Rwanda

The tiny, East African nation of Rwanda is one visitors to the region shouldn’t overlook. Here, visitors are greeted with dramatic, lush, green mountains, such as the Ruhengeri, home to the famous silverback gorillas. But nature isn’t the only reason to visit: its capital, Kigali, has a vibrant cultural scene and is home to the Kigali Genocide Memorial, a powerful and important museum where visitors can learn about the country’s past.

A silverback gorilla in Volcanoes National Park

A silverback gorilla in Volcanoes National Park

Photo by Bailey Berg

Overview

Planning your trip

Use these articles, resources, and guides to plan and inspire your next trip to Rwanda.

Read Before You Go
Resources to help plan your trip
If you want to visit the mountain gorillas of Volcanoes National Park and beyond, make one of these lodges your home base in Rwanda.
Rwanda reopened its international airport in August, and we touched down not long after, eager to see how responsible tourism can support the gorillas of Volcanoes National Park.
AFAR spoke with Dr. Chika Ezeanya-Esiobu, an expert in indigenous knowledge, who shared her thoughts about meaningful travel through Africa.
With its geometric shapes and bright, natural colors, “imigongo” cow dung art would look right at home in a Brooklyn living room. This traditional art form, which was nearly lost during the 1994 genocide, is once again flourishing across the Land of a Thousand Hills.
Africa’s natural wonders tend to hog the spotlight, but increasingly, travelers are falling in love with creative urban hubs across the continent like Kigali and Nairobi.
Seeing gorillas in the wild would be reason enough to visit Rwanda, but this beautiful country offers much more.
A country once divided by hatred is showing the world how to heal. For travelers, it’s a destination where both nature and humanity inspire awe.
As a child in Rwanda, Clemantine Wamariya lived a comfortable, middle-class life. Then came the genocide. In the space of months, Clemantine—who later escaped and became a human-rights advocate—went from being a six-year-old surrounded by home and family to a refugee.
Here’s What It’s Like to Be a Coffee Buyer
Sign up for our newsletter
Join more than a million of the world’s best travelers. Subscribe to the Daily Wander newsletter.