Rwanda

Rwanda is a small, green country in the heart of Africa, known as the land of a thousand hills: terraced slopes, tea estates and banana groves roll to the horizon. In the north-west the volcanoes of the Virunga Mountains rise above bamboo and montane forest, home to mountain gorillas and golden monkeys. Gorilla trekking in Volcanoes National Park is the country’s signature experience — a guided forest walk to spend time near a gorilla family.

In the south-west, UNESCO-listed Nyungwe is thought to be one of Africa’s oldest montane rainforests. Chimpanzees and many other primates live here, a canopy walkway runs above the treetops, and tea estates cover the surrounding hills. In the east, Akagera offers savanna, lakes and the big game of a classic safari, while Lake Kivu stretches along the western border. Kigali, a clean, orderly capital on green hills, is a convenient start. Rwandan food is simple: brochettes (grilled skewers), isombe (stewed cassava leaves), plantains, and coffee and tea from the hill estates.

Thanks to the altitude, the equatorial highland climate is mild all year. The drier months, roughly June to September and December to February, are usually the main trekking seasons, though the forests can be wet at any time. Rwanda suits couples, nature lovers and photographers, and travellers combining gorillas with an East African safari.