As one of the few countries in the world home to the elusive mountain gorilla, Rwanda has been beckoning adventurists and nature-lovers to its lush, rolling terrain for years. But what many travelers don’t realize about Rwanda is that it’s also a fantastic destination to explore unique and vibrant cultures as well as a haunting history.
So what type of cultural and historical activities are there to do in Rwanda when you’re not gorilla trekking? See below for our favorites:
1. A visit to the Kigali Genocide Memorial Center: One of the most horrific events of all time took place in Rwanda between April and June of 1994. In just 100 days, nearly 800,000 Rwandans were murdered. This massive genocide was sparked by ethnic turmoil between the Hutu and Tutsi people of Rwanda. On April 6, 1994, an airplane, carrying Rwandan Hutu President Juvenal Habyarimana was shot down, which was the event that ignited the genocide.
Today, visitors at the Kigali Genocide Memorial Center can visit over 250,000 gravesites of Rwandan genocide victims, and explore three permanent exhibitions, paying tribute to those lost in the Rwandan genocide, as well as others around the world. Also in the Memorial Center is a children’s memorial and an exhibit explaining the history of genocide around the globe.
The Kigali Genocide Memorial Center serves to remind us about the horrific history that so many Rwandans had to experience and this history had such a tremendous impact on the people of this country.
2. Shop at the Kigali Hand Craft Market: Explore various craft shops, selling locally made paintings, carvings, and works of art and interact with the local artists. This is a great way to spend an afternoon or hour or two in the city of Kigali.
3. Witness Dian Fossey’s gravesite: If you’re staying in the Virunga Mountains of Rwanda, we suggest taking a private tour to Dian Fossey’s gravesite. During a private tour, your guide will share the history of the area, as well as explore how Dian Fossey revolutionized mountain gorilla research and conservation. As many of you might already know, Dian was the pioneer of mountain gorilla research in the 70s and 80s. She founded the Karisoke Research Foundation in Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park in order to study the behavior of these magnificent creatures. She even wrote an autobiographical work published in 1983 titled, Gorillas in the Mist. This book was later turned into a movie (which I highly recommend seeing if you haven’t yet!).
During her time in Rwanda she fought hard against political figures and poachers to conserve the mountain gorillas. Sadly, Dian was discovered brutally murdered in her cabin on December 26, 1985—presumably murdered by poachers.
Today, you can witness Dian’s gravesite, which sits close to some graves of gorillas that she fought so hard to protect.
