Trek mountain gorillas in Volcanoes National Park$1,500
Permits are limited and expensive by design, capping each habituated family group at eight visitors a day for one hour with the gorillas once found.
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East Africa
Things to do in Rwanda
Steep hills terraced with tea and banana, a rebuilt capital that runs cleaner than most in Africa, and the misted bamboo forests where the last mountain gorillas hold on.
Explore Rwanda on the map →Budget$$$
Best for5-7 days
CapitalKigali
VisaVisa on arrival or e-visa, about $50 (free for AU/Commonwealth/Francophonie citizens)
CurrencyRwandan franc (RWF)
LanguagesKinyarwanda, English, French
InternetGood in Kigali
Typical lodging$70–$180/night
Driving sideRight
Power & voltage230V / 50Hz (Type C/J plug)
Time zoneUTC+2 to UTC+3
Emergency number112
Dialing code+250
★★★★★ Wildlife★★★★★ Adventure★★★★★ Culture
Visa rules and emergency numbers can change without notice. Confirm the specifics for your nationality and dates before you travel.
Travel smart
Bottled or purified water only. 10% at restaurants; guides and drivers appreciate a daily tip.
Rwanda is nicknamed the land of a thousand hills for a reason: almost no ground in the country is flat, which shapes everything from its farming terraces to its permit-only, small-group approach to gorilla trekking. It's also one of the few countries where mountain gorilla numbers have been rising rather than falling, the direct result of tourism revenue funding the conservation that protects them.
When to go
Long dry seasonJune–September
The most reliable trekking conditions of the year: firm trails, lower malaria risk, and the busiest, most expensive permit season.
Short dry seasonDecember–February
A second solid trekking window with generally comfortable weather, quieter than the June–September peak.
Long rainsMarch–May
The heaviest rain of the year and the muddiest trekking conditions, but permits are easier to get and prices sometimes drop.
Short rainsOctober–November
Lighter, more intermittent rain than the long wet season: a reasonable trade-off between crowds, cost and conditions.
20 things to do
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Wildlife & nature
5Trek golden monkeys
A less-booked, less-expensive permit than gorilla trekking, in the same bamboo forest, for an endangered species found almost nowhere else.
Track chimpanzees in Nyungwe Forest
One of Africa's oldest rainforests, home to habituated chimp communities and a canopy walkway suspended sixty metres up.
Safari in Akagera National Park
Rwanda's own Big Five park in the east, rebuilt from near-collapse after the genocide through a well-regarded conservation partnership, now home to lion and rhino again.
Bird-watch in Nyungwe Forest
Over 300 species recorded, including the Albertine Rift endemics that draw birders from well outside the primate-trekking crowd.
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Culture & history
5
Visit the Kigali Genocide Memorial
A sober, essential stop in the capital: the resting place of more than 250,000 victims of the 1994 genocide, with exhibits explaining how it happened and what followed.
Learn traditional dance and drumming
Intore dance troupes perform a warrior dance developed for the royal court, now kept alive through cultural centres and community visits.
Visit the King's Palace Museum in Nyanza
A reconstruction of the traditional royal residence, including the long-horned Inyambo cattle once kept specifically for the king.
Walk through a Kigali cooperative craft workshop
Agaseke basket weaving and other crafts are often organized through women's cooperatives, giving a direct look at a skill passed down through generations.
Visit the Ellen DeGeneres Campus of the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund$1,500
A research and education centre near Volcanoes National Park continuing the work of the primatologist who first drew the world's attention to the mountain gorillas.
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Food & markets
4Spend a morning at Kigali's markets
Kimironko Market is the city's biggest, selling produce, fabric and everyday goods in a covered maze of stalls that rewards slow browsing.
Visit a Rwandan tea plantation
The volcanic soil and altitude around Nyungwe and the northern hills produce tea grown on impossibly steep, neatly terraced slopes.
Eat at a Kigali brochette spot
Grilled skewers, usually goat or beef, sold at informal grills and proper restaurants alike, a good introduction to everyday Rwandan food alongside plantain and beans.
Take a coffee tour near Lake Kivu
Rwandan coffee has built a strong specialty reputation since the early 2000s, cooperative farms around the lake walk visitors from cherry to cup.
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Adventure & outdoors
3
Hike a Volcanoes National Park peak
Mount Bisoke's crater lake and Mount Karisimbi's multi-day summit push are open to trekkers with a separate permit from the gorilla treks.
Walk the Nyungwe canopy walkway
A swaying suspension bridge through the forest canopy, one of few of its kind in Africa, with views over an unbroken rainforest canopy.
Cycle the Congo Nile Trail
A multi-day route tracing Lake Kivu's shoreline through fishing villages and terraced hills, doable by bike or on foot in shorter sections.
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Coast & water
1Boat safari on Lake Ihema
Akagera's largest lake, with hippos and crocodiles visible from the water and a different pace than a game drive.
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Slow days
2Relax at Lake Kivu
One of Africa's great lakes, calm enough to swim in and dotted with small towns like Gisenyi and Kibuye that make an easy add-on after trekking.
Watch the sunrise over the Virunga volcano chain
Five volcanic peaks straddling Rwanda, Uganda and the DRC, visible from Volcanoes National Park's lodges at dawn before cloud typically builds in.
Common questions
▾Is Rwanda safe to visit?
Yes. Rwanda is consistently ranked among the safest countries in Africa for tourists, with low street crime and a strong, visible police presence in Kigali and around the parks. Standard travel precautions still apply, especially around border areas with the DRC, which most itineraries don't go near.
▾How much does gorilla trekking cost?
A gorilla trekking permit is $1,500 per person as of 2026, booked directly through the Rwanda Development Board or a tour operator. That fee funds the conservation work that's brought mountain gorilla numbers back from the edge, and it's non-negotiable, every visitor pays the same price.
▾How many days do you need in Rwanda?
Most people manage a good trip in 5-7 days: two for gorilla or golden monkey trekking around Volcanoes National Park, one or two for Nyungwe's chimps and canopy walk, and a day or two around Kigali and Lake Kivu.
▾Do I need a visa for Rwanda?
Most nationalities can get a visa on arrival or apply for an e-visa in advance, generally around $50. Citizens of African Union, Commonwealth, and La Francophonie member countries can often get a free 30-day visa on arrival. Check the exact rules for your passport before you fly.
▾What's the best time to see the gorillas?
June through September is the long dry season and the most reliable trekking window, firm trails and the lowest malaria risk. December through February is a shorter dry season that's nearly as good and usually quieter.
▾Is Rwanda expensive?
Gorilla permits push the average trip cost up regardless of everything else, so Rwanda reads as a $$$ destination even though food, local transport, and city accommodation are inexpensive by comparison. Budget travelers who skip trekking can visit very cheaply.
