Rwanda looks past its small size and dark past history to a modified clean city, organized streets, beautiful and warm welcoming people. The small country surrounded by a thousand hills holds precious jewel that one would not wish to miss out on a safari visit, there is a quite number of attractions in Rwanda among them are Kigali city, Museums, Lakes and sand beaches,cultural and genocide sites, markets to mention but a few. Below, the article high lights the 3 top most places to visit while on a Rwandan safari. The 3 places evolve around mountain gorillas, primates, game drive and viewing. The top 3 places are more practical on a short-day safari with love for adventure and exploration and these include;
Akagera National Park
Rwanda’s only savannah park named after Akagera river flowing through the eastern boundary with Tanzania lies east of the country. The Acacia patched woodland park is filled rich wild life among them are rare sighted Rhinos and elephants. Other mammal species in the park include Giraffes, warthogs, buffaloes, antelopes, Zebras, bush bucks, oribis and crocodiles sighted on lake Ihema.
The park is an ideal birding spot with a record of over 500 species of birds including the rare shoe bill stock, Giant kingfisher, papyrus Gonolek, African Wattled Plover, Senegal Lapwings, Squacco Herons, African Open bill stock, Grey Crowned Crane, African Darter, Long-toed and Water Thick-knee, egrets and several Kingfishers among others.
While in Akagera national park, the major activities include game drive and viewing, launch cruise on lake Ihema, birding, nature walks, spot fishing and cultural tours around the park.
Nyungwe National Park
The spectacular, moist ever green forest is the oldest rain forest in Africa, Nyungwe forest is home to primate species including over 5000 chimpanzees. Other primate species include L’hoest monkeys, black and white, red tailed monkeys, olive baboons and many others. The most activities with in the park is non-other than
Chimpanzee tracking along side other primates which attracts a number of tourists with in the park. The park is home to 13 primate species. There are defined guides trails to follow in order to spot the beautiful chimpanzees swinging in the trees. Among other primates to see include colobus monkeys, patas monkeys, black and white monkeys, olive baboons and many others.
The park is an ideal birding spot with over 300 bird species including 27 endemics of the Albertine rift valley and 121 forest species notable bird include White Headed Wood Hoopoe, Francolin, Rwenzori Turaco, Red-Faced Woodland Warbler, Green Pigeons, Ross’s Turaco, Red-Breasted Sparrow Hawk, Collared Apalis, Mountain Masked Apalis, Ruwenzori Batis, Stripe-Breasted Tit and the Regal Sunbird among many others.
The thrilling canopy walk is quite an adventure not to miss out in Nyungwe. The walk is a 2hrs trail above the forest cover. The canopy walk gives a panoramic view of the rain forest close to nature where you will be able to spot some primates at a close range as well bird species. Other activities with in the park are hiking and nature walks.
Volcanoes National Park
The lush green Bamboo is not only home to the endangered mountain gorillas but also the five volcanoes, namely; Mt Bisoke, karisimbi, sabyinyo, muhavura and Gahinga shared between three countries Rwanda, Uganda and Democratic Republic of Congo.
The Volcanoes national park is one of the oldest national park in Africa, it lies in the great Virunga conservation area bordering Mgahinga gorilla national park in Uganda and Virunga national park in Congo. Many years ago, an American zoologist camped at the base of Mt karisimbi in volcanoes national park where she spent most of her life doing research about the endangered mountain gorillas until she brought them to the international plight thus the park is home to over 200 mountain gorillas with several habituated gorilla families open for gorilla tourism.
The Volcanoes National Park Rwanda host a number of other primate species among them are golden monkeys, bird life over 200 birds are traced in volcanoes including 12 main species and 15 endemics, mammal species like buffaloes, duikers among others.
The major activities with in the park is gorilla, Golden monkey tracking, volcano hiking, nature walk, hiking to Dian fossey tomb, birding among other.
In conclusion, Rwanda has much more than the above to see, however the article highlights the very must visit choices that offer a memorable expteriencing other than that, Rwanda is a gem!