Fun things to do in Rwanda

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The National Museum in Butare is said to be the best in Africa. Not only is it huge but it is also a fine building architecturally. The inside is also fine as the displays are well organized and attractive. There are sections for art, history , ecology, ethnology depicting beautifully the local daily life and culture.

The visa to Rwanda is 30$ . Make sure you have US dollars with you, if you plan to cross the borders, because they don't accept any other currency. This is the case in all African countries I have visited and it was really frustrating to find dollarbills sometimes.
There are numerous Forex bureaux (exchange offices) in Kigali with better rates than banks.
If you need to withdraw cash from banks you can use your Visa card with the ATMs of several central banks. You can also have a money advance with your Master card in the Bank of Kigali.

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Kibuye is beautifully spread on verdant hilly tongues jetting into the sea. The views are fantastic! I stayed more than I had planned because the view from the hotel room was amazing and the walks in the green and romantic environment were most pleasant and relaxing.
There are a couple of banks but they have no ATMs for foreigners, maybe they will have in the future.
You can swim safely in this part of the lake and there are some options for water activities in the expensive hotels.
If you need to relax for a few days this is the perfect place!

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The capital of Rwanda is a clean, airy and fast progressing city. It is spread over several hills and is not built over an overloaded city center. There is always a refreshing breeze blowing and nice views over the surrounding hills. At night the lights of the houses on the hills give you the impression of millions of shining stars. It is very pleasant to walk in the clean and tidy streets among flowery gardens .
Local people are calm and helpful and this completes the picture that came to my mind when I first got to Kigali, of an “elegant lady” in the middle of Africa. Clean, neat and smiling!

The country is miraculously recovering and progressing after the genocide. They have set aside their tribal differences and consider themselves as Rwandans only. They are clean, gentle and optimistic. Giving a great emphasis on education, they are due to become a healthy nation in a short time.
The Genocide happened in 1994 after long disputes and hostilities between the two main tribes in the country. As a result thousands of lives, said to have reached even the 1,000,000 people, were lost in a brutal massacre. All Rwandans now hope nothing so atrocious will happen ever again.

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Ginseyi is a peaceful and verdant town on the beautiful lake Kivu. The old town where most locals live is located in the upper part of the city. The lake shore road is occupied by expensive hotels and beautiful private houses. The beach is clean and quite good and all the locals come down for a chance to swim or just a long relaxing walk on the beach, waiting for the wonderful sunset.
Swimming in this water is quite dangerous because there are lethal gases coming out from the volcanic bottom of the lake. So many people have been asphyxiated while swimming. So don't get out very far. If you look out in the lake you will see the big structures gathering the volcanic gases .
Ginseyi is a good place to start your expeditions to the Mountain Gorillas or to Akagera National Park
There is a cultural center along the main coast road, just across the closed Palm Beach hotel. You can ask for information or even find a group to join for the several tours the country has to offer. A visit to the Gorillas is one of the most emotional experiences you will have in your life. I unfortunately wasn't able to do it, because of the bad weather but I have heard a lot of stories from people that have lived this. They say it's a unique experience and I believe them because I have lived similar moments in my travels and I know the thrill you feel when in close approach to the Wonders of this world....

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Parc Nacional de Volcans - Gorillas .

Whoever has visited the Gorillas insist they were fascinated by the sight.
When I was there the permit was 500 US$ for foreigners and 250 US$ for foreigners who live in the country. As it was low season I was offered the tour for as low as 300$ for the whole thing.. The trek is more difficult in the rain but the sight of the gorillas is as feasible as in the dry season. The gorillas live in the lowest part of the lush forest slopes so the hiking is not very long and it is really wonderful.
It has been announced that the price will go up to 750$ from June 2012...

Akagera National Park
This park is located close to the border with Tanzania and is run through by Akagera river which forms the border. Several lakes and the Mitumba hills are included in the park, which make the scenery of swamps and savannah a beautiful place.
It is better not to visit the park in the rainy season, that is December, and March and April, because some of the routes are impassable.
The closest city is Kibungu but you can book more easily in Kigali. The entrance fee is 30$.

Nyungue Forest National Park
Nyungue is one of the largest mountainous rainforests remaining in Africa. It is in the southwestern part of the country and its biodiversity is amazing. It has 25% of Africa's primate species ,including chimpanzees and colobus monkeys.

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In the past the King of Rwanda had up to 60 residences around the country. In 1899 the King broke this tradition and built a royal residence on Nyanza Hill. Today this is the Ancient Historical Museum and one can see two parts. The first part is the traditional residence of where the King slept and met his subjects. Amazing is the "King Size" bed - big enough to accommodate 10 or more people. Right next to the traditional residence is the modern residence which was built in the 1930's to accommodate the Royal family.
An interesting museum that allows an in-depth view of the history of Rwanda.