Mountain gorillas, rolling tea hills and a remarkably orderly capital.
Rwanda is small, green and steep. In Volcanoes National Park, trekkers climb bamboo slopes to spend an hour with mountain gorillas, while Nyungwe Forest shelters chimpanzees and a canopy walkway. Lake Kivu offers calm lakeside towns such as Gisenyi and Kibuye, and Akagera National Park adds savannah safari. Kigali is clean and easy-going, and its Genocide Memorial is essential, sobering context.
Distances are short and roads good, so it's easy to combine forest, lake and savannah in a week. Expect brochettes, grilled tilapia and excellent local coffee and tea. Plastic bags are banned. June to September is the long dry season and best for trekking; December to February is also good, while March to May brings the heaviest rains.
Best time to visit Rwanda
June, July, August.
Places to visit in Rwanda
Volcanoes National Park: Rwanda's gorilla park, on the bamboo-clad slopes of the Virunga volcanoes, where Dian Fossey did her research.
Kigali: Rwanda's clean, orderly capital, home to the Kigali Genocide Memorial, galleries and a relaxed café culture.
Lake Kivu: One of Africa's Great Lakes, with lakeside towns, island boat trips and cycling along the Congo Nile Trail.
Nyungwe National Park: One of Africa's oldest montane rainforests, with chimpanzees, colobus troops and a walkway high in the canopy.
Essentials
Currency: Rwandan Franc (RWF)
Language: Kinyarwanda; English, French and Swahili are also used
Plugs: Type C / J, 230 V
Driving: Right side
Time zone: UTC+2
Tipping: Tip trackers and guides; around 10% in restaurants
Getting around: Minibuses link towns; most visitors use a private driver for the parks
Entry: Check the official rules for your passport before booking