The Land of a Thousand Hills, home of the mountain gorillas, and the \u201cHeart of Africa,\u201d Rwanda has long captured our imagination. We featured the country in our National Geographic book, even though it was one of the few we had not yet visited, because we knew their remarkable story deserved a spot in Ultimate Journeys for Two<\/em><\/a>. This tiny central-east African nation, once decimated by genocide, has transformed itself into a leader in conservation, gender equality, economic development, and sustainable tourism.<\/p>\n And there is no event that showcases Rwanda\u2019s success and zest for life like Kwita Izina<\/em>, the Baby Gorilla Naming Ceremony, so we seized the opportunity to join Visit Rwanda<\/a> for the celebration and coinciding media tour around the country! Plus, we extended our stay for a proper three-week journey from Rwanda\u2019s capital of Kigali to its four national parks, their African Great Lake, and culturally rich villages. This country stole our hearts and earned its spot on the HoneyTrek List of The World\u2019s Most Romantic & Sustainable Destinations<\/a>.<\/p>\n Read our experience from visiting Rwanda and discover the best things to do, the loveliest places to stay, and why you have to add this African nation to your bucket list.<\/p>\n We landed in Kigali, the capital of Rwanda and one of Africa\u2019s most up-and-coming cities. Exploring the rolling hills of this 1.2-million-person metropolis, we took in the scenes of Africa\u2026ladies selling fruits from baskets on their heads, motos whizzing by, bicycles hauling jugs of banana beer, cell phone top-up shacks, and construction workers building complexes in flip flops. Kigali possesses that raw vibrancy we love about Africa<\/a>, and something more. It\u2019s been named the cleanest city on the continent, with nary a fleck of trash on the street! The buzz of busy intersections is balanced with pedestrian-only streets and manicured parks, furthered by citywide car-free days twice a month to encourage cleaner air and outdoor activity.<\/p>\n The progressive capital sets the tone for the country, and their mindful ways are now a national standard, with the philosophy and practice of umuganda.<\/em> In the Rwandan language of Kinyarwanda, it translates to \u201ccoming together in common purpose to achieve an outcome,\u201d and is the name for their nationwide monthly cleanup. The last Saturday of the month, each community gets together to tidy up their neighborhood for a country that sparkles!<\/p>\n Explore this vibrant city by foot and its fun and affordable moto-taxi system, making these essential stops\u2026<\/p>\n Among the skyscrapers and palm trees, this beautifully manicured promenade is Kigali\u2019s main car-free, area. Shop the craft stalls, take a selfie at the big \u201cKigali\u201d sign, and pop into Norrsken House Kigali\u2014Africa\u2019s biggest hub for entrepreneurship\u2014for an excellent coffee and a jolt of inspiration. Try to visit Imbuga on the first or third Sunday of the month for the liveliest time and rent a bicycle here to join the city\u2019s day of outdoor recreation.<\/p>\n Follow the change-makers at the Nyamirambo Women\u2019s Center<\/a> for a tour of Kigali\u2019s most historic and vibrant neighborhood. When Rwanda was colonized as German East Africa (along with Tanzania and Burundi) in the late 1800s, the Germans brought over Tanzanians to settle the area, and this Muslim population has left its cultural imprint on the city. Into the 21st century, local women didn\u2019t feel they had the economic freedom and social support they needed, so they formed the Nyamirambo Women\u2019s Center, a social enterprise and community-based tourism project.<\/p>\n Check-in at their artisan studio, where you will see women working away on gorgeous textiles. The tour begins with a Kinyarwanda language lesson to better connect with the locals you meet during your neighborhood stroll. For a day in the life in Nyamirambo, we went to the milk shop, hair salon, corner market, children\u2019s walking street, food stalls, and more, before ending with a traditional lunch at the co-founder\u2019s home. Loved this look into Kigali\u2019s local life and a tour that supports female empowerment<\/a>!\u00a0<\/p>\n Once a degraded wetland, Nyandungu Park is now a 300-acre recreational area within the city limits. Enjoy their native forests, medicinal gardens, hiking and biking trails, and educational programs. It\u2019s a lovely example of Rwanda\u2019s sustainable development and a great day in the park.<\/p>\n To fully appreciate how far Rwanda has come in recent decades is to understand the ashes from which they rose. The Kigali Genocide Memorial<\/a> is one of the best ways to do that. The 1994 genocide against the Tutsi ethnic minority and the sympathetic Hutu, killed over 800,000 people and sent two million fleeing Rwanda. The powerful exhibits, memorial garden, wall of names, and ongoing Peace School have been a key element of the national healing process and international campaign for genocide prevention. It\u2019s a painful, but hopeful and essential stop for everyone visiting Rwanda.<\/p>\n Have you noticed Visit Rwanda\u2019s logo when watching European soccer games? The country is getting serious about sports abroad and at home. The Amahoro is Africa\u2019s most anticipated stadium and green-design mega project, opening in 2024. Go for a game, concert, or event in this modern marvel.<\/p>\n We stayed at a different hotel on each of our three trips through Kigali. Upon landing from our 36-hour, multi-leg journey from Montana<\/a> to Rwanda, we checked into the Radisson Blu<\/a> near the airport and convention center. Modern design with every Western comfort, it was the perfect soft landing. Serena Hotel<\/a>, while slightly dated decor, has a fantastic downtown location, one of the prettiest pools (above), a great spa, and a buffet breakfast beyond compare. For our final stay in Kigali, we just wanted to chill in our own apartment, so we got an Airbnb in the posh residential neighborhood of Kimihurura for $30 per night. Though from the looks of it, the best boutique hotel in Kigali is The Retreat<\/a>\u2026excited to try this chic spot on our next visit!<\/p>\n Heading west from the modern-day capital, we went back in time to the hub of monarchical Rwanda, the royal city of Nyanza. Starting in the 11th century, Rwanda was a series of nomadic kingdoms, but when German colonization hit in the 19th century, the royals centralized their power with their own capital. We toured the King\u2019s Palace and museum<\/a> with their fantastic guide Alex. He led us to the reconstruction of the 19th-century complex, a series of bee-hive-shaped, thatch structures, including the ever-important dairy and pasture of the royal herd.<\/p>\n Cows are central to Rwandan culture, and the Inyambo breed with their 5-foot-long horns, shiny coats, and high intelligence are the ultimate status symbol. We met the traditional herders, who sing and caress the cows to improve their milk and wellbeing.\u00a0Touring the royal family\u2019s 20th-century residence, we learned about the fall of both Rwanda\u2019s monarchy and Belgium\u2019s colonial rule bringing rise to Rwanda\u2019s independence in the early 1960s.\u00a0<\/p>\n We explored all four of Rwanda\u2019s national parks (Nyungwe, Gishwati-Mukura, Volcanoes, and Akagera) and are excited to share our experience and best tips for visiting Rwanda\u2019s parks. But first, we wanted to call out our favorite part\u2026ten percent of all the park proceeds go back to the surrounding villages in the form of schools, health clinics, wells, roads, and more community improvement projects! This move has massively decreased illegal activities, like poaching and deforestation, because locals know that if they look after the park, it will look after them. So while park entry fees are $70-$150 (with gorilla trekking permits a cool $1,500), this money funds environmental and social good initiatives that make Rwanda one of the world\u2019s most sustainable destinations.<\/p>\n Moving southwest across the country, the terrain got hillier and the forests grew thicker, as we ascended to 8,000 feet in elevation. When baboons kept crossing the road, we knew we were close to Nyungwe National Park. One of the oldest rainforests in Africa, with over 300 bird species and 13 primate species, Nyungwe\u2019s biodiversity and focus on conservation just earned them UNESCO status (est 2023)!<\/p>\n With a park ranger and guide (required, FYI), we set out on the Igishigishigi Trail. Mosses and orchids dripped from the old-growth trees, and colobus and golden monkeys swung overhead. The path went from dirt to steel as we set foot on Nyungwe\u2019s famed Canopy Walk, rising 230 feet above the forest floor and stretching 525 feet through the treetops. Narrow, bouncy, and see-through, this bridge gave us butterflies in all the best ways, as we went eye-to-eye with the lively forest and endless views of the mountains.<\/p>\n One day wasn\u2019t enough in the stunning Nyungwe National Park, so we returned the following morning for a hike three miles deep into the valley to the recently discovered Ndambarare waterfall. Cradled by cliffs and cascading ~50 feet down into a perfect pool, the falls were stunning. After taking pictures of this beauty for nearly an hour, our guide told us to grab our water bottles and led us across the river. The rock wall was pouring out the cleanest water from an artisanal spring! The Ndambarare waterfall trail is a steep, out-and-back hike, but well worth it!<\/p>\n When we crossed over the Nyungwe park boundaries, we were suddenly in the Gisakura Tea Estate. Women in colorful kitenge<\/em> dresses, filling their woven baskets with the day\u2019s harvest, stopped to wave and smile. We returned the greeting in our best Kinyarwanda, \u201cMuraho!<\/em>\u201d with an even bigger smile on our faces. Tea is one of Rwanda\u2019s biggest exports, and social-impact orgs like Ivomo<\/a> are making sure that success is felt by the local communities. We joined their tour, learning about Rwanda\u2019s prime growing terrain, with its fertile volcanic soil and temperate climate, and how it was only introduced to the country in 1952.<\/p>\n The lead guide, Rick, showed us how the tea is picked, dried, and ground, and then he put baskets on our backs for a lesson in the field. The workers of Ivomo aren\u2019t part of a corporation, but a cooperative that benefits from the tea harvesting, and also their tours and community-made handicrafts. Of course, our newfound skills, connection with the community, and caffeine buzz had us all wanting to support their business. (Heads up Family, there will be some Ivomo goodies in your Xmas stocking!)<\/p>\n The Nyungwe area\u2019s obvious five-star hotel winner is the One & Only Nyungwe House<\/a>. For a budget option, Nyungwe Nziza Ecolodge<\/a> has lovely accommodations, excellent views, and a good location at the eastern edge of the park. Also, it\u2019s good to know that Nyungwe National Park isn\u2019t far from the must-see Lake Kivu, so you could make that your base for the park like we did with a stay at Mantis Kivu Marina Bay Hotel<\/a>.<\/p>\n Moving to the western edge of the country and the border of the Democratic Republic of Congo, we reached Lake Kivu. With a surface area of 1,040 square miles and a depth of 1,559 feet, this is one of the seven African Great Lakes. Volcanic activity has shaped Kivu and continues to impact its future. It once drained into the Nile River, but an eruption shifted the water\u2019s course and has built up so much gas at the bottom, that a catastrophic limnic eruption is possible in the coming centuries. That said, Lake Kivu doesn\u2019t have any deadly animals or parasites, which are common in many African lakes, so it\u2019s one of the best places on the continent for a lake vacation. Kivu is stunning and relaxing addition to any Rwandan itinerary.<\/p>\n A boat trip is the best way to experience the expansive Lake Kivu\u2013preferably by both speed boat and canoe. Our group of international journalists and influencers hopped aboard two-speed boats, feeling Miami-Vice fabulous as we zipped across the water to the islands and coves. The majority of the following were reached by boat, but many also have road access.<\/p>\n In addition to wonderful birdlife, some of Kivu\u2019s islands have cows\u2026that swim! Karongi-area farmers use the central Kivu islands as grazing pastures for their cattle and herd them by dugout canoe. Watching the bovines lumber into the water, then submerge to eye- and horn-level, as they kicked their skinny legs, was quite the sight.\u00a0<\/p>\n We docked our speedboat at central Kivu\u2019s village of Boneza and the Kininu Wonders Coffee Plantation<\/a>. They offer a great tour of the property and production process, from harvesting the Arabica coffee berry bushes to their washing, drying, sorting, and grinding stations. Rwandan coffee (the country\u2019s #1 export) is known for its high acidity, giving it a vibrant and fruity taste, beloved around the world. Eighty percent of Boneza\u2019s beans achieve top quality for export, yet nothing gets wasted with even the husks getting salvaged as a building material for a zero-waste process. We loved that the tour was very hands-on, from donning lab coats in the grinding room to trying traditional roasting methods with a clay pot and coals. Plus, the coffee is delish! Want the full plantation experience? Stay overnight in Kinunu\u2019s on-site guest house.<\/p>\n Resort areas often feel cut off from local life, which is why the inclusivity of Ribavu made it a delight. This is a popular public beach on the north end of the lake in the city of Gisenyi. When we went at dusk, locals were living their best life\u2026swimming, juggling, running, and playing everything from volleyball to soccer. Serena Hotel Lake Kivu<\/a> is perfectly situated between the action of the beach and the serenity of their gardens, so it offers the best of both worlds. If you are feeling adventurous during your Gisenyi stay, you can cross the border into the DRC (with a guide, of course) to experience this bustling point of commerce between the two countries.\u00a0<\/p>\n Visiting Rwanda on a press trip and trying to cover the full offerings of this massive lake, we stayed at three hotels in total: Mantis Kivu Marina Bay<\/a> (south end, not far from Nyungwe), Cleo<\/a> (central on the hills of Bwishyura), and Serena Hotel<\/a> (north end at Ribavu Beach). As far as amenities go, we\u2019d recommend all three; however, if your budget allows, Cleo Lake Kivu would be a fabulous base. This brand new, Rwandan-owned, five-star hotel has stunning views, chic design, and our best dining experiences of the trip. Honeymoon-worthy indeed!<\/p>\n Though the hidden gem of the hotels we experienced? Rushel Kivu Resort<\/a>. We went here for lunch and it turned into the nicest beach day. Set on a quiet cove with soft sand, swaying palm trees, a volleyball court, expansive gardens, great food, and rooms with stunning views, this place ticked all the boxes for only $125 a night. Plus, it neighbors the Boneza Coffee Plantation, which adds a nice cultural and pastoral twist to a vacation on Rwanda\u2019s beaches.\u00a0<\/p>\n Insider Tip:<\/em> MANTIS is about to open Lake Kivu\u2019s first cruise ship, Kivu Queen uBuranga<\/a>. This boutique hotel-meets-boat is going to be a fabulous and efficient way to experience the lake.<\/p>\n Rwanda\u2019s fourth and newest national park, Gishwati-Mukura is made up of two separate forests: Gishwati and the smaller section of Mukura (opening soon). It\u2019s an ambitious conservation project, with hopes of being the country\u2019s next big primate safari destination. Presently Gishwati\u2019s family of 20 chimpanzees is being habituated for closer encounters. Until then, there is one outfitter\/lodge for overnight guests to birdwatch the park\u2019s 232 species, hike the waterfalls, and hopefully see the chimps, golden monkeys, L\u2019Hoests, and Blue Monkeys. Since it\u2019s a new offering, it is the most affordable of the national park experiences and extra adventurous, for those who dig that combo! For more details on visiting at Gishwati-Mukara National Park, read this<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n Eight volcanoes intervoven by rainforest and spanning three countries, The Virunga Mountains are the world\u2019s last remaining habitat of the endangered mountain gorillas. Such precious terrain made it Africa\u2019s first national park and a UNESCO Biosphere. Trekking with the gorillas is on just about everyone\u2019s bucket list, and was at the top of ours when we started HoneyTrek. Back in 2012, we actually booked this experience on the Uganda side, but an ebola outbreak canceled our trip! This time, we were far better prepared with our Allianz Travel Insurance<\/a> and the smarts to go on the safer and more conservation-focused Rwanda side of the Virungas, with their national park and inspiring villages\u2026.and it was epic!<\/p>\n In addition to your gorilla trek, be sure to add these experiences to your Volcanoes National Park plans.<\/p>\nKIGALI, RWANDA\u2019S CAPITAL<\/h2>\n
![\"Visting](\"https:\/\/www.honeytrek.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/kigali-rwanda.jpg\")
<\/figure>\nBest Things to Do in Kigali<\/h2>\n
Imbuga City Walk<\/h3>\n
Nyamirambo Walking Tour<\/h3>\n
![\"best](\"https:\/\/www.honeytrek.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/kigali7.jpg\")
<\/figure>\nNyandungu Park<\/h3>\n
Kigali Genocide Memorial Museum<\/h3>\n
![\"learn](\"https:\/\/www.honeytrek.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/kigali-genocide-memorial.jpg\")
<\/figure>\nThe New Amahoro Stadium<\/h3>\n
Where to Stay in Kigali<\/h2>\n
![\"Serean](\"https:\/\/www.honeytrek.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Kigali-hotels-COPYRIGHT_HoneyTrek_20230910-2.jpg\")
<\/figure>\nNYANZA & THE KING\u2019S PALACE MUSEUM<\/h2>\n
![\"Kings](\"https:\/\/www.honeytrek.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/nyanza.jpg\")
<\/figure>\nRWANDA NATIONAL PARKS: GUIDES, FEES, AND GIVING BACK<\/h2>\n
![\"Rwanda's](\"https:\/\/www.honeytrek.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/national-parks-1.jpg\")
<\/figure>\nNYUNGWE NATIONAL PARK<\/h2>\n
![\"Visiting](\"https:\/\/www.honeytrek.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Nyungwe-COPYRIGHT_HoneyTrek_20230902-30.jpg\")
<\/figure>\nNyungwe Canopy Walk<\/h3>\n
![\"NyungweNational](\"https:\/\/www.honeytrek.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/nyangwe.jpg\")
<\/figure>\nNdambarare Waterfall<\/h3>\n\n
Gisakura Tea Plantation & Ivomo Social Impact<\/h3>\n
![\"best](\"https:\/\/www.honeytrek.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/nyangwe-tea1.jpg\")
<\/figure>\nWhere to Stay in Nyungwe National Park<\/h3>\n
![\"Nyungwe](\"https:\/\/www.honeytrek.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/nyangwe-house-one-and-only.webp\")
<\/figure>\nKIVU, AN AFRICAN GREAT LAKE<\/h2>\n
![\"Lake](\"https:\/\/www.honeytrek.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Lake-Kivu-COPYRIGHT_HoneyTrek_20230904.jpg\")
<\/figure>\nBest Things To Do on Lake Kivu<\/h3>\n
![\"Best](\"https:\/\/www.honeytrek.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/lake-kivu-things-to-do.jpg\")
<\/figure>\nMeet the Swimming Cows<\/h3>\n
Kinunu Wonders Coffee Plantation<\/h3>\n
Ribavu Beach<\/h3>\n
Where to Stay on Lake Kivu<\/h2>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.honeytrek.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Kivu-hotels-COPYRIGHT_HoneyTrek_20230903-64-1.jpg\")
<\/figure>\nGISHWATI-MUKURA NATIONAL PARK<\/h2>\n
![\"forest](\"https:\/\/www.honeytrek.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/gishwati-1.jpg\")
<\/figure>\nVIRUNGA MOUNTAINS & VOLCANOES NATIONAL PARK<\/h2>\n
![\"Virunga](\"https:\/\/www.honeytrek.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/virunga-COPYRIGHT_HoneyTrek_20230906-2-e1699389796848.jpg\")
<\/figure>\nThings To Do Near Volcanoes National Park\u00a0<\/h2>\n
Ellen DeGeneres Campus of\u00a0The Dian Fossey Fund<\/h3>\n