Rwanda is mountainous, diverse, and just all around gorgeous. Jungles, savannas, volcanoes, lakes, and forests are just a few hours apart, and this little country packs in the beauty. Rwanda is called the ‘Land of a Thousand Hills’ for a reason, and in between activities, don’t forget to take in all the breathtaking views and sunsets.

"The world is a book and those who do not travel read only one page"

Saint Augustine

What to see in Rwanda

Kigali City

Kigali is a stunning city and fascinating capital, Kigali has a disturbing history that has given way to the incredibly peaceful and forward-thinking city of today.

Kings Palace Museum

This is a museum that tells the story of kingdoms in Rwanda Situated on a hill 2km southwest of town. The palace display is a replica king’s ‘palace’. That explains some of the architectural idiosyncrasies inside the royal compound as it was in the ancient days among other things the king had his special royal beer brewer’s hut had an entrance without a lip, and other curiosities such as why the woman who looked after the king’s milk was never able to marry. Not forgetting the inyambo (sacred cows) with their super-sized horns that are right behind the compound.

Karisoke Research Center

Funded by The Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund International, the Karisoke Research Center works to track and study Rwanda’s mountain gorillas, fund anti-poaching initiatives, and teach visitors and locals about conservation.

Ethnographic Museum

This outstanding museum was given to the city as a gift from Belgium in 1989 to commemorate 25 years of independence. It is certainly one of the most beautiful structures in the city, the museum wins top marks for having one of the best ethnological and archaeological collections in the entire region. The seven exhibition halls contain some very interesting items .the museum tells how agriculture, hunting, animal husbandry, weaving, pottery and woodwork in the precolonial was done. The kagondo hut forms the center piece of an exhibit on architectural and living compounds in precolonial times. The museum is also the venue where the Intore dancers and drummers perform.

Lake Kivu

Rwanda’s largest lake, located in the west of the country, is stunning. Gisenyi and Kibuye, two of the largest towns on the lake, have plentiful guesthouses, restaurants, and activities.

Gorilla guardians Village/Ibyacu cultural village

Visitors get to experience a typical Rwandan village life by grinding sorghum or millet on a stone, firing bows and arrows, taking part in a traditional graceful intore dance and even partaking in the mock marriage of a king to his queen

Genocide Museum

This memorial honors the estimated 250,000 people buried here in mass graves and also has an excellent exhibition that tries to explain how it was that the world watched as the 1994 genocide unfolded. In the span of 100 days, an estimated one million Tutsis and moderate Hutus were systematically butchered by the Interahamwe army. This is an intensely powerful and moving memorial for which you should dedicate at least half a day.