9 Travel Facts About Rwanda You Should Know
9 Travel Facts About Rwanda You Should Know : Rwanda, known as the land of a thousand hills, offers one-of-a-kind experiences in one of the world’s most spectacular countries. It has a remarkable biodiversity, with incredible fauna dwelling in its mountains, highland forests, and wide plains. Travelers come from all over the world to view the gorgeous gorillas, but there is so much more to see and do.
9 Travel Facts about Rwanda You should know;
- Rwanda is one of the smallest countries in East Africa.
Despite its high profile, Rwanda is the smallest country in East Africa, even smaller than neighboring Burundi and overshadowed by Tanzania, Uganda, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Rwanda, with an area of 10,169 square miles (26,338 square kilometers), is also the continent’s most densely inhabited country, with practically every plot of land occupied by villages, residences, or terraced farms.
- Rwanda is made up of several biosphere
Rwanda truly has it all, with the lush rainforests of Nyungwe to the south, the Virunga volcanic mountain to the northwest, and the plains of Akagera National Park to the east. To top it all off, this country is home to a diverse range of indigenous flora, fauna, and animal species.
- It is one of the safest countries to travel and live in
Rwanda is impressively safe, stable, and easy to visit, having been named the World Economic Forum’s ninth safest country in the world and the 11th safest country in the world by a 2017 Gallup poll. Rwanda has gone above and beyond to ensure tourists and locals feel as safe as possible, ranking ahead of countries such as Austria and New Zealand.
- Rwanda is a landlocked country
Despite the fact that images of Rwanda show bright-blue lakes, verdant forests, and towering volcanoes, the country is landlocked. There are currently plans to construct a train from the Tanzanian coast to Kigali with the hopes of enhancing trade capacity and improving East African regional integration.
- Environment and Wildlife conservation is a major priority
Rwanda made headlines throughout the world in 2008 when it banned plastic bags in an effort to go green. Rwanda is as sustainable as it gets, thanks to the country’s conservation efforts for the endangered mountain gorillas of the Virunga mountain range. Dian Fossey‘s efforts and the film Gorillas in the Mist drew a lot of international attention to the issue, but the Rwandan government and several non-governmental organizations (NGOs) have also worked relentlessly to safeguard the gorilla population and its natural habitat.
- Coffee is one of the major exports Rwanda.
Rwandan coffee is in the same league as that of Brazil, Ethiopia, Nicaragua, and Costa Rica. Rwandan coffee, known for its dark and fruity aromas, continues to win global cupping competitions, while cafés, roasters, and artisanal producers become more popular than ever in Rwanda.
- There’s a lot to explore in Rwanda.
Although the majority of Rwandan tourism is now focused on the country’s endangered mountain gorilla population, Rwanda has much more to offer. Sparkling lakes, volcanoes, and diverse national parks, such as Nyungwe National Park and Akagera National Park, provide habitat for Africa’s Big Five, a slew of monkeys, and hundreds of bird species. Furthermore, Kigali, Rwanda’s capital city, is gradually becoming a creative cuisine hotspot not to be missed. Come for the gorillas, but stay for the rest of what this small country has to offer.
- Take a Boat Ride on Lake Kivu.
Lake Kivu is scattered with islands, many of which have their own residents and stories to tell. I went to Bat Island, which is appropriately named because it is home to hundreds of fruit bats (and a few cows).
- Rwanda is a birding Paradise
Rwanda is home to 703 of the world’s 18,000 bird species including many rare species. The Nyungwe Forest, in particular, is well-known for its varied beauty and abundance of birds. The national bird is the Gold Crested Crane. It may be seen at Akagera National Park. The elusive Shoebill can also be found on Akagera.
Activities to do during your safari in Rwanda.
There are quite a number of things that visitors can do during your safari in Rwanda, and some of these top activities include; golden monkey tracking and gorilla trekking in Volcanoes national park, wildlife viewing and boat cruise safaris in Akagera national park, canopy walk, guided nature walks and chimpanzee trekking in Nyungwe Forest national park.
If you are planning to have the ultimate safari experience during your visit to Rwanda, book one of our customized safari tours to Rwanda or Congo by contacting Explore Rwanda Tours.
