Rwanda’s scenic beauty is unique. Known as the land of 1000 hills, Rwanda boasts of sceneries that display lasting memorabilia. Bring your camera with you on this great adventure and make yourself an album of lasting memories.
Nyungwe forest lies at an elevation of between 1,600 metres and 2,950 metres, and enjoys an agreeably cool. An extensive network of well maintained forest trails leads to a number of waterfalls and viewing points. Nyungwe is celebrated for its rich variety of flora and fauna. There are at least 200 tree species found in the forest, along with hundreds of different flowering plants, including wild begonia, more than 100 species of orchid, and sensational giant lobelias.
The lushly forested slopes of the mountains in the Volcanoes National Park form an appropriately dramatic natural setting of what is arguably the most poignant and memorable wildlife experience in the world: gorilla tracking. The exhilarating climb to the gorilla’s natural habitat of shady bamboo forest offers fantastic views in all directions, before the trackers are immersed in the mysterious intimacy of the rainforest, alive with the calls of colourful birds and the chattering of rare golden monkey.
An exhilarating trek through the cultivated foothills of the Virungas offers stirring views in all directions. The bustling market town of Ruhengeri has a memorable setting at the base of the Virungas. On the outskirts of the town, the natural bridge at Musanze – a solidified lava flow – is a fascinating relic of the volcanic activity that shaped this scenic area. Also within easy day tripping distance of Ruhengeri are the seldom visited but lovely Lakes Burera, Ruhondo and Karago.
There are lots of things to see in Rwanda, the land of a thousand hills.
Kigali Genocide Memorial
For survivors and others whose families were murdered in Rwanda´s genocide 1994, the Memorial sites and centres are places of dignified remembrance for loved ones lost. It is also a place of reflection and learning for the wider community, both in Rwanda and internationally.
The memorial centres for example are including three permanent exhibitions, the largest of which documents the genocide in 1994. There is also a children´s memorial, and an exhibition on the history of genocidal violence around the world. The Education Centre, Memorial Gardens and National Documentation Centre of the Genocide all contribute to a meaningful tribute to those who perished, and form a powerful educational tool for the next generation.
There are some other memorial sites near Kigali, Butare and Kibuye like the Ntamara church, where nothing was changed in it after the mass murder except taking the bodies of the victims away.
BEACHES
Lake Kivu is an extraordinarily beautiful inland sea enclosed by steep, green terraced hills along the Congolese border. Three resort towns, Gisenyi, Kibuye and Cyangugu, stand on the littoral, connected by a wild roller-coaster road that tumbles through lush plantain fields and relic patches of misty rainforest to offer sweeping views over the blue water. It is one of the classic road journeys in all of Africa. There is also charter boat service on the lake connecting the 3 towns.
Gisenyi is set on a sandy beach, lined with swaying palms and colonial-era hotels that exude an atmosphere of tropical languor. Tourist activities at Kibuye are centered on a modern lakeshore guesthouse overlooking pine-covered hills seemingly transplanted from the Alps.
Away from the main resorts, Rwanda’s lakes offer visitors rewarding glimpses into ancient African lifestyles. Fishermen ply the water in dugout canoes unchanged in design for centuries, while colourfully dressed ladies smoke traditional wooden pipes and troubadours strum sweetly on stringed iningire (traditional ‘guitars’).