Rwanda, officially the Republic of Rwanda, is a landlocked country in the Great Rift Valley of East Africa, where the African Great Lakes region and Southeast Africa converge. Located a few degrees south of the Equator, Rwanda is bordered by Uganda, Tanzania, Burundi, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Rwanda is a land of great diversity and beauty. Popularly known as ‘the land of a thousand hills,’ it has six volcanoes, twenty-three lakes, and numerous rivers, some of which form the source of the great River Nile.
The landscapes in this green country are truly breathtaking. Many visitors to Rwanda have remarked that the physical beauty of the country is without equal on the African continent. Spectacular volcanoes and dense tropical forests dominate the country's north. In contrast, gentle hills and valleys, calm lakes, and turbulent rivers in both savannah and dense tropical vegetation dominate the rest of the country. Rwanda boasts a wide variety of wildlife.
The Parc National des Volcans, in northern Rwanda, is home to the world’s largest number of endangered mountain gorillas. Numbering in the hundreds, the gorillas live in a protected area, free from poachers. The gorillas can be viewed in their natural mountain habitats at a fairly close range. When visiting the ‘Land of a Thousand Hills’, one should not miss out on the magnificent opportunity to visit Rwanda’s Parc National des Volcans (PNV) consisting of 125 Km2 of mountain forest and home to the six Virunga Volcanoes and the world-famous mountain gorillas.
Best known for its wealth of primates, Rwanda also has one of Africa’s richest bird life. A staggering 670 different bird species have been recorded in Rwanda. For botanists, the gorgeous wildflowers of the forests and mountains are capped by more than 100 orchid species in Nyungwe alone.
Gishwati Mukura National Park.
Rwanda’s fourth national park, Gishwati Mukura is made up of two separate forests – the larger Gishwati and small Mukura, forming a total of 34 square kilometers plus a buffer zone.
The forests sit on the ridge which divides the Congo and Nile water catchment areas, along the incredibly biodiverse Albertine Rift in the west of the country. It is made up of 60 species of tree, including indigenous hardwoods and bamboo.
Gishwati is home to a group of 20 chimpanzees that live alongside golden monkeys, L’Hoest’s, and Blue Monkeys. Birds are well represented too, 232 species have been seen at Gishwati and 163 at Mukura, among them Albertine Rift Endemic species and forest specialists.
Activities in the park started in 2019 and include a guided nature hike, guided chimp and monkey tracking, bird watching, and a visit to the waterfalls.
The area was nearly depleted largely due to resettlement, illegal mining in the mineral-rich forest, and livestock farming.
The formalization of its National Park status in 2015 aims to help redress the balance, increase the number of trees to improve soil fertility, stabilize slopes, and regulate stream flow.
It will also contribute to improving the livelihoods of the population living in the surrounding areas, which in turn offers the forest a better chance of regeneration in tandem with the potential to raise living standards in the longer term.
Community-based activities include a farm stay, a live cultural dance, making handicrafts, beekeeping, a tea plantation,r and the chance to learn from traditional healers, who use natural plants to support modern medicine and synthesized drugs.
Nyungwe National Park.
One of the oldest rainforests in Africa, Nyungwe is rich in biodiversity and spectacularly beautiful. The mountainous region is teaming with wildlife, including a small population of chimpanzees as well as 12 other species of primate, including the L’Hoest’s monkey endemic to the Albertine Rift.
Akagera National Park.
The relatively warm and low-lying plains of Akagera comprise savannah, woodland, wetland, and a dozen lakes. In partnership with African Parks, we aim to transform the National Park into a world-class location to experience a safari.
The largely open expanse is ideal for game viewing, and we are taking steps to ensure the Big Five roam the park in greater numbers over time.
Since 2010 we have cut poaching to an all-time low, with the introduction of a helicopter, a canine unit, and rhino trackers.
A family of lions from South Africa is settling in well, and breeding successfully, and 18 eastern black rhinos have also been reintroduced.
Visitors can also encounter buffalo, elephant, antelope, zebra, giraffe, baboons, monkeys, an incredible 490 bird species, plus much more.
A boat trip on Lake Ihema is also a highlight of any visit to Akagera, with its large pods of hippos, Nile crocodiles, and abundant waterbirds on the island in the middle of the lake.
The only way to explore the park is by vehicle, whether through a tour operator or self-drive. The National Park also has a vehicle to hire, with individual spaces available on night drives.
It is recommended to take up the services of a guide, which can be booked through the park.
Sleeping within the park is possible, at various lodges, a bush camp in the north at select periods, or camping in specific sites.
Volcanoes National Park.
Situated in the far northwest of Rwanda, Volcanoes National Park protects the steep slopes of this magnificent mountain range – home of the endangered mountain gorilla and a rich mosaic of montane ecosystems, which embrace evergreen and bamboo forest, open grassland, swamp, and heath.
Volcanoes National Park is named after the chain of dormant volcanoes making up the Virunga Massif: Karisimbi – the highest at 4,507m, Bisoke with its verdant crater lake, Sabinyo, Gahinga, and Muhabura.
Tracking endangered mountain gorillas through the mysterious intimacy of the rain forest, alive with the calls of 200 species of colorful birds and chattering of the rare golden monkeys, is only one of the truly unique experiences in the area.
Best known for its wealth of primates, Rwanda also has one of Africa’s richest bird life. A staggering 670 different bird species have been recorded in Rwanda. For botanists, the gorgeous wildflowers of the forests and mountains are capped by more than 100 orchid species in Nyungwe alone.
Gishwati Mukura National Park.
Rwanda’s fourth national park, Gishwati Mukura is made up of two separate forests – the larger Gishwati and small Mukura, forming a total of 34 square kilometers plus a buffer zone.
The forests sit on the ridge which divides the Congo and Nile water catchment areas, along the incredibly biodiverse Albertine Rift in the west of the country. It is made up of 60 species of tree, including indigenous hardwoods and bamboo.
Gishwati is home to a group of 20 chimpanzees that live alongside golden monkeys, L’Hoest’s, and Blue Monkeys. Birds are well represented too, 232 species have been seen at Gishwati and 163 at Mukura, among them Albertine Rift Endemic species and forest specialists.
Activities in the park started in 2019 and include a guided nature hike, guided chimp and monkey tracking, bird watching, and a visit to the waterfalls.
The area was nearly depleted largely due to resettlement, illegal mining in the mineral-rich forest, and livestock farming.
The formalization of its National Park status in 2015 aims to help redress the balance, increase the number of trees to improve soil fertility, stabilize slopes, and regulate stream flow.
It will also contribute to improving the livelihoods of the population living in the surrounding areas, which in turn offers the forest a better chance of regeneration in tandem with the potential to raise living standards in the longer term.
Community-based activities include a farm stay, a live cultural dance, making handicrafts, beekeeping, a tea plantation,r and the chance to learn from traditional healers, who use natural plants to support modern medicine and synthesized drugs.
Nyungwe National Park.
One of the oldest rainforests in Africa, Nyungwe is rich in biodiversity and spectacularly beautiful. The mountainous region is teaming with wildlife, including a small population of chimpanzees as well as 12 other species of primate, including the L’Hoest’s monkey endemic to the Albertine Rift.
Akagera National Park.
The relatively warm and low-lying plains of Akagera comprise savannah, woodland, wetland, and a dozen lakes. In partnership with African Parks, we aim to transform the National Park into a world-class location to experience a safari.
The largely open expanse is ideal for game viewing, and we are taking steps to ensure the Big Five roam the park in greater numbers over time.
Since 2010 we have cut poaching to an all-time low, with the introduction of a helicopter, a canine unit, and rhino trackers.
A family of lions from South Africa is settling in well, and breeding successfully, and 18 eastern black rhinos have also been reintroduced.
Visitors can also encounter buffalo, elephant, antelope, zebra, giraffe, baboons, monkeys, an incredible 490 bird species, plus much more.
A boat trip on Lake Ihema is also a highlight of any visit to Akagera, with its large pods of hippos, Nile crocodiles, and abundant waterbirds on the island in the middle of the lake.
The only way to explore the park is by vehicle, whether through a tour operator or self-drive. The National Park also has a vehicle to hire, with individual spaces available on night drives.
It is recommended to take up the services of a guide, which can be booked through the park.
Sleeping within the park is possible, at various lodges, a bush camp in the north at select periods, or camping in specific sites.
Volcanoes National Park.
Situated in the far northwest of Rwanda, Volcanoes National Park protects the steep slopes of this magnificent mountain range – home of the endangered mountain gorilla and a rich mosaic of montane ecosystems, which embrace evergreen and bamboo forest, open grassland, swamp, and heath.
Volcanoes National Park is named after the chain of dormant volcanoes making up the Virunga Massif: Karisimbi – the highest at 4,507m, Bisoke with its verdant crater lake, Sabinyo, Gahinga, and Muhabura.
Tracking endangered mountain gorillas through the mysterious intimacy of the rain forest, alive with the calls of 200 species of colorful birds and chattering of the rare golden monkeys, is only one of the truly unique experiences in the area.
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