Musanze caves are among the 52 remarkable caves that are located in the Northern Province of Rwanda, the Land of a Thousand Hills. These caves feature on the list of potential tourist attractions visitors can explore on safari in Rwanda. Cave exploration in Musanze caves was introduced in 2014, and it attracted over 400 guests in just 2 months’ time. These caves play a significant economic role to the local communities and the country at large.
At Musanze, local residents do showcase their creative art pieces to visitors on Rwanda safaris. In addition, local residents also demonstrate their unique lifestyles, traditions, and rich history among many things.
Location
Musanze caves are located in the Northern Province of Rwanda, Musanze District. Its close proximity to Volcanoes National Park makes it an ideal location for tourists on Rwanda safari tours to explore besides visiting mountain gorillas or embarking on golden monkey tracking, and Dian Fossey’s tomb site hike.
Why are Musanze caves special?
Musanze caves played an important part during ancient times. There were used as crowning sites for the new kings in Rwanda, and during the 1994 Rwandan genocide, thousands of refugees were sheltered in these caves.
On a tour of Musanze caves, the green scenery in the surrounding is the first to warmly welcome you. The caves also provide visitors with remarkable views of the extensive Virunga volcanoes especially Gahinga volcanoes, Muhabura, and Karisimbi volcanoes.
Over 15.2kms passages exist in the 52 caves in the Northern Province of Rwanda, and the majority of them are of Cenozoic volcanic rock formation. The interior of Musanze caves is quiet and cold, with some streams of water gradually flowing out of the rock ceiling. Rwanda’s longest cave is Ubuvumo Bwibihonga and this is a multi-level system of parallel lava tubes.
Musanze caves are 2kms long and it is the most visited. Their creation dates back to about 65 million years, and they are situated in the area where the lava flows played a significant role in the formation of the Albertine rift valley. These caves are part of the lava basaltic layers originating from Mount Sabyinyo and Bisoke. 
Over 31 entrances all offer passage inside Musanze caves. The size of the entrance to the main cave is the same as that of a cathedral and this is where you can find several bat colonies. The roof collapses on the other hand creating an incredible array of colored shafts of light shining deep inside the cave.
What to carry for a caving tour in Musanze caves
For visitors with plans to go caving tour in Musanze caves, you need to carry some essential items. These include helmets, strong torches, boots, head caps, gloves, etc. Expect to take at least 2 hours to navigate through different tunnels in Musanze caves. Musanze cave exploration costs USD55 and the price excludes transportation, accommodation, tipping, and other activities that you will engage in.
After exploring the caves, there is a chance to engage in a cultural tour in the nearby local community. Get to learn how local residents make hunting tools such as bows and arrows, and basket weaving and you can also engage in these hands-on experiences, beer making (Ugwagwa -a local brew made of specific banana species).
Other things to do around Musanze caves include numerous activities in Volcanoes N/Park especially mountain gorilla trekking, volcano hiking, Iby’Iwacu cultural tours, bird watching, nature walks, golden monkey tracking, and more.
Where to stay
Visitors’ overnight stay on the Musanze cave tour is possible in any of the accommodations in and around Volcanoes National Park. These include budget, midrange and luxury lodges, and hotels. The popular accommodation units to the book include the 5 Volcanoes Boutique Hotel lying close to Ruhengeri airport and it is very accessible from the caves.
Jack Hannah’s Cottages- luxury cottages that are found in Musanze and comprise self-contained rooms with a capacity of 4pax; Mountain Gorilla View Lodge, Da Vinci Gorilla Lodge, La Bambou Gorilla Village, Virunga Lodge, Sabyinyo Silverback Lodge, Muhabura Hotel, Gorilla Volcanoes Hotel, and others.
Getting to Musanze caves from Kigali, Rwanda
Musanze caves are located in the Musanze district, and accessing these natural wonders is possible from the Kigali capital. From Kigali, you will drive for a short distance taking about 2-3 hours.
