Rwanda Convention Bureau

Nyandungu Urban Wetland Eco-tourism Park

RCBWEB — 2024-06-24T09:47:15Z

The 121 hectare park features a medicinal garden, a Pope's Garden, five catchment ponds, three recreation ponds, an information centre, a restaurant as well as 10km of walkways and bike lanes.

Key Facts about Nyandungu Wetland

121.7 hectares in size, including 70 hectares of wetland and 50 hectares of forest
Home to more than 62 local plant species
Home to more than 200 bird species.

For booking, Here

Gishwati National Park

Webmaster — 2020-10-01T12:17:13Z

Rwanda's fourth national park, Gishwati Mukura is made up of two separate forests – the larger Gishwati and small Mukura, forming a total of 34 square kilometers plus a buffer zone.

The forests sit on the ridge which divides the Congo and Nile water catchment areas, along the incredibly biodiverse Albertine Rift in the west of the country. It is made up of 60 species of trees, including indigenous hardwoods and bamboo.

Gishwati is home to a group of 20 chimpanzees which live alongside golden monkeys, L'Hoest's and Blue Monkeys. Birds are well represented too, 232 species have been seen at Gishwati and 163 at Mukura, among them Albertine Rift Endemic species and forest specialists.

The park is currently part of an ambitious landscape restoration program. Activities in the park are due to begin in 2019 and include a guided nature hike, guided chimp, and monkey tracking, bird watching and a visit to the waterfalls.

The area was nearly depleted largely due to resettlement, illegal mining in the mineral-rich forest and livestock farming.

The formalization of its National Park status in 2015 aims to help redress the balance, to increase the number of trees to improve soil fertility, stabilize slopes and regulate streamflow.

It will also contribute to improving the livelihoods of the population living in the surrounding areas, which in turn offers the forest a better chance of regeneration in tandem with the potential to raise living standards in the longer term.

Community-based activities include a farm stay, a live cultural dance, making handicrafts, beekeeping, a tea plantation tour and the chance to learn from traditional healers, who use natural plants to support modern medicine and synthesized drugs.

For more information visit www.visitrwanda.com

Rwandan Museums

Webmaster — 2020-10-01T12:07:55Z

Ethnographic Museum

Ethnographic Museum is located in Huye, 132 km South of Kigali-Rwanda's Capital. The Ethnographic Museum is one of the eight museums that make up the Institute of National Museums of Rwanda.

This Museum was built in 1987, and now houses one of Africa's finest ethnographic collections. Its seven galleries display historical, ethnographic, artistic and archaeological artifacts accompanied by visual aides, giving visitors a rich insight into the culture of Rwandans.

King's Palace Museum gallery

The king's Palace Museum is based in Nyanza District, Southern Province,88 km from Kigali City;King's Mutara III Rudahigwa's Palace offers a detailed look into the Rwandan monarchical system and its abolition in early 1960s due to colonialism. The palace was restored to its 19th Century state as a replica and was made entirely with traditional materials. Recently the Long horned royal cows "Inyambo"were introduced because cows form an integral part of the Rwanda Culture and were initially the King's symbol of prestige. Visitors are always fascinated by the procession of these royal cows which are famous for their impressive long horns, height gentle nature and the traditional poems.

Along the traditional palasce is the 1931 modern palace where King Mutara Rudagigwa resided until he passed away in 1959. It now serves to display Rwandaa history from the 15th Century.

On the neigbouring hill of Mwima,One can also visit the mausoleum where King Mutara III, his wife Queen Rosalie Gicandaand King Kigeli IV Ndahindurwa were laid to rest.

Museum of Rwesero gallery

Located in Nyanza District about 85km from Kigali City, the construction of the building started in 1957 and completed in 1959 as a Palace for King Mutara III Rudahigwa but he passed away before occupying it.

In May 2006 the building was transformed into a National Art Gallery until May 2018 when a new Museum of Art was opened up in the former state house located in Kanombe. For the moment, a new exhibition focusing on “ Home grown solutions” as one of strategies and solutions used by the country for economic development and peace building aftermath of 1994 Genocide against Tutsis is under preparation.

Meanwhile, the museum still open to the public with exhibition photos on daily life and history of Africans among them we have Nigerians, Ugandans and Rwandans.

Museum of Environment gallery

This brand new museum opened its doors on 16th July 2015. Based at Lake Kivu in the Western Province, the building consists of two floors with a traditional herbal medicine garden based on rooftop. It is the first and only environment museum on the continent that exhibits energy sources both renewable and none renewable. The museum is the center of education for our visitors, helps them to understand and safeguard their environment and ensure an integrated and durable development.

National Liberation Museum Park

In the Northern Province of Gicumbi district, 80 kilometres northeast of Kigali at Mulindi w'Intwali lies the National Liberation Museum Park. This museum tells the story of the Rwandan Liberation struggle that brought an end to the Genocide against Tutsis. This struggle was initiated by the political wing known as the Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF), led by its military wing, Rwandan Patriotic Army (RPA), from 1st October 1990 to 4th July 1994.

The museum illustrates sequence of events before, during, and after the struggle through visuals that include texts and artefacts. One of the objects exhibits the bunker which protected the then Chairman of High Command, now President of the Republic of Rwanda, H.E Paul Kagame. Other objects embody the Arusha Agreement, the Campaign against Genocide, radio Muhabura used by the RPF and RPA for mobilisation, likeminded events as well as initiatives. Visitors are always fascinated by the longstanding bunker that sheltered H.E Paul Kagame along other officials' bunkers.

We are currently going through the consultancy period on the construction of the Liberation Park museum. Consultation will be within Rwanda and directed to the people of Rwanda. The foundation stone was laid by H.E the President of the Republic of Rwanda at “Umurindi w'intwari”.whilst the place is being visited.It is one of 8 sites we have as Instittute of National Museums of Rwanda.

Campaign Against Genocide Museum

Campaign Against Genocide Museum is a museum located in the Parliamentary building, in Kigali just 800 meters behind conventional center road point, and just 4.9km, 9 minutes' drive from Kanombe Airport. This campaign against Genocide Museum was opened officially on 13th December, 2017 by H.E Paul Kagame.

CAG Museum is built in the Parliamentary building which was once known as Conseil National de Development because this building hosted the Rwandan Patriotic Front politicians and the 600 man protection force (3BN) from 28th December 1993 as they were in the preparations for the installation of Broad Based Transitional Government and the National Transitional Assembly and these 600 man protection force the (3BN) were the ones given the order first on 07/04/1994 by the RPA Chairman of High Command Major General Paul Kagame to break out from their initial positions defend themselves and rescue victims of Genocide in their vicinity when campaign against Genocide began

CAG Museum depicts in details how the Campaign Against Genocide Plan was executed by RPF/A following the withdrawal of UN troops leaving the targeted Tutsi under the mercy of the Genocidaires and how only the RPF/A forces who were in the war of liberation took the unilateral decision to stop Genocide, Rescue victims of Genocide and defeat the Genocidal forces. This CAG Museum also has its outer part comprised of monuments including that of the 12.7mm Machine Gun that helped in containing the advancing genocidal forces.

Rwanda Art Museum

The “Rwanda Art Museum” in Kanombe is located in 4 kilometers from Kigali International Airport. This former Presidential Palace Museum changed into Rwanda Art Museum effective from 18th May 2018.

The new museum displays contemporary artworks produced by both Rwandan and international artists. The aim is to provide to our visitors' insight into the originality of Rwandan creativity, arts development from centuries up-to-date, whilst not overlooking traditional or modern imaginations.

A part from permanent exhibition, The Rwanda Art Museum hosts temporally and moving arts exhibitions as well. Young visitors also enjoy the Art Kids' Studio where they are given the opportunity to put their art skills to work. We want the museum to be a place where artists meet and exchange ideas. In this line, a room for them to exhibit their artworks has been provided by the INMR to their Federation.

As this current museum served as the Presidential Palace during 1970s until late 2000, our visitors can visit this historical building. The flight debris from the FALCON 50's presidential jet that went down on 6th April 1994 are also found at this heritage site.

Kandt House Museum

Kandt House Museum, the former Natural History Museum is located at KN 90 St, around one kilometer from downtown. This museum is formerly well known as Natural History Museum (NHM). Its name as NHM was changed into Kandt House Museum since December, 17th 2017.

At the present moment, Kandt House Museum comprises three main parts:

· The first part presents Rwandan life in all its aspects (social, economic, and politically: monarchism) before the colonial period.

· In the second part, which is the biggest one, the museum traces experience of Rwandan people during the colonial period, more specifically under the German rule from 1884 (the time of Berlin conference), throughout colonial administration, World War I, few to mention; up to 1916, including Richard Kandt life and his deeds in Rwanda.

· Another attractive gallery is the third part where the history of Kigali; Kigali before colonial time, during colonial, and its naissance as capital city, is well presented.

Last but not least, it is the only remaining mark of the former Natural History Museum, that is; a temporary exhibition of live snakes, and a baby crocodile (measured 1 m in 2017). While visiting this external part, one can enjoy the view of spectacular surrounding scenery, most importantly, stunning view of Kigali, Shyorongi, and Jari mountains.

For more information visit www.visitrwanda.com

Volcanoes National Park

Webmaster — 2020-10-01T12:06:14Z

“In the heart of Central Africa, so high up that you shiver more than you sweat,” wrote the eminent primatologist Dian Fossey, “are great, old volcanoes towering almost 15,000 feet, and nearly covered with rich, green rainforest – the Virungas.”

Situated in the far northwest of Rwanda, Volcanoes National Park protects the steep slopes of this magnificent mountain range – home of the endangered mountain gorilla and a rich mosaic of montane ecosystems, which embrace evergreen and bamboo forest, open grassland, swamp, and heath.

Volcanoes National Park is named after the chain of dormant volcanoes making up the Virunga Massif : Karisimbi – the highest at 4,507m, Bisoke with its verdant crater lake, Sabinyo, Gahinga and Muhabura

Tracking endangered mountain gorillas through the mysterious intimacy of the rain forest, alive with the calls of 200 species of colorful birds and chattering of the rare golden monkey, is only one of the truly unique experiences in the area.

Within the boundaries of Volcanoes National Park are Buhanga Eco-Park, an ancient forest holding Rwanda's most intriguing folklore and Musanze Caves, formed 62 million years ago after the last estimated volcanic eruption.

Hiking, canoeing, mountain biking, and village experiences offer something for everyone to enjoy.

For more information visit www.visitrwanda.com

Nyungwe National Park

Webmaster — 2020-10-01T12:02:58Z

One of the oldest rainforests in Africa, Nyungwe is rich in biodiversity and spectacularly beautiful. The mountainous region is teaming with wildlife, including a small population of chimpanzees as well as 12 other species of primate, including the L'Hoest's monkey endemic to the Albertine Rift.

With 15 trails, some of which are detailed here, along with various other activities, visitors can choose to sample the delights of the forest or indulge themselves for a week or more in one of Africa's most stunning forests.

Primate tracking tops most visitor's list, but it's worth lingering a little longer for those with time to relax and take in the primal atmosphere.

Botanists will marvel at the 1,068 plant species and 140 orchids. The birdwatching is among the best in Africa with 322 birds species including Red-collared Babbler and 29 other Albertine Rift Endemic species. Butterflies are also a common sight, with at least 120 species.

There are 75 known mammals in Nyungwe, such as the cerval cat, mongoose, congo clawless otter and leopard to name but a few. Many tend to be shy so sightings are luck of the draw.

Memorable and photogenic moments include walking up to the Isumo waterfall or along the Canopy Walk suspension bridge. Tea plantations border the edges of the park, with a habituated troop of Ruwenzori colobus monkeys at Gisakura as well as forest fringe birds.

With plenty of rainfall, Nyungwe is also the major catchment area in Rwanda and supplies water to 70% of the country.

A ridge running through the forest forms a watershed between the drainage systems of the Nile and the Congo. A spring on the slopes of Mt Bigugu is said to be the most remote source of the Nile, the world's longest river.

For more information visit www.visitrwanda.com

Akagera National Park

Webmaster — 2020-10-01T11:46:49Z

Akagera National Park
The relatively warm and low-lying plains of Akagera comprise savannah, woodland, wetland, and a dozen lakes. In partnership with African Parks, we aim to transform the National Park into a world-class location to experience a safari.

The largely open expanse is ideal for game viewing, and we are taking steps to ensure the Big Five roam the park in greater numbers over the course of time.

Since 2010 we have cut poaching to an all-time low, with the introduction of a helicopter, a canine unit, and rhino trackers.

A family of lions from South Africa is settling in well, and breeding successfully, and 18 eastern black rhinos have also been reintroduced.

Visitors can also encounter buffalo, elephant, antelope, zebra, giraffe, baboons, monkeys, an incredible 490 bird species, plus much more.

A boat trip on Lake Ihema is also a highlight of any visit to Akagera, with its large pods of hippos, Nile crocodiles and abundant waterbirds on the island in the middle of the lake.

The only way to explore the park is by vehicle, whether through a tour operator or self-drive. The National Park also has a vehicle to hire, with individual spaces available on night drives.

It is recommended to take up the services of a guide, which can be booked through the park.

Sleeping within the park is possible, at various lodges, a bush camp in the north at select periods, or camping in specific sites.

For more information visit www.visitrwanda.com