Day trips in Rwanda

Rwanda is among the smallest countries in East Africa and some destinations in the country can be visited during day trips in the country.

Most of the day trips in Rwanda start very early giving tourists enough time for transfers to the different destinations and also time to engage in activities and explore the destination before ending the day tour in Rwanda.

Some of the day trips which can be done in Rwanda include the following;

1. Gorilla Trekking in Volcanoes National Park

One of the popular day tours in Rwanda is the gorilla trekking experience in Volcanoes national park which is located in the north western part of the country.

Volcanoes national park is located about 2 hours drive from the city of Rwanda which is Kigali. To be able to visit the mountain gorillas in the national park, tourists set off early to reach the park headquarters at Kinigi in time for the briefing on gorilla trekking.

 

During the gorilla trekking experience in Rwanda, tourists enjoy searching for the mountain gorillas in their natural habitat and spending time watching them closely in the forests. After spending 1 hour with the gorillas, the tourists return to the starting point and drive back to Kigali which brings the 1 day tour to an end.

Apart from gorilla trekking in Volcanoes national park, day trips at the destination can also involve other activities such as golden monkey trekking, climbing Mount Karisimbi or the Dian Fossey tour. For the gorilla trekking experience in Rwanda, tourists will require gorilla permits which cost 1500 USD per person and are to be booked in advance.

Tourists can also enjoy views of other Virunga mountains found in Volcanoes national park during their gorilla trekking experience at the destination.

2. Safari in Akagera National Park

Another day trip experience in Rwanda is engaging in a safari in Akagera national park which is located in the eastern part of the country.

Akagera national park offers activities like game drives and boat rides on Lake Ihema which tourists can enjoy during their safari in Rwanda while exploring the savannah plains at the destination which is home to wildlife species like elephants, giraffes, lions, antelopes among others.

Tourists get to enjoy a 1 day wildlife safari experience during their trip to Akagera national park and later return to Kigali. The national park provides a big 5 safari experience for tourists visiting Rwanda.

3. Explore Kigali

Day trips in Rwanda can also include a city tour around Kigali city which has different sites and attractions to visit.

Some of the places to visit during city tours in Kigali include the Kigali genocide memorial, the Kimironko market, the palace museum, Kandt museum, among others. During the day tour in Kigali, tourists can also visit the art galleries and craft shops.

Trying out the local dishes can also be part of the day tour in Kigali by stopping by some local restaurants where you can also learn how to prepare the local food. This experience is also very affordable and can be done anytime of the year.

4. Cultural Visit to Iby’Iwacu Village

Another exciting day tour adventure experience in Rwanda is the cultural visits to experience the local culture of the people of Rwanda.

One of the local villages that tourists can visit during their tour in Rwanda is the Iby’iwacu village which can be visited on the way to Volcanoes national park. At the village, tourists enjoy interactions with the locals, getting to know more about their culture and way of life, enjoying traditional dance performances among other activities.

5. Day trip at Lake Kivu

Lake Kivu is among the lakes which can be visited for a more relaxed holiday experience during a safari in Rwanda.

The Lake has beautiful beaches and tourists can enjoy boat rides and views of the scenic hills in the surrounding during their tours around Lake Kivu area.

6. visiting Nyungwe National Park

Another destination in Rwanda to visit for a day tour is Nyungwe national park which is located in the south western part of the country.

At Nyungwe national park, tourists can enjoy seeing various primate species in the forests including chimpanzees, black and white colobus monkeys, L’hoest monkeys, vervet monkeys among others as well as various bird species.

Some of the activities carried out around Nyungwe national park include chimpanzee trekking which is done in the morning and in the afternoon, the canopy walk experience which involves walking along a bride suspended about 60 meters off the ground among other exciting adventures.

Tourists can also enjoy guided nature walks and hikes during their tours around the Nyungwe national park. Some of the famous trails at the destination include the Igishigishigi trail which leads tourists through the beautiful rainforest.

7. King’s Palace Museum in Nyanza

Visiting the King’s palace museum in Nyanza is another activity which tourists can do during their say tours in Rwanda.

This activity provides insight in the rich history of the people of Rwanda and their traditional practices and they also enjoy a tour around the palace. Tourists can also enjoy seeing the long horned cattle during the visit to the palace.

8. Genocide Memorial Sites

Tourists during their day tours in Rwanda can also visit the different genocide memorial sites around the country.

Visiting the memorial sites offers tourists details on what happened during the genocide in Rwanda and how the country slowly recovered after the genocide. Some of the genocide sites to visit include the Kigali genocide memorial, Murambi genocide memorial, Nyamata church, Ntarama church among others.

9. Visiting Lake Burera and Lake Ruhondo

The twin lakes in Rwanda which are Lake Burera and Lake Ruhondo can also be visited during the day tours in the country.

When visiting the lakes, tourists can enjoy boat rides and also bird watching experiences as they relax during the tour around Lake Burera and Lake Ruhondo which also have amazing views to enjoy. These boat rides can take about 2 hours and are done in the morning and in the afternoon.