The land of a thousand hills has earned its name in as far as primate encounters are concerned with gorilla trekking taking the lead as the most sought-after tourism activity in the country. Gorilla trekking experience is an emotional yet truly thrilling primate experience where visitors spend one unforgettable hour with one habituated mountain gorilla family group in their natural shelter. Rwanda comes second after her neighbor, Uganda as the second gorilla home harboring the only remaining mountain gorillas in the wild.

It also carries pride in how it delivers one of the most organized primate encounters, which often begin at the park headquarters with a briefing, where expert guides outline the rules and gorilla behavior. Visitors then get into the dense forests and stunning volcanoes in search of the gentle primates. When they finally reach the gorillas, visitors are granted one hour to observe the natural behaviors of their pace without rush. Unlike the fairly priced gorilla permits of Uganda and Congo, Rwanda’s gorilla permits are slightly pricey and cost about USD 1,500 per head for international visitors.

The vast Volcanoes national park is one of those safari destinations in the land of a thousand hills that deserves all the hype it gets. What makes Volcanoes national park exceptional is that, even though it’s largely renown for gorillas, the spot also shelters other primates like the golden monkeys, smaller wildlife and offers the most excellent birding activities in Rwanda. It is one of the very few spots where visitors can track the gentle giants of mountain gorillas on earth, and delivers the most unmatched primate experience. Here, visitors also bump into other wildlife and other not so common smaller primates.

Rwanda’s temperatures can be average throughout the whole year as a result of its high altitudes, but without doubt, the drier season is perfect timing to visit Rwanda and execute a variety of thrilling tourism activities, especially between June to September during the long dry season. This period offers best weather conditions overall, bringing firmer trails, smooth hikes and the most spectacular wildlife sightings.

The wildlife in various spots like Akagera National Park tend to gather around the available water sources like Lake Ihema, offering effortless views to the travelers. Another best visiting option is going to Rwanda around December to February during the short dry season, as the period also offers convenient conditions for visit like favorable weather, negotiable prices and personal experiences.

The wet rainy period is less ideal and doesn’t deliver as favorable options compared to that of the dry season, but it offers remarkable birding activities and greener vegetation, even though trails become challenging to pass, as they trap water and become difficult for game drives or tracking activities, especially between March to May and October to November.

The hikes during the rainy season are highly demanding compared to the drier period. Exciting tourism activities like gorilla trekking or game driving can be done at any period of the year, but the drier season makes the experience more comfortable and worth spending.