Rwanda
Everything in one perfect package
One of Africa's last-known tourist destinations, tiny Rwanda gets a fraction of the visitors of neighbouring Kenya and Tanzania -- but not for long. Tucked just below Uganda, it sits on the Albertine Rift which divides the Congo and Nile water catchment areas. This makes it one of Africa's most biodiverse regions. And unlike many other African countries, you can drive across it in a matter of hours. The result? A host of exceptional wildlife experiences within very close proximity.
Many people know about mountain gorillas, and Rwanda is one of the best places to see them. But there's also the Akagera National Park, home to all the big five. And Nyungwe Forest, a unique ecosystem where you can spot chimps, trek to waterfalls and cross a 70-metre high walking suspension bridge. Once you've had your fill of adventure, you can relax on the shores of spectacular Lake Kivu. It's one of Africa's most picturesque lakes with hardly a tourist around. For now.
Gorilla trekking
The best places to see gorillas in the wild
Gorillas are creatures of the equatorial African rainforest, where their range is restricted to 10 countries. Only one species was recognised prior to 2001, when DNA tests revealed the eastern gorilla (Gorilla beringei) and western gorilla (G. gorilla) to be distinct species, both now red-listed as Critically Endangered by the IUCN...read more
Rwanda Travel Guides
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Kigali
Rwanda’s bustling capital sprawls across several valleys and hillsides, bookended by towering mountains... -
Nyungwe National Park
One of Africa’s oldest rainforests, Nyungwe National Park is home to around 500 chimpanzees and 12 other primate species... -
Akagera National Park
The savannah plains of Akagera National Park on Rwanda’s border with Tanzania are the perfect place for a Big Five safari... -
Karisoke Research Camp
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Volcanoes National Park
The home of Rwanda's mountain gorillas
Situated in the far northwest of Rwanda and named for the chain of dormant volcanoes that make up the Virunga Massif (Karisimbi, Bisoke, Sabinyo, Gahinga and Muhabura), Volcanoes National Park is home to endangered mountain gorillas, rare golden monkeys and more than 200 bird species... -
Gishwati-Makura National Park
Rwanda’s newest national park, Gishwati-Mukura was gazetted in 2016 to protect a pair of relict forest blocks on the Rift Valley escarpment above Lake Kivu...