Rwanda National Parks: Safari Destinations in Rwanda

Rwanda National Parks: Safari Destinations in Rwanda, In French, Rwanda is called “le pays des mille collines,” which means “the land of a thousand hills.” It is a landlocked country in the middle of Africa that covers 26338 square kilometers. Tanzania is to the east of Rwanda, Congo is to the west, Uganda is to the north, and Burundi is to the south.

For example, Akagera National Park, Nyungwe National Park, Gishwati-Mukuru National Park, and Volcanoes National Park all have ecosystems and wildlife areas that are protected. Gishwati-Mukuru National Park is the newest of these parks.

No two Rwandan national parks are the same when it comes to wildlife or ecosystems. Akagera Park is the only place in the world where you can see all five of the “big five” animals. Volcanoes National Park is home to mountain gorillas. Because it is the oldest and cleanest mountain forest in all of Africa, Nyungwe Forest in Rwanda is without a doubt the best place to go chimpanzee hiking. Beyond having its own chimps, Gishwati-Mukura has the potential to become the best place in Rwanda for ecotourism and birdwatching.

 Volcanoes National Park

Volcanoes National Park is one of the national parks in Rwanda. It is in the northwest of the country. A lot of people visit this Rwanda National Park. There are 160 square kilometers of land in the park, and it is higher up. Five of the eight Virunga Massifs can be found in Volcanoes National Park. These are Mount Bisoke or Visoke, Mount Karisimbi, Mount Muhabura, Mount Gahinga, and Mount Sabinyo.

The most mountain gorillas live in Volcanoes National Park, followed by Bwindi National Park in Uganda. Forest Gorillas are not the only animals that live in the park. There are also Golden monkeys, Red-tailed monkeys, Colobus monkeys, and other animals like bushbucks, buffalos, hyenas, and black-fronted duikers. In addition, the park is home to 200 different kinds of birds, such as the handsome francolin, the strange weaver, the dark crimson-wing, the collared Apalis, the red-faced woodland warbler, and the Archer’s ground robin.

Things to do at Volcanoes National Park

Gorilla hiking in Volcanoes National Park: One of the best things to do in Rwanda is gorilla trekking. You shouldn’t miss this trip if you’re interested in wildlife. There is only one park in Rwanda where you can see these critically threatened gorillas. There is one gorilla walk every day, and eight people visit each gorilla group.

At the park offices, the first part is a briefing on the rules and regulations for gorilla trekking. After guests are given a ranger guide, they start their search for these gentle giants. It could take anywhere from a few minutes to six hours to walk as far as the group you are following. You will only be able to stay with the group for one hour after you initially meet them.

Golden monkey trekking is similar to gorilla trekking in the park. People hike through the Virunga Mountains to find bamboo trees where monkeys are hiding. When looking for golden monkeys, it’s not as hard as looking for gorillas, which are known to move around a lot to find a place to sleep at night. It’s easy to find them, though, since they don’t build new eggs every night.

Mountain hiking: The Virunga mountains are one of the most well-known places in Rwanda, so this is one of the most common things to do in Volcanoes National Park. Because of this, safaris in Rwanda are drawing people from all over the world who want to have an amazing journey.

Dian Fossey Hike: In Volcanoes National Park, the Dian Fossey Tomb Hike is a great thing to do. American primatologist Dian Fossey put her life in danger to save mountain gorillas that were in danger of going extinct.

In Rwanda, one of the most popular things to do is the Iby’iwacu cultural village tour in Volcanoes National Park. The best way to mix this activity with a gorilla trekking safari in the national park is to do things with these cultural groups.

Nyungwe National Park

Nyungwe National Park is one of Rwanda’s national parks. It is in the southwest of the country, close to the border with Burundi. This is a montane jungle in the Albertine Rift. It is part of the Ngungwe National Park.

Because the park was such a good place to protect forests, it was made a forest reserve in 1933. In later years, though, some of the park’s biodiversity was lost, so protection efforts are needed. The area was made a National Park in 2004 and includes forests, bamboo, grasslands, swamps, and bogs that cover about 1000 km2.

Things to do at Nyungwe National Park

For those who like to be outside, the canopy walk and hiking tour is one of the most fun things you can do in Rwanda. This is the only place in Rwanda National Parks where you can do this. As you walk along the sky walk, you may see different kinds of monkeys, birds, trees, and other things. There are 60 meters of the sky walk above the ground.

You can see chimps on a safari that is different from trekking. You can go chimpanzee trekking in Nyungwe Forest. Treks with chimpanzees can last from 30 minutes to 7 hours and begin early in the morning. People need to wear boots, jackets, hats, and clothes with long sleeves. You can fit up to eight people on a tour chimpanzee.

Cultural Tours for the Community: A cultural tour for the community in Kahuzi-Biega national park is a great way to learn about the native cultures of the DRC and meet friendly locals.

Watching birds: Nyungwe National Park is one of the best places to go on a bird tour in Rwanda and the world. It is designated as an Important Birding Area by Birdlife International. The best place to do this is on the metal canopy walkway, which has amazing views of the hills and tea gardens nearby. There is a good chance that tourists on a birding trip in the national park will see the Congo peafowl, the Yellow-crested Helmet Shrike, the African Green Broadbill, the Rockefeller’s Sunbird, the Ruwenzori Turaco, and the trogons, among other birds.

Akagera National Park

There is a national park called Akagera in the districts of Kayonza and Nyagatare in the eastern part of Rwanda. The national park covers an area of 1,122 square kilometers and has savannah plants, woodlands, montane forests, swamps, lakes, fields, and other types of vegetation that buffalo, zebras, elephants, giraffes, lions, hippos, and leopards live in.

Akagera is the only savannah park in Rwanda. Its name comes from the Kagera River, which runs through it and forms the border between Tanzania and Rwanda.

Things to do in Akagera National Park

Boat trip: The boat trip in the park is going to be a lot of fun. A lot of different boats are available to rent if you want to. You can go on a planned boat trip, or you can rent the boat for different events, like an engagement party, a need for privacy, etc.

The Walk the Line Tour lets tourists see what the people who work at the fences in Akagera National Park do every day by walking through the fences. The two-hour walk with a park ranger along a 120km perimeter fence makes sure that the park is fully safe and operating.

Fishing on Akagera: Lake Shakani in Akagera National Park is a great place to fish because it is home to many kinds of fish, including tilapia and catfish. People can relax and fish on the edges of the lake before cooking their catch at their campsite over an open fire.

A look behind the scenes in Akagera National Park: People who are planning trips to Akagera National Park can now find out how the park is run. As part of the “behind-the-scenes tour,” visitors to Akagera can visit the park’s offices and meet the staff. They can also learn about the park’s exciting conservation projects.

Game Drives: The best way for tourists to see Rwanda’s animals, especially the “Big Five,” is to go on a game drive in Akagera National Park. Elephants, lions, rhinoceroses, leopards, and cows are just some of the big animals that live there. The area is 1,122 square kilometers. In the Rwanda National Parks, this is the only place where you can relax and get close to animals.

Forest walk with a guide: Another way to enjoy the park is to go on a forest walk. During the guided nature walks, you will have a great time and have the chance to see many interesting things, such as bodies of water where different animal species can quench their thirst and a wide range of bird species.

Gishwati Mukula National Park

Gishwati Mukura is Rwanda’s newest national park. It was created in 2015 when the Gishwati and Mukura forests were joined together. It covers only 34 square kilometers, making it the smallest national park in Rwanda. The park was created mainly to protect the wildlife that lives in both woods. When you go to Gishwati Mukura national park, you can see many kinds of monkeys, as well as bird species and beautiful views.

Primate groups live in large numbers in this park because it is a forest and the communities were pushed out by the trees, which also pushed out big mammals like buffalo. In Gishwati-Mukura Park, you can often see chimpanzees, golden monkeys, L’hoest monkeys, blue monkeys, olive baboons, vervet monkeys, black and white colobus monkeys, and more.

There are many kinds of birds that live in this park, such as the Purple-breasted Sunbird, the Martial Eagle, the Strange Weave, the Grey Crowned Crane, the Dusky Crimsonwing, the Ruwenzori Turaco, Mountain Yellow Warblers, the Red-throated Alethe, and more.

Gishwati Mukula National Park things to do

For chimpanzee hiking, Nyungwe Forest National Park in Rwanda is the place to go. It is home to two groups of chimpanzees. Chimpanzee hiking is one of the main things to do in Gishwati Mukura. Tourists who want to do it should know that it starts very early in the morning. The park’s center is where tourists are met and told about the rules they need to follow while trekking with chimpanzees.

Bird watching: Gishwati Mukura national park is one of the best places in Rwanda to see birds, and it’s also the place where you’ll have the best experience. Don’t forget your birding checklist when you go birding in the park, which is home to 232 kinds of birds, 15 of which are only found in the libertine rift.

The Rwenzori Batis, the dusky turtle lover, the paradise flycatcher, the archer’s ground robin, and the African Rwenzori are some of the other birds that you might see. The Ruwenzori turaco, the common moorhen, the Ruwenzori night jar, the gray-throated tit, the dusky crimson wing, and the red-faced forest warbler are some of the birds that you can see.

Visit the waterfalls. The Kazaneza waterfalls are another interesting place to visit. They are in the middle of the Gishwati Mukura national park. The park’s waterfalls are great for photographers, and you can also have a lunch there and watch different kinds of primates drink at the base of the falls.

You can go golden monkey trekking in Gishwati Mukura National Park, which is home to more than just the eastern chimpanzee. The golden monkey is the most well-known of these animals. It is fun to go trekking with these primates because you can often find them in big groups in the bush.

Early in the morning, a park ranger with a lot of experience will take you on a golden monkey trek. During your hike, you’ll look for monkeys in the bush for several hours. Park workers will know where to find the primates before you get there, so you must make a reservation through the park’s office.