The best things to do in Musanze, Rwanda

The best things to do in Musanze, Rwanda: Musanze, formerly known as Ruhengeri, is the largest city in the northern part of Rwanda. It’s one of the most engaging tourism destinations, known for Musanze caves, rich culture, being close to the Virunga Mountains, and Volcanoes National Park. Musanze in the northern province of Rwanda offers a wide variety of tourist activities, with gorilla trekking a highlight on any Rwanda safari.

There are several activities that tourists can engage in while on a safari in Musanze, Rwanda. Most of these activities can be done in Volcanoes National Park, which is one of the most famous destinations in the country. What makes the park famous are the mountain gorillas, which are close relatives of human beings. Below are the top activities tourists can do while on a safari in Musanze.

Activities to do around Musanze in Rwanda.

Gorilla trekking in Volcanoes National Park

Volcanoes National Park, a home to mountain gorillas, is located a few kilometers away from Musanze town. Tourists in Musanze have an opportunity to meet mountain gorillas in the jungles of Volcanoes National Park. Tourists only need to purchase a gorilla trekking permit, which is a document from the Rwanda Development Board allowing tourists to trek these apes in the wild.

Volcanoes National Park is one of the best places to see mountain gorillas in the wild, with several mountain gorilla families habituated and used to human presence around them. The activity starts at the park headquarters in Kinigi with a briefing from the park rangers who teach the rules and regulations of the activity.

Gorilla trekking in Volcanoes National Park is done in groups, and these are led by armed ranger guides. The activities go through a number of trails searching for where the mountain gorillas could be. This can take 2 to 5 hours, and as soon as these apes are spotted, trekkers get to have 1 hour around the members, which enables them to learn about their habits, watch them do activities, and take photos.

Visit Dian Fossey’s Grave

While in Musanze, tourists can visit Dian Fossey’s grave to see one of the greatest primatologists of the 20th Century.  Dian Fossey spent most of her life studying mountain gorillas in their natural habitats. She started Karisoke Research Center, located between Mount Karisimbu and Mount Bisoke. On a visit to her tomb, the rangers will tell you about her life and the things she did to make sure that the mountain gorilla population increases.

Because of Dian Fossey’s efforts, the mountain gorilla population increased worldwide. She fought mountain gorilla poaching in Uganda, Rwanda, and DR Congo. She started gorilla habituation and made the mountain gorillas get used to human presence around them. By hiking to Dian Fossey’s grave, tourists will get an opportunity to learn and appreciate her work while appreciating the beauty of Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park.

Volcano hiking

While in Musanze, travelers who are interested in volcano hiking can hike any of the Virunga Mountains. The Virunga mountains that can be hiked are Mount Karisimbi, Mount Bisoke, Mount Sabyinyo, Mount Muhabura, and Mount Gahinga. Mount Karisimbi and Mount Bisoke are the closest to hike while in Musanze. Hiking Mount Bisoke takes 1 day, which favors tourists who have limited time within the country, while those who want to hike Mount Karisimbi will need 2 days.

Visiting Musanze Caves

Exploring Musanze caves is another activity tourists can do while in Musanze town. Visiting these caves will help you to get the history about this area, including being the venue for crowning the new kings and a shelter for thousands of refugees. While walking around the caves, you will get spots and have a clear view of the Virunga ranges like Gahinga, Muhabura, and Karisimbi.

Exploring Musanze Caves takes about 2 hours, and it’s done under the guidance of guides who have enough information about the caves. They will help you visit different caves and get different information about them. While in the caves, you will encounter different tunnels, most of which are homes to bats. Tourists explore the caves with a helmet, gloves, boots, and a headcap.

When is the best time to explore Musanze, Rwanda

The best time to visit and explore Musanze is from June to September and December to February. The good weather, characterized by little or no rainfall and plenty of sunshine, offers the best conditions for most activities within the region. The area has drier trails to make movement from one place to another easier. The sun is bright with clear skies, giving a clear view of the Virunga Mountains.

Tourists may still travel in other months like March to May and October to November; however, there is plenty of rainfall within the region. This makes the trekking trails muddy and slippery, making activities less enjoyable. The rainy season favors tourists who hate crowded places, as there are few people traveling during these months.

What to know before visiting Musanze

Tourists who intend to visit Musanze should know that the area is located in the foothills of the Virunga Mountains. This makes it a cold area most of the time with misty conditions and rugged terrain. To get to Musanze, it might take you 2 to 3 hours from Kigali by road transport, which comes with a great view of different attractions along the way.