Is Rwanda Worth Visiting?

Rwanda is undoubtedly worth visiting for its stunning and warm scenery, its vibrant cultural heritage from the hospitable community as well as its epic wildlife. With a collection of beautiful scenery, Rwanda is a booming tourist destination that is safe and clean, making it worth visiting now more than ever.

What are the top destinations to visit in Rwanda?

The top destinations to visit in Rwanda are:

• Nyungwe Forest National Park
• Kigali Genocide Memorial Park
• Volcanoes National Park
• Nyanza City

Nyungwe Forest National Park

The Nyungwe Park, often referred to as the Chimpanzee trekking area, is Rwanda’s most biodiversity site and among the oldest rainforests in Africa. Famous for its free-ranging Chimpanzees, this Park has the largest track of existing montane rainforest in the region. Here, be sure to catch a glimpse of a plethora of birds, chimpanzees, and monkeys wandering within the misty Rwandese hills.

Inside the Park, you cannot miss the daring, marvelous yet unforgettable experience of walking on the suspended canopy walkway spanning 1kilometer long and 70m high. The Isumo waterfall and a vast tea plantation only but spicy up the already calm and serene environment in Nyungwe Park.

Kigali Genocide Memorial Park

At the heart of Kigali City lies the Kigali Genocide Memorial Park, a park whose history is a tale that few would love to document. The Genocide Memorial Park is the burial place of over 250,000 people killed during the 1994 Genocide in the country. The Park walls have names of those whose lives were cut short during the 1994 dark hours.

Although memorial Park is a reminder of horrible history, it is a place that has reminded upcoming Rwandan generations of the importance of embracing peace, brotherhood, and reconciliation.

Inside the memorial Park also lies the Camp Kigali Belgian Monument. The monument remembers the ten Belgian Blue Beret soldiers killed at the onset of the genocide. The ten were among the soldiers deployed by the UN to guard the residence of the then Rwandese Prime Minister.

Volcanoes National Park

Northwest of Rwanda is the Volcanoes National park. The Park lies within the active volcanoes of the Virunga Mountains, and it encompasses close to eight of the chain of volcanoes that make up the whole of the Virunga Mountains. The Volcanoes National Park habitat to endangered gorillas, bamboo forests, and other indigenous tropical tree varieties.

At the peak of one of the mountains is a crater lake, while at the base are ancient forests that hold intriguing folklore and ancient caves. Apart from hiking, canoeing and mountain biking are other activities that will make the place more memorable.

Nyanza City

Nyanza is an administrative town that served as the capital of the ancient Rwandan kingdom. It is the main attraction in Rwanda because of its rich cultural heritage.

The notable destination is the Nyanza King’s Palace, a traditional residence of the members of the then royal family. The Palace is cone-shaped and beautifully grass-thatched like a beehive with a glittering, well-crafted interior.

Behind the Palace live long-horned Ankole cattle that descended from the herd kept by the ancient King. This Palace is located on the way to Nyungwe national Park and is thus a common stopover for several tourists en-route to the National Park.

Besides the discussed destinations, Rwanda has a mirage of other beautiful destinations ranging from museums, art galleries, and cultural centers

What are the tourist destinations near Rwanda?

Apart from the destinations inside Rwanda, this country borders top destinations for tourists. The most visited ones being:

• Nyiragongo Volcanic Mountain
• Mgahinga Gorilla National Park

Nyiragongo Volcanic Mountain

Few kilometers from the Western Rwandese border is the District of Goma in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Goma district is home to the Nyiragongo volcanic mountain, an active volcano. This Volcanic Mountain became famous after erupting in May 2021.

The Mountain is an ideal hiking destination for most tourists visiting the Virunga National Park. The lava rocks resulting from eruptions make Nyiragoongo a suitable place for bouldering and rock climbing.

On top of Mount Nyiragongo is a mesmerizing lava lake formed from a previous eruption.

Mgahinga Gorilla National Park

One hundred and thirty kilometers East of Kigali is the Mgahinga Gorilla National Park along the border of Rwanda and Uganda. The Park is famous for its endangered mountain gorillas and many other mammal species, including the black and white colobus, elephants, bushbuck, and buffalo.

Besides, the Park is at a high altitude, bringing some splendid views of the Virunga Volcanic Mountains. Another prominent feature is the volcanic cones and cone lets of these extinct mountain ranges.

If you choose to travel even further outside of Africa, you can even consider Nairobi National Park in Kenya or Kilimanjaro and Zanzibar in Tanzania.

How much does it cost to visit Rwanda?

Visiting Rwanda as a tourist is extremely cheap. Most tourists will pay up to $50 on a daily basis. The prices vary depending on the times and seasons of the year. If you choose to visit Rwanda between June and September, it will not be as cheap as between March and May for example.

When is the best time to visit Rwanda?

For any tourist, the ideal time to visit Rwanda is during the dry months: between June to September. A long rainy season from March to May can be pretty cold and inhabitable to tourists from tropical countries.

Why is Rwanda so successful?

Rwanda is a very successful country in Africa for three reasons: the National Parks, the cleanness of the country, and the bright future which is promised to the country. Rwanda is a safe and clean country to visit for tourists, with great national parks, making it very successful.

National Parks in Rwanda

Anyone wants to visit places that stand out and are likely to experience a complete package vacay. In Rwanda, the most fantastic places are the National parks and the wildlife that these parks hold. They were already detailed before.

Why is Rwanda so clean?

Rwanda is the cleanest country in Africa. The government banned the manufacturing and use of plastic bags in 2008. This measure has indeed borne fruits as Kigali, the nation’s capital, was declared the cleanest city in Africa by UN-Habitat in 2012. The residents here are passionate about keeping their city clean.

The city also enforces car-free days on the first and third Sunday of every month. Such measures are in place to minimize the issue of air and noise pollution.

Rwanda is the Singapore of Africa

Rwanda is a landlocked country bordering Tanzania, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Uganda, and Burundi to the East, West, and North and South.

It is a rising start both economically and tech-wise. Most tech companies are basing their offices in Rwanda, and the country is working hard to emulate Singapore’s success story.

In conclusion, Rwanda has a lot to offer to any tourist. The destinations are dotted all over the country, and mentioned above are but a few. Besides, it is a growing economy, and visiting it is not as costly as visiting developed countries.

I hope you have learned about this small country in East Africa and what comes with it when planning to hit the road for some vacation. You are the now who knows whether Rwanda is worth visiting or not. The country’s government started a hashtag #VisitRwanda, an engagement whose aim is to enlighten the world more about the country. Check out #VisitRwanda for more.

This article was written by Brian Joseph, who traveled to Rwanda and knows whether it’s worth visiting or not.