Rwanda is a beautiful country and lives up to its billing as the ‘land of a thousand hills’ with wonderful views stretching to the horizon in many places. Best known for its wealth of primates, the main reason for most guests to visit Rwanda is a visit to the endangered mountain gorillas. However, the country also offers one of Africa’s richest bird life, beautiful flora, spectacular volcanoes and a vibrant cultural tradition.

Though visitors to Rwanda will be conscious of the 1994 genocide, its memory is not overwhelming, and the welcoming Rwandan people appear to successfully have embarked on a journey towards healing ethnic divisions and looking forward to the future.

Highlights on a journey through Rwanda include gorilla tracking and hikes in Parc National des Volcans, with six picture postcard volcanic peaks, canoeing on one of the many small lakes and visiting remote island communities, enjoying a boat cruise on Lake Kivu with the breathtaking views of the mountains in Congo as well as walking and birdwatching in Nyungwe Forest. Rwanda has an incredible number of bird species, with more than 650 recorded so far, and protected primates include chimpanzee, colobus and golden monkeys. For botanists, the gorgeous wildflowers of the forests and mountains are complemented by numerous orchid species in Nyungwe.

For active people there is plenty to do in the Parc National des Volcans, from incredible gorilla tracking safaris to searching for golden monkeys, looking into the caldera of a volcano and visiting the grave of renowned gorilla researcher Dian Fossey.