Rwanda Safaris

Travel is a nice thing, more so to the Republic of Rwanda in East of African Continent. Rwanda is a beautiful landlocked country, enjoying prevailing peace and adored with breathtaking landscape. Because of the nation’s undulating hills, it is known as “land of a thousand Hills.” Tanzania, Democratic Republic of Congo, Burundi, and Uganda are its neighbors.

One of the smartest towns in Africa is Kigali, which is also where tourism in the country begins. To learn more about this little, stunning nation, you first get to sample some delectable Rwandan cuisine, socialize with the locals, visit historical Memorial sites, craft stores and Museums.

Rwanda Safari destinations and activities

In the Republic of Rwanda, there are four national parks that make up primary safari destinations. Three of the four are forest cover and mostly offer primate trekking, bird watching, and activities relating to forests. One has a lot of vegetation and animals and is a savannah park, one of the oldest on the African continent.

Akagera National Park

Finding a location where you can go on game drives, boat tours, fishing excursions, bird watching and nature walks should be your first priority. The sole savannah park in the nation is Akagera National Park. It is the largest eco-system, with a total land area of roughly 1,08k sq. km. Akagera national park has typical savannah vegetation, woods, a sizable body of water called Lake Ihema and swampland.

It takes roughly three hours to drive there from Kigali, the nation’s capital. Giraffes, zebra jacanas, topis, malachite kingfishers, papyrus Gonolek, shoebill storks, lions, leopards, hippos, crocodiles, African elephants, Cape Buffaloes, several antelope species, warthogs, and other animals are included in the wildlife checklist. Warm temperatures prevail throughout the year, with the dry season occurring from June to September.

This park, which shares a border with Tanzania in Rwanda’s eastern district, received its designation in 1934. There are only two gates in the park: one on the northern side, in the Nyagatare area, for exit, and one on the southern side, in the Kayonza district, for admission. Visitors must check in by 6 am for morning activities, and unless there is an earlier reservation for people who would be staying there, no one is allowed to enter after 7:00pm.

Security is ensured, and knowledgeable armed ranger guides are on hand to provide information on the local flora, animals, and other topics.

Volcanoes National Park

Rwanda’s main safari location is Volcanoes National Park, which has an area of rainforest land covering 160 square kilometers. It was created in 1925 and was bordered by Mount Bisoke, Karisimbi and Mikeno. This made it one of the very first national parks designated in African continent. Fast-forward to 1967, and American naturalist researcher Dian Fossey used it to study gorillas. Ecology and primates were protected mainly because of her contribution. Not only did the world learn about gorillas, their singularity, and their relationship to humans; this is also why hundreds of people continue to travel to this location for gorilla trekking, habituation, and study. The park is now home to many different animals, including mountain gorillas, golden monkeys, African buffalo, spotted hyenas, harnessed bushbuck, and over 179 different bird species.

Every traveler should include Volcanoes National Park in their itinerary, which offers gorilla trekking to individuals who are 15 years of age and older. Hiking to the Karisimbi Research Center, bird watching, exploring the Musanze Caves, mountain hiking, and more. The cost of a gorilla trekking permit is $1500 USD per person per day.

Nyungwe National Park

Located in the western regions of Rwanda, Lake Kivu, Democratic Republic of Congo, and north of Burundi. One of the top places to visit in Rwanda is Nyungwe National Park. It is home to approximately 13 different primate species, including chimpanzees, L’hoest’s monkeys, black and white Colobus monkeys, and Olive baboons. Chimpanzee trekking, a canopy walk, bird observation and guided nature walk are all available in this forest. Visitors can stay up to 3 days there and participate in different activities each day. There have been 480 birds recorded there.

Gishwati-Mukura National Park

This is Rwanda’s newest and smallest national park, yet it has a wide variety of plants and animals. It is the least crowded, but it is very tranquil and great for a satisfying getaway. It is close to Lake Kivu and is situated in Rwanda’s northwest. In 2015, the two woods were combined and granted national park status. Four primate species can be found at this location: L’hoest’s monkeys, Eastern chimpanzees, Blue monkeys, and the jovial golden monkeys. There are over 85 kinds of birds, several reptiles, and unusual flora. It is reachable by both land and water, and security is assured.

Boat cruise on Lake Kivu

Take a break from the hectic pace of life at Lake Kivu. The largest lake in the country of Rwanda and a continuation of Lake Tanganyika, It’s a laid-back location with lots of water features, boat trips, beach activities, fish and the delightful lake breeze.

Best time to visit Rwanda

Rwanda is open to Visitors all year round, with the activities running from Sunrise to sunset. Out-door activities and visits to National parks is most recommended in the dry months – from June to September and December to March.

Rwanda is a rewarding location for wildlife safaris, primate trekking, bird viewing, and other activities. The well-known safari locations there include Volcanoes National Park, Akagera National Park, Nyungwe National Park, Huye, Nyanza Palace, Gishwati Mukura National Park and Lake Kivu.