Land of a thousand hills, mountain gorillas and golden monkeys.
Capital City
Kigali
Land of a thousand hills, mountain gorillas and golden monkeys.
Rwanda is a Country where history has given new life to an amazingly warm population. A landlocked East African country bordered by Uganda, Tanzania, Burundi, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, it is one of the smallest countries on the African mainland. Yet an example to many, cleanest country in Africa, No plastic bag policy, Most female parliament members in the world to name a few.
Even more than that, Rwanda has a wealth of possibilities, waiting to be discovered and explored. It is one of the only 3 countries in the world to be home to the mountain gorillas. Its renowned Volcanoes National Park is where one can see the mountain gorillas and golden monkeys in their natural habitat. In the southwest is Nyungwe National Park, with ancient montane rainforest, it is a habitat for chimpanzees and other primates. Besides forest, mountains and wildlife, Rwanda is blessed with the some of the best inland beaches on the continent. The Lake Kivu is a beautifully kept secret.
We do not recommend you drink tap water. When travelling, bottled water is always safer. And avoid taking ice in your drinks, you do not know what type of water is used.
Yes, both Rwanda and Uganda have stepped up measures to prevent any violence from spilling over from the neighbouring countries. As such there has not been any issues since the last ten years in Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda.
Mountain gorillas are a critically endangered species and a lot of steps have been put in place to protect the gorillas. A high price is a way to limit the number of visitors, but also part of the permit cost contributes to the conservation program, employing people to monitor the well being of the gorillas. Moreover, trekking with the gorillas is for many a dream experience and the demand for such an exclusive experience is reflected in the higher price.
For any kind of purchases, supermarket, at the market or to give a tip, it is better to have some Rwandan Franc in cash. Credit cards are current in hotels and restaurants. But in shops local money is more handy.
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