Rwanda offers some of the best hiking safari adventures in East Africa. The country has a hilly landscape from where it was named the land of a thousand hills. Rwanda hiking safari adventures are intimate as you hike through the lush rainforests, the Virunga mountains, and open savanna ecosystems.
Below are the best and most recommended Rwanda hiking safari adventures to be part of.
Virunga Mountains Hiking Adventures
The Virunga Mountains are a chain of Volcanic Mountains along the Rwanda, Uganda, and DRC border. There are 8 in total with Rwanda having five of them including Mount Bisoke, Karisimbi, Sabyinyo, Gahinga, and Muhabura.
Mount Bisoke is most outstanding because of the crater lake on its summit. Mount Karisimbi is the highest, with an elevation of 14,790 meters above sea level. It is hiked in 2 days with one night spent in the mountain.
Rwanda hiking safari adventures to the Five Volcanoes are impressive and adventurous. On the hike, you encounter several wildlife species including small insects and reptiles best seen on guided nature hikes. You also get impresive scenic views of other mountains and the surrounding ecosystem.
Rwanda Gorilla Hiking Adventures
Mountain gorilla trekking is the best of all Rwanda hiking safari adventures. It is done in Volcanoes National Park, part of the Virunga Conservation area along with DRC’s Virunga National Park and Uganda’s Mgahinga Gorilla Park.
The Virunga Massif is among the only two ecosystems home to mountain gorillas. Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park has the highest gorilla population, with 12 fully habituated gorilla families. This makes it an ideal and the most reliable gorilla trekking destination.
Rwanda Hiking Safari Adventures, featuring mountain gorillas, starts with a briefing at the park headquarters. From there, you are guided to the forested mountains by ranger guides for 1 to 4 hours until you meet the gorillas. Once you get to them, you are expected to keep a 10-meter distance as you observe and learn more about the rare primates.
The gorilla encounter takes an hour, after which you are guided back to the park headquarters for your certificates of participation.
Nyungwe Forest Safari Adventures
Nyungwe Forest is among Rwanda’s exclusive hiking safari adventure destinations. It is located in southwestern Rwanda, about a 6-hour drive from Kigali, Rwanda’s capital city. Nyungwe covers a land area of 1,019 square kilometers of Montane rainforest.
It is home to 13 primates, including chimpanzees, over 85 mammals, 1068 plant species, and 32 amphibians. Nyungwe Forest is, therefore, diverse and believed to be the best preserved Montane rainforest in East and Central Africa.
Nyungwe is Rwanda’s most Important Bird Area, with over 300 bird species. From the forest diversity and ecosystem, Nyungwe was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. Rwanda Hiking Safari Adventures to Nyungwe are rewarding as you journey the less traveled paths to see chimpazees. Birding journeys are equally rewarding from November to May when birds are in full plumage.
Nyungwe Birding tours largely depend on calls, and for the best experiences, we recommend a visit in March when birds are most vocal. Other exclusive Discovery Journeys you can be part of in Nyungwe include canopy walks; Nature walks to waterfalls and colobus monkey trekking.
The Congo Nile Trail
The Congo Nile trail is a 227-kilometer journey from Gisenyi (Northern Kivu) and Rusizi (Southern Kivu). It features an adventurous journey along the Lake Kivu Basin, Rwanda’s largest water body.
The Congo Nile Trail has a combination of hiking and safari adventures. It is best explored on guided nature walks through local communities where one directly interacts with them. It also features coffee experiences, cycling, birding, and scenic photography experiences.
Rwanda Hiking Safari Adventures along this trail can start from Nyungwe forest with chimpanzee trekking. For the best experiential and off-beaten path Rwanda Safari be sure to add this to your itinerary.
Akagera National Park adventures
Rwanda Hiking Safari Adventures are incomplete without a visit to Akagera National Park. Akagera is Rwanda’s only open savanna wildlife destination. It has a diverse ecosystem with open savannas, swamps, and woodlands. Akagera is East Africa’s largest protected wetland because of its extensive swamp network.
It is most famous for the Big Five Mammals spotted on game drives in the different trails. Other notable safari animals include giraffes, zebras, elands, the topi, and Hippos. There are over 450 bird species in the ecosystems in Akagera National Park. The African fish Eagle, shoebill stork, sooty chat, and grey-crowned cranes are notable birds you can see on a birding trip there.
Akagera National Park can be explored on guided nature walks. Park rangers monitor guided nature walks for one’s safety. They are rewarding and highly recommended for scenic views and wildlife photography.
Despite her small size, Rwanda is iconic and a must-visit destination for those interested in hiking adventures. Our customized packages feature the above Rwanda Hiking Safari Adventures and any other journeys of interest. They are open to all tourist categories conveniently staying at family-friendly safari lodges. Rwanda adventures can be done alongside other East African experiences like the Great wildebeest migration tour in Tanzania and Kenya tour adventures to Amboseli.