Is Rwanda a good destination for backpackers ?
Filmed on : february 2024
Filmed in : Rwanda
Rwanda, known as the land of a thousand hills, offers stunning landscapes and is famous for its gorilla trekking. The country has invested heavily in global advertising, sponsoring sports teams and events with the slogan "Visit Rwanda." This campaign aims to showcase Rwanda as a developed, clean, and connected hub for business in Africa. As a result, more tourists are flocking to this small country each year. However, if you're a backpacker on a budget, you might find Rwanda's costs to be prohibitive...
Activities are expensive
Gorilla Trekking
One of the most famous experiences in Rwanda is trekking in the Volcanoes National Park to see mountain gorillas. However, the permit for this trek is $1500 per person! This high cost is justified by claims of conserving the national park, supporting local communities, and fighting poachers. In comparison, gorilla trekking in Uganda costs $600, which is already a steep price for just one hour with the gorillas.
Nyungwe National Park
Nyungwe, one of the oldest rainforests in Africa, is located in the south of Rwanda and extends into Burundi. It's a truly beautiful place, lush, green, hilly, and misty, home to chimps and many other species. The country plans to reintroduce elephants to the forest soon. The park offers many trails, from short 1-hour walks to 3-day treks, chimpanzee trekking, and a new Canopy Walkway, a raised bridge that lets you see the trees from above. But these experiences come at a high cost. The entrance fee is $100 per day per person, with additional guiding and activity fees. For instance, the Canopy Walk costs $40 per person, making a one-day visit with the Canopy Walk trail a total of $155 if you're alone!
Our experience
Golden Monkey Trek in Volcanoes National Park
We opted for the Golden Monkey trek in the Volcanoes National Park, partly because there’s a slim chance of seeing gorillas on this trek, which costs a more affordable $100 per person. The starting point is the same for all activities in the park, and we must admit, the level of service is extremely high. Upon entering the park facility in the morning, we were greeted with a nice cup of coffee in a beautifully designed area. Everyone was friendly, in a good mood, and spoke perfect English. The guides were knowledgeable, and with enough trackers, you’re almost guaranteed to find the monkeys. Compared to our chimp trekking experience in Tanzania, there’s no contest – they do an excellent job here.
Nyungwe National Park
Our experience in Nyungwe was equally impressive. The facilities are modern and well-maintained. We camped there and had access to hot showers and electricity. The trails are in excellent condition, and once again, the guides were top-notch. However, we were a bit disappointed that you can't roam around the park on your own; hiring a guide is mandatory. While reaching the Volcanoes Park office was easy with a boda boda (moto-taxi), getting to Nyungwe was more challenging, requiring us to wait for infrequent and often crowded buses. It's worth noting that very few tourists use public transportation in Rwanda.
Why you shouldn't visit Rwanda on a budget
All the activities in Rwanda are very expensive, so if you can't afford them, you might feel frustrated because there's not much else to do in the country. Uganda, just across the border, offers similar landscapes and is much more affordable and friendly in our experience. While Rwanda is generally cleaner than its neighbors, we found the narrative of cleanliness being pushed a bit too much. The roads taken by tourists and government officials are new, clean, and well-lit, but if you travel on your own, you'll discover dirt tracks in poor condition and people struggling to afford basic necessities.
Most tourists you’ll meet in Rwanda are spending a lot of money and traveling exclusively in “glass cars,” essentially trapped in a windowed cage. This creates a strange contrast. When we arrived at the Volcanoes office by motorbike, we had to hitch a ride to the start of the hike and ended up in one of these cars—it was not a pleasant experience.
If you're on a longer trip in the region, sure, why not cross Rwanda, explore a bit of Kigali, and learn about the country's history? But if you're limited on time, we recommend opting for Uganda or Tanzania. You'll get more for your money, people are generally happier to interact, and the other travelers you meet will likely have a similar mindset.
Safety-wise, we felt very safe in Rwanda, but we also felt safe in all the surrounding countries, so we wouldn’t put too much weight on that argument.
If you can afford the activities in Rwanda, like gorilla trekking, visiting Nyungwe, or doing a safari in Akagera, try to avoid traveling in those cage cars that create a barrier between you and the country. Be aware that if you rush or stick to the main attractions, you'll only see what the government wants you to see. That said, we highly recommend the restaurant Meza Malonga in Kigali—it was one of the best dining experiences of our lives. Make sure to book well in advance.
Disclosure : We initially planned to partner with the Rwanda Development Board to create content for them. However, this collaboration fell through as Pol fell ill early in the trip. Nonetheless, we did not pay for the park and activity fees for Nyungwe Park.
