If you are looking for the best place to have a cultural tour, Rwanda is a perfect choice. Rwanda cultural tours or Rwanda community safaris are an extraordinary way of exploring the hidden treasures and hospitality amongst the people of Rwanda. Rwanda is a small country located at the center of the African continent. This is why the country is usually referred to as “The Heart of Africa.” The vast mountainous ranges make Rwanda a perfect destination for hiking tours combined with Rwanda cultural safaris. It is on such a background that Rwanda is nicknamed “The Land of a Thousand Hills.”
Other than mountain gorilla trekking tours and Chimpanzee trekking safaris, Rwanda offers yet another exceptional tourist activity – Rwanda Cultural Safaris. Many tourists have been coming to Rwanda for many years due to the hospitality of the Rwandese. By visiting the local communities during your Rwanda Cultural safari or Rwanda community tour, you get a chance to feel welcome and have a comfortable stay. Rwanda’s foundation is based on hospitality and diversity dating back to the days of the ancient dwellers of the land. A cultural tour in Rwanda gives you a chance to dive into the traditions and customs of Rwandese and learn about their history.
How many ethnic groups are in Rwanda?
Rwanda is made of three major tribes namely the Hutu (85%), the Tutsi (13%), and the Batwa (2%). The Hutu are mainly crop cultivators who grow food crops like millet, maize, cassava, banana, etc. They use simple tools like hoes to cultivate the land and they entirely rely on rainfall and sunshine for their plantations to yield a harvest. The Hutu grow food crops majorly for food and they sell surplus to earn a living. On a cultural safari in Rwanda, you will encounter Hutu women carrying baskets of fruits and taking them to the local markets for sale.
The Tutsi on the other hand are major farmers specializing in rearing cattle. In the past years, the Tutsi would migrate from one place to another in search of water and greener pastures for their cattle. This is why they can be seen in the neighboring areas of Uganda, Tanzania, and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
The Batwa people are few and they were usually considered inferior by the other tribes. The Batwa specialize in hunting and gathering fruits. Taking on a cultural tour of Volcanoes National Park will allow you to visit these people. Batwa people are one of the few African indigenous tribes that have refused to abide by the rules of modernization. The Batwa can be seen on a Uganda safari in the areas of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, Mgahinga Gorilla National Park as well as Lake Bunyonyi. Book a combined Uganda and Rwanda Cultural safari and discover the hidden treasure of the true African indigenous cultures.
Rwanda Genocide Memorial Sites
Rwanda Cultural safaris usually include a visit to at least one of Rwanda’s Genocide Memorial Sites. These sites are located in different parts of the country and they are a signature of memories to every Rwandese and tourists get an opportunity to learn about the 1994 tragedy.
Back in the day, Rwanda was under the leadership of the Belgian government. These practiced sectarianism and segregation. There was much division among the Hutu majority and the Tutsi minority. In 1994, the tragic death of the then-president of Rwanda – Juvenile Habyalimana marked the beginning of the 100-day mass killings in Rwanda dubbed the 1994 Rwanda Genocide. When you visit any of the Genocide Memorial sites in Rwanda on your Rwanda cultural safari or Rwanda gorilla trekking safari, you will see the remains of hundreds of thousands who lost their lives during this bloody revolution.
The Seven galleries display historical, ethnographic, artistic, and archaeological artifacts accompanied by visual aids, giving those visiting for the Rwanda Cultural Tours rich insight into the Rwandan culture. The exhibits open with geographical and geological displays, moving on to items used in hunting, agriculture, animal husbandry, pottery, weaving, and woodwork.
The Rwanda Genocide Memorial Sites to visit on your Rwanda Cultural safari include;
- The Kigali Genocide Museum
- Nyanza Genocide Memorial Site
- Ntarama Genocide Memorial Site
- Nyamatta Genocide Memorial Site
- Murambi Genocide Memorial Site
- Presidential Palace Memorial Site
- Kandt Genocide Museum
The Ibyi’wacu Cultural Village
Located near the Volcanoes National Park – a famous gorilla trekking destination in Rwanda, the Ibyi’wacu Cultural Village is a perfect place to be for a Rwanda cultural safari. The place was established purposely to showcase different cultures in Rwanda. It is also a place to relax and reconnect with the people of Rwanda and enjoy their hospitality. The Ibyi’wacu cultural village tours bless travelers with exceptional traditional dances, tales, and crafts.
A visit to the Ibyi’wacu cultural village allows travelers to dive into the life of Rwandese and the perfect feel of the local culture. Travelers get hands-on experience by participating in activities like weaving baskets, painting, constructing traditional houses, preparing local meals, and dancing, to mention but a few.
Other places like the Gisakura Tea Plantation tours in Nyungwe National Park provide travelers with a chance to participate in tea planting and harvesting. Through interacting with the local members of the communities, travelers appreciate diversity and make friends for a lifetime.
Umuganda (Coming Together)
Coming together in Rwanda is a culture and it involves people from all walks of life gathering for the good of others and the communities. Every last Saturday of the month, Rwandese come together to do cleaning, planting trees, renovating public buildings, and many other community projects. On this day, shops and other businesses close for the common good. This is the reason behind the cleanliness of Kigali city and other places in Rwanda. On your Rwanda Cultural safari, tourists are free to participate and contribute to the good of the society.
Popular cultural tour packages in Rwanda
Rwanda cultural safari packages can easily be combined with other safari activities in Rwanda. These activities include; gorilla trekking tours, chimpanzee tracking advantages, wildlife encounter safaris, Kigali city tours, Rwanda birding safaris, and Golden Monkey trekking safaris. Below are some of the most popular Rwanda cultural safaris.
- 3 days Rwanda cultural tour and gorilla trekking
- 2 Days Rwanda Cultural Tour
- 4 Days Pilgrimage to our Lady of Kibeho
- 5 Days Rwanda Culture and Historical Tour
- 6 Days Rwanda Gorillas and Cultural Tour
- 8 days Rwanda Cultural tour
- 9 Days Rwanda Cultural tour
- 12 days combined Uganda and Rwanda Cultural safari
- 20 Days wildebeest migration and Rwanda cultural safari
Book your Rwanda Cultural Safari with Rugote African tours Ltd and enjoy an exceptional Adventure in the Land of a Thousand Hills.
