Musanze, the Gorillas & the Volcanoes National Park
One of the largest cities in Rwanda, Musanze is a bustling city hosting almost all tourists visiting the endangerdd mountain gorillas, the world famous great apes that are protected in the Volcanoes national Park.
Musanze has long been the base point for gorilla visits into the Volcanoes National Park and is cradled against a stunning backdrop of Karisimbi, Bisoke, Sabyinyo, Gahinga and Muhavura Volcanoes.
The city is rich in cultural tourism opportunities, caving, bird watching and fishing in the nearby lakes. The city is only 45 minutes drive from Gisenyi and the stunning Lake Kivu.
It’s impossible not to fall in love with Musanze former Ruhengeri town in northern Rwanda. The Town famed world wide as a place where mountain gorillas live and a home to the American primatologist Dian fossey who dedicated her entire life to save the mountain gorillas. Golden monkeys, primates, lakes, rich culture, volcanoes, Musanze cave are other attractions one can see while in Musanze.The total number of tourists to Rwanda end up in Musanze to experience the village wonderful attractions as they discover Rwanda as all. Safaris to Musanze are the most exciting when it comes to unique Africa adventures. Travelers get sad on every last day of their stay in Musanze thinking of the lovely beautiful village they are leaving behind for their usual home environment. I thought apart from local who live around the village, other guests are tourists but surprisingly the village beauty can’t spare even business investors to Rwanda especially the hotel investors. Several hotels have been built in this village for all budgets to tap the accommodation demand of travelers in the area especially those on Rwanda gorilla tracking tours.
Sometimes new places look like just our homes and nothing different at all except the different tourist activities but mere arriving in Rwanda alone is enough to make you feel a new ambience ,calm weather, clean streets and looking at organized people ,the motorcyclist with helmets on their head is enough to show you the new world in Africa. The scenic drive from Kigali to Musanze is excellent as you look at the rolling hills, meandering roads as well as friendly locals who wave to you a sign to welcome you in their area. The drive lovely drive is short and convenient for travelers with limited time in Rwanda since in just 2-3 hours, one can be in Musanze .However, the reason as to why those on 1 day Rwanda gorilla tracking tours spend a night before the trek in Kigali and still catch up with the day’s activity. Although Rwanda has a number of interesting towns and villages but Musanze is exceptional with what it has to offer to its guests. True natural wonder to behold is what makes Musanze stand out in Rwanda unlike other parts of the country given up to modernization. Besides its stunning landscapes, pleasant climate spiced with early morning mist which cover the forest and only start clearing during sunrise offers a personal gift to anyone interested in serene environment.
The most fan thing to do in Musanze is gorilla tracking an adventure where you meet up with the giant silverback in the wild and watch it play and share great moments with its other family members the mother gorillas and the juveniles. One can differentiate silverback from other gorillas from its strong sounding voice as well as the terrific look which it wears in its eyes every day. Golden monkey trekking, volcano hikes, village& cultural tours are other exciting adventures you should miss in musanze. Other Rwanda tour adventures worth checking out and sighted in close distance to Musanze is the attractive lake Kivu a place to cool off stress and nose of the city, chimpanzee tracking & canopy walk in Nyungwe forest, massive wildlife viewing in Akagera national park the amazing Rwanda platform for wildlife viewing, birding as well as boat ride tours. The more fun and interactive activity still near Musanze is the iby’Iwachu cultural village sited in just close to the gorilla park and travelers who love to experience different Rwanda cultural aspects find it appealing and the best place to be if one needs to know any thing about the people of Rwanda and there norms. Tourists are given opportunity to take park in many several cultural activities, dancing, grinding, and acting as a king & queen etc. Even for less adventurous Musanze is one of the most pleasant places in Rwanda that one can enjoy by simply strolling around the village.