Rwanda Safaris

Below we are discussing the best places to safari in Rwanda looking at all available national parks in Rwanda

Rwanda National Parks

Rwanda is one of the smallest African state and has 4 National Parks. These include forest-dominated parks where primate adventures are enjoyed and one savanna dominated protected area. The primate parks include Volcanoes National Park, Nyungwe Forest National Park and Gishwati-Mukura National Park. Akagera NP is the only savanna protected area.

Volcanoes National Park

Located in the Northwestern Rwanda, Volcanoes National Park is a 2-3 hour drive from the heart of Kigali capital. The park lies at the border with the Virunga National Park in the D. R. Congo and Mgahinga Gorilla National Park –the 3 protected areas that make up the Virunga Conservation Area (VCA).

The most iconic attraction in Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park include the rare mountain gorillas, golden monkeys, the Virunga Volcanoes (Karisimbi, Gahinga, Muhabura, Bisoke, and Sabyinyo), and bird species. The park protects largely endemic Albertine rift species and other resident avifaunal species including the Rwenzori batis, lagden’s bush-shrike, Rwenzori apalis, Red-faced woodland warblers, Rwenzori turacos, Scarlet-tufted sunbird, Rwenzori double-collared sunbird, collared apalis, Archer’s ground robin, and weird weaver birds, etc.

There are also other faunal species that live within Volcanoes NP. They include spotted hyenas, buffaloes, forest elephants, bushbucks, bush pigs, black & white colobus monkeys.

The key highlights at Volcanoes NP include mountain gorilla trekking, Volcano hiking, birding, Dian Fossey tomb hike, and adjacent to the park, you can have Musanze caves exploration, Twin Lake tour, Lake Kivu tour and others. A valid Volcano NP gorilla permit costs USD 1500 per person which you can book at USD 1500 per person.

Nyungwe Forest National Park

Nyungwe Forest NP is a rich primate destination, remotely lying in the far Southwestern Rwanda adjacent to the Burundi border to the South then to the West, it is bordered by the D. R. Congo and Lake Kivu. This is one of the well-preserved protected area, home to diverse primates, birds and other mammals.

Over 13 primate species live in Nyungwe Forest National Park and include among others the red-tailed monkeys, l’hoest monkeys, blue monkeys, Dent’s Mona monkeys, grey-cheeked mangabeys, vervet monkeys, black and white colobus monkeys.

The other varied faunal species include mongoose, giant forest hogs, klipspringers, duikers, bush pigs, western tree hyrax, Congo clawless, blotched serval, buffaloes, bush bucks, impalas, black fronted duikers to mention but a few. There are 310 species of birds to identify within Nyungwe NP and include over 29 Albertine rift endemic species.

The check-list of birds that make Nyungwe an Important Bird Area include yellow-eyed black flycatchers, mountain masked apalis, grauer’s swamp warblers, handsome spur fowl, Albertine owlet, red faced woodland warblers, regal sunbird, Rwenzori nightjars, Kivu ground thrush, red-collared babblers, Rockefeller’s sunbird, spur winged goose, African black ducks, and others.

Nyungwe also supports diversity of amphibian species, reptiles, plants and colorful butterfly species. While in Nyungwe NP, the interesting experiences to enjoy include chimpanzee trekking, canopy walk, guided hiking, birding, cycling along the Congo Nile trail, and colobus monkey tracking.

Gishwati-Mukura

Gishwati-Mukura NP is a newly formed national park, established in 2015. It is found in western Rwanda and occupies the land area of only 34sq.km and is a rich protected area with biodiversity of Albertine rift species. The park shelters 20 chimpanzees, over 232 species in Gishwati Forest and 163 species of birds in Mukura. The expected activities to do in Gishwati-Mukura NP include chimpanzee tracking, birding, nature walks and community visits.

Akagera National Park

Akagera National Park is the best place in Rwanda to find all the big 5 game species and other savanna species. This is a hidden treasure lying in Eastern Rwanda and features diversity of habitats including swamps, woodland, savanna grassland and low mountains. The diverse faunal species to see in Akagera include African bush elephants, leopards, lions, rhinos, zebras, hippos, waterbucks, duikers, cape elands, roan antelopes, oribis, topis, klipspringers, and over 525 species of birds.

There are different bird species to identify in Akagera NP including African fish eagles, elusive shoebill storks, white-browed coucals, sooty chats, black-headed gonoleks, grasshoppers buzzard, carruther’s cisticolas, Beaudouin’s snake eagles, brown chested lapwing, dimorphic egrets, spur winged goose, blue-billed teal, and more.

The unique activities to enjoy on Rwanda safari in Akagera NP include game drives, boat cruise, birding, guided nature walks, and others.

Lake Kivu

Lake Kivu is a special attraction of its own in Rwanda. It is Rwanda’s largest watershed with many resort towns and beautiful beaches around Kibuye, Gisenyi and others. This is one of the Great Rift Valley lake creations and is ideal for kayaking, swimming, boat cruise/ride, cycling and a lot more.

Buhanga Eco- Park

Buhanga Eco-Park is a short distance drive off from Volcanoes National park, a treasured spot with biological and cultural significance. This eco-park comprises of ancient sacred sites often used for coronation rituals of Rwandan kings. There are several distinct attractions that make up Buhanga Eco –Park and in the surrounding, there is a dark cave with huge bounders where the king was wheeled in a royal traditional carriage from his palace up to the point where he takes the bath.

Kigali genocide memorial sites

Gisozi/Kigali genocide memorial centre is a special location one can have a deep understanding about the 1994 Rwanda genocide. At Kigali genocide memorial, over 250,000 victims of the genocide were laid here. At the site, there are colonial documents, archival photographs of the fallen victims, museum for educative and research purposes, maps, records of the victims and more.

Other Rwanda genocide sites include the Murambi genocide memorial, Bisesero memorial site, Nyamata, Ntarama sites, Gisenyi and others.

The other places/attractions to explore in Rwanda include the king’s palace museum, ethnographic museum, Kigali city, the Twin Lakes and more.