A little more
Rwanda.
A lot less roaming.

Travelling to Rwanda: what to know before you go

Rwanda is a small, green, hilly country in East Africa, known as the land of a thousand hills. Most visitors come to trek to see mountain gorillas in the Virunga volcanoes, and stay for chimpanzees in Nyungwe, savannah wildlife in Akagera and the shores of Lake Kivu. Kigali is clean, orderly and easy to explore, and the country is compact enough to see a lot in a short trip.

Where to go

• Volcanoes National Park. In the Virunga Mountains on the borders with Uganda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, habituated families of mountain gorillas can be visited for one hour with a ranger.
• Nyungwe Forest National Park. One of the oldest montane rainforests in Africa, in the south-west, home to chimpanzees, many other primates and hundreds of bird species.
• Akagera National Park. A savannah and lakeland park on the Tanzanian border.
• Lake Kivu. A large lake shared with the Democratic Republic of the Congo, with beaches, islands and boat trips from the towns of Rubavu (Gisenyi), Karongi (Kibuye) and Rusizi.

Best time to visit

The long dry season, from about June to September, is the most popular time, when gorilla trekking trails are less muddy and wildlife in Akagera gathers near water. December to February is a shorter dry season and also good.

Staying online in Rwanda

4G coverage is good in Kigali and across much of the country, including most towns and many rural areas. Signal can be weak in the depths of Nyungwe forest, on the slopes of the volcanoes and in parts of Akagera. Wi-Fi is available in hotels, lodges and cafés in Kigali, with some public hotspots. Install an eSIM before you fly and switch it on when you land, so you can contact your guide and use maps straight away.