Safaris in Rwanda- things to do in Rwanda

Many tourists plan memorable safaris in Rwanda to mark their birth days, Christmas celebrations, New year celebration, while others just need to take vacation/ holiday to refresh mind. Things to day in Rwanda include:

Gorilla trekking / tracking safaris: In Africa, Rwanda is one of the leading tourist destinations. World wide, Rwanda is known for hosting majority gorilla tracking visitors in East and central Africa hence  making volcanoes national park a chief world heritage site. Due to high demand for Gorilla permits through out the year, visitors are advised to book their permits in advance. Today, Rwanda Gorilla permit is sold at US$ 750 each and are obtained from Rwanda Development Board heard quarters in Kigali but it becomes easier if you book through local tour operators.

Mountaineering or Mountain hiking trips: Being a land of a thousand hills, Rwanda welcomes many tourists planning mountaineering safaris to reach the peaks of virunga ranges. Some of the mountains hiked include visoke or Bisoke volcano, Karisimbi volcano, climb mount Kigali  among others- Visitors can as well visit mountain gorillas and then climb any of the mentioned mountain.

Boat cruising/ canoe ride safaris: Lake Kivu is worldwide known for clean, clear, free from reptiles like crocodiles and Hippos, more so, bilharzia free waters. To that  therefore, it is used for boat cruise and canoe ride to visit different islands found on this lake. Visitors with big wallet can book a luxury boat from Kivu Serena Hotel at US$ 300 or hire a low cost boat at US$ 100 for the group. Canoe rides are commonly done on the twin lakes known as Burera and Buhondo- twin lakes are found 1 hour drive from Volcanoes National park and 4 hours drive from Kigali while Lake Kivu is found after 5 hours drive from Kigali and 2 hours drive from the home of mountain Gorillas. Therefore, visitors can do gorilla tracking as well as boat cruise.

Kigali city tour: Some visitors take trips in Rwanda purposely for Kigali city tour to visit Gisozi Genocide memorial museum, attend one of Kigali's annual events like Gorilla naming ceremony 'Kwita Inzina' ,  visit the Nyamirambo, go to the public libraries and read novels, Visit local art and craft stalls, fruit markets, Watch movies, live music and visit night clubs, take sun set bicycle ride, Boozy, go for massage, go for brochette or just sit and chill off while viewing beautiful attractions in Kigali.

Motor biking safaris: Being orderly country, visitors can organise sun rising and sun setting motor biking though Kigali and other places in Rwanda. While on motor bikes, tourists can view many attractions in the shortest time possible therefore, visitors with a fix schedule are advised to plan motor biking safaris.

Mountain biking trips: This safari need some expertise and fitness to be able to tour many places. No worry, bikes can be hired from tour operators through African Jungle Adventures at US$ 20 per day. The biking can start from Kigali and back or the race can be conducted  along the shores of Lake Kivu depending on the will of the clients.

Chimpanzee trekking tours: The seven hours drive from kigali will take you to Nyungwe Forest national park known as the home of chimpanzees and other 12 different species of primates.  Chimpanzee tracking is the major tourist activity in Nyungwe forest National park however the chimp permits are booked in advance from Rwanda Development board at US$ 90 each.

Canopy walk safaris: This is a newly launched safari in Nyungwe forest National park- Canopy walk helps visitors view a wide range of attractions like birds, tree species, butter flies, hills, valleys, water bodies among others. The canopy walk provides a clear plat form for excellent photographing- therefore, professional photographers are advised to take this safari.

Golden monkey trekking trip: Visitors to volcanoes National park are not only encounter mountain Gorillas but also see golden monkeys. This is the second loved tourist activity in volcanoes national park- they are also known as  “Blue Monkey” and is endemic to the high altitude forests. Golden monkeys are playful and attractive to see- their trekking is conducted from morning hours after briefing but not strenuous like gorillas .  From Volcanoes national park, visitors can cross to Uganda (3 hours drive) and track golden monkeys from Mgahinga national park. Today Rwanda golden monkey trekking cost US$ 100 while Uganda's cost US$ 50. Therefore, clients with low budget are advised to take Mgahinga golden monkey trekking.

Kigali city walk safari: This is a newly launched tourist activity in Kigali - Rwanda, it not only reward visitors with a close view of attractions but also enable tourist to gain fitness through exercising their bodies.  Kigali city walk enable visitors visit clubs, markets, local art and craft shops, monuments, Hotels, companies, flower gardens, Gisozi Genocide memorial centre among others.

Colobus monkey trekking safari: This is conducted in Nyungwe forest National Park - colobus monkey tracking can supplement chimp trekking and cost US$ 75 only. Like other trekking, colobus monkeys are also visited in morning hours.

Nature walk safari: Many tourists embark nature trips in Rwanda to view wonderful relief like the Virunga ranges, drainage features like Lake Kivu, Twin lakes trip, view forests like Nyungwe forest, Volcanoes bamboo forest among others. The is endowed with beautiful, attractive and amazing relief, drainage, forest and so on- the cool climate is also awesome- this is because the topographic nature of Rwanda is hilly or mountainous.
Birding tours: Rwanda hosts both resident and foreign birds. Resident birds are those born and stay in Rwanda or bird from other countries but decided to migrate to Rwanda to stay there permanently. Foreign birds are those which visits Rwanda seasonally- birds migrate from European countries to dodge winter seasons but goes back when summer prevails. Rwanda hosts more than 720 bird species and some of them include: Grebes, Pelicans, Cormorants, Darters , Bitterns, herons and egrets , Hammerkop , Storks , Shoebill , Ibises and spoonbills , Flamingos , Ducks, geese and swans , Osprey , Hawks, kites and eagles , Secretary-bird , Caracaras and falcons , Pheasants and partridges , Guineafowl , Buttonquails , Cranes, Rails, crakes, gallinules, and coots, Sungrebe and finfoots, Bustards, Jacanas, Painted snipe, Avocets and stilts, Thick-knees, Pratincoles and coursers, Plovers and lapwings, Sandpipers and allies, Gulls, Terns, Skimmers, Pigeons and doves, Parrots, macaws and allies, Turacos, Cuckoos and anis, Barn owls, Pittas, Larks, Swallows and martins, Wagtails and pipits, Cuckoo-shrikes, Bulbuls, Thrushes and allies, Cisticolas and allies, Old World warblers, Old World flycatchers, Wattle-eyes, Monarch flycatchers, Babblers, Chickadees and titmice, Penduline tits , Sunbirds and spiderhunters, White-eyes ,Old World orioles, Shrikes, Bushshrikes and allies, Helmetshrikes among others. The most popular birding sites in Rwanda include Nyungwe forest, Lake Kivu, Volcanoes National Park, Twin lakes, Akagera National park especially around Lake Ihema and so on.
Visit genocide memorial site in Rwanda tour: In 1994, Rwanda experienced a catastrophic saga which involved mass killing of people and the end result was the creation of many genocide memorial museum like Nyamata, Gisozi, Murambi, Ntarama, Bisesero, Nyanza and Nyarabuye.
Twin lakes safari: Twin lakes are found in the northern province of Rwanda. Twin lakes are Burera and Buhondo- the two are beautiful and a must visit to supplement other safaris in Rwanda. At the twin lakes, visitors can take photos, swim, canoe ride, sport fishing, parting, and birding among others. From Volcanoes National Park, it is one hours drive to the twin lakes and four hours drive from Kigali- therefore, visitors can do gorilla trekking and then visit the twin lakes.

Wildlife safari in Rwanda: Game drives are done in Akagera national park to see lions, buffaloes, Elephants, Leopards, Hyena and so on. Along water bodies like Ihema lake, visitors see a variety of birds, crocodiles, Hippos among others.