Nyanza
Rwanda · Southern Province · 1720 m
Description
Nyanza was the seat of the Rwandan monarchy until the kingdom ended, and the hill above the town still carries its court. The reconstructed royal palace is a great domed house of woven reed and thatch, built the way it stood before the colonial period, and the herd of inyambo cattle kept beside it is the reason most people come. These animals have horns more than a metre long and are led out by herders who sing to them. Below the hill stands the modern palace built for King Mutara the Third, which holds a museum now, and the royal tombs sit on Mwima.
Length of stay
Recommended length of stay: 1 day
Travel season
Best time to visit: June – August or December – January
- Jan
- Feb
- Mar
- Apr
- May
- Jun
- Jul
- Aug
- Sep
- Oct
- Nov
- Dec
Highlights
- King's Palace Museum and its reed dome
- Inyambo royal cattle and their singing herders
- Rwesero museum in the unfinished royal palace
- Royal tombs on Mwima hill
- Intore dance performance at the palace
- Weaving and basketry cooperatives
- Mwima hill viewpoint
Getting there
- Nearest airports:
- KGL