Rulindo: Hills and Historic Sites

The hills of Tare, Tumba and Cyungo reach an elevation of 2,438 metres in Rulindo District. Valleys and marshes lie between the hills, bordering the Nyabarongo, Muyanza and Nyabugogo rivers. Ridges, wetlands and river names give Rulindo a distinct landscape. Alongside its topography, places associated with historical accounts shape the district’s character.

Hills, Valleys and Rivers

The three hills are prominent geographical landmarks because of their elevation. The valleys and marshes between them add to the landscape; the named rivers border these features. Rulindo cannot be reduced to a single elevation: the relationship between hills and wetlands is just as much a part of it as the Nyabarongo, Muyanza and Nyabugogo rivers. The names Tare, Tumba and Cyungo give the ridges specific identities, while the river names provide further orientation within the landscape.

In the wider region, eight marshes, including Rugezi, feed Lake Burera. The lake, in turn, supplies the Ntaruka Falls in Burera District, which serve as a source of hydropower. This connection between water links marshlands, a lake and hydropower, extending the landscape’s context beyond Rulindo.

Historical Accounts in Rulindo

Mubigabiro by’Abami is a tourist site in Burega Sector, Butangampundu Cell, in Rulindo District. The site is associated with royal families and queens. The names mentioned include King Kilima Rugwe, Ruganzu Ndoli, Queen Nyirakigeli IV Murorunkwere and Cendeli. Several figures and royal associations are represented here.

Akavure ka Ngiramazi also connects a rock with a historical story. The rock is in Mbogo Sector and is associated with King Ruganzu Ndoli’s search for water for his army. Its shape resembles an akavure. Igiti cy’umwifuzo is in Ntarabana Sector and was planted by Rwabugiri.

Ikirenge Cya Ruganzu is a historic tourist site in Rulindo District. It includes a rock believed to bear the footprint of King Ruganzu. The rock is also said to bear impressions of King Ruganzu’s toes and heel. The accounts have different points of reference: they tell of royal associations, a search for water, a planting and a rock with attributed impressions.

In the wider Northern Province destination

The Northern Province offers a broader landscape and cultural context. The province has 52 caves with a total of 15.2 kilometres of passages; most formed in Cenozoic volcanic rock. Musanze Cave is 2 kilometres long and is the most visited. For many centuries it served as a refuge during wartime and was the site of a massacre during the genocide. Its natural and historical significance stand side by side.

Also in the Northern Province, the Rwanda Liberation Museum, also known as Umulindi w'Intwari, tells the story of the liberation struggle of the Rwanda Patriotic Front (RPF Inkotanyi). The museum is in Gicumbi District. Another way of engaging with regional history is the Walk to Stop Genocide: when it was first held in 2019, the four-day walk covered 90 kilometres from Mulindi in the Northern Province to Kigali.

For your travel planning, Rulindo offers two specific themes: landscapes of hills, valleys and marshes, and historic sites with different accounts. Examples from the Northern Province add regional themes such as caves, a museum and a walk.

Discover more destinations: Murambi, Musanze.

Go to the wider travel overview: Northern Province.