Enclosed by Tanzania to the east, Uganda to the north, Burundi to the south and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the west, Rwanda a country of stunning beauty.

The country boasts an incredibly wide array of flora and fauna that includes rare species of animals such as  silverback mountain Gorillas.

The 26,338 square kilometre country comprises of two dominant tribes; Hutu and Tutsi.  The Hutu are the majority people consisting of around 83 per cent of the population and are mostly peasant farmers of southern Bantu stock. The Tutsi are around 16 per cent of the population and are the descendants of the herds people from the Horn of Africa.

More than 80 per cent of Rwandese are christian with the rest being Muslim. Their rich cultural heritage can be seen in their huge array of fine crafts that comprises - among other things - pottery, jewelry, painting, basketry, metalwork and wood carving.

In 1994, an estimated 500000 Tutsi and thousands of Hutu were killed in the infamous Rwanda Genocide – one of the darkest moments in the history of Africa. The country has however gotten over the unfortunate occurrence and is now one of the fastest growing economies in the region.

French and English are the official languages, with French being widely spoken throughout Rwanda. English is used in the capital, Kigali, and other tourist centres. Kinyarwanda is the indigenous language of the country.

Rwanda is impressively hilly, the highest peak being Karisimbi (4,507m) in the volcanic Virunga chain protected by the Parc des Volcans. This contours of the steep mountains are the reason behind numerous erratic-shaped lakes that are dotted around the country; the largest being Lake Kivu.

Situated in the western Rift Valley between Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo, Lake Kivu is one of the five volcanic lakes of Rwanda with a maximum depth of 485 metres, a volume of 550 cubic kilometres and a surface area of 2370 square kilometres.