There are lots of things to do in Rwanda, the land of a thousand hills. From popular gorilla treks in the Volcanoes National Park to canopy walks in Nyungwe Forest, there are lots of adventure activities to do on your holiday.
There are lots of things to do in Rwanda. These include:
- Game Drives
- Sport Fishing
- Boat Rides
- Nature Walks
- Birding
- Chimpanzee Tracking
- Gorilla Trekking Safaris
- Sight Seeing
- Photography
- Cultural and Historical Experiences
- Mountain Climbing
- Self drive safaris
Gorilla Trekking
Rwanda is one of the only three places where you can spot some of the world’s remaining mountain gorillas. These gentle creatures live in Volcanoes national park North West of the country with an incredible spectacle of ten gorilla families can be toured by visitors. The park has become a favorite destination for gorilla safaris in Africa and lots of tourists visit the park every year. Trekking mountain gorillas is done early in the morning after enjoying a cup of coffee alongside a traditional performance. Visitors are later briefed by a game ranger, after which they embark on the adventure to trek gorillas.
Golden monkey trekking
Volcanoes national park is home to golden monkey species although the park is famed for mountain gorillas. The park has two habituated troops of golden monkeys with each having over 80 members that can be tracked by visitors. Thus, after trekking gorillas, visitors can go golden monkey trekking at the park since it is both a rare and delightful experience while on safari in Rwanda.
Cultural tours
A cultural tour to Iby’Iwacu cultural village is unforgettably an incredible adventure to explore after gorilla trekking in Rwanda. Iby’Iwacu cultural village offers a rare opportunity to meet the local people who were formerly mountain gorilla poachers, but currently reformed mountain gorilla ‘protectors’. Visitors to the village enjoy a moment of interaction with the local people, learn their traditions and beliefs, and take part in their daily activities. With performers are committed to showcasing their ways of living, dances, drama and traditional lifestyles a cultural tour to Iby’Iwacu is an amazing after gorilla trekking activity. Iby’Iwacu village is located around Volcanoes national park in Nyabigoma, Musanze district.
Hiking
Hiking to the top of Mount Karisimbi or Mount Bisoke is one of the key after gorilla trekking activities one shouldn’t miss on their safari at Volcanoes national park. Hiking anyone of the two volcanoes after trekking gorillas is a strenuous activity yet very rewarding. The climbing starts early in the morning taking over six hours, while navigating through the Bisoke side. Hiking Mount Bisoke is one of the most memorable activities to adventure while at Volcanoes national park. The top of the volcano has a spectacular crater lake. The Mount Bisoke hike lasts for six hours including the two hours for descending to the starting point.
On the other hand, a hike to Mount Karisimbi’s summit is quite challenging but offers sights of several bird varieties, primates among others along the hiking trails. It requires relatively good health and stamina to hike through the slippery slopes to reach the summits. Interested hikers are advised carry hiking equipment and hire a porter to help one carry luggage.
Birding
Birding is another after gorilla trekking activity that can be enjoyed at volcanoes national park. Around 178 bird species have been recorded and twenty nine endemic to the Albertine rift at Volcanoes national park. Keen birders are able to spot a number of bird species at the swamp area, the forest and around the twin lakes- Lake Burera and Lake Ruhondo. Birding begins in the morning with a briefing, after which a trained guide leads the visitors to the unique birding areas at the park on a quest of spotting the incredible bird species. Some of the bird species that can be seen include the African marsh harrier, common moorhen, long-crested eagle, grey throated tit, handsome Francolin, Rwenzori turaco, Grauer’s rush warbler, Archer’s ground robin, Rwenzori double- collered sin bird, collared apalis, strange weaver and many others.
Genocide memorial tours
For many people, a trip to Rwanda without touring the genocide memorial sites is counted an incomplete tour. It is because of this that after gorilla trekking visitors are encouraged to tour any of the genocide memorial sites. Rwanda’s genocide sites were established to honour the lives of the people who were slain to death in the 1994 genocide. After this great massacre, Rwanda established about eight memorial sites to commemorate and provide a descent burial to the deceased citizens. Learn about Rwanda’s tragic 1994 history after trekking gorillas from any of the following genocide memorial sites which include; Murambi genocide memorial site, Gisozi memorial site, Gisenyi memorial site, Nyamata memorial site, Bisesero memorial site, Nyarubuye memorial site, Nyanza memorial site, and Ntarama memorial site. These will shade light on the historical events that led to the genocide and horrifying realities Rwandans faced in just 100 days in 1994.
Canopy walks
Canopy walks at Nyungwe forest in Nyungwe national park located 220km approximately six hours drive from Kigali are another incredible after gorilla trekking activity. The park is a paradise to hikers and the only one of its kind in East Africa offering canopy walk excursions. Canopy walks in Rwanda offer visitors an opportunity to explore the country’s awesome scenery as well as expose the parks beaming landscape while on a walk on a rope bridge suspended 50 meters above the ground. It is a spectacular tour of the rain forest and an ideal supplement to gorilla trekking in Rwanda.
Finally, there are several after gorilla trekking activities visitors can enjoy in both Rwanda and Uganda. However, these activities require one to have enough time to explore them while on a gorilla safari.