One of the new comers on the African Tourism Horizon is undoubtably Rwanda. This tiny charming and colourful country offers unique and superb experiences from gorilla trecking to Intore dancing and many other attractions.
In the heart of Africa
Rwanda Tourism is back on track and there are many places of interest for such a small country. The vast majority of visitors to Rwanda head for the Virunga Volcanoes and the gorilla trekking in the Volcanoes National Park.
Of great interest to some is the grave of Dian Fossey, the pioneer of gorilla research and subject of the Hollywood blockbuster "Gorillas in the Mist”. Murdered by poachers in 1985 she is buried at the Karisoke Research Centre amidst the graves of her research subjects, for whom she did so much to dispel the associated myths and inaccuracies.
On another sobering note, Rwanda's horrendous past is remembered at various sites across the country. There is the Kigali Genocide Memorial, located in the capital Kigali and two other sites south of the city: Ntarama church and Nyatata, both of which offer an extremely powerful reminder of the horrors that occurred in the area. Kibuye on Lake Kivu was the scene of exceptional cruelty and the memorial is in a hilltop church that is still used for worship.
The protected area that contains the gorillas is spread across three countries ... in Rwanda it is the Parc National de Volcans, whilst on the Uganda side is Mgahinga National Park. The DRC portion can be visited now too.
