Rwanda Tourism Facts
Rwanda Tourism Facts : Rwanda is one of the top tourist destinations in East Africa, hosting over 10,000 tourists every year that come to the country to explore the beauty and diversity of this small African country.
Though this country is beautiful and magnificent, there isn’t much information about it out, most people who have heard of the country, are quick to associate it with the 1994 genocide that claimed over 800,000 lives and affected the entire country.
Well the good news is, since 1994 the country has since recovered from this gruesome ordeal and is now stable and thriving in every way. So to help you learn more about this country, here are some facts about the country that you may not have known.
- Rwanda is a the Land of a Thousand Hills
Rwanda’s topography is mainly made up of magnificent hills with green vegetation, some covered with misty form that makes viewing them just spectacular. The total number of hills in the country may be between 100 and 1000 with 11 of those hills located in the country’s capital Kigali.
- Home to the famous mountain gorillas
Yes! Rwanda is home to the famous mountain gorillas. This small country is among the three countries in the region that host mountain gorillas in their natural habitat. Mountain gorillas are endangered apes that share about 98% of their DNA with humans; they live in high altitudes in forested mountains in groups of 5 -15 or more. Mountain gorillas in Rwanda are found in Volcanoes National Park which is part of the virunga conservation region.
- Rwanda has four National Park
Wondering if Rwanda has any wildlife destinations, well this should answer it for you. Rwanda has four National parks with a great number of animals species from primates, the big five and many more animals. The National Parks in Rwanda are Volcanoes National Park, Nyungwe National Park, Akagera National Park and Gishwati-Mukura National Park.
- Canopy Walk
Rwanda is the only country in the region with a canopy walk way. The canopy walk way is 90 meters long and 50 meters above the ground, its perfect for all those who are fascinated with viewing the wild and the surrounding region from above. The canopy walk way in Nyungwe National park.
- Rwanda’s largest lake is Lake Kivu
Though the country has a number of water bodies, the country’s largest lake is Lake Kivu. Lake Kivu is a fresh water body with several Islands that have unique and beautiful local stories. The community around the lake engages mostly in fishing and farming.
- Rwanda is bird watching haven
Rwanda is home to over 100 bird species that live in the country’s natural habitat. The country is also home to seven famous world-wide bird species and a number of rare bird species. These birds are spread out in the four National parks of the country with most found in Nyungwe National Park and Akagera National Park.
- Ban on Plastic bags
Rwanda has a ban on plastic bags, so when you visit the country you are not supposed to bring in any plastic bags. Even during your stay you will not find any plastic bags, the locals don’t use plastic bags, the store don’t give out plastic bags and having a plastic bag can actually lead to you being penalized. What is used in the country is biodegradable bags or paper bags.
- Art
If you are a lover of Art, you will be thrilled at the variety of Art in the country. Most of the hotels have art pieces in display and there are a number of galleries all around the country.
