Rwanda National Parks protect a diversity of habitats including the most ancient ancient rainforests, montane forests, expansive grasslands and woodland habitats and extensive wetlands. These untouched and unspoilt natural habitats are a haven of biodiversity ranging from the endangered mountain gorillas, chimpanzee, golden monkey, the Big 5 wildlife and over 750 bird species checklist.
Rwanda’s has 4 national parks, well linked with an excellent road infrastructure and serviced by a wide range of accommodation facilities from super luxury to mid-range differing in comfort levels, location and personal service.
A Guide to Rwanda National Parks
Rwanda is a prime tourist destination offering a holistic African holiday experience where activities include; lifetime trekking experiences up close the mountain gorilla and chimpanzee, to adventure, to cultural immersion experiences and to exclusive Big-5 wildlife safaris. In these between these premier attractions,
Rwanda offers the best montane birding anywhere on the continent due to its geographic location at the heart of the Albertine Rift, ranking this small country, a top birding destination.
Here are attractions and things to do while visiting these national parks that can be tailored and knotted together to create a memorial safari expereince.
Top Attractions and Activities to do in Rwanda’s National Parks
-
Mountain Gorilla Trekking
Mountain gorilla trekking is offered at Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park located in the north-western corner of the country. This premier destination for mountain gorilla trek expereince is part of the greater Virunga Conservation Area shared between Rwanda, Uganda and the DRC. Mountain gorillas are the largest of the apes, bulky in size, strict vegetarians occurring in family groups and restricted to the montane forests of the Virunga mountain ranges and Uganda’s Bwindi Impenetrable Forest.
Mountain gorilla trekking expereince at Volcanoes National Park is a lifetime adventure, where you trek to come up-close to a family of mountain gorillas as they forage, and on locating them, spend one-hour in their company and observing similar human-like traits.
Gorilla Trekking is a high demand expereince where permits ought to be booked and paid well in advance.
-
Chimpanzee Trekking
Chimpanzee trekking expereince in Rwanda is offered at Nyungwe Forest located in the south-west of the country where up to 3 communities of common chimpanzee are habituated for visitors. Charismatic, active and agile, chimpanzee are the nearest relatives to man sharing up to 98.7% of human DNA. Dairy guided treks begin from Nyungwe Forest two reception offices of Uwinka and Gisakula.
-
Golden Monkey Trekking expereince
Golden monkey trekking expereince is the next exciting adventure at Volcanoes National Park where visitors trek across montane ranges to encounter this localized primates. The golden monkey is endemic to the bamboo ranges across the Albertine Rift montane ranges where Volcanoes National Park protects the largest population.
Golden monkey’s are active and photogenic, living in large groups numbering up to 100 individuals with a dormant male on top. The guided trek experiences are similar to mountain gorilla treks where on locating them, visitors get to spend one-hour with the monkeys. Expereince duration lasts between 4-5hrs.
-
Birdwatching
Rwanda’s National parks offer the most rewarding and holistic birding anywhere in the region with opportunities to explore a diversity of habitats in close vicinity of one another. These bird-rich hotspots explore varied Africa’s top biomes that converge in this small country.
These include; vast ancient montane rainforests that host the rare Albertine Endemics and an excellent list of high-altitude specialists. Elsewhere the country protects vast wetlands recognized as Important Bird Areas (IBA’s) with a diversity of specialists.
In the east of the country, Akagera National Park is an incredible birding hotspot comprises of a plethora of habitats supporting up to 500 species including the rare prehistoric Shoebill and biome restricted specialists on their northern limit.
Rwanda’s top birding hotspots include, Nyungwe Forest, Umusambi Village, Gishwati-Mukura NP, Akagera National Park and more. Detailed write up on reasons to come birding in Rwanda here.
-
Canopy Walk and Forest Hiking
Nyungwe Forest offers one of the best hiking expereince on the continent with over 14 excellent forest trails traverse this ancient forest revealing snow-white waterfalls and a diversity of primates. Forest hiking expereince are tailored to your time and adventure thirst ranging from half-a day to multi-day plans.
Canopy walk expereince begin at Uwinka Park reception and offers an bird’s eye view over this vast highland rainforest.
-
Mountain Hiking
Mountain hiking is another great adventure offered in Volcanoes National Park where adventures choose any of the 4 peaks protected within the park. The most popular hike is a Day hike to Bisoke peak that stands at 3711m. Mount Karisimbi hike is a two day adventure that lead onto its peak at 4507m.
Shorter day hike while at Volcanoes NP include Dian Fossey Tomb hike that follows the popular foot steps of the researchers work to visit the old research station where her remains are buried alongside her mountain gorilla friends.
-
Game Drives to encounter the African Big Five Wildlife Safari
Rwanda’s only savanna national park of Akagera National Park offers the most exclusive Big 5 wildlife safaris due to low numbers of tourists making the expereince even more personal. Running along the country’s eastern borderline with Tanzania, Akagera NP protects a plethora of habitats from vast wetlands, lakes, rolling wooded hillsides and extensive grassland plains.
The park is a conservation success having recovered from tragic poaching in late 90’s to today’s top wilderness park offering an African Big-5 safari expereince. The park’s mega game include; lions, leopards, elephants, Black and White rhinos, giraffes, Nile crocodile, hippos and over 550 species.
Activity highlights at Akagera NP include; game viewing drives for African Big-5 wildlife, birding, excellent boat safaris that bring you up-close to aquatic wildlife, wilderness camping, and excellent walking safaris.
-
Game Viewing Boat safaris
Game viewing boat safaris in Akagera National Park are a major highlight for wildlife enthusiasts visiting here. Scheduled boat cruises are conducted on Lake Ihema, the park’s largest fresh water lake where you come close and personal to large schools of Hippo, Nile crocodile and abundant birdlife.
Boat safaris on Lake Ihema are scheduled on morning and late afternoon plans going for 2hrs each round trip. Private cruises can be arranged in between these day schedules to fit your available time. schedules.
-
Walking Safaris up close to African Big 5 Wildlife
Walking safaris are the best way to enjoy the African Bush bringing you closer to nature, following its rhythm and symphony far beyond game drive tracks. These guided walks are led by knowledgeable guides who will interpret each call, smell, tracks and marking and guide up-close large herbivores like white rhinos. Walking safari durations differ from half-day (along the park edges) or one-hour up-close the white rhinos.
-
Wilderness Camping
Wilderness camping is offered in Akagera National Park giving you opportunities to sleep under the starlit African skies listening to various sounds and calls of nature. Akagera National Park boasts excellent campsites set in the middle of the wilderness along major routes of local game.
