- Lush Vegetation.
Rwanda is endowed with large chunks of natural forest lands, which are home to one of Africa’s most sophisticated ecosystems. The tropical vegetation in the country’s Eastern part is made up of hardwood trees that rise to unimaginable heights. Some of these can be viewed in Nyungwe Forest.
There are also lowland Savannah grasslands which are situated in Akagera National Park. The vegetation in Volcanoes National Park is composed of a mixture of both montane tropical and bamboo vegetation. The rest of the country has similar vegetation types with low forests evenly distributed countrywide.
- People and Culture.
Kigali is its capital city and accounts for the country’s highest population concentration. The country has a rich tribal and cultural heritage and these lie within the Twa, the Tutsi, and the Hutu tribes. The country is famously known for the 1994 genocide that claimed hundreds of lives. To this day, what happened is regrettable. Because of the lessons learned, the country’s population has for years now, forged ways of living harmoniously making it one of Africa’s safest and most peaceful tourist zones.
The country has four official languages and these include French, Kiswahili, English, and Kinyarwanda. The main religions are Christianity, Islam, and a few other religious faiths minimally practiced. Its population is classified among the youngest globally.
The people of Rwanda have a beautiful culture starting with their beautiful language of Kinyarwanda. They practice their traditions in forms of folklore and storytelling, in which tales of the old are passed on to generations, songs that depict their Cultural attachments, dances such as the Kinyarwanda dance, riddles, arts and crafts like the traditional fabrics that are an amazing attraction to the majority of tourists.
This culture is celebrated and formally explained in cultural centers like museums. Some of these include Inema Art Center and the Niyo Art Gallery.
- Foods.
The common foods are sweet potatoes, cassava, beans, millet, corn, peas, bananas, and fruits. There’s what is known as the ‘umutsima isombe’, which is a mixture of spinach, cassava leaves, and eggplants. There’s also the ‘mizuzu’. There are also many other common local foods in Rwanda and usual drinks are milk, beer, and beverages.
- Boat cruises.
These are common on the country’s largest lake. Lake Kivu is generally calm and therefore well accommodates boat cruising. Other lakes which are conducive to the activity are Lake Ihema, and the twin lakes. It’s an awesome activity as the tourists navigate across these lakes, they get to have beautiful views of the far lands, birds, some marine vegetation and wildlife, fishers, and also a great relaxation time.
