Rwanda Things to Do

  colobus monkey
by elsadran
 
  • colobus monkey
      colobus monkey
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  •   Things to Do
    by elsadran
  •   Things to Do
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  •   Things to Do
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  •   Things to Do
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Nyungwe National Park

by Maggus

This national park is a preserved part of rainforest which houses primates as chimpanses, colobus monkeys, alot of snakes and some of the worlds rare birds. The park has some trails which can be hiked throughout the day. One of these leads to the mystical "source Dr. Kandt" named after the first german explorer who visited Rwanda in the 1890ies. Please come with your car or book a tour with ORTPN otherwise it is very hard to reach and get away. You can camp there and pitch an tent but you have to consider to bring all food and water with you as facilities are limited. The entry fee has recently been increased so check up the actual fares.

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Akagera National Park

by Maggus

In contrary to the Volcano National Park this natural reserve is a display of the east african savanna which hosts alot of the "typical" african animals as Anitlopes, Zebras, Elefants....Get your Permit before at the ORTPN office in Kigali or at the gate of the park. It is very difficult to reach the park without your own car. The initial size of the park was much larger before. Due to the increasing growth of population various parts were converted into farmlands which decimated the animal population continuously.

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Visiting the gorillas

by skl22

Don't miss spending an hour with these magical creatures. It does require planning in advance, and contacting the National Park to check what the latest system they have implemented with regards to how you get a permit - but it is all worthwhile. Also, don't be put off by the price - a high price is needed to ensure that protecting the gorillas is economically sustainable for the local area. If not, poaching becomes the more attractive option. And as there are limits on how many can see each family per day (usually 6-8) there is a high price to pay - but it is all worth it!(see my main travel page for more on gorillas)

Gisozi Memorial Education Center

by LBKesner

I have strong concerns about which pictures to post and which to keep private, though the Rwandan citizens who accompanied my group on our visits to the genocide sites encouraged our taking pictures and said, "It's important that people know what happened here." So, I do think that I would be remiss not to encourage other Americans visiting Rwanda to make a trip to the Gisozi Memorial Education Center in Kigali. It is not an easy tour. As the brochure says, "Gisozi...is the burial site of over 250,000 people killed in a three month period during the genocide in Rwanda in 1994. It is a symbol of the extreme and horrific consequences of ethnic division; the result of decades of hatred, impunity and systematic persecution of a minority group. ...to prevent such things, we need to learn how and why these tragedies happen...."

Rusumo falls

by Bonobo2005

If you happen to cross the border with Tanzania at Rusumo -yes this is a very suitable and fussless overland option- don't forget to see the falls.Visas for both countries are available on the border, although for Rwanda I would recommend that you get it in advance since you'll get a multiple entry 1month visa for the same price as a 15 days single entry on the border.True March 2003

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Genocide memorials

by Bonobo2005

What happened in Rwanda in 1994 was one of the most horrible and shocking things in human history. If you could not find refuge, you had only 1 choice: kill or be killed. An estimated 800.000 people of the Tutsi tribe and moderate Hutus were brutally slaughtered in only 3 months time. When travelling Rwanda it's hardly imaginable that the people carry a history like that. There's such a peaceful and friendly mood in the places that I visited. That said, it's important to visit one of the genocide memorials to understand Rwanda and to show respect to the survivors that carry such terrible memories. Bones and skulls are on display around some of the massgraves that makes it all an even more shivering experience.Only in the Kibuye region about 60.000 people were killed (the majority in only 2 weeks' time), which equalled 83% of the Tutsi population.You can visit the RC church on the top of...

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Parc National des Volcans (2) / the volcanoes

by Bonobo2005

Even if you don't go for the gorillas, there's still enough reason to visit the Parc, as I found out.As volcanoes are one of my passions, the presence of 5 more or less free standing and beautifully shaped volcanoes in a chain was sufficient reason for me to hang around a couple of days.The NP-office offers guided climbs to the top of 2 of them, Visoke (3711m) and Karisimbi* (4705m -the tallest). The latter has only been opened for climbers since the summer of 2002!Plans have been made to organise an amazing 1 week trek to all the summits, but trails have still to be cleared. Note: 2 of the 3 not yet accessible peaks can be climbed from Uganda side: Gahinga (3474m) and Muhabura (4127m) ***see also my "Uganda-Mgahinga NP" page!***The climbs to the summits are not technical and can be done by fit hikers. The scenery is great! However, the trek to Karisimbi's summit is an overnight trek and...

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Parc National des Volcans (1)

by Bonobo2005

This extraordinarily beautiful Parc Nationale consists of an impressive chain of 5 inactive volcanoes that hosts some groups of the highly endangered mountain gorilla.Amongst the various eco-tourism options are gorillatracking, hiking up (some of the) volcanoes, walks to a group of rare golden monkeys or an excursion to Dian Fossey's burial site. The common base for exploring the National Park is the small town of Ruhengeri.

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Relax at Lake Kivu

by Bonobo2005

Lake Kivu is a large deposit of fresh water that marks the western border with DR Congo. There are some excellent places to stay on the Lakeside such as Kibuye and -especially-Gisenyi.The water is safe to swim (but just ask locally to be completely sure), there are nice beaches, gorgeous landscapes and the sunsets are regularly stunning.***see "accommodation tips" for some good places to stay***

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Visiting the mountain gorillas (cont 2)

by K1W1

When visiting the gorillas, I was advised to take high speed film (1,600 asa) as the light in the jungle, even when sunny outside, is poor due to the shade of the jungle canopy. However, I also took some 200 asa and this turned out to be the best option as the family that we came across, just happened to be sunbathing in a clearing, and the light was perfect. In the photo opposite, I was lucky to have the camera ready as this little baby was kept out of sight by his/her mother and this sighting was the only glimpse we had.

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Fun things to do in Rwanda

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Reviews and photos of Rwanda attractions posted by real travelers and locals. The best tips for Rwanda sightseeing.

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Things to Do: Cities in Rwanda
  1. Kigali Things to Do
  2. Gisenyi Things to Do
  3. Parc National de l' Akagera Things to Do
  4. Kinigi Things to Do
  5. Virunga Things to Do
  6. Ruhengeri Things to Do

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Prefecture de Kigali Things to Do  Prefegitura ya Gisenyi Things to Do  Prefecture de Ruhengeri Things to Do  Prefecture de Butare Things to Do 

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Questions and Answers

kikili profile photo

Q:  Hi I'm unsure f this is the right forum..but I iwsh to see the silverbacks in rwanda or uganda next march.. Which is a better... 

sphynxxs profile photo

A: Hi kikili, Rwanda is the better place to see gorillas, but no matter which country you go, there is no such thing as a budget option when it comes to seeing the... 

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