Rwanda Safaris

Rwanda is a famous safari destination in the central part of Africa. Rwanda is bordered by Uganda, Tanzania, Burundi and Congo. Rwanda is situated near the equator, within geographical coordinates, Latitudes 1o4’ and 2o51’ South and Longitudes 28o45’ and 31o15’ East.

Rwanda has a land size of about 26,338km2 and is renowned as the ‘Land of a Thousand Hills.’ In addition to the beautiful hills, Rwanda has plenty of natural wonders and cultural legacies.

With around 14 million people, majority of the indigenous population is either Tutsi, Hutu or Twa. These unique people are known as Banyarwanda and have plenty of folklore and cultural traditions to share with you. Unfortunately, 30 years ago, some of them witnessed the Rwandan Genocide, in which thousands of their relatives and friends were brutally murdered. On the bright side they are still healing from this tragedy.

Rwanda got its independence from the Belgians on 1st July 1962. Kigali is Rwanda’s capital city. Due to its location in the Albertine Rift region, Rwanda is blessed with biodiversity. There are a myriad wildlife species. These include 402 mammal species, 1,061 bird species, 293 species of reptiles and amphibians and 5,793 species of vascular plants. These can be found in habitats like tropical forests, savannah grasslands and woodlands, swamps, lakes and rivers etc.

Gorilla trekking in Rwanda?

This is the most popular tour activity you do not wish to miss when you visit Rwanda. Rwanda offers luxury gorilla treks, only in Volcanoes National Park spanning 160km2 in the northwest. This gorilla trek will cost you $1,500 for a trek. This is a much higher fee than in Uganda and Congo—the other 2 places to experience this activity. However, you will enjoy the experience of living in luxurious accommodation and transportation during your gorilla trek in Rwanda.

To enjoy your gorilla trek, your driver guide will take you to the Volcanoes National Park headquarters by 7:00AM. You will attend a mandatory session where the park authority explains to you the trekking rules and regulations. This is also the time to know which habituated gorilla group you will locate and see. Then you will be led into the forest to track your gorilla family. After finding the family, you will spend an hour watching the gorillas.

After seeing the gorillas, you will return to the starting point. A gorilla trek in Volcanoes National Park may take between 4-6 hours depending on where they are located and how fast you can hike. Trekking in Volcanoes National Park is only experienced at daytime, stopping before 7:00PM. A gorilla permit is highly essential for any visitor before they are allowed to trek. This can be purchased through a reputable tour company like us.

Traveling to track 1 of at least 12 habituated gorilla families in Volcanoes National Park can be done using either road or air transport. A luxury scenic drive on our 4X4 safari vehicle will take 2.5-3 hours from Kigali. Travel by air is on a helicopter that takes around 30 minutes from Kigali International Airport to Musanze Airport. This flight is offered by RwandAir and we can also book the flight on your behalf.

Best Rwanda Itineraries

Other attractions in Volcanoes National Park?

Volcanoes National Park is 1 of 3 national parks in the Virunga Massif. Others are Virunga and Mgahinga Gorilla National Parks. Among the 8 volcanoes of the Virunga ranges, Volcanoes National Park has 5 of them. They are Sabinyo, Gahinga, Bisoke, Karisimbi and Muhabura. To can hike Karismibi and Bisoke. Another hiking experience in Volcanoes National Park is to see the Dian Fossey tomb. A golden monkey trek is also a key tourist activity in Volcanoes.

Volcanoes National Park shelters 115 mammal species. Besides gorillas and golden monkeys, other mammals include Angolan colobus monkeys, forest elephants, forest buffaloes, warthogs, red-tailed monkeys, olive baboons and owl-faced monkeys etc. 187 bird species call Volcanoes National Park home. These include numerous Albertine endemics like Shelley’s crimson wing, Rwenzori batis, Rwenzori turaco, Kivu ground thrush and Rwenzori nightjar.

A tour to Volcanoes National Park is also an opportunity to visit the Batwa Pygmy and learn about their unique history and cultures. You can also explore the Ibyi’wacu Cultural Village and the Musanze caves. For more tour activities to experience in Volcanoes National Park, contact us for our exciting tour packages.

Other Activities to enjoy in Rwanda?

Rwanda does not runout of activities to enjoy. This biodiverse country offers the following activities,

Chimpanzee trekking tours

These are mostly enjoyed in Nyungwe National Park, southwestern Rwanda. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity of tracking a group of habituated chimpanzees in their natural homes. A chimpanzee trek in Nyungwe takes between 1 to 4 hours and you are given only 1 hour to spend with chimpanzees once you encounter them. A chimpanzee permit is needed and we can purchase it on your behalf.

Hot air balloon safaris

This is done in the southern part of Akagera National Park. This is an opportunity to get aerial views of Rwanda’s only savannah park. You have a high chance of spotting members of the Big 5 game including the lion, elephant, leopard, buffalo and rhino. You can also spot numerous bird species. These include Denham’s bustard, pied cuckoo, crowned lapwing, blue headed coucal and African swamphen etc.

City tours

Rwanda city tours are mainly done in Kigali. Experience the busyness of the Kimironko Market, before going for a tour in the Ethnographic Museum. Explore the Genocide Memorial Center, with the King’s Palace in mind. There is also the Inema Arts Center, which is a place where you will see numerous different arts and crafts done by talented fine-artists. In Kigali you may also hike Mount Kigali and see the city from a unique perspective.

Boat cruise on Lake Ihema in Akagera National Park

This is an exciting time to spot plenty of aquatic species. There are numerous birds, fish and mammals that you can see while on a boat cruise on Lake Ihema. This 2–3-hour boat cruise is an opportunity to see plenty of birds like the shoebill stork, pied kingfisher, African fish eagle, papyrus gonolek, white-browed coucal and western reef heron etc. Along the shores are large animals like Nile crocodiles and hippos.

The best time to do safari in Rwanda?

The dry season is the best time to tour Rwanda. This season is ideal if you wish to experience outdoor activities like tracking safaris and city tours etc. Rwanda experiences the dry season between June to August. There is also a short dry season from late December to February. The atmosphere during this time is warmer and drier. This causes drier and traversable trails and roads. The vegetation in protected areas is less dense and skies are clearer to enhance visibility.

Nevertheless, you are welcome to explore Rwanda throughout the year. This implies that Rwanda can also be visited in the wet season. The wet season is usually experienced between March and May and from October to November. This usually falls in the low season. Some activities, accommodations and car hire services are offered at a discount. Therefore, budget travelers should take advantage of these offers to explore Rwanda’s natural wonders.

The wet season is also a good time for birdwatching tours. In the birding destinations, you can see amazing colorful birds. Both migratory and residents are plenty especially between November and April. The rainfall is quite consistent, resulting into numerous water points and dense vegetation in their habitat. This is necessary for the survival or the breeding of the birds. But, the protected areas are often muddy and slippery hence movement is quite challenging.

Scroll to top