Rwanda safari tours-Land of a thousand hills – walk with mountain gorillas in the mist in Volcanoes National Park
Rwanda Safari tours – land of a thousand hills – Safaris to one of Africa’s smallest continent means that Rwandese getaway is always going to a long complicated journey than a mini-day break.But then everything about Rwanda is larger than what you expect in life,right from its spectacular Geography, the thriving capital city(Kigali), National parks, beautiful mountain scenery, surprisingly diverse wildlife, to its extraordinary flora and fauna.Add sophisticated cities like Butare, Ruhengeri,Gisenyi and Kibuye, and the generality of Rwandese themselves and you have all the ingredients for the perfect trip.
Rwanda is one of the most popular travel destinations in Africa.Its known as a major gorilla trekking, camping, road trip and hiking destination, but no matter your travel style, there is something to draw you closer.The country is filled with natural beauty and iconic man-made wonders which will make you feel like you are in Africa, creating memorable experiences that can never be forgotten, but keeps you wanting to visit over and over again since every trip that you make, you will always find something new about this country to love.The country has plenty to occupy a longer holiday and certainly deserves further exploration. Use the extensive guide to help plan your trip and you will forever love the country as much as other tourists who have ever visited.
Gorilla trekking-Rwanda safari tours
Your encounter with the Gorillas is far much inspiring than any other wildlife experience.The precious hour spent in their company-watching the group playing,sulking, teasing each other, eating etc is extraordinary, and gorilla trekking in Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park is among the best in Africa.
Volcanoes National Park is a home to about 15 habituated groups of mountain gorillas that are scattered all over the park.You will be expected to leave in the morning for your briefing at the park headquarters,after which in the groups of eight each will be taken by a guide and trackers can involve covering long distances, traversing through thick vegetation and the paths- if there are any that can be muddy from the latest rain. It may make it a bit more difficult and it is good to move along at a pace that is right for you, drink plenty of water along the way and use the assistance of a porter to carry your day pack and make your trek a bit easier. There is a gorilla group that is just right for you to visit and for you to enjoy that one hour in the presence of the gorillas.
The trekking experience will be highly rewarding after spending an hour in the presence of the gorilla group after the encounter.
Golden Monkey tracking.
This species was previously thought to be a subspecies of the blue monkey (Cercopithecus mitis) and the two are similar overall, but the golden monkey has a golden-orange patch on the upper flanks and back.
Not much is known about the golden monkey’s behaviour. It lives in social groups of up to 30 individuals. Its diet consists mainly of bamboo, leaves and fruit, though it is also thought to eat insects.
Birding
Rwanda safari tours to Volcanoes national park is rich in Bamboo, grassland, Afro-alpine and bushland vegetation with montane forest which favour the survival of different species of birds.For bird junkies, abirding safari in Volcanoes national park will definitely be a perfect choice of Adventure offering you the best African bird encounters.
Volcanoes National Park alone has approximately 300 bird species and the keen bird watchers can easily be able to see more than half of the birds which include; handsome francolin, the Rwenzori turaco, the Archer’s ground robin,the red-faced woodland warbler , the dusky crimson-wing, Rwenzori double collared sunbird, there is the collared apalis and the Rwenzori batis as well as the strange weaver, African Green Broadbill, Lagden’s Bush-shrike, and Kivu Ground Thrush and many others.
Birding begins in the morning with a briefing and then together with the well trained birding safari, you will enter the jungle to search for the different bird species that live in this forest.
Hiking Dian fossey tomb site
Hiking Dian Fossey’s grave site is one of the must do activities in the Volcanoes national Park in Rwanda.The hike aims at giving all tourists alearning experience about the hard work of the Dian Fossey, famous American primatologists and conservationist. Who dedicated her life to research about the mountain gorillas.She built aresearch camp in the valley between Mount Karisimbi and Mount Bisoke hence the name Karisoke.She was eventually killed because of the various conflicts with the negative forces who were against her works of protecting the mountain gorillas and their habitat and was later buried longside other gorillas at her center-Karisoke Research Centre.This is the very big reason as to why the survival of the mountain gorillas islargely credited to her.
Iby’Iwachu Cultural village
Rwanda safari tours – The Iby’Iwachu cultural village is established ,near Volcanoes nationl park in the Nyakigoma cell, Kinigi sector in Musanze district.it was created with the Intention to expose the local and traditional lifestyles, acivities, artfacts and also have an in depth encounter to participate in the communities daily activities and the activities are aimed at sharing the heritage of Rwandese with the Rwanda safaris under takers.
Iby’iwachu cultural village offers a range of activities that those who visit encounter on their safaris, which includes; the guided community walk which exposese you to the way of life of the community, visiting the replica of the kings house and the traditions attached it like the kings stories like where you will get an opportunity of being enthroned as king of the day, which would remain as an ultimate lifetime memory; eight different traditional dance stules with great musical instruments like the intore dances, umuduri, Ibyivugo, drumming,Iningiri,ikembe, Inanga, Amakondera,Ingoma and Agakenke; visiting alocal traditional leader,listening to the hilarious gorilla songs sangby the Kayuku, attending the banana brewing process, food preparation and dining with the locals, visit the Batwa people as they perform there ex-poaching tactics, and there unique pottery tactics.
The cullture has a well stated code of conduct designed to ensuere sustainable tourism development as it also offers accommodation to Rwandan safari takers, arranged in local grass thatched mud houses crafted in the ancient architecture of the king’s form with spacious kings houses which can handle over 200 occupants with acamp fire and every type of accommodation has along drop toilet, open fire heated bathing waterand abucket which is used for bathing. Fresh food is also availed to visitors who can also take part in the cooking encounter since it is noted that Rwandese have three meals aday that ie breakfast, lunch and dinner all togetheras afamily.
It is a 2 hours drive from Kigali city to musanze district and an additional minutes of of 20 from Musanze which can easily be accesed by both public and private means .The center tends to achieve its motives by through provision of livelihood base projects, conservation incentive and suppoeting the development of community enterprise.
Chimpanzee tracking/trekking
Rwanda safari tours to Visit nyungwe national park , The home of 13 species of primates and the common chimpanzees.Tracking the chimps is so much different from Mountain gorilla experience and are moving constantly around and at high speeds, leaping from tree to tree, and keeping up with them is also the main challenge and the biggest determinig factor of the amount of time spent with them.Above all, the chimpanzees are the famous ones and core wildlife attractions inthis national park. The section of Nyungwe Forest National were the chimpanzees are tracked also begins in Cyamudongo, a 4 and half hour drive from Kigali.
Monkey tracking is an awe-inspiring and unforgettable moment that the tracking junkies can never erase from their minds because they get to see various species which include;L’Hoest monkeys, black and white colobus monkeys,blue monkeys and Red tailed monkeys among others.Mokeys are lively and playful creatures that keeps you alert all the time by their continuous shouts,noise,movements and jumpas from one branch of the tree to another.
Like gorillas and chimpanzees, Monkey trekking also begins in the morning with briefing first at the park headquarters before entering the jungle; spend approximately 4-5 hours with one hour for direct viewing after which you will return to your staring point so as to continue with other safari schedules. Nyungwe forest national park features the best canopy walk way in the whole of East Africa and Kigali Memorial center
Kigali Memorial memorial center is asecred centre for both the locals and the foreigners, that gives a new perspective on life and things that happens, It is one of the biggest sites that reminds us that Goodwill always overcomes evil-bringing in the concept of reconciliation and forgiveness.It is a resting place for more than 250000 victims of the genocide against Hutus and Tutsi as well as honouring the peoplen who were killed through Education and building.
While in the site, an experienced guide- usually a genocide survivor to walk you through; the children’s section, the gardens with the childen, burial site which is covered over with concrete, the names of those who were killed written on the wall,among others,all these lead to amoving and and meaningful experience.
AKagera national park
Akagera national park is one of the oldest located in the North East of Rwanda along the Tanzanian border.The park was established in 1934 to protect the animals and vegetatin in three ecoregions, that is savannah, mountain and swamp.the park is named for the kagera river which flows along its eastern boundaries feeding into several lakes the largest being Lake Ihema The complex system of lakes and linking papyrus swamps makes up over a third of the park, and is the largest protected wetland in Eastern-Central Africa.
Due to land shortages, in 1997, the western boundary was regazetted and much of the land allocated as farms to returning refugees. The park was reduced in size from over 2,500 square kilometres (250,000 ha) to its current size. Although much of the best savannah grazing land is now outside the park boundaries, what remains of Akagera is some of the most diverse and scenic landscape in Africa.