Discovering Rwanda's rewards

"There are no wars or diseases like Ebola. Rwanda has very clean streets. The locals pay attention to hygiene and never litter. They're friendly and hospitable with Chinese, and they like to greet strangers."

She believes it's a great destination for first-time visitors to Africa because of its beauty and culture, and proximity to countries that are popular destinations.

While many visit Rwanda to see the gorillas, Ye suggests also visiting tea plantations and cycling around Lake Kivu on the border between Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Li says it was "fantastic" to experience the culture.

"I was moved to tears when I saw young people enthusiastically perform ancient dances," she recalls.

Also, the growing number of Chinese companies investing in Rwanda creates a huge demand for translators, including locals, many of whom are trained by the Confucius Institute and become proficient quickly.

Indeed, this is just another of many ways in which the country is becoming more interesting and accessible to Chinese travelers.