Virunga's mist-wisped volcanoes tower and loom over the town of Ruhengeri (now also called Musanze after the greater region). They are a constant reminder of the untrodden wilds and remote reserves that lurk just on the cusp of the horizon here. And they are the reason that so many visitors now flock into the Northern Province from Kigali.

The piece de resistance is surely the designated Volcanoes National Park. Starting beyond Kinigi to the north of the town, it spreads over 160 square kilometers and includes the cone-shaped summits of Mount Bisoke, along with great swathes of marshland, wet forests and grassy slopes. It's there that you're most likely to catch a glimpse of the elusive mountain gorilla – one of Africa's most endangered and endearing big-mammal creatures.

After having checked that bucket-list box, Ruhengeri tour guides will suggest a visit to the traditional Rwandan craft and clothes markets that bustles in the heart of the town. How about a trek to the top of Karisimbi volcano, the highest of the eight major peaks in the fabled Virunga chain as well?