Why Rwanda should be your next nature-led adventure

There’s good reason why Rwanda goes by the poetic nickname ‘The Land of a Thousand Hills’. This tropical country might be tiny — just a 10th of the size of the UK — but it’s blessed with a rampant topography of green valleys and forest-cloaked slopes. The nation’s wildlife is also anything but diminutive, particularly in verdant Akagera National Park — which is home to iconic African megafauna, such as elephants, hippos and rhinos — and the lush peaks of Volcanoes National Park, world-famous for its mountain gorillas. For travellers seeking a safari destination with a difference, Rwanda is unmissable. Here are some of the country's most memorable experiences.

1. Gorilla trek in Volcanoes National Park

Rwanda has many highlights, but for wildlife enthusiasts, a gorilla trek is often the pinnacle. With the help of an experienced guide, travellers can embark on an invigorating hike on the mist-shrouded slopes of the Virunga Mountains, brushing through tangles of bush and bamboo until they spot mountain gorillas in their natural habitat. Their presence is hyper-real, their fur jet-black against the deep green of the rainforest. Seeing these magnificent creatures up close in Volcanoes National Park is a visceral, once-in-a-lifetime experience; plus, the revenue from gorilla trekking permits contributes to the future conservation of these awe-inspiring species — particularly through reforestation initiatives.

2. Watch the landscape come alive on a night-time game drive

Akagera National Park, on Rwanda’s eastern border with Tanzania, is a vast, protected wetland where savannah species roam strikingly wild landscapes. Leopards, buffaloes, tree-climbing lions, giraffes, rhinos and countless other animals call the park home, making each game drive here a thrilling experience — and the excitement doesn’t end at sundown. While staying at the solar-powered, lakeside retreat of Wilderness Magashi Peninsula, guests can also enjoy night-time game drives. Bushbabies, genets, jackals and even pangolins are among the park’s myriad nocturnal species, and guides are equipped with infrared spotlights to bring the rustles and rumbles of the East African darkness to life.

3. Spot wildlife from the water on a boat safari

A herd of elephants drinking at the water’s edge. Crocodiles sun-basking on the banks as wading birds step perilously close. Hippos snorting and splashing in the shallows. The chance to watch wildlife from the comfort of a boat is one of Akagera National Park’s biggest draws, providing an exclusive viewing point from which travellers can witness this remarkable ecosystem. In the rosy light of morning or the warmth of early evening, the shorelines and mountainous landscapes come alive with activity — and from a boat, with a camera or binoculars in hand, travellers will enjoy a front-row seat to all the action.

4. Set off on an exhilarating hike

Home to five dormant beauties cloaked in dense rainforest, Volcanoes National Park provides a truly dramatic setting for outdoor exploration. Guests at Wilderness Bisate Reserve — which opened in late 2024, earning recognition for its traditional architecture and conservation efforts — can make the most of these panoramic landscapes on a guided hike. Options include a challenging 3,711-metre ascent of Mount Bisoke, a hike up to the grave of legendary gorilla conservationist Dian Fossey, or an easier forest trek to view the park's rare golden monkeys.

5. Go birdwatching with a knowledgeable guide

In both Volcanoes National Park and Akagera National Park, the passing of hours is soundtracked by tropical birdsong. Rwanda is prized among birders, with more than 700 species recorded, though non-specialists will also be awed by the beauty and diversity of the country’s avifauna. The towering greenery of Volcanoes National Park is famed for rarities such as dusky crimsonwings, Rwenzori double-collared sunbirds and red-faced woodland warblers. Meanwhile, the plains and wetlands of Akagera are a paradise of storks, gonoleks, rollers, falcons and countless other feathered residents. In both parks, guided birdwatching experiences offer something truly eye-opening.