Rwanda is rightly called the “Land of Thousand Hills” due to its mountainous landscape and Virunga volcanoes that house a third of world’s remaining mountain gorillas. This is the only country where you could see these endangered animals in safety. A country that has lifted itself from all the poverty and genocides, value each tourist coming into the country as Tourism is believed to be the key contributor to their economy. Rwanda has three National parks and four small forest reserves. Kinyarwanda is the chief spoken language in Rwanda. It is also spoken in the east of D.R. Congo and in the south of Uganda.
Rwanda is easily accessible from Kenya and Uganda. Surrounded by African countries it is easy and safe to travel to Rwanda. Kigali district surrounds the capital and is the main point of entry.
By Air
Gregoire Kayibanda International Airport is located at Kanombe, 10 km east of Kigali. There are quite a few local and international flights flying to Kigali these include British Airways, Kenya Airways, Ethiopian Airline, Brussels KLM, Air Burundi, Air Tanzania, SA Alliance Express, Air Dubai and South African Airways. Another option would be to land in the neighbouring Congo and drive 3 hours to Kigali. Charters can also be taken for main airfields Parc des Volcans.
By Road
Roads are generally good to travel but secondary roads are slow and bumpy. 4 WD are required on routes in and around parks.. Also please check whether routes are open or closed before travelling. Also worth noting is Kigali is easily accessible by road(3h) from the Goma Airstrip in Democratic Republic of Congo. Kigali can also be accessed by road from Uganda , Burundi, Tanzania and Kenya.
This park is famed for its mountain gorillas and other primates including the rare golden monkey. The Virunga Volcanoes span Uganda, Rwanda and DRC, with peaks upto 15000 feet with a majority of them in Rwanda. Besides the 10 habituated gorilla groups, most beautiful and vivid birds and elephants are also found in the Park. The Park is believed to be the most popular place to visit the mountain gorillas due to its abundance and also its organization. Dian Fossey’s famous ground breaking studies in this very park was filmed and launched as “Gorillas in the mist”, a film that intrigued a world audience and every Wildlifer!
ACCESS :Volcanoes National Park is located in a small village called Musanze previously well-known as Ruhengeri, which is very accessible by public transport from Gisenyi or Kigali or from the airport. The drive to Volcanoes national park is just 2 hrs.
SIZE :160 sq km.
WILDLIFE:10 habituated gorilla groups are available for tracking. Besides mountain gorillas, the park also inhabitates the rare golden monkey, African buffaloes and elephants and more than 90 species of birds of which 13 are endemic to the Virungas which includes Rwenzori, mountain turaco and handsome francolin.
ACTIVITIES:Gorilla tracking safaris, Visiting Dian Fossey’s grave, Visiting the twin lakes of Ruhondo and Bulera, Hiking Karisimbi volcano (3,800 m), Mount Bisoke volcano hike, Mount Muhabra volcano hike, Visit genocide memorial
Tailor-made holidays & tours for the discerning traveller
Probably the greatest wildlife spectacle on planet with over 1,245,000 wildebeest, 200,000 Burchell’s zebra, 18,000 eland and 500,000 Thomson’s Gazelle filling the entire stretch of the landscape.
Aberdare National Park and Masai Mara, internal flight included.
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