Rwanda
Rwanda has transformed itself into one of Africa’s cleanest, safest and most efficiently run countries, and is now best known as the most accessible place on Earth to trek mountain gorillas in the Virunga Mountains’ Volcanoes National Park. Its capital, Kigali, is a hilly, remarkably tidy city with a thoughtful, moving Genocide Memorial, excellent coffee culture and a fast-growing reputation as a conference and tech hub for the region. Rwandan food centres on hearty staples like beans, plantains and cassava, alongside some of the finest high-altitude coffee in Africa, and the country’s “Land of a Thousand Hills” nickname captures its dramatic, terraced green landscape.
Explore Rwanda Destinations: Kigali.
Capital
Kigali
Main Gateway Airport
Kigali International Airport (KGL)
Currency
Rwandan Franc (RWF)
Languages Spoken
Kinyarwanda, French and English (all official), Swahili widely understood
Climate & Weather
Temperate highland climate due to altitude; two dry seasons (June-September and December-February) and two rainy seasons
Best Time to Visit
June to September and December to February, dry seasons best for gorilla trekking
Popular Cities to Fly To
Kigali is the sole international gateway, a short drive from Volcanoes National Park
Popular Attractions
Gorilla trekking in Volcanoes National Park, Kigali Genocide Memorial, Lake Kivu, Nyungwe Forest chimpanzee trekking
Food & Culture
Beans, plantains and cassava staples, renowned high-altitude coffee, a strong culture of community (umuganda) and remarkable post-genocide reconciliation