Things to do in Rwanda

25 things to do in Rwanda

Listed in full below. The running order is set by votes and loads with the page.

• Gorilla trekking in Volcanoes National Park

  Trek through misty bamboo forests to sit within metres of a wild mountain gorilla family on the slopes of the Virunga volcanoes.

  Musanze, Volcanoes National Park

• Walk the canopy walkway in Nyungwe Forest

  Sway above the ancient treetops on East Africa’s highest suspension bridge, with views across the vast montane rainforest.

  Nyungwe Forest National Park

• Go on a classic safari game drive in Akagera National Park

  Spot elephants, lions, giraffes and zebras roaming the savannah, wetlands and lakes of Rwanda’s only Big Five park.

  Akagera National Park, Eastern Province

• Visit the Kigali Genocide Memorial

  Walk through the poignant exhibition and mass graves honouring victims of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi in a serene garden setting.

  Kigali

• Relax on the sandy shores of Lake Kivu at Rubavu

  Swim, kayak or simply lounge on the beach with views of the Democratic Republic of Congo across the calm, deep-blue water.

  Rubavu (Gisenyi)

• Tour the King’s Palace Museum in Nyanza

  Explore the replica of the traditional royal hut and meet the long-horned Inyambo cattle that still parade at this historic seat of Rwanda’s monarchy.

  Nyanza

• Learn traditional crafts at the Ethnographic Museum in Huye

  Housed in a colonial-era building, this museum displays Rwanda’s finest collection of indigenous tools, baskets and traditional clothing.

  Huye (Butare)

• Hike to the crater lake atop Mount Bisoke

  Climb through bamboo and hagenia forest to the perfect blue-green lake that fills the volcanic crater, with parrots and golden monkeys en route.

  Volcanoes National Park

• Pay respects at Dian Fossey’s Tomb and Karisoke camp

  Trek to the final resting place of the celebrated primatologist and the ruins of her research base, high among the gorillas’ volcanic home.

  Volcanoes National Park

• Take a tea plantation tour and tasting at Gisakura Estate

  Walk the emerald slopes of a working tea estate bordering Nyungwe Forest, learn about leaf plucking, and sip freshly brewed Rwandan tea.

  Nyamagabe, near Nyungwe Forest

• Master a coffee cupping session at Question Coffee in Kigali

  Smell, slurp and savour single-origin Rwandan coffees in a bright café that sources directly from women farmer cooperatives.

  Kigali, Kimihurura

• Join a community walking tour with Nyamirambo Women’s Center

  Wind through Kigali’s oldest, most colourful neighbourhood with local women guides, visiting a salon, mosque and homes and ending with a home-cooked meal.

  Kigali, Nyamirambo

• Admire contemporary African art at Inema Arts Center

  Browse vibrant paintings and sculptures by resident artists in a gallery that has become a creative heartbeat of the capital.

  Kigali, Kacyiru

• Hike a scenic stretch of the Congo Nile Trail from Rubavu to Karongi

  Follow footpaths along Lake Kivu’s shoreline, passing fishing villages, small coves and coffee plantations with endless water views.

  Rubavu to Karongi

• Kayak on Lake Kivu from Karongi

  Paddle out onto the serene lake, with forested islands and steep green hills rising directly from the shore for a half- or full-day adventure.

  Karongi (Kibuye)

• Discover the twin volcanic lakes Burera and Ruhondo

  Visit the quiet, glittering lakes ringed by steep hills near the Uganda border – perfect for a peaceful canoe ride or viewpoint picnic.

  Near Musanze

• Watch traditional drumming and dance at Iby’Iwacu Cultural Village

  Feel the energy of the Ingoma drums and learn about Rwandan kingdom rituals from former poachers turned cultural performers in a replica village.

  Kinigi, near Volcanoes National Park

• Tour the Presidential Palace Museum at Kanombe

  Walk through the former home of President Habyarimana and see the wreckage of the plane whose crash sparked the 1994 genocide, preserved in the grounds.

  Kigali

• Stroll through Nyandungu Eco-Park in Kigali

  Explore rehabilitated wetlands via boardwalks and bike paths, spotting herons and weavers just minutes from the city centre.

  Kigali, Nyandungu

• Go chimpanzee trekking in Nyungwe’s Cyamudongo Forest

  Rise early to track wild chimpanzees through a remote patch of dense rainforest, hearing their calls echo through the valley.

  Nyungwe Forest National Park (Cyamudongo)

• Take a boat safari on Lake Ihema in Akagera

  Glide past pods of hippos, basking crocodiles and a wealth of waterbirds against a backdrop of papyrus and acacia woodland.

  Akagera National Park

• Reflect at the Nyamata Genocide Memorial

  Enter the stark church where over 10,000 people were killed, with victims’ clothing and remains telling an intimate story of the 1994 horror.

  Nyamata, Bugesera

• Browse and haggle at Kimironko Market

  Squeeze through the busiest market in Kigali, piled high with fresh passion fruit, vegetables, printed fabrics and handmade baskets.

  Kigali, Kimironko

• Summit Mount Karisimbi on an overnight trek

  Climb Rwanda’s highest peak (4,507m) through changing vegetation zones to a dramatic summit where snow occasionally dusts the ash.

  Volcanoes National Park

• Sip sunset cocktails at Pili Pili lounge

  Relax by the infinity pool of this chic hilltop bar with panoramic views over Kigali’s twinkling lights and rolling hills.

  Kigali, Kiyovu