Resources: Our Rwanda
Rwanda is a landlocked country situated in central Africa. Rwanda is a land of great diversity and beauty. Popularly known as “the land of a thousand hills”, Rwanda has six volcanoes, twenty-tree lakes and numerous rivers, some forming the source of the great River Nile. The country lies 75 miles south of the equator in the Tropic of Capricorn, 880 miles “as the crow flies” west of the Indian Ocean and 1,250 miles east of the Atlantic Ocean – literally in the heart of Africa. Rwanda is bordered by Uganda to the north, Tanzania to the east, Burundi to the south and the Democratic Republic of Congo to the west.
The Republic of Rwanda comprises four (4) Provinces and Kigali City. They are: eastern, western, northern, southern provinces.
Basic facts:
- Land Area: 26,340 square Kilometers.
- Population: 8 million.
- Rainfall: Rainy seasons: March – May and October – November(Average of 110-200 mm. per month).
- Average Temperature: 24.6 – 27.6ºc. Hottest months: August, September.
- Altitude: Ranges from 1000-4500m above sea level.
- Main water bodies: Lake Kivu, Lake Muhazi, Lake Ihema, Lake Bulera, Lake Ruhondo, Lake Mugesera.
- Vegetation: ranges from dense equatorial forest in the north-west of the country to tropical savannah in the east.
- Main National Parks/Animal Reserves: Akagera and Virunga Volcanoes National Parks.
- Highest point: Karisimbi volcano (4,507m)
- Borders: Uganda to the north, Tanzania to the east, Burundi to the south and Democratic Republic of Congo to the west.
The landscapes in this green country are truly breathtaking. Many a visitor to Rwanda has remarked that the physical beauty of the country is without equal on the African continent. Spectacular volcanoes and dense tropical forests dominate the north of the country, whole gentle hills and valleys, calm lakes and turbulent rivers in both savannah and dense tropical vegetation dominate the rest of the country.
Rwanda boasts a wide variety of wildlife. The Volcano National Park, in northern Rwanda is home to the world’s largest number of endangered mountain gorillas. Numbering in the hundreds, the gorillas live in a protected area, free from poachers. The gorillas can be viewed in their natural mountain habitats at a fairly close range.
Best known for its wealth of primates, Rwanda also has one of Africa’s richest bird lives. A staggering 670 different bird species have been recorded in Rwanda. For botanists, the gorgeous wildflowers of the forests and mountains are capped by more than 100 orchid species in Nyungwe alone.
The Akagera National Park in eastern Rwanda is teeming with wildlife both large and small. They range from Lions, Giraffe, Elephant and Hippopotamus to Hyena, Impala and Gazelle. There is a rich variety of bird lives at Akagera as well.
Rwanda also has water bodies which are ideal for water sports and fishing, particularly Lake Kivu in the west of the country and Lake Muhazi in the east. Lake Kivu also offers beautiful beaches, jutting peninsulas and an archipelago of beautiful island.
Rwanda, in a nutshell, is a nature lover’s paradise. It is also one of the friendliest of countries. A warm welcome is complemented by comfortable facilities, fine food and a rich cultural heritage.
Gorilla Tourism
When visiting the “Land of a Thousand Hills”, one should not miss out on the magnificent opportunity to visit the Volcano National Park consisting of 125 Km2 of mountain forest and home to the six Virunga Volcanoes and the world famous mountain gorillas.Protected within the Volcano National Park, the lushly forested slopes of the mountains form an appropriately dramatic natural setting for what is arguably the most poignant and memorable wildlife experience in the world: gorilla tracking. The exhilarating climb to the gorilla’s natural habitat of shady bamboo forest offers fantastic views in all directions, before the trackers are immersed in the mysterious intimacy of the rainforest, alive with the calls of colourful birds and the chattering of rare golden monkey.
Nothing can prepare one for the impact of encountering a fully grown silverback gorilla, up to three times the size of an average man, yet remarkably peaceable and tolerant of human visitors.
A gorilla visit can entail anything from 1 to 4 hour trek through the forest, led by experience trackers who have spent their entire lives living in or close o the forest. Your trek though the forest will be enchanting as you weave through overhanging vines, moss covered Hagenia trees and giant lobelias that thrive in the tropical climate of the forest. You will spot golden monkeys swinging from the bamboo, or see wild buffalo, bush duiker and a wide variety of bird lives.
The Virunga ecosystem is composed of 4 major vegetation zones: bamboo (base altitude), Hagenia and Hypericum forest (2600-3300m), Sub-alpine (3000-4000m), and Afro-alpine (4000m+).
Then of course, nothing could be more of a privilege then to spend an hour watching the gorillas as they go about their daily routine, feeding, playing and resting, as you question your primeval existence and relive the wonder that kept Dian Fossey living in the forest for almost 18 years.
