Top Things to Do in Rwanda Beyond Gorilla Trekking

Rwanda is far more than its famous mountain gorillas. While gorilla trekking in Volcanoes National Park rightfully draws travelers from every corner of the world, the Land of a Thousand Hills has quietly built one of Africa’s most diverse and rewarding tourism offerings. From golden monkey tracking and Akagera’s Big Five savannah to the serene shores of Lake Kivu and Kigali’s vibrant cultural scene, Rwanda rewards curious travelers who look beyond the forest. Whether you are extending a gorilla trek or planning a standalone Rwanda adventure, here is your guide to the very best experiences this extraordinary country has to offer.

Golden Monkey Tracking in Volcanoes National Park

Most visitors who come to Volcanoes National Park for gorilla trekking overlook one of Rwanda’s most joyful and accessible wildlife encounters — golden monkey tracking. These brilliantly colored primates, with their vivid patches of orange-gold fur set against jet-black limbs, inhabit the bamboo forests on the lower slopes of the Virunga volcanoes. Unlike gorilla treks, which can involve hours of strenuous hiking through dense rainforest, golden monkey tracking is generally more relaxed and suitable for a wider range of fitness levels — making it perfect for families, older travelers, or anyone looking for an energetic and visually exciting alternative.

Once you locate a troop, the experience is wonderfully chaotic. Golden monkeys move fast, leap between bamboo stalks, and interact with each other in playful, acrobatic ways that make for spectacular photography. Expert guides track their movements and help you interpret their behavior, adding real depth to the encounter. The trek also takes you through beautiful bamboo forest scenery, with the volcanic peaks looming above and the sounds of the forest surrounding you on all sides. It is an experience that consistently surprises travelers who expected gorillas to be the undisputed highlight of their Rwanda visit. For a perfectly balanced itinerary combining both primates, explore the 4 Days Rwanda Gorilla & Golden Monkey Primate Safari — one of our most popular Rwanda itineraries.

Akagera National Park – Rwanda’s Big Five Safari

For travelers who associate East Africa with wide-open savannahs, dramatic sunsets, and classic Big Five game drives, Akagera National Park in eastern Rwanda delivers an outstanding and often underrated safari experience. Covering approximately 1,122 square kilometers along the Tanzanian border, Akagera is one of Africa’s great conservation comeback stories — lions were reintroduced in 2015, black rhinos followed in 2017, and the park today supports a thriving ecosystem of elephants, buffaloes, zebras, hippos, leopards, and an extraordinary diversity of birdlife numbering over 500 recorded species.

Game drives through Akagera reveal a landscape that shifts beautifully between open savannah, woodland, and the lakes and wetlands of the Kagera River system. The combination of water and plains creates viewing conditions that rival some of East Africa’s most celebrated parks, yet Akagera receives a fraction of the visitors — meaning game drives here feel genuinely exclusive. Early morning drives offer the best predator sightings, while afternoon boat cruises on Lake Ihema bring you face-to-face with enormous hippo pods, Nile crocodiles, and an incredible variety of waterbirds. If you have always dreamed of combining primate trekking with a classic safari, Rwanda makes it uniquely possible within a single compact country.

Nyungwe Forest National Park – Primates and Canopy Walks

In the southwestern corner of Rwanda lies Nyungwe Forest National Park, one of Africa’s oldest and most pristine montane rainforests. Nyungwe is a primate lover’s paradise — home to chimpanzees, L’Hoest’s monkeys, grey-cheeked mangabeys, and the largest troops of Angolan colobus monkeys on the continent. Chimpanzee tracking here offers a genuinely different experience from gorilla trekking, with the fast-paced energy of following chimpanzees through the forest canopy creating a sense of wild, unpredictable excitement that stays with you long after you leave. Alongside chimp trekking, the park’s famous canopy walkway offers one of Rwanda’s most thrilling non-primate experiences — suspended 70 meters above the forest floor, you walk through the treetops with panoramic views of the ancient forest stretching to the horizon. The walkway is one of the highest in Africa and a must-do for any visitor to Nyungwe.

The drive to Nyungwe from Kigali is itself one of Rwanda’s great pleasures, winding through terraced tea plantations, dramatic hillsides, and communities perched on ridge-top villages. The 6 Days Rwanda Primates Safari from Frena Adventures combines Nyungwe’s chimpanzee trekking with golden monkey tracking and Bwindi gorilla encounters for the ultimate East African primate experience. For those planning a longer East African journey, the 12 Days Best of Uganda and Rwanda Primate Safari weaves Nyungwe into a broader itinerary alongside Uganda’s finest destinations.

Kigali – Africa’s Most Remarkable Capital City

No visit to Rwanda is complete without spending meaningful time in Kigali, consistently ranked among Africa’s cleanest, safest, and most forward-thinking capital cities. The city’s transformation over the past three decades is nothing short of extraordinary, and exploring it reveals both the depth of Rwanda’s resilience and the ambition of its future. Begin at the Kigali Genocide Memorial, a profoundly moving and thoughtfully presented site that tells the story of the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi with sensitivity and historical depth. It is an essential visit for understanding Rwanda’s modern identity and the remarkable national healing that has taken place since.

Beyond the memorial, Kigali offers vibrant craft markets, excellent restaurants serving both traditional Rwandan cuisine and international fare, and a growing arts scene centered around galleries, studios, and cultural spaces. The Inema Arts Center in Kacyiru is a wonderful place to engage with local artists and purchase original work directly from the creators. The city’s rolling hills, lined with bougainvillea and well-maintained roads, make it a genuinely pleasant place to explore on foot or by motorbike taxi — a quintessentially Kigali experience that locals call a moto. For travelers combining Rwanda with a broader East African adventure, explore the 11 Days Uganda and Rwanda Primate & Cultural Safari which weaves Kigali’s cultural highlights into a seamless Uganda-Rwanda circuit.

Lake Kivu – Relaxation on Rwanda’s Stunning Shoreline

After the intensity of gorilla trekking, chimpanzee tracking, and game drives, Lake Kivu offers the perfect counterbalance — a vast, shimmering lake stretching along Rwanda’s western border with the Democratic Republic of Congo, surrounded by green hills, island-dotted waters, and charming lakeside towns. Gisenyi in the north and Kibuye in the center are the most popular bases, each offering a relaxed atmosphere, comfortable lodges with lake views, and a range of water-based activities including kayaking, boat trips to forested islands, and swimming in the lake’s clean, bilharzia-free waters.

The lakeside communities are also rich in culture and history, with local fishing villages, traditional craft workshops, and community tourism initiatives that allow travelers to engage meaningfully with Rwandan life. Sunset over Lake Kivu, with the volcanic silhouettes of the Virunga Mountains reflected in the water, is one of East Africa’s most beautiful natural spectacles. The lake is most commonly visited as a natural conclusion to a Volcanoes National Park gorilla trek, creating a perfect rhythm of high-octane wildlife adventure followed by genuine rest and reflection. Our 9 Days Rwanda Safari Experience incorporates Lake Kivu into a comprehensive Rwanda itinerary, while the Rwanda safari holidays page offers a full range of options tailored to different timeframes and budgets.

Rwanda’s appeal extends far beyond its mountain gorillas, and the country rewards every traveler who takes the time to explore its extraordinary diversity. Whether you are drawn to primate encounters, Big Five game drives, cultural immersion, or lakeside relaxation, Rwanda delivers experiences of genuine depth and authenticity. Browse our full range of Rwanda and Uganda safari tours or contact our team today to start planning your perfect Rwanda adventure.