{"id":219917,"date":"2019-02-11T15:07:47","date_gmt":"2019-02-11T14:07:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/turkeyalwan.net\/?p=219917"},"modified":"2019-02-27T17:33:27","modified_gmt":"2019-02-27T16:33:27","slug":"best-things-to-do-rwanda","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/turkeyalwan.net\/2019\/02\/11\/best-things-to-do-rwanda\/","title":{"rendered":"Top 10 best things to see and do in Rwanda"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Monday\u00a0newsletters<\/a>\u00a0always feature\u00a0top 10 travel lists<\/a>\u00a0to inspire.<\/p>\n

Today (February 11, 2019): Top10 best things to see and do in Rwanda.<\/strong><\/h5>\n

I recently enjoyed a week long holiday in Rwanda, one of the most astonishingly beautiful countries I’ve ever visited. Nicknamed ‘the land of thousands hills’, Rwanda lies within the Great Lakes region of Central Africa, bordered by Uganda to the north, Tanzania to the east, Burundi to the south, and the Democratic Republic of Congo to the west. Despite being one of Africa’s smallest nations, Rwanda has an incredible treasure trove of biodiversity. Mountains dominate the center and west of the country, while the east consists of savanna, plains and swamps. Although Rwanda is all too often associated with the horrible 1994 Genocide that resulted in the mass murder of one million people (20% of the country’s total population), the country has risen from the ash and managed to rebuild itself as one of Africa’s safest countries. And Rwanda is one its way to become one of the continent’s greatest travel destinations, with something for everyone to enjoy. Here’s my top 10 list of the best things to see & do in Rwanda.\u00a0I used Uber Luxe Safaris<\/a> as a tour operator for my own holiday in Rwanda, and I highly recommend them!<\/p>\n

There is more\u00a0information below the slide show.\u00a0Think I missed one? Share your favorite attraction in Rwanda in the\u00a0comments<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

This slideshow requires JavaScript.<\/p>

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*** Follow me on\u00a0Twitter<\/a>,\u00a0Instagram<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0Facebook<\/a>\u00a0for a daily moment of travel inspiration ***<\/em><\/p>\n

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10. STAY AT ‘HOTEL RWANDA’<\/strong><\/h5>\n

Hotel des Mille Collines<\/a> \u2013 known all over the world as ‘Hotel Rwanda’ – is\u00a0not a spectacular hotel but it’s a property with such an incredible and moving history that for many visitors to Rwanda, it is a must place to visit.\u00a0Built and managed by Belgian airliner Sabena in 1973, Hotel des Mille Collines was known for two decades as the premier grand hotel of the country. When the 1994 Genocide ravaged the country,\u00a0the hotel\u2019s European managers were evacuated and control was given to local employee Paul Rusesabagina, who used the property as a shelter for\u00a0about 2,000\u00a0fleeing Tutsis and moderate Hutus.\u00a0Rusesabagina\u00a0bribed the\u00a0army\u00a0with money and alcohol to protect the refugees and to obtain food and water. Due to the hotel’s high profile and Rusesabagina public efforts, the United Nations and foreign governments\u00a0exerted pressure on the Rwandan government forces to ensure the safety of those trapped inside.\u00a0This incredible story\u00a0was later used as the basis of 2004 movie ‘Hotel Rwanda’, although the hotel does not actually appear in the film (it was largely shot in South Africa).<\/p>\n

\"STAY<\/a><\/p>\n

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9. UNWIND AT LAKE KIVU<\/strong><\/h5>\n

If you\u2019re surprised that Rwanda has a beach \u2013 you\u2019re not alone. Rubavu (also known as Gisenyi) is a waterfront town located on the northern shores of Lake Kivu, the country’s largest body of water which takes up about half of Rwanda’s western border.\u00a0Only an hour away from Volcanoes National Park, Rubavu is a great way to unwind after trekking adventures. Rich colonial mansions, surrounded by lush tropical gardens fringe the lake shore. Visitors can enjoy a relaxing day strolling down the palm-tree fringed lakeside promenade, enjoy the sunshine on the sandy beach on the lakeshore, or take an energetic swim in the lakes cool waters. Rubavu also marks the beginning of the Congo Nile Trail,\u00a0a tangled network of trails and roads (227 km or 140 mi in total)\u00a0that follows the lake’s amorphous coastline all the way down to\u00a0Rusizi near the border with Burundi. The magnificent landscape between Ruvabu and Rusizi is made up of rolling hills,\u00a0emerald tea plantations and\u00a0small fishing communities, offering cyclists and trekkers a glimpse of Rwandan rural life rarely experienced by most tourists.<\/p>\n

\"UNWIND<\/a><\/p>\n

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8. LEARN ABOUT RWANDAN CULTURE AT BUTARE’S ETHNOGRAPHIC MUSEUM<\/strong><\/h5>\n

Butare was the largest and most important city in Rwanda prior to 1965 when it lost out to more centrally located Kigali.\u00a0Today, Butare is still considered the intellectual and cultural pulse of Rwanda. It is also an attractively compact and sedate town of shady avenues emanating from a main street lined with small hotels and breezy terrace restaurants.\u00a0The most prominent attraction in Butare is the National Museum, which houses the finest ethnographic collection in East Africa.\u00a0Seven galleries display historical, ethnographic, artistic and archaeological artefacts accompanied by visual aides, giving visitors a rich insight into the Rwandan culture. The cultural significance of Butare is further underlined by a visit to nearby Nyabisinu, formerly known as Nyanza, the traditional seat of Rwanda’s feudal monarchy. The impressive Royal Palace at Nyanza, a domed construction made entirely of traditional materials, has been painstakingly restored to its 19th century state and is now maintained as a museum.<\/p>\n

\"LEARN<\/a><\/p>\n

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7. TAKE A TOUR OF A TEA OR COFFEE PLANTATION<\/strong><\/h5>\n

Rwanda produces some of the best quality teas and finest coffees in the world.\u00a0Rwanda’s tea is renowned all over the globe, making it the country’s number one export. And its coffee is winning international competitions as well and sought after by companies like Starbucks.\u00a0The country is perfectly fertile to grow both tea and coffee, especially along the Congo-Nile crest in the country’s west, because of the high altitude, the rich volcanic soil, sunny days and equatorial fog. There are several tea & coffee route experiences in the North and Western provinces. These tours explore the growing and production processes at major plantations, from picking, washing, selection and drying the leaves up until drinking your own tea and coffee. These tours are community based projects, so\u00a0100% of the profit from these tours goes towards the local population.<\/p>\n

\"TAKE<\/a><\/p>\n

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6. CLIMB A VOLCANO<\/strong><\/h5>\n

The “Parc National de Volcans” (or PNV as it’s known by locals) protects the Rwandan portion of the Virunga Moutains, a transfrontier conservation area that includes protected areas in Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo. This corner in northwestern Rwanda is a breath-taking unforgettable place where culture, adventure and conservation intersect, only\u00a0a short two hour drive from Rwanda’s capital of Kigali. Home to five majestic volcanos, the park is covered in thick rainforest and bamboo. The area is known around the world for being home to the world’s last remaining mountain gorillas in their natural habitat, and although visited predominantly for the mountain gorillas (more on that below),\u00a0the dramatic landscape also offers thrilling hiking. There is a chance to climb to Mount Bisoke’s beautiful crater lake or even undertake a two day trek to the summit of Mount Karisimbi (4507 m or 14787 ft), Rwanda’s highest point and Africa’s 5th highest mountain.<\/p>\n

\"CLIMB<\/a><\/p>\n

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5. HIKE TO DIAN FOSSEY’S TOMB<\/strong><\/h5>\n

Dian Fossey – whose story is told in the movie ‘Gorillas in the Mist’ –\u00a0was an American scientist, who came to Rwanda to study the gorillas. She started a war against poaching to save these majestic creatures from extinction but was eventually brutally murdered in her cabin, an event which shocked the world. Theories about\u00a0her murder\u00a0are varied but have\u00a0never\u00a0been fully resolved.\u00a0For anyone interested in Dian Fossey\u2019s personal story, I highly recommend the trek to her grave at\u00a0Karisoke scientific base.\u00a0This base was established by Dian Fossey inside Volcanoes National Park in the saddle area between Mt Visoke and Mt Karisimbi (from which the name Karisoke is derived). The camp site stands at an altitude of around 3000m (over 9000 ft) and was abandoned during the unrest of the 1990s. All that remains today is the graveyard where Dian Fossey and several of her favorite gorillas are buried. The trek to the Karisoke research camp takes around 4 hours and takes you through some of the most beautiful stretches of Hagenia \u2013 Hypericum forest in the the park.<\/p>\n

\"HIKE<\/a><\/p>\n

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4. GO ON SAFARI IN AKAGERA NATIONAL PARK\u00a0<\/strong><\/h5>\n

Akagera National Park, named after the River Kagera, is located in northeastern Rwanda, along the country’s border with Tanzania, about two hours by car from the capital Kigali. Founded in 1934 by the Belgian government (who at that time occupied Rwanda), the park’s spectacular scenery is dominated by savannah, papyrus swamps, small lakes and rolling hills. Following years of recovery after the 1994 Rwanda Genocide, Akagera is now a safe home again for Africa\u2019s Big Five – lion, leopard, rhinoceros, elephant and buffalo – and other incredibly diverse wildlife. It’s also recognized as one of the best spots for bird-watching in Rwanda. Days here are spent with game drives in search of the Big Five and boat safaris on the lakes among many hippopotamus and nile crocodiles. The park’s large surface area and sparse traffic leaves one with the unique feeling of being virtually alone in the wilderness — a feeling that is difficult to come by in the more popular safari parks in Kenya, Tanzania, and South Africa.<\/p>\n