Beyond the Gorillas: What else to do in Rwanda
Coming face to face with a mountain gorilla family is, for most travellers, the single reason they book a trip to Rwanda in the first place. Trekking through the misty slopes of the Virunga Mountains and spending an hour watching these gentle giants go about their day is unforgettable. But treating gorilla trekking as the whole trip would be selling Rwanda short. The country packs an impressive range of experiences into its small size, and once your permit day is done, there is plenty more to fill out an itinerary. Here are some of the best ways to round out a Rwandan adventure.
Track Chimpanzees in Nyungwe Forest National Park
If gorilla trekking left you wanting more time with primates, Nyungwe Forest National Park should be your next step for chimpanzee tracking and witnessing other primate species that call this park home. Your Chimpanzee tracking day starts early with a briefing on park rules and what to expect, before you head into the forest behind an experienced guide. The walk itself is part of the fun due to the stunning biodiversity of this legendary rainforest. While on the trek, you’re likely to spot other primates, a variety of birdlife, and unusual forest plants. Once the chimps are located, you are allowed a full hour to watch them forage, groom, and swing through the canopy, giving you plenty of time to photograph and film their antics.
If gorilla trekking left you wanting more time with primates, Nyungwe Forest National Park should be your next step for chimpanzee tracking and witnessing other primate species that call this park home. Your Chimpanzee tracking day starts early with a briefing on park rules and what to expect, before you head into the forest behind an experienced guide. The walk itself is part of the fun due to the stunning biodiversity of this legendary rainforest. While on the trek, you’re likely to spot other primates, a variety of birdlife, and unusual forest plants. Once the chimps are located, you are allowed a full hour to watch them forage, groom, and swing through the canopy, giving you plenty of time to photograph and film their antics
Go on a Wildlife Game Drive in Akagera National Park
For a complete change of wildlife scenery, tailor your itinerary to Akagera National Park, Rwanda’s only savannah park. Game drives here are scheduled for early morning, late afternoon, or after dark for who wish to observe nocturnal wildlife in action. The park is home to the Big Five, along with zebras, giraffes, hyenas, and several antelope species including, impala, Topi, waterbuck, roan antelope, oribi, and bushbuck among them. The experience in Akagera National Park is completely different rhythm from trekking through dense forest, and a great way to witness Rwanda’s landscapes.
Walk the Canopy in Nyungwe
Nyungwe Forest also offers the canopy walk which is one of the most exhilarating short activities in the country. Starting from the Uwinka Reception Centre, you’ll hike the Igishigishigi trail before reaching a suspended bridge hung 160 metres above the forest floor. While o the canopy bridge, the views stretch out over the treetops and, on a clear day, as far as Lake Kivu and the distant Virunga volcanos. Keep your eyes open in search for primates like blue monkeys, L’Hoest’s monkeys, and black-and-white colobus monkeys, birds and insects which are frequently spotted along the trail, other wildlife creatures that dwell in the forest canopy.
Meet and Track Golden Monkeys in Volcanoes National Park
Lesser known than mountain gorillas, golden monkey tracking is just as rewarding to track and considerably livelier. These stunning primates also reside in the bamboo forested zones of Volcanoes national park. The day begins with a briefing at park headquarters before guides lead you off in search of the monkey troops following trails marked by discarded bamboo shoots and leaves. Since the golden monkeys move around constantly in search for food, the trek can take anywhere from thirty minutes to four hours. Once found, you’ll spend an hour watching them play and leap between branches. This is a far more energetic encounter that can easily be added to a gorilla safari.
Hike the Virunga Volcanoes
Rwanda shares five of the eight Virunga volcanoes, and all are open for hiking: Karisimbi, Bisoke, Muhabura, and Gahinga. Sabyinyo hikes are limited due to its steep ridges and deep craters. Each summit offers something different, whether it’s the crater lake at the top of Bisoke or the sweeping views from Karisimbi, all hikes are challenging but greatly rewarding due to exposure through varying vegetation zones covered by stunning plant life. Along the hiking trails, hikers regularly encounter primates, and birdlife, making the hike as interesting as the summit itself.
Spot Rare Birds (Go birding)
With more than 750 recorded species, Rwanda ranks among Africa’s top birding destinations. Nyungwe Forest, Volcanoes National Park, Akagera, Lake Kivu, Gishwati-Mukura National Park, and even parts of Kigali all offer strong birdwatching opportunities, and local guides know exactly where to look. Birders expect to see Albertine Rift endemics alongside forest, wetland, and migratory species. Some of the common species include, Rwenzori turacos, grey crowned cranes, African finfoots, and Shelley’s crimsonwings among others.
Dive into Local Culture
No trip to Rwanda is complete without spending time with the natives. Community visits offer a chance to sit down with locals, learn about Rwanda’s traditional customs and history: try traditional banana beer brewing, enjoy local dishes, and traditional performances (songs, dance and folk tales). Many travellers’ itineraries always include a stop at a former royal palace, a visit to one of the country’s genocide memorials, craft centres and markets — a sobering but essential part of understanding modern Rwanda.
In addition to the above, Rwanda offers more handfuls of quieter pleasures worth adding to your travel schedule: these include visiting tea and coffee plantations, taking a boat cruise on Lake Kivu and other designated waterbodies, or visiting sites attached to the legacy of Dian Fossey (Karisoke Research Centre, Ellen de Generes Campus, and Dian Fossey’s gravesite), Hiking along the Congo -Nile trail, hiking along the trails in Nyungwe, among others. Each activity adds a different texture to the trip.
In conclusion
Gorilla trekking may be the headline of your Rwanda trip, but it’s just an introduction to what Rwanda has to offer. Between chimpanzee tracking, volcano hikes, game drives, boat cruises and cultural encounters, the country has enough fill your week or more without ever feeling repetitive. Plan a few extra days around your trekking permit, and to get into the depth of why Rwanda is referred to as the “Land of a Thousand Hills”.
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