Traveling in Rwanda

Rwanda is a country in East Africa that is landlocked and has a green, mountainous landscape. It is renowned for its national parks and wildlife.

Exploring the Capital Kigali

The capital of Rwanda is Kigali and is located in the center of the country. It has many hills, ridges and valleys.

Kigali Genocide Memorial honors an estimated 250,000 people who were the victims of the Interashamwe Army and were buried here in mass graves. There is an exhibition that explains how it all happened. Visitors can get an informative audio tour. There are many descriptive photos of what took place. Upstairs is a section that offers visitors information about other genocides that have taken place around the world and helps put Rwanda’s nightmare into a historical perspective. There is a lovely rose garden and a cafe to relax in.

Camp Kigali Memorial is a spot where ten Belgian UN peacekeepers were murdered on the first day of the genocide. Each stone column represents one of the soldiers and the horizontal cuts in it represent the soldier’s age. The bullet-sprayed building in which the soldiers died has a small exhibition on the genocide.

Inema Art Center is a collective of ten resident artists and guests. It has become the foremost modern art gallery in Kigali. There are paintings, sculptures and traditional crafts. There are dance and music performances and courses. Much of the art is for sale and can be shipped internationally.

The Museum of Natural History is Kigali’s best museum. It offers exhibits on Rwanda’s geology and natural wonders. The museum found its home in the 1907 residence of explorer Richard Kandt and is reputed to be the first building in Kigali. There is a wonderful view from the garden overlooking the city.

The State House Museum is a former presidential palace located on the eastern outskirts of the city. It is an amazing place to explore with a secret room and a presidential nightclub. The wreckage of Juvenal Habyarimana’s presidential plane can be seen right in the spot where it was shot down just over the garden wall.

Taking a Look at Rwanda

Huye was once known as Butare and many locals still know it by that name. It is home to the National University and the National Institute of Scientific Research as well as other learning centers. Visitors can hear stories of the Old Tutsi monarchs at the National Museum of Rwanda and can enjoy the Huye Market.

Volcanos National Park is an amazing place to explore. All around is the wild, mist-topped backcountry. Above it rises such mighty mountains as Karisimi and Sabyinyo. All around there are craggy volcanic peaks, lush montane forests and thick groves of African redwoods. You can see the uber-rare mountain gorilla.

Kibuye is a lovely town jutting out into the waters of Lake Kivu. It is surrounded by high hills. You can find little eco-lodges on the shores, an interesting Catholic church and a memorial to the Rwandan genocide. There are also some empty beaches and many boats for tours.

Akagera National Park has savannah and riparian swamps. It borders Tanzania. Here you can see herds of giraffes, antelopes, jackals and much more. Visitors enjoy taking safaris.

The Kagera River gives way to the waters of Lake Shakani. There are papyrus swamps and protected birding areas.

Lake Kivu sits among the hills and mountains of the Albertine Rift Valley.

Gisenyi is located in a place where the African jungles cascade down grassy hills with palm trees and exotic cassias. The banks of the lake are lined with bamboo shacks and eco-lodges.

Nyanza is home to the ancient King’s Palace. This was one of the last capitals of the pre-colonial Kingdom of Rwanda. There are many bits of history to be discovered in the museum.

The town is also home to the Rwesero Art Museum offering a rich collection of art.

Step into the mystical world of Nyungwe Forest National Park. It is the single largest enclave of montane forest that remains in this corner of the continent. There are thick canopies of mahoganies and clambering jungle vines.

You can see chimpanzees, rare golden monkeys, grey-cheeked mangabeys and huge baboons.

Gisuma is the king of coffee in Rwanda. It sits among the foothills and sylvan valleys which rise to the Nyungwe Forest. Even though the town is small it is well-known for its coffee the world over. The area around the town is lovely with rolling fields of coffee and mountains all around.

The waters and surrounding area of Lake Muhazi are a favorite place for relaxation. The banks have many secluded picnic spots and there is a popular country club with volleyball courts, quiet cabanas, eateries and bike and boat rentals.

Gishwati Forest National Park is the place where mass migrations of refugees headed during the genocide in the 1990s and has suffered from deforestation. You can see bare ridges and rolling meadows. Thousands of new trees are to be planted by 2020.

The green highlands and woods are beautiful and are home to the L’Hoest’s monkeys and chimps.