Best Hikes in Rwanda

Best Hikes in Rwanda: Besides houses, schools, hospitals, and other social amenities, Rwanda has one of the most magnificent terrains in Africa that will favor hiking. The country provides a variety of easy –nature walks –short hikes –mid-level day hikes –and hardcore day hikes. If you are an adventurer, a casual trekker, a family, or a group going for a sightseeing nature walk; Rwanda has a center for you in their many trails. The hikes will take place within the country’s beautiful national parks and other outstanding trails with the aim of fully exposing the hikers to the natural beauty of the Rwandan landscape as well as its action-packed wildlife and cultural attractions.

Mount Bisoke: A Volcanic Day Trek

Mount Bisoke is a comparatively difficult hike and is one of the most visited attractions in Rwanda situated in Volcanoes National Park. Bisoke stands at 3,711m; this volcanic cone offers a full day of serious hiking through the slopes with a spectacular view of the surrounding volcanoes and the spectacular crater and the lake at the top. It takes about 6 hours to do the round trip, and the hike is quite challenging partially due to steep inclines, treacherous muddy areas, and the fact that the hike can be done during the Hainanese rainy season.

Family: Hikers will hike steeply through bamboo forests filled with golden monkeys, then upward into the montane forest where, with luck, they might see all other types of park fauna–birds and other small mammals. The viewing deforms thus make the trek an exciting adventure through Rwanda’s actual biodiversity. Finally, when hikers reach the top, they find themselves face to face with the spectacular view of the crater lake – an even more natural wonder of Rwanda’s surrounded by numerous volcanic cones.

Walking trips to Mount Bisoke are arranged by the Volcanoes National Park and it’s advisable to begin in the morning to maximize the hours of light. Trekkers should wear sturdy boots and should carry enough water as they need substantial physical exertion.

Nyungwe National Park: Canopy Walk and Forest Trails

For those who seek less of a hike, Nyungwe National Park in southwest Rwanda provides other trails and walks that would enable hikers to get acquainted with one of Africa’s largest and oldest montane rainforests. It has over 1000 species of plants, and hundreds of birds, and thirteen species of primate, most of which are endemic to the park.

Nyungwe Canopy Walk is among the attractions offered in the park; it involves a seventy-foot suspension bridge that spans two hundred meters giving visitors a feeling of a bird watching the forest below. The canopy walk is part of the Igishigishigi Trail, a trail that takes approximately 1.5 hours to cover; it’s one of the shortest and easiest trails. During the hike, different kinds of monkeys can be seen and birds like colobus monkeys.

But for the enthusiasts of longer hiking, Nyungwe forest has other trails that can be tailored as half-day or full-day activities. The Bigugu Trail is another trail of choice for those hikers who have more experience trekking on the trails. It leads to the highest point in the park, Mount Bigugu which stands at 2,950 meters. The trail in the park provides an excellent view of the dense natural Topography of the park, out view of Lake Kivu and the neighboring Democratic Republic of Congo. During one’s hike, chances are high to meet different types of birds, butterflies, or even primates.

The experience of hiking the Congo Nile Trail

If you are interested in hiking, you cannot afford to miss the Congo Nile Trail because it offers beautiful views of the Rwandan waterfront. Running for over 227km along the eastern shores of Lake Kivu, the Congo Nile Trail can be done in sections or a series of day cruising. This trail presents hikers with an opportunity to cross through steep slopes, natural greened hills, and plantations of coffee, shade-grown- and small local villages as well.

In many cases, the trail is literally divided into stages and each of these stages has its own attractions. Without a doubt, one of the favorite ones to be implemented in a one-day hike is the Rubavu-Karongi trail which spans about six hours. This part of the trail provides beautiful scenery of Lake Kivu the biggest lake in Rwanda and the countryside. Something that hikers will encounter is beautiful cultures since the practice involves crossing through appealing cultural villages that enable them to come across Rwandans and learn about the Rwandan culture.

Freer visitors, who feel time is not a constraint, can take a week and a half to do the entire Congo Nile Trail. On the way, trekkers can spend nights in camps, guesthouses, or eco-lodges, which makes this route one of the well-supported ones. Also, it doubles as a trail for mountain biking meaning that it is a perfect choice for everyone who wants to enjoy outdoor activities.