LAND OF A THOUSAND HILLS, RWANDA
Rwanda situated in East Africa is bordered by Uganda to the north, Tanzania to the east, Burundi to the south and Democratic Republic of the Congo to the west. Known as the “Land of a Thousand Hills”, Rwanda’s sweeping landscape is made up of volcanoes, tea plantations and rolling hills, densely populated with lush vegetation and thick rain forests. With three national parks, a thriving capital city, spectacular mountain scenery and diverse wildlife, Rwanda has plenty to offer visitors.
The Volcanoes National Park in the north-west of the country is the most renowned of Rwanda’s three parks, famed for its resident mountain gorillas. One-third of the Gorillas can be found here, where visitors can enjoy the rare opportunity of tracking mountain gorillas through bamboo forests along the Virunga Mountains. Although Gorilla trekking is the main attraction, there are plenty of other primate tracking opportunities while on holiday in Rwanda.
The climate in Rwanda is temperate. There are two rainy seasons from February to April and November to January, whilst in the mountains it is possible to experience snow and frost.
Travelling to and from the region is accessed via the main airport, Kigali International Airport, located 10 km East of the centre of town. Kigali currently receives direct flights from Nairobi, Entebbe, Brussels, Amsterdam, Dar es Salaam, Istanbul, Johannesburg, Doha, Dubai and most recently 4 flights weekly into London, Gatwick.
Whilst visiting, not to be missed are some the most popular tourist sites - The Kigali Genocide Memorial and Inema Art Centre; National Museum of Rwanda; Volcanoes National Park; Akagera National Park; Nyungwe Forest National Park; and the Nyamata and Ntarama Churches.
Interesting facts:
- Plastic bags are outlawed in Rwanda due to the impact on the environment.
- In fact, they are so concerned about cleanliness that in Kigali it is compulsory for all residents to help clean their community on the last Saturday of each month!
- The official languages of Rwanda are French, English, Kinyarwanda and Kiswahili.
- From rural villages to the national parliament, women hold two-thirds of the seats, women in Rwanda are leading the rebuilding of their country. In the aftermath of the devastating 1994 Genocide, the challenge of creating a lasting peace depended greatly on the actions of women, who were the majority of survivors.
- A dramatic improvement in healthcare delivery and health outcomes has seen life expectancy in Rwanda rise by 10 years in the last decade.
- You can start a business in 48 hours in Rwanda. It takes 11.1 days on average in OECD high income countries.
- Rwanda is leading Africa’s digital revolution. The Smart Kigali initiative aims to create access to free wireless internet on public buses, in hospitals, taxi parks, commercial buildings and restaurants, while a partnership with Korea Telecom is creating access to 4G for 95% of the population.