Top places to visit and tourism activities to experience after tracking the gorillas in Rwanda
You may visit Rwanda to track the mountain gorillas, but may stay for many other reasons.
The Volcanoes National Park entrance at Kinigi is the starting point for other activities including:
- Hiking Mount Sabyinyo’s imposing volcanic peak.
- Accompanied by an official ranger guide, you can visit Karisimbi and the grave of world-famous primatologist Dian Fossey and the graves of some of the gorillas she studied. If you have watched “Gorillas in the Mist” you may recall Digit the gorilla (one of the gorillas studied by Fossey).
- Trekking to see the endangered Golden Monkeys.
- The birdwatching in Virunga is sensational!
Community activities include colourful, traditional Intore dance performances and village walks to see the traditional way of life.
If you love primates, why not track chimpanzees or visit the habituated black and white Colobus monkeys in Nyungwe Forest National Park?
The laidback resort of Gisenyi, on the shore of Lake Kivu, borders Goma and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Lake Kivu is the largest of Rwanda’s lakes and is two hours drive from Rwanda’s gorilla tracking park headquarters. Visit Gisenyi for kayaking, to hike or cycle the multi-day Congo Nile Trail or to simply chill. Want to just watch the world go by for a few hours? Gisenyi is a popular day out for Kigali residents.
For gorilla tracking stories and Uganda and Rwanda travel advice, click on the hyperlinks in the Ultimate Guide to Mountain Gorilla Tracking. Looking for more info? Check out my Travel Directory or Contact the Muzungu.
