Rwanda is a landlocked country, surrounded by Uganda to the north, Tanzania to the east, Burundi to the south, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the west.

It has scenic rolling hills and hosts some rare species of animals like the mountain Gorillas as well as unique birds and insects in the tropical forest of Nyungwe. The country is split by the Rift Valley, and dominated by a mountain range that traverses the country from north to south. Spectacular volcanoes and dense tropical forests dominate the north of the country, while gentle hills and valleys, calm lakes and turbulent rivers in both savannah and dense tropical vegetation dominate the rest of the country. The Virunga volcanic mountains have high altitude forests, world-famous mountain gorillas, and Lake Kivu offers sandy beaches, jutting peninsulas and an archipelago of islands. Lake Kivu and Lake Muhazi in the east of the country are ideal for water sports and in particular for fishing.

Due to the extremely high population density, outside the three national parks almost the entire arable land is intensively farmed. Gisenyi, at the shores of Lake Kivu, offers great views of the active volcano in Goma and was once a top destination for tourists. Further south, Kibuye is one of the most beautiful places in Rwanda with gorgeous views on Lake Kivu. Kibuye was home to some of the worst atrocities of the Genocide - a visit to the church where thousands were killed is a humbling and chilling experience. Not far from the Burundian border, Butare is home to the country's national university and bustles with multi-lingual students. Rwanda boasts a wide variety of wildlife. The Parc National des Volcans, in northern Rwanda is home to the world’s largest number of endangered mountain gorillas. Numbering in the hundreds, the gorillas live in a protected area, safe from poachers. The gorillas can be viewed in their natural mountain habitats at a close range.

The Akagera National Park in eastern Rwanda once was teeming with wildlife which is currently recovering after years of turmoil. Animals range from Lions, Giraffe, Elephant and Hippo to Hyena, Impala and Gazelle. There is a rich variety of bird life at Akagera as well.

The capital, Kigali does not offer great attractions for tourists but is a comfortable place to start your journey and take care of any administrative details before heading off into the hills. Furthermore, it has an insightful and shocking museum on the 1994 genocide and a visit is recommended especially for those guests who do not have the time to visit other genocide memorials around the country.

With a very efficient network of public transport that actually leaves on time, getting around Rwanda is very easy. From Kigali minibuses leave hourly to destinations throughout the country.