Rwanda
The Muzungu’s top reasons to #VisitRwanda
1 – Go mountain gorilla trekking in the Virunga mountains, northern Rwanda. I have written extensively about gorilla tracking in Rwanda. Click on the links for more information or refer to my Ultimate Guide to Mountain Gorilla Tracking.
2 – Learn about gorilla conservation. Visit the grave of famous primatologist Dian Fossey and her favourite gorilla, Digit
3 – Rwanda is an eco-tourist’s dream: 670 bird species, 400 butterfly species, primates galore!
4 – Golden monkey trekking is highly recommended!
5 – Enjoy safari game drives in Akagera National Park, bordering Uganda, a ‘small but perfectly formed’ savannah safari destination where animal numbers are on the increase. Read Rhinos to Rwanda: the largest ever transport of rhinos from Europe to Africa begins today.
6 – Take advantage of free WiFi across Kigali! Oh yes! You can even check your email or WhatsApp when you’re on the city’s buses.
7 – Learn about the genocide of 1994. Visit the Gisozi Genocide Memorial Centre in Kigali. Incredibly moving and a must-visit experience.
8 – Lie on the tropical beach at Lake Kivu. Rwanda has a number of crystal clear lakes. The sandy beaches and tropical weather of Lake Kivu, shared with neighbouring Democratic Republic of the Congo, make the lake a popular weekend and holiday spot. Gisenyi and Kibuye are two popular resort towns.
9 – Go chimpanzee trekking in Nyungwe Forest. Birding in Nyungwe Forest is popular and the forest is home to big groups of Black and White Colobus monkeys. I travelled to Nyungwe Forest with my good friend primatologist chimpanzee expert Julia. Julia Lloyd features in the World Atlas of Great Apes and Their Conservation (and is best known for her work in habituating the chimpanzees of Kibale Forest in Uganda).
10 – Hike the magical volcanoes of the Virunga
11 – Watch fabulous traditional Intore dancing. The traditional culture of Rwanda is evidenced everywhere: the Intore dancers are captivating!
12 – Rwanda is a small, accessible country with good roads
12 – English is the (new) lingua franca and French is spoken by many in the capital and in hotels and tourist destinations
13 – The East Africa Tourist Visa makes travel to Rwanda, Uganda and Kenya more affordable.
The small landlocked country of Rwanda is known as the “Land of a Thousand Hills,” something which you will very quickly appreciate on a road trip. I still have the feeling of being thrown from left to right, right to left, for hours on end, when we drove up and down the hills, round one bend, then back around another, as we travelled from Kigali, the capital of Rwanda, down to Bujumbura, the capital of Burundi. (Historically connected, the two countries share very similar geography).
Rwanda is flourishing, and tourists love to visit this safe and popular little country that has invested heavily in tourism and infrastructure over the last two decades.
Many visitors are lured to Rwanda by the famous and critically endangered Mountain Gorillas, who make their home in the staggeringly beautiful Virunga volcanic chain.
It is even possible to fly into Rwanda for just 24 hours to see the gorillas, but I wouldn’t recommend that, there’s a lot more to Rwanda than the mountain gorillas.
Did you know…? The East Africa Tourist Visa makes it easier and cheaper to combine a trip to Rwanda with a visit to Uganda and Kenya.
Are you planning a Rwanda tour? Check out my Travel Directory or read reviews of 100s of Rwanda tour operators on SafariBookings.com
Where to travel in East Africa: the muzungu’s recommendations
Diary of a Muzungu’s recommendations for Uganda, Kenya, Rwanda
Happy New Year, dear Diary reader! Thanks for your support.
Are you thinking about where the next 12 months will take you? Here are some of my favourite places …
UGANDA – Kampala “KLA”- coffee, culture and chimpanzees!
Denmark’s most popular newspaper, Politiken, asked me to recommend the Top Things To Do in Kampala for their Insider Guide. We agreed that Danish culture and cafe buffs would appreciate the Ndere Cultural Centre, Gaddafi National Mosque in Old Kampala, Kampala Art Biennale, the Bahai Temple and Acacia Mall in Kisementi (for the obligatory cappuccino fix).
There are many Kampala tours; uniquely, the Kampala Dark Day Tour is the creation of a criminologist! Namugongo Martyrs Shrine and Wamala Tombs are two of the tour’s most fascinating historical stops (blogs in draft folder!)
Ngamba Island Chimpanzee Sanctuary, Lake Victoria
Our closest relative is bound to inspire you! Ngamba Island Chimpanzee Sanctuary is perfect for a family day out, for camping with friends or as a romantic overnight getaway. It is internationally reknown for its high standards of primate care.
The whole family LOVED Ngamba Island Chimpanzee Sanctuary!
Mount Gahinga Lodge, Mgahinga Gorilla National Park, near Kisoro
Be the first of your friends to track the gorillas of Mgahinga! The little-visited but engaging gorilla family has now been resident for three years, so sightings are virtually guaranteed. Alternatively, track the rare golden monkeys, hike one of the Virunga’s three volcanoes or interact with the Batwa tribe who inhabited the forests for 60,000 years. Their story is unique. For all the info you need to plan your trip to one my favourite parts of Uganda, read Can you name the distant volcanoes of Mgahinga?. Fly with Aerolink from Entebbe to Kisoro for a real treat!
Promoting tourism across Uganda: Arua and West Nile
Enthusiasm for tourism in Uganda is at an all time high across the country. I loved visiting Gerald Iga’s hometown of Arua. Read what I discovered in “10 little-known things to do in Arua & West Nile.”
Birdwatching – anywhere and everywhere in Uganda!
Sunbird Hill, next to Kibale Forest, is named for its 14 sunbird species (I’m sure the birding experts will find more!)
Ornithologist Malcolm Wilson is planning his next bird ringing expeditions when he will be ringing at Sunbird Hill and other popular Ugandan birding locations. Read Malcolm’s blog of a previous bird ringing trip to Sunbird Hill.
KENYA – Nairobi nightlife, rail journeys & the coast
Come, we go! The East Africa Tourist Visa & Interstate Pass make travel between Uganda, Kenya and Rwanda cheaper for tourists and expats + easier for nationals. Read my blog and go!
Did you know…? In 2017 the ‘Lunatic Express’ train from Nairobi to Mombasa was replaced by new trains on a new track. This gives you two opportunities: to ride the old-fashioned trains for the last time and, after Easter, enjoy the far quicker four-hour journey to the coast.
Tawi Lodge was named Ecotourism Kenya’s Eco-Warrior Facility of the Year. The award-winning conservancy has arguably the best views of (Tanzania’s) Mount Kilimanjaro.
Have you visited the muzungu’s Kenya travel page?
RWANDA: Nyungwe Forest, Rwanda
Kampala to Nyungwe by road: 14 hours by bus + 3 hours by matatu minibus + hmmm… a bit longer on a smaller bus + half an hour ride on a boda boda through the dark forest + hitch hiking is not everyone’s dream journey but Jules and I LOVED it! Nyungwe Forest’s canopy walk and chimp tracking are both highly recommended.
Have you visited the muzungu’s Rwanda travel page ?
Nyungwe Forest is in a remote corner of East Africa that borders Burundi and the DRC.
And just for laughs, here are a few highlights that you may have missed:
… laughing & (crying?) at another of the muzungu’s dating disasters
… more dramas at the airport!
… stalking celebrities! I love #SityaLoss – still my favourite dance video!
DID YOU KNOW…? Daily updates, Uganda travel advice and random photos come thick and fast on my Diary of a Muzungu Facebook page or follow me @CharlieBeau on Twitter.
It’s going to be a busy year for Diary of a Muzungu – where will you be traveling to? Do keep in touch!
