Short visits to Rwanda either before or following a meeting there. For those on a quick journey before or after a conference or meeting, Rwanda is the ideal safari location. This is the correct site if you are looking for safari locations and events to engage in.

Sometimes referred to as the Land of a Thousand Hills, Rwanda boasts several tourist sites where you are sure to have an amazing experience. These are some things you might do either before or after your conference.

 Volcanoes National Park

One of the three sites worldwide for seeing mountain gorillas, Volcanoes National Park is a UNESCO legacy site. With around 10 habituated gorilla families accessible for hiking, Volcanoes National Park is Rwanda’s leading safari destination. Most of Dian Fossey’s studies on gorilla preservation were conducted; her grave is easily seen in the national park.

The Mountain gorillas are the primary draw of Volcanoes; you have to get a gorilla permit to visit them. Direct from the Rwanda Development Board or local travel companies, the gorilla permit runs $1500 per person.

Apart from gorilla trekking, Volcanoes hosts various events such bird watching, where one can see both international and endemic bird species, primate walks, Golden Monkey Trekking, Kwita Izina ritual attendance, and community visitations. Before or after a conference, Volcanoes National Park is the ideal place for a quick getaway if you wish to spend more time with monkeys.

Found along the border of Rwanda and Tanzania, Akagera National Park is the biggest park in Savannah Park in Rwanda. Although the park was home to a great variety of species, many of them were forced to escape to nearby parks as a result of refugees returning to the nation following the Genocide in 1994; locals poached others.

A few years later, the government restored Akagera by introducing lions in 2015 and black rhinos in 2017 to add to the already existing animals like antelopes, crocodiles in the Akagera River, buffalos, elephants, spotted hyenas, leopards, and bushbucks among others in an attempt to boost Tourism in the nation.

Among the more than 500 known bird species found in Akagera National Park are primates include black and white colobus monkeys, red-tailed monkeys, baboons, and vervet monkeys. Among the activities done in Akagera are guided nature walks, bird viewing, game drives, sport fishing, community visits, and boat excursions.

Visit Lake Kivu for a quick excursion; this is one of the places you ought to see either before or after a conference. Worth seeing are the islands Gisenyi, Cyangugu, Amahoro, and Kibuye Island surrounding Lake Kivu; these are on the Rwandan side. Acting as a border between the Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda, it is situated near their junction.

Found in the Albertine Rift Valley (Great Western Rift Valley), Lake Kivu ranks sixth on the African continent and is the biggest lake in Rwanda. With roughly 58% of the Lake in Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwanda shares the Lake.

One of the several villages near Lake Kivu worth seeing is Rusizi, which is situated along Kivu’s shore. Particularly on the south side, the road connecting Rusizi from Kigali offers outstanding views of the undulating hills and surroundings of the lake. Known as Gisenyi, Rubavu is among the biggest settlements along the coast of Lake Kivu.

The town’s old, rustic homes are a result of once being a beach for colonial masters from Uganda. After gorilla walking at Volcanoes National Park, Rubavu is a nice place to rest. Extremely famous due to the beaches and breathtaking vistas, Karonji town is also situated on the coast of Lake Kivu.

Among the pursuits done along Lake Kivu are kayaking, cycling, mountain climbing, and boat cruises.

While some people left Rwanda in search of safety from neighboring nations, the nation was experiencing a terrible era in 1994 during the Genocide that claimed thousands and millions of lives. Though Rwanda has rebuilt following the Genocide, various memorial sites across the nation allow one to learn about the past of the nation. During your brief visit to Rwanda either before or following a conference, you can visit:

Kigali Genocide Memorial Centre is situated in Rwanda’s capital, Kigali. Mass graves with an unknown count of buried dead, names of the Genocide victims etched on the wall, and skeleton skulls of some of the children who perished during the genocide abound here.

Originally a church, the Nyamata memorial site is in the Bugerera area where approximately 3000 persons seeking war refuge were slaughtered. Still evident in the church are some of the proof of their murder.

In the year 3000 Hutus and Tutsis were buried at the Gisozi Memorial Monument. The site features a cemetery, an exhibition house, a library including material on the Genocide and Rwanda, and a picture gallery. The Gisozi site boasts almost 300,000 buried individuals.

The Ntarama Memorial Monument was a chapel where over 5,000 sought-after refugees were slaughtered. Preserved in memory of those who lost their lives during the war, it is approximately one hour distant from Kigali town.

The site of Bisesero Memorial is Karongi town, Bisesero, today known as the Hill of Resistance, where people fiercely battled the Genocide even with limited weaponry. At this site, the battle claimed the life of almost 30,000 individuals.

Site of Murambi Genocide Memorial: this was a school where about 2800 people were killed. It is presently a venue of display after renovations.

Home to a range of primate species, Nyungwe Forest National Park is a natural rainforest kept in its native state for all this time. Among almost 300 bird species, it is home to chimpanzees, baboons, colobus monkeys, red-tailed monkeys, Mangabeys monkeys, and With two chimpanzee families—the Cyamudongo and Uwinka ones—the primary activity in Nyungwe is chimpanzee trekking.

A brief safari to the national park allows you plenty of time to explore it on foot as you enjoy guided nature walks, chimpanzee habituation experience, bird viewing, and the 91-meter canopy walk hanging roughly 50 meters over the woodlands.

Found in the southern province of Huye district, the National Museum of Rwanda is Established in 1987, this museum is regarded as the greatest in East Africa including seven categories, historically arranged objects, and archeological relics. With an experienced guide, the items in the museum highlight the rich culture of the people of Rwanda and let you learn more about them as well as the political perspectives and background. The easiest approach to grasp Rwandan culture is to visit the museum.

In circumstances when you have little time before or after the conference, the one site worth visiting is the capital city of Rwanda, Kigali, which the United Nations has labeled as the most beautiful city on the African continent.

Among additional sites you could find around Kigali are the Kigali Genocide Memorial Center, Handt House Museum, Statehouse Museum, and Museum of National History. A quick drive around Kigali allows you to appreciate the nightlife and see daily life among the residents. While in Kigali, you can participate in other events include visiting the traditional milk stores and helping the city to be cleaned every last Saturday of the month.

Located in the Musanze district of Rwanda, the Musanze Caves discovered within the Virunga area reflect the history of the country. Situated at the base of Volcanoes National Park, more than thirty-two caverns are thought to have been formed during volcanic eruptions over a million years ago. Covering more than two kilometers, the caves are surrounded in lush vegetation and host hundreds of bats. Before you come out from the other side of the caverns, the cave climb lasts roughly one or two hours.

Short travel packing list for Rwanda

For a safari, packing appropriately is rather crucial since it determines how fun your trip will be in Rwanda.

Ideal visit time for Rwanda

Depending on the events one wants to engage in, Rwanda is an all-year travel destination. Still, the ideal times are in June, July, August, and September; December, January, and February, sometimes known as the dry months.

Gorilla trekking, wildlife drives, nature walks, cycling, canopy hikes, and chimpanzee trekking would be best during the dry season. Conversely, the greatest months for a bird-watching safari are March, April, May, October, and November—the wet months.

Does Rwanda make a safe safari trip?

Indeed, Rwanda is regarded as the safest safari location on Africa. Following the 1994 genocide in which millions of people perished, Rwanda’s administration has worked to prevent such events once more, therefore guaranteeing that security comes first for residents as well as foreign guests.

A few things you should know before heading to Rwanda will help you. The Kigali International Airport serves as the major point of entry into the nation; plastic bags are not allowed. Make sure you do not pack them with you while you arrange the safari. Steer clear of wearing skimpy attire on a safari to Rwanda; revealing too much skin is illegal.

Though you are not visiting Rwanda for a conference, you can still arrange a private safari to explore the undulating hills of Rwanda and everything the nation has to offer. The safari places and activities mentioned can be pursued all year long.

Ultimately, the little excursions provide you a perspective on the several safari locations that make your trip to Rwanda valuable. These can be done before or after the conference; we always counsel our clients to reserve the activities they are interested in as early as possible during the busiest season to secure the best prices.