I had been to Rwanda before. Few years ago I spent most of my time in Kigali, and honestly, it was one of the most beautiful cities I had visited anywhere in Africa. The people were so kind. You will not find people like that in just any country. But after I left, I kept thinking about something. What does Rwanda actually look like outside Kigali? Because Rwanda is much bigger than its capital, and I knew I had only seen a small part of the story.
So I went back. This time I wanted to go deeper into the country, past the parts everyone already shows you, and see what I missed the first time.
Rwanda Is Made Of Hills
The first thing you notice, even before you leave Kigali, is that this country is not flat anywhere. Rwanda is known as the land of a thousand hills, and once you are driving through it, you understand why. Hills stacked on top of hills, valleys folding into more valleys, all the way to the horizon. It is one of the reasons a six hour drive can feel a lot longer than it sounds. The roads curve constantly because the land itself never sits still.
And Rwanda’s roads deserve a mention on their own. Some of the smoothest, cleanest roads I have driven on anywhere in Africa. No potholes, no chaos, just a steady, comfortable ride the whole way.
For decades, Rwanda’s story was shaped by tragedy, especially what happened in 1994. But when you look at the country’s journey from then to now, the transformation is honestly hard to put into words. Rebuilding itself into a nation known for cleanliness, order, safety, and fast development. That is not something you fully understand until you see it up close.
Nyungwe Forest
I did not expect to find one of Africa’s oldest rainforests in Rwanda, but that is exactly what Nyungwe is. A forest that has survived for thousands of years, covering more than a thousand square kilometers. Standing at the edge of it and looking down at mountain after mountain stacked on top of each other, it genuinely does not feel real.
Nyungwe has a suspension bridge that stretches 170 meters across the canopy, suspended more than 70 meters above the ground. Walking across it, you learn quickly that the trick is to walk straight through the middle. If you shift left and right, the whole thing starts swinging, and that is not a feeling you want up there.
I also tried one of the longest ziplines in Africa while I was there. I have done ziplines before, but never over a forest this massive. Jumping off and flying straight above the rainforest canopy is one of those experiences I think everyone should have at least once, no matter where you are from or what you do for a living. My mother was not thrilled to hear about it afterward, but I regret nothing.
The King’s Palace In Nyanza
One of the parts of this trip that stayed with me the most was visiting the original royal palace in Nyanza, built starting in 1932. It is said that the design of Kigali’s convention center was actually inspired by the traditional way Rwandans used to build their homes, and once you see the palace, that connection makes complete sense. Every hut, every woven detail, everything about how it was built is something else.
But the thing that surprised me most inside that palace was not the architecture. It was the cows.
These are called Inyambo, the royal cattle of Rwanda, and their horns are so massive you have to stay several meters away from the fully grown ones. They used to perform ceremonial parades for the king, who apparently loved watching them, which is exactly why they are still called the loyal cows today. These cows are so respected in Rwandan culture that they are never killed or eaten. There are people whose entire job is caring for them, training them, and even singing to them while giving them massages. I have traveled to a lot of places, and I had genuinely never seen anything like it.
Lake Kivu
If the palace surprised me, Lake Kivu completely disarmed me. One of Africa’s great lakes, sitting right on the border between Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo, surrounded by green hills and small islands scattered across the water. We got on a boat just to take in the view properly, and somewhere out there we found cows swimming. I had never seen anything like that before in my life.
One thing I noticed about Lake Kivu specifically is how blue the water is, compared to a lot of other lakes in Africa that tend to look more brown. It is a small detail, but it stuck with me the whole time we were out on the water.
I keep saying this throughout the trip, but I have to say it again here. I was so impressed by Rwanda. I did not expect a boat ride to become one of the most beautiful experiences of the entire trip, but it genuinely was.
Milking A Cow For The First Time
Since I was on a mission to find the most unique experiences this country had to offer, I ended up at a farm where you can learn to milk a cow yourself, and even drink the milk straight from the source. I had never done anything like this before.
There is actually a cultural rule around it too. In Rwandan tradition, you are not allowed to drink milk while standing. You have to either crouch or sit down, as a sign of respect toward the cow for giving you something to drink. So there I was, sitting down, drinking milk warm and fresh straight from the cow for the first time in my life. It tasted a little like powdered milk mixed with warm water, and it was hot, because it had just come out of the animal. I will not lie, I think I actually loved it.
What I Actually Went Looking For
I thought I already had an idea of what Rwanda was like after my first visit. But coming back a second time turned into a completely different experience. The first time, I mostly saw Kigali. This time, I wanted to go beyond the city, and that is when I started seeing a completely different side of Rwanda.
That is what I enjoyed most about this trip. Not just seeing beautiful places, but finding the part of a country that you do not usually see on the internet. I came back to Rwanda specifically to see what was outside the capital, and I think I finally got my answer.
How did nobody tell me Rwanda was this beautiful?
