There are lots of amazing places to visit in Rwanda. From towns and cities to wilderness regions including national parks, there are great destinations out there to visit during your holiday;
There are interesting places to visit in Rwanda.
Cities;
- Kigali
- Butare
- Musanze
National Parks
- Volcanoes National Park
- Akagera National Park
- Nyungwe Forest National Park
- Gishwati National Park
Lakes & Rivers
- Lake Kivu
- Lake Muhazi
Kigali City
Kigali is the country’s entry and exit point for gorilla trekking safaris. When visiting Rwanda, you will usually fly into Kigali International Airport and, depending on your itinerary, either transfer straight to Volcanoes National Park (about 80 kilometres or 50 miles) or overnight in the safe, attractive and surprisingly neat Kigali. Most tourists utilise Kigali as a quick stopover before and after a gorilla trekking adventure but if you have a couple of days to spare while visiting Rwanda, it’s a wonderful city to explore. Kigali sees relatively low tourist numbers, so if you do take the time to traverse the city, you’ll be rewarded by warm interactions with the friendly locals and a fantastic insight into Rwanda.
One of the most important Rwanda tourist attractions is the poignant Kigali Genocide Memorial. Standing amid gorgeous rose gardens and water fountains, the memorial presents the history preceding Rwanda’s 1994 genocide, helps to clarify the reasons for this devastating massacre, and recognizes just how much healing and recovery the country has gone through in the intervening years. If you are visiting Rwanda for the first time, the memorial is an essential stop that will leave a lasting impression.
Other museums in the city that are well worth a visit are the State House Museum and the Natural History Museum. Kigali also boasts a fantastic selection of contemporary shopping malls, a vibrant café and bar culture, authentic and lively markets, and hotels that are of a good international standard.
Kibuye
At Kibuye, to its south, tourist activities are centered on a modern lakeshore guesthouse overlooking pine-covered hills seemingly transplanted from the Alps. Different again is Cyangugu, close to Nyungwe Forest, whose more subdued tourist development is compensated for by a stirring setting of curving inlets winding into narrow valleys.
Gisenyi
Gisenyi, the most developed of these resorts, lies less than an hour’s drive from the Volcanoes Nationalpark, and is set on a sandy beach lined with swaying palms and colonial-era hotels that exude an atmosphere of tropical languor.
Gisenyi, the most developed of these resorts, lies less than an hour’s drive from the Volcanoes Nationalpark, and is set on a sandy beach lined with swaying palms and colonial-era hotels that exude an atmosphere of tropical languor.
Lake Kivu
Lake Kivu is an extraordinarily beautiful inland sea enclosed by steep, green terraced hills along the Congolese border. Three resort towns, Gisenyi, Kibuye and Cyangugu, stand on the littoral, connected by a wild roller-coaster road that tumbles through lush plantain fields and relic patches of misty rain forest to offer sweeping views over the blue water. It is one of the classic road journeys in all of Africa. There is also charter boat service on the lake connecting the 3 towns.
The Gorilla Guardians Village
Visiting Guardians Village, a women-only initiative, while at Volcanoes National Park, is an excellent opportunity for tourists to experience renowned Rwandan crafts and pastimes. Acquire additional skills such as archery, basket weaving, head-basket carrying, and grain-breaking with a large stone. These locations represent just a small selection of Rwanda’s most renowned tourist destinations.