Rwanda Tours – Activities & Best time to visit Rwanda

Rwanda tours are popularly becoming top African safari activities. Dubbed the land of a thousand hills, this could probably be the most vegetated and beautiful country you will see on the continent. Just 26,338 km² the country is developing so fast and so is tourism in Rwanda. The road network and accommodation facilities have been developed to welcome and keep all kinds of travelers be it budget or luxury.

Here we give you a guide on the best Rwanda tour activities or things to do in Rwanda and the best time to visit Rwanda.

Gorilla Trekking

Things to see and do in Rwanda

Mountain Gorillas / Gorilla Trekking

Rwanda is home to Mountain gorillas that live only in three countries the two others being Uganda and Congo. The mountain gorillas are found in Volcanoes National Park. Rwanda gorilla safaris are the major draw card for tours in Rwanda.

A gorilla trekking permit in Rwanda costs US$ 1500 for each trek and 80 permits are available each day to enable 8 tourists to trek a single family of the 10 habituated gorilla families in the park. Rwanda gorilla tour permits are the most expensive but still travelers have opted to visit the country and leaving out the cheaper permits in Uganda and Congo because it’s said to be easier to trek the gorilla in Rwanda than any other destination.

Wildlife/ game drives – Rwanda Tours

Akagera National Park is home to the big five wildlife African game which are the Buffaloes, Rhinos, Leopards, Lions and Elephants.

Akagera is a much preferable East African destination since it is one of the closest wildlife parks from the country’s national Airport-Kigali international Airport. It is just about a 3 hours’ drive to the park from the Airport. You also spot other wild animals like the giraffes, zebras and hippos.

Birds / bird watching or birding – Rwanda Tours

Rwanda has 703 bird species recorded within her boundaries, 510 species known to be resident and 183 being seasonal and migrant birds.

The best spots for birding in Rwanda are Nyungwe Forest National Park, Akagera National Park, Volcanoes National Park and several other spots outside the parks. With a much vegetated large area, Rwanda arguably offers the best montane birding experiences in Africa.

Other factors that make birding in Rwanda much referable is that the country hosts 29 Albertine Rift bird species, there’s a very good road network and as well good security.

Canopy walk

The canopy walk is in the ancient Nyungwe Forest on a suspension bridge rising 70m high and covering 60m long.

A canopy walk is one of a kind as you see the forest from above whereas sighting several bird and primate species. The walk starts from any of the three trail heads where you will walk to from the Uwinka visitor center. If you need a unique safari activity then the canopy walk is a preferable option with experiences like no other.

History / Cultural tours

Rwanda’s history was largely affected by the 1994 genocide which took the country several years to recover from. With the new government, Rwanda has decided to share her story with the world and therefore several museums in the country describe events that unfolded in the genocide period.

The Rwanda Genocide Memorial Museum has all details of the genocide. Other museums offer chance to learn about the traditions of Rwanda. A better way of taking a cultural tour is also by visiting the communities and learning from local guides.

Best time/ when to tour Rwanda

Rwanda can be visited at any time of the year. However, the best time of the year to visit Rwanda is between June – September and December – February. During this time, the rains are less and therefore the jungle trails are dry and easy to explore. These months are best for all of the activities however, many tourists visit during this time and therefore you need to book through Acacia safaris early.

Rwanda tours are amazing especially for tourists who want to visit a country with a diverse wildlife as well as great history. You can also tailor your safari in Rwanda with a Uganda wildlife safari, safari in Kenya or Tanzania safari.