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RWANDA: THE LAND OF A THOUSAND HILLS
If you’re a traveler looking for an adventure of a different kind, then Rwanda should be on your bucket list. Rwanda is a green undulating landscape of hills, gardens and tea plantations. It is famous for being the home to one third of the world’s remaining Mountain Gorillas whose plight Dian Fossy brought to the world’s attention.
But that’s not all Rwanda has to offer. The government has shown a clear commitment to the development of the tourism sector and has established itself as a safe destination in the region.
There are three national parks that cover about 10 percent of the country’s area, one of which is the Volcanoes National Park famous for the Gorillas. The Akagera National Park offers a range of wildlife, such as elephants, hippos, giraffes, zebra, etc. The Nyungwe Forest National Park has a large tract of mountain forest and is rich in biodiversity. Guided walks and chimpanzee tracking is offered. Lake Kivu has recreational facilities as well, but there is still significant potential that could be developed.
The Congo-Nile Trail is the latest addition to the country's growing list of tourist destinations, adding to recently-launched programs such as bird watching, cultural tourism, the Nyungwe Forest Canopy Walk, and the addition to revival and elevation of Gishwati Forest as the newest National Park.The 227-kilometer trail bridges the western part of Rwanda, stretching from Rubavu district through Karongi, Nyamasheke towards Rusizi. According to Rica Rwigamba, head of the Tourism and Conservation Department at the Rwanda Development Board, it creates the western corridor which links Nyungwe and Volcanoes National Parks and is part of an effort to give tourists possibilities beyond the national parks.
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In addition, Rwanda offers business opportunities, mainly for travelers from the eastern DRC and other neighboring countries. The country has also been successful in attracting national, regional and international conferences.
