities is endless. However, in your tailored itinerary, do not miss out on a gorilla trek in Volcanoes National Park. You can also go for a chimpanzee trek in Nyungwe National Park. A game drive in the gorgeous Akagera National Park is also a great time to explore Rwanda’s wild animals. You can also have a boat cruise here, or you can also go for another on Lake Kivu. At Volcanoes National Park, you can also go for a golden monkey trek. You can also go for hiking tours on Mount Karisimbi and Bisoke.

Volcanoes National Park also offers hikes to the Dian Fossey grave and cultural encounters with the Batwa Pygmies. Other cultural tours include Ibyi’wacu Cultural Village, Kitabi Cultural Center and Bugesera Cultural Village. Birdwatching tours can be done in the national parks. Nyungwe National Park also offers the canopy walks and colobus monkey treks. You can also tour the Musanze caves near Volcanoes National Park. In Kigali, you can have a city tour. You will explore the Ethnographic Museum, the King’s palace, Kimironko market, Inema Arts Center and the Genocide Memorial Center.

You should consider visiting Rwanda on any day of the year you prefer. However, the wet seasons are suited for birdwatching tours. The heavy rains cause availability of plenty of water sources in the national parks. Vegetation in the national parks became denser than during the dry season. The food source is also bountiful during the wet season. With all these provisions, both resident and migratory bird species will be in Rwanda’s protected areas hence offering a higher chance of encountering them.

Dry seasons offer bearable weather surroundings for most outdoor activities like game drives, trekking tours, hiking tours, cultural visits and city tours etc. The weather is normally warm and dry hence less humid compared to the wet season. The trails, tracks and access roads are dry and less muddy/slippery. You can navigate comfortably to/or in the tour destinations. With low amounts and low frequency of rainfall, your tour experiences are less likely to be interrupted. The vegetation is also less dense thus offering maximum visibility of wildlife.