Adventure Safaris Rwanda (Land of a Thousand Hills) | Acacia Safari
Increasingly known for gorilla trekking and luxury adventure safaris travel, the small nation of Rwanda has a lot to offer adventure intrepid travelers. Read on for ten of the best adventure activities to check out while visiting the land of a thousand hills.
Gorilla trekking in Volcanoes National Park
There’s nothing quite like hiking through a thick forest on the side of an extinct volcano, dripping with sweat and covered in mud, before coming across a family of endangered mountain gorillas.
Rwanda is one of the only countries in the world—along with the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda—that offers trekking with endangered mountain gorillas, and conservation efforts in the past fifteen years have impressively buoyed the species forward. If your budget allows for gorilla trekking, it really shouldn’t be missed.
Chimpanzee trekking is gorilla trekking’s infinitely cheaper and more active cousin. Though tourists flock to Rwanda for a chance to see the endangered mountain gorillas in their natural habitat in Volcanoes National Park, Nyungwe National Park, located in the southwest of the country, is home to the country’s rambunctious chimpanzees.
Trekking to these primates is an experience in and of itself—you will hear their screeching calls in the canopies of the trees long before you see them, and once you actually find the chimpanzees, keeping up with the pack can be quite challenging. It’s an incredible experience for those looking to expand their time in Rwanda, and Nyungwe is a great introduction to the country’s southern districts.
Rwanda is now home to Africa’s big 5—the elephant, rhino, lion, buffalo, and leopard. In Akagera National Park, travelers can search around for these impressive creatures, safariing around the Northern Plains and southern marshes and glamping in the evenings at Ruzizi lodge. Try your hand at animal spotting, though the community guides and park rangers at Akagera’s entrance are excellent trackers and have a lot of insider knowledge.
Hikes in Nyungwe Forest National Park
Nyungwe National Park, in addition to housing most of the country’s primate and bird population, is also Africa’s largest montane rain-forest to adventure on Rwanda Safaris. As a result, hikes in this park are plentiful, lush, and incredibly rewarding. Make sure to check out the waterfall hike and the canopy walk, and bring a raincoat or two.
