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Things to Do in Rwanda

From gorilla trekking in Volcanoes National Park to Kigali's remarkable recovery story - the essential sights, and how to keep your own record of them.

Travel guide - last updated September 2026

Rwanda has rebuilt itself dramatically since the 1994 genocide, and Kigali is now regularly cited as one of Africa's cleanest and safest capitals. Its main draw for most visitors remains Volcanoes National Park's mountain gorillas, tracked at a shorter, often easier hike than Uganda's Bwindi, alongside the country's own difficult history, honestly documented rather than avoided. Here are 5 places worth building a trip around.

Top attractions

The sights most first-time visitors build an itinerary around.

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Volcanoes National Park

Home to a significant share of the world's remaining mountain gorillas, with trekking here generally involving shorter, less strenuous hikes than Uganda's Bwindi, though permits are considerably more expensive.

📍 Musanze, Northern Province

🚉 Musanze (Ruhengeri) is the base town, two hours north of Kigali by frequent Virunga Express coach, then a short transfer to the Kinigi park headquarters where gorilla treks start at 7am.

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Kigali Genocide Memorial

A memorial and museum documenting the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi, presented directly and without softening - widely considered essential to understanding modern Rwanda.

📍 Kigali

🚉 The memorial is in Gisozi, about 10 minutes north of the city centre - city buses run along the route and moto-taxis are the usual way, with entry free and audio guides available.

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Lake Kivu

One of the African Great Lakes, shared with the Democratic Republic of Congo, with beach towns like Gisenyi and Kibuye offering a relaxed contrast to the gorilla-trekking side of a Rwanda trip.

📍 Gisenyi & Kibuye

🚉 Buses from Kigali reach Gisenyi (Rubavu) in three hours and Kibuye (Karongi) in two and a half; boats link the lakeside towns, and the Congo Nile Trail runs between them on foot or by bike.

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Nyungwe Forest National Park

One of Africa's oldest rainforests, with a canopy walkway suspended 70 meters above the forest floor and chimpanzee tracking as an alternative or addition to gorilla trekking.

📍 Southern Province

🚉 Coaches from Kigali take five to six hours to Rusizi via Huye, passing the park - the canopy walkway trailhead at Uwinka is a short transfer from the main road.

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Kigali

Rwanda's capital, notably clean and orderly (plastic bags are banned nationwide), with a growing arts scene centered on Kigali's Inema Art Center and monthly car-free days encouraging walking and cycling.

📍 Kigali

🚉 Kigali has no rail; the city runs on shared buses with tap cards and moto-taxis, and the Kimironko market and the convention centre are the two useful landmarks for navigating.

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In MyPassportStory, every country you mark - visited, lived in, or still on the list - becomes a stamp like these in your own travel passport. Add the cities you stopped in, draw the route between them, and turn the whole trip into a shareable passport-style image.

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Planning questions

How many days do you need in Rwanda?

4-5 days suits Kigali and Volcanoes National Park well. A week lets you add Lake Kivu or Nyungwe Forest for chimpanzee tracking.

What's the best time to visit Rwanda?

June-September and December-February (the two dry seasons) are the most popular for gorilla trekking, with less mud on the forest trails.

Is Rwanda good for a first-time visit?

Yes - Kigali is notably safe and easy to navigate for an African capital, and gorilla trekking here is well organized through the national park authority and licensed operators.

Do I need a visa to visit Rwanda?

Most nationalities can get a visa on arrival or apply for an e-visa online in advance; a joint East Africa Visa also covers Rwanda, Uganda and Kenya together. Check the official visa information for your nationality: migration.gov.rw.

What are some things to do in Rwanda on a tight budget?

Chimpanzee tracking in Nyungwe is considerably cheaper than a gorilla permit, the Kigali Genocide Memorial is free to enter, and Lake Kivu's beach towns are inexpensive relative to the gorilla-trekking side of a trip.

Can I rent a car in Rwanda, and what licence do I need?

Yes, and Rwanda is one of the easier African countries to drive: the roads are well maintained and the country is small enough to cross in a day. A foreign licence is accepted for visitors when carried with an International Driving Permit, and the minimum age is generally 23 to 25. Traffic drives on the right. Gorilla permits, which must be bought in advance from the Rwanda Development Board, matter far more to your planning than the car does - they are limited daily and sell out months ahead. Official information is published by the Rwanda Development Board at rdb.rw, with government services at gov.rw.