Rwanda Information

Rwanda is a land of rolling hills and volcanic peaks, fertile, lush landscapes, and thick-leaved green forests. The Virunga Mountains whisper of mist and giant, gentle primates whose footsteps and memories have consolidated with the soil. Appropriately called the “Land of a Thousand Hills,” Rwanda takes you on a mesmerizing journey into the wild and beautiful, the mystical unknown. 

Rwanda’s location

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Rwanda is a landlocked state in the east-central area of Africa with 26,338 km 2 . Rwanda is smaller than the state of Maryland in the USA. It shares its boundaries on the north side with east Tanzania, south of Burundi, and the west and northwest with the Democratic Republic of the Congo (former Zaire).

Rwanda’s Climate

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Because of its high height and overlapping hills, Rwanda has a lovely tropical highland climate. Temperatures fluctuate significantly from region to region due to altitude differences. The average temperature of Kigali, on the central plateau, is 70°F. A long season of rain lasts from Feb – May, and a short season of rain lasts from Nov to Dec.

Wildlife, Gorillas, and Scenery tourism in Uganda

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Every year, many visitors travel to Rwanda for its stunning rain forests, rolling hills, charming people, and rich biodiversity, including the critically endangered mountain gorillas. The Virunga volcanoes, especially Mt. Bisoke and Mt. Karisimbi, offer greater climbing chances, which several others prefer. These trips are frequently planned as Rwanda safaris, which might include gorilla trekking, wildlife excursions, chimpanzee trekking safaris, climbing opportunities, and cultural excursions, especially in the east and north regions. Volcanoes National Park’s gorilla trekking is the most favored of all the activities.

Rwanda has three national parks that conserve its wildlife.

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Rwanda has three National Parks Akagera, Volcanoes, and Nyungwe Forest. A fourth park, known as Gishwati – Mukura, has recently been added. Elephants, Bush Bucks, Giraffes, Buffalo, Hippopotamuses, Zebras, Lions, Monkeys, Mountain Gorillas, Golden Monkeys, Leopards, and Chimps, and numerous species of monkeys, hyenas, jackals, antelope, crocodiles, and other animals can be found in these parks. The national parks and agricultural fields are home to various birds, including Albertine Rift endemics in Nyungwe Forest and Volcanoes National Park. Rwanda is situated on the East African plateau, among the Congo River basins and the Nile. The ground lowers dramatically to Lake Kivu in the Rift Valley; to the east, the land drops gradually across the middle plateaus to the country’s eastern swamps and lakes. Almost the entire country of Rwanda is at least one thousand meters above sea level, with the central plateau rising between 1,500 and 2,000 meters. The volcanic Virunga Mountains border the Congo in the northwest and have the highest peak, Mt. Karisimbi, at 4,519 m/14,826 ft. Lake Kivu, located 1,460 meters (4,790 feet) above sea level, drains into Lake Tanganyika via the severely falling Ruzizi River in Rwanda’s east. The Kagera River, which runs along with most of Rwanda’s eastern border, empties into Lake Victoria, Africa’s largest freshwater lake shared by Tanzania, Uganda, and Kenya.

Tourism in Rwanda – People, Culture & Language

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Kinyarwanda, French, and English are the official languages of Rwanda. But, Kinyarwanda, a representative of the Bantu language family, is the most common form of communication in Rwanda. Rwandans will converse in Kinyarwanda no matter wherever you go in the nation. Agriculturalists, herders, and gatherers, known as the Batwa, who inhabited the forests, made up most of Rwanda’s population. Nowadays, most Rwandans live in rural communities and engage in agricultural activities.

Security & Safety

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Rwanda has a meager crime rate in general. You are, nevertheless, advised to use caution, just as you would in any other location. The capital city of Uganda is Kampala, and Kampala is forty km away from Entebbe International Airport; this airport is the first destination of most tourists in Uganda. This capital city is a sophisticated, multicultural metropolis that symbolizes Uganda’s continued economic prosperity and political stability. Unlike most other African cities, it is also renowned as Africa’s cleanest city, with almost no traffic congestion.

Kigali’s distance from major cities and tourist attractions

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The journey from Kigali to Nyungwe Forest National Park is approximately two hundred and twenty-five km long and takes about six hours. Due to the twisting route here, you will essentially be driving at 50 km/h. There are also several trucks on the road heading to the Congo and Burundi. It takes around 2 hours to go from Kigali to Volcanoes National Park, 80 km away. The reason for this is that the route is curving and corners. You’ll most likely be driving at forty km/h for most of the traveling. The slow movement is exacerbated by the enormous trucks transporting items. A trip from Kigali to Akagera is 120 km long, and it is total travel of 2.5 hours almost. The Akagera National Park is located near the Tanzanian border. The topography is often flatter than in other sections of the state. The journey from Kigali to Butare is one hundred forty-two km long and takes approximately three hours. Butare (Huye) is en route to the Nyungwe forest. It is a significant halt due to the Ethnographic Museum and the National University of Rwanda. It takes around 3 hours to travel from Butare to Cyangugu (on the southern shore of Lake Kivu). Cyangugu, on the south coast of Lake Kivu, occasionally offers lodging for visitors to the Nyungwe forest for chimp trekking, canopy walks, and Colobus trekking.

The traveling between Ruhengeri and Gisenyi is 62 km and takes around one hour. This is a straighter path with fewer turns. In general, there isn’t a lot of traffic. Kigali to Kibuye is 130 km and takes around three hours. Kibuye is a fantastic holiday getaway from Kigali. The determination is enjoyable mainly, with only a little traffic and hills to contend with. Kagera Safaris Your African vacation trip to Rwanda will be planned by Sight View Safaris depending on your preferences, like gorilla and chimpanzee trekking, wildlife, birding, community, and cultural safaris, photographing, water rafting, rock climbing, or forest walks. You can discover anything you’re looking for right here!

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