Things to Do in Rwanda: City Guides & Audio Tours

Rwanda is a small, landlocked country in East Africa known for its rolling highlands, western mountains, lakes and volcanoes. Its varied landscapes bring together forest, savanna, terraced farmland and volcanic terrain, making Rwanda a rewarding destination for travellers interested in nature, history and culture. Neywo has a free audio guide for Rwanda, covering 1 city and 12 narrated places in 11 languages.

What to see and do in Rwanda

Explore Kigali

Kigali, Rwanda’s capital, lies at the centre of the country and sits high above sea level. Its location helps explain the city’s relatively mild temperatures despite Rwanda’s position just south of the Equator. Kigali is also the main place to explore Rwanda’s recent history, museums and changing national identity.

The city is the only Rwandan destination currently covered by Neywo. Its 12 narrated places include the Kigali Genocide Memorial, the Campaign Against Genocide Museum, Kandt House Museum and Rwanda Art Museum. You can discover the city with the Kigali city guide.

Visit Rwanda’s national parks

Rwanda’s national parks protect landscapes that are very different from the terraced farmland found across much of the country.

Nyungwe contains Rwanda’s largest remaining tract of forest. Around 200 tree species grow there, alongside orchids and begonias, creating a rich environment for discovering the country’s forest vegetation.

Volcanoes National Park has a higher, more rugged character. Its vegetation includes bamboo, moorland and small areas of forest, reflecting the volcanic landscapes of northwestern Rwanda.

In Akagera, the scenery changes again. The park is dominated by savanna, where acacia is the characteristic plant. Together, Nyungwe, Volcanoes and Akagera show how much natural variety exists within Rwanda’s compact territory.

See Rwanda’s hills, lakes and volcanic landscapes

Rwanda is often associated with its hills, but the country’s geography is broader than its nickname suggests. Rolling highlands cover much of the landscape, while mountains and volcanoes rise in the west and northwest. Lakes add another element to the scenery.

Elevation also shapes the climate. Rainy and dry seasons alternate throughout the year, while the highlands bring lower temperatures than many other equatorial countries. Agriculture occupies much of the land, and natural vegetation has often been replaced by terraced cultivation. The protected areas offer some of the clearest opportunities to encounter Rwanda’s remaining forests, moorland and savanna.

Understand Rwanda’s history

Rwanda’s history reaches back to human settlement in the Stone and Iron Ages. Clans gradually formed, followed by kingdoms. Centuries ago, a kingdom under King Gihanga incorporated neighbouring territories and established the Kingdom of Rwanda, continuing a long tradition of central authority.

European colonisation brought a profound transformation. Germany colonised Rwanda, and Belgium took control during the First World War. Both colonial powers governed through the Rwandan king and maintained a pro-Tutsi policy. A later Hutu revolt led to massacres of Tutsi people, the abolition of the monarchy in a referendum and the creation of an independent, Hutu-dominated republic.

A civil war began when the Tutsi-led Rwandan Patriotic Front launched its campaign. In April 1994, President Juvénal Habyarimana was killed when his plane was shot down near Kigali. The Rwandan genocide began within hours. Hutu Power extremists carried it out against Tutsis, and the RPF ended the genocide with a military victory that July.

This history remains essential to understanding Rwanda today. Since then, the country has been governed by the RPF. In 2001, new official symbols were introduced to promote national unity and reconciliation by removing overt ethnic distinctions from the state identity.

See how nature and society shape the country

Rwanda’s landscapes are closely connected to the way people live. About 14 million people live in the country, and agriculture uses much of its land. Terraced fields are a visible part of the highland scenery, while the national parks preserve environments that agriculture has not replaced.

That contrast—between cultivated hills and protected forest, moorland and savanna—is one of the defining features of Rwanda travel. It also explains why a journey through the country can feel more varied than its small size suggests.

Explore Rwanda with Neywo

Neywo offers 1 walking tour in Rwanda, with 12 narrated stops in total. There are no bus or bike routes listed. The app tells the story of each place as you reach it, at your own pace, with no group and no schedule. Download Neywo and explore Kigali while the audio guide connects the city’s museums and memorial sites to Rwanda’s wider history.