Rwanda is one of the beautiful East African countries known for the gorillas and the different hills and is now called the land of a thousand hills. Also, Rwanda gained fame during the 1994 Rwanda genocide wars that happened between the Hutu and Tutsi. With many attractions in Rwanda, this country has 4 national parks of which the 3 are the most visited and known and the fourth one is newly established. Volcanoes national park, Nyungwe National Park, Akagera national park and Gishwati-Mukura National Park.
Volcanoes National Park.
Volcanoes National Park is located in the northern side of Rwanda and it covers an area of 160 square kilometers. Like its name suggests Volcanoes, it’s located in the Volcanic mountains of Virunga Massif and it comprises five out of eight Virunga Volcanoes mountains and these are Bisoke, Karisimbi, Muhabura, Gahinga and Sabyinyo.
This park has a lot to discover while on your Rwanda safari and among others are the mighty gentle giants which are the mountain gorillas, golden monkeys, different bird species, beautiful scenery covered with waterfalls, and the trees that make the jungle and the mountains themselves. This means that you can opt to take the park for different touristic activities such as gorilla trekking which exposes tourists to being in front of these apes for an hour. Also, tourists take part in bird watching, visiting Dian Fossey’s graveyard, hiking the mountains, nature walks and golden monkey trekking.
Akagera national park.
Akagera national park is the largest conservation area in Rwanda among all the 4 national parks. The park covers an area of 1,085 Square kilometers and it’s known to be the only savannah park in the country. Akagera is located in the north-eastern part of the country and borders Tanzania. It gets its name from the lengthy Akagera River that flows across the border and pours its waters into lake Ihema. While on your Rwanda safari to this park, there is a lot to explore such as the beautiful African savannah landscape, the big five animals (lions, elephants, buffalos, rhino and leopard), different bird species, and many more.
While in this park, you can take part in the game drives that normally takes 2 to 3 hours, boat cruises on lake Ihema, hot air ballooning which is newly introduced, bird watching and many more. All touristic activities in this park are under the supervision of the park ranger guide who is always well-armed to protect tourists in case of any attack.
Nyungwe National Park.
The park is home to 13 primates, just like Kibale National Park of Uganda. It’s also known for chimpanzee tracking and it covers an area of 1,000 square kilometers. It’s known to be one of the oldest national parks in Africa and one of the Important Birding Areas (IBAs) in Rwanda with over 300 bird species and 75 mammal species. While in Nyungwe National Park, you can take part in chimpanzee tracking, canopy walking, bird watching, biking and much more.
Gishwati-Mukura National Park.
This is newly created and it has not yet been discovered to the fullest but it’s located in the western part of Rwanda and lies in the four districts of Rubavu, Nyabihu, Ngororero and Rutsiro. It was gazetted in 2015 to conserve the wildlife species in Gishwati and Mukura forests. This park harbors different species such as mammals, bird species plant species and much more. One of the main activities carried out in this park is monkey trekking, nature walks and chimpanzee trekking.
When to visit Rwanda National Parks?
Rwanda National Parks can be visited any day of the year depending on the time you have for your holiday. There are two rainy or wet seasons and two dry seasons, the wet season is from October to November and March to May. The dry season is from June to September and December to January. Tourists are advised to travel during the dry season since touristic Activities are not hindered like when it’s a rainy season. If are you planning to visit Rwanda National Park, contact us today to book your Rwanda safari.
