Rwanda Safaris & Tours

Located in Northwestern Rwanda, Volcanoes National Park is a 2-3 hour drive from the heart of Kigali capital. The park lies at the border with the Virunga National Park in the D. R. Congo and Mgahinga Gorilla National Park, making up the Virunga Conservation Area (VCA).

The most iconic attractions include the rare mountain gorillas, golden monkeys, the Virunga Volcanoes (Karisimbi, Gahinga, Muhabura, Bisoke, and Sabyinyo), and unique bird species. The park protects largely endemic Albertine rift species and other resident avifaunal species including the Rwenzori batis, lagden's bush-shrike, Rwenzori apalis, Red-faced woodland warblers, Rwenzori turacos, Scarlet-tufted sunbird, Rwenzori double-collared sunbird, collared apalis, Archer's ground robin, and weird weaver birds.

Other faunal species living within the park include spotted hyenas, buffaloes, forest elephants, bushbucks, bush pigs, and black & white colobus monkeys.

Key Highlights & Permits: Experiences include mountain gorilla trekking, Volcano hiking, birding, and the Dian Fossey tomb hike. Adjacent to the park, visitors can explore the Musanze caves, Twin Lakes, and Lake Kivu. A valid Volcano NP gorilla permit costs USD 1500 per person.

Nyungwe Forest NP is a rich primate destination, remotely lying in the far Southwestern Rwanda adjacent to the Burundi border to the South and bordered by the D. R. Congo and Lake Kivu to the West. This well-preserved protected area is home to diverse primates, birds, and other mammals.

Over 13 primate species live here, including red-tailed monkeys, l'hoest monkeys, blue monkeys, Dent's Mona monkeys, grey-cheeked mangabeys, vervet monkeys, and black and white colobus monkeys. Other varied faunal species include mongoose, giant forest hogs, klipspringers, duikers, bush pigs, western tree hyrax, Congo clawless, blotched serval, buffaloes, bush bucks, and impalas.

Birdwatching in Nyungwe: There are 310 species of birds to identify, including over 29 Albertine rift endemic species. The check-list makes Nyungwe an Important Bird Area, featuring yellow-eyed black flycatchers, mountain masked apalis, grauer's swamp warblers, handsome spur fowl, Albertine owlet, red faced woodland warblers, regal sunbird, Rwenzori nightjars, Kivu ground thrush, red-collared babblers, Rockefeller's sunbird, spur winged goose, and African black ducks. It also supports a diversity of amphibian species, reptiles, plants, and colorful butterfly species.

Key Highlights: Interesting experiences to enjoy include chimpanzee trekking, the canopy walk, guided hiking, birding, cycling along the Congo Nile trail, and colobus monkey tracking.

Akagera National Park is the best place in Rwanda to find all the big 5 game species and other savanna species. This is a hidden treasure lying in Eastern Rwanda and features a diversity of habitats including swamps, woodland, savanna grassland, and low mountains.

The diverse faunal species to see include African bush elephants, leopards, lions, rhinos, zebras, hippos, waterbucks, duikers, cape elands, roan antelopes, oribis, topis, and klipspringers. It boasts over 525 species of birds, including African fish eagles, elusive shoebill storks, white-browed coucals, sooty chats, black-headed gonoleks, grasshoppers buzzard, carruther's cisticolas, Beaudouin's snake eagles, brown chested lapwing, dimorphic egrets, spur winged goose, and blue-billed teal.

Key Highlights: The unique activities to enjoy on a Rwanda safari in Akagera NP include game drives, boat cruises, birding, and guided nature walks.

Gishwati-Mukura NP is a newly formed national park, established in 2015. Found in western Rwanda, it occupies a land area of only 34 sq. km and is a rich protected area filled with a biodiversity of Albertine rift species.

The park shelters 20 chimpanzees, over 232 species in the Gishwati Forest, and 163 species of birds in Mukura.

Key Highlights: The expected activities to do here include chimpanzee tracking, birding, nature walks, and community visits.

Lake Kivu

Lake Kivu is a special attraction of its own in Rwanda. It is Rwanda's largest watershed, featuring many resort towns and beautiful beaches around Kibuye, Gisenyi, and other coastal spots. This Great Rift Valley lake creation is ideal for kayaking, swimming, boat cruises/rides, cycling, and more. It can also be explored via the Twin Lakes tour.

Buhanga Eco-Park

Buhanga Eco-Park is a short distance drive off from Volcanoes National Park. It is a treasured spot with immense biological and cultural significance, comprising ancient sacred sites often used for coronation rituals of Rwandan kings. Attractions in the surrounding environment include a dark cave with huge boulders where the king was wheeled in a royal traditional carriage from his palace up to the point where he takes his ceremonial bath.

Kigali Genocide Memorial Sites

The Gisozi/Kigali Genocide Memorial Centre is a special location where visitors can gain a deep understanding of the 1994 Rwanda genocide. Over 250,000 victims of the genocide were laid to rest here. At the site, there are colonial documents, archival photographs of the fallen victims, maps, records of the victims, and a museum built for educational and research purposes. Other important Rwanda genocide memorial sites include Murambi, Bisesero, Nyamata, Ntarama, and Gisenyi.

Other Historical & Cultural Explorations

To complete an exploration of Rwanda's culture and cities, travelers can visit the King's Palace Museum, the Ethnographic Museum, and explore the urban landmarks of Kigali city.