Musanze Tours
The lively gateway town beneath the volcanoes: base camp for gorilla trekking and a destination in its own right.
About Musanze
Where Gorilla Treks Begin
Musanze (still often called by its former name, Ruhengeri) is the northern town every gorilla trekking visitor passes through, sitting a short drive from Volcanoes National Park headquarters in Kinigi. But it's worth a slower look beyond its role as a staging point: the town sits atop a network of volcanic lava tube caves formed by ancient eruptions, some open for guided walks; nearby Twin Lakes (Burera and Ruhondo) offer boat trips and lakeside villages rarely visited by tour groups.
Musanze's market and small-scale coffee and pyrethrum farms give a sense of highland Rwandan life, a contrasting rhythm to the ceremony of a gorilla trek. Most visitors base here for two to three nights around their trekking day, using the extra time for the caves, Twin Lakes, or simply resting at altitude before an early trekking morning.
Musanze is the base for gorilla trekking and golden monkey trekking in Volcanoes National Park. See both pages for full activity details.
Common Questions
Musanze FAQ
What is there to do in Musanze besides gorilla trekking?
The Musanze Caves lava tube system, boat trips on Twin Lakes Burera and Ruhondo, and local coffee and pyrethrum farm visits.
How far is Musanze from Kigali?
About 2.5 hours by road on a well-maintained tarmac route.
Related
Continue Planning
Ready for Musanze?
Tell us your dates and we'll build Musanze into your trekking itinerary.