Rwanda travel blog

Rwanda is a country I came to with one very specific goal: gorilla trekking. And I’m glad I went — it’s exceptionally well organized, ethical, and doesn’t feel exploitative, which matters. The experience itself is good, memorable, and worth doing once, even if it wasn’t life-altering for me personally. 

This Rwanda travel guide reflects that reality. I focus on what Rwanda actually does best: Volcanoes National Park (including hikes like Mount Bisoke), Kigali for context, and a few places that make sense to add without forcing the itinerary. Rwanda is compact, scenic, and runs on a tight ship, which makes planning refreshingly straightforward. 

All content in this Rwanda travel guide is based on real experiences. If you’re planning a trip to Rwanda—especially a gorilla trek—this guide will help you decide if it’s right for you, and how to do it without unnecessary effort or illusions.

Itineraries & planning > | Travel guides & inspiration > | Travel tips >

Travel tips for Rwanda

Arrival and tourist infrastructure in Rwanda:

You’ll arrive in Kigali, one of the cleanest and most organized cities I’ve seen in Africa. Roads are in excellent condition, border formalities are efficient, and everything runs smoothly. Rwanda feels safe and structured. English is widely spoken and accommodation standards are generally good.

Driving and car rental in Rwanda:

All content here is based on real experience, practical expectations, and honest impressions, not hype. If you’re planning a trip to Rwanda — especially a gorilla trek — this guide will help you decide if it’s right for you, and how to do it without unnecessary effort or illusions.

Best time to visit Rwanda:

Seeing a mountain gorilla family up close is a rare, well-run wildlife experience, and I’m glad I did it here rather than in cheaper alternatives. Beyond the trek in Volcanoes National Park, Rwanda rewards you with misty volcano hikes like Bisoke, rainforest trails in Nyungwe, and calm stretches along Lake Kivu. Kigali adds the necessary context and history.

What surprised me in Rwanda:

How calm Rwanda feels. Given its history, I expected heaviness. Also: gorilla trekking is far more physical than it looks on paper.

Top things to do in Rwanda:

Seeing a mountain gorilla family up close is a rare, well-run wildlife experience, and I’m glad I did it here rather than in cheaper alternatives. Beyond the trek in Volcanoes National Park, Rwanda rewards you with misty volcano hikes like Bisoke, rainforest trails in Nyungwe, and calm stretches along Lake Kivu. Kigali adds the necessary context and history.

Travel essentials for Rwanda
Main arrival airport:
Kigali International Airport (KGL)
Best months to visit Rwanda:
June–September, December–February
Climate:
Mild, temperate; cooler in the highlands
Currency:
Rwandan Franc (RWF)
Currency conversion:
1 USD ≈ 1,300 RWF (January 2026)
How expensive is Rwanda?
7/10 (gorilla permits skew the budget)
Language:
Kinyarwanda, English, French
Visa requirements:
E-visa online for most nationalities
Tipping in Rwanda:
Not expected, appreciated for guides and drivers

Best places to visit in Rwanda

Top tourist destinations in Rwanda

Rwanda itineraries & travel planning

All the Rwanda itineraries in my travel guide—real trips I’ve taken, turned into smart, realistic travel plans and travel guides with the best places to visit, routes, and travel times, and Rwanda travel tips.

Example itineraries:
3–4 day Rwanda itinerary: Kigali → Volcanoes National Park (gorilla trekking) → Kigali
7-day Rwanda itinerary: Kigali → Volcanoes National Park → Musanze area hikes → Kigali (Ideal if Rwanda is part of a longer East Africa trip)
10-day Rwanda itinerary: Kigali → Volcanoes National Park → Lake Kivu → Nyungwe Forest → Kigali

Rwanda
Jan Skovajsa
"45 minutes of gorilla time was enough for me."
Hi, I'm Jan. When I travel, I look for adventures during the day but always unwind in a comfortable hotel at night. I started this travel blog after realizing how tough it can be to find reliable, authentic travel info.
More about me

Rwanda travel guides & inspiration

This is where you’ll find all my Rwanda travel guides—cities, regions, places worth seeing, and things to do. I'll tell you which places are worth your time and call out the tourist traps.

Rwanda travel tips & practical advice

This part of the Rwanda travel guide is where you’ll find practical travel tips for Rwanda, food guides, fun facts about Rwanda, and other useful details you need before you travel.

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