Volcanoes National Park
The highest area in Rwanda is the Volcanoes National Park in the northwest of the country. This includes five of the eight volcanoes in the Virunga Massif chain, which stretches from the northeastern part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo to southwestern Uganda. Mount Karisimbi is the highest, reaching 4,507 meters in height. The other volcanoes are Visoke, Muhabura, Gahinga and Sabyinyo. The bamboo forests that cover their slopes are one of the last places in the world where mountain gorillas can be seen in the wild.
The Mutara region
From the Volcanoes National Park, the ground gradually slopes down to the east, leading from hill to hill to the Mutara region, bordered to the north by Uganda and to the east by Tanzania. This is the beginning of Rwanda's largest natural park, Akagera, which, with its 1,100 km² area, extends to the south of the country. This region of lakes and swamps is primarily known for its savannah, which is home to a number of large mammals such as giraffes, zebras, lions, hippos and some elephants. The park is crossed by the Kagera River, to which it owes its name. It is more than 400 km long and flows into Lake Victoria, which then flows into the Nile.
Nyungwe Forest
In the southwest of the country, there is the forest massif of Nyungwe National Park. Located on the border with Burundi, it is one of the last primary highland forests on the African continent. This nature reserve is divided into plateaus of different levels that reach up to 3,000 m in altitude. An amazing relief which hides numerous chasms and mountain waterfalls. To appreciate at best this incredible panorama, it is advisable to take a little height since the suspended bridge which overhangs the canopy. It is also in this forest that we find the small river of Rukarara which seems to be the most distant source of the Nile. This small tributary feeds the Kagera River.
The Rusizi Valley
In the extreme southwest of Rwanda is the lowest part of the country, the Rusizi Valley, which is 950 meters above sea level. Because of this low altitude, the climate is warmer than in the rest of the country. This region is named after the river that borders it and forms a natural border with the Democratic Republic of Congo. The Rusizi is located at the end of Lake Kivu and flows into Lake Tanganyika in Burundi.
The Kivu region
The largest lake in Rwanda is Kivu. Running along the western part of the country, on the border with the Democratic Republic of Congo, it is one of the most dynamic and touristic areas of Rwanda. Here the landscapes are green and the tea plantations are numerous. Rwandans and foreigners alike flock to take a canoe trip on the crystal clear waters of the Kivu.
