Rulindo is positioning itself as a sojourning place of choice. In partnership with different stakeholders, the district is devising ways to transform its administrative area into an enticing transit point for tourists traveling to and from Volcanoes National Park, Twin Lakes, Gishwati-Mukura National Park and Lake Kivu.
Until recently, I used to cross Rulindo while dosing off in a van, en route to Musanze or Rubavu. I remember one 2019 trip to the home of the mountain gorillas vividly. We were driven past Rulindo at 5 a.m. after an eventful Friday night in Kigali.
As our vehicle meandered around Rulindo hills, I could barely keep my eyes open. My travel companions were snoring under their Masai coverlets. The same happened on our way back to Kigali in the evening. After a whole day of strenuous hiking in the Virunga Massif, the entire group was once again in slumberland. This scenario pretty much sums up how tourists used to miss what Rulindo has in store before the ongoing transformation opened their eyes.
Rulindo is strategically located. Investing here pays dividends. The ever busy Nyirangarama Village is popular with travelers traversing the Kigali - Musanze highway. It is also common to see motorists dropping by Rusiga Highland Resort for breakfast or lunch. In addition, the establishment of Ikirenga Cultural Center has given us a good reason to incorporate Rulindo stopovers into our itineraries.
Tremendous progress has been made in agribusiness. SORWATHE Ltd owns 284 hectares of tea fields while ASSOPTHE has 930 hectares. The Kinihira-based association brings together more than 3,500 farmers. In Burega Sector, CAFERWA processes coffee grown by more than 2,000 farmers. Apart from the two iconic cash crops, local farmers produce stevia, flowers and a wide range of spices. Being close to Kigali makes it easy for them to reach the coveted domestic and international markets.
The implementation of the district’s 2018 - 2024 strategic development plan is fueled by its location, fertile soil and rich deposits of natural resources. In the mining sector, cassiterite and wolfram are extracted in Masoro, Murambi, Shyorongi and Rusiga areas.