Hiking in Rwanda is one of the activities in this beautiful Land of a Thousand Hills. It can be done alongside gorillas, primates and genocide tours.
Day 1: Climbing Mount Bisoke
The mountain lies in the Rwandan Volcanoes National Park and the Congolese Virunga National Park. The slopes of the peak are densely covered with a rainforest and alpine meadows. The top never snows but is often covered in fog. It last erupted in 1957 leaving a crater lake on top at 3,700m.
Starting point: Bisoke Parking
Duration: 5 hours (x2)
Length: 6.5 km (x2)
Day 1: Climbing Mount Muhabura
Being the second highest of the Volcanoesin rwanda, Mount Muhabura borders Rwanda and Uganda. This hike is more demanding being at 4,127m and you will be expected to cover this in a day.
Starting point: Nyagahinga
Duration: 7 hours (x2)
Length: 9 km (x2)
Day 1: Climbing Mount Mgahinga
Mount Gahinga also lies on the border between Rwanda and Uganda. Gahinga lies between Muhabura and Sabyinyo, but is the smallest of these three. Mount Gahinga, also known in the local Kinyarwanda/Rufumbira dialect as “a small pile of stones”, has a swampy caldera on its peak…
Starting point: Gatabi Parking
Duration: 4 hours (x2)
Length: 5 km (x2)
Day 1: Diana Fossey Hike / Karisoke Research Center.
Situated between Mount Bisoke and Mount Karisimbi, Karisoke Research Centre was founded by Dian Fossey on 24 September 1967 and serves as the site of her grave. This was to study endangered mountain gorillas. She named it by combining the names of the two mountains.
Starting point: Bisoke Parking
Duration: 2 hours (x2)
Day 2: Mount Karisimbi
Karisimbi’, derived from a local language “Amasimbi” which means snow. Snow can mostly be found during the dry season in June, July and August on the top of the volcano.
Starting point: Bisoke Parking
Duration: 2 days
Length: 12 km (x2)
Day 3: Congo Nile Trail
The Congo-Nile Hiking Trail is doable with both cyclists and hikers. It might take you 10 days to complete on foot with some short boat rides. You will follow mainly the footpaths of the local people and immerse yourself in their daily life in traditional ways.
Rubavu – Cyimbiri (Starting point: BRALIRWA Brewery Ltd. Length: 16.5 km)
Cyimbiri – Kinunu (Starting point: Cyimbiri Guest House Length: 13.4 km)
Kinunu – Bumba (Starting point: Kinunu Center Length: 24 km)
Bumba – Karongi (Starting point: Bumba Base Camp Length: 15.9 km)
Karongi – Mugonero (Starting point: Karongi Hospital roundabout Length: 19.6 km)
Mugonero – Karengera (Starting point: L’Esperance Mugonero Length: 22.5 km)
Karengera – Kumbya (Starting point: Karengera High School Length: 14.7 km)
Kumbya – Ishara (Starting point: Kumbya peninsula entrance Length: 13 km)
Ishara – Shangi (Starting point: Ishara Beach Hotel Length: 24 km)
Shangi – Kamembe (Starting point: Shangi Catholic Church Length: 18.3 km)