Jon: A long flight from Amsterdam brought us to Kigali, the capital city of Rwanda, where we were shuttled to the Hôtel Des Milles Collines, which is known from the movie “Hotel Rwanda” for playing an integral part providing refuge to over 1000 people during the genocide of 1994. The hotel is well kept and the staff members were notably soft spoken and eager to please – something we’d find throughout the country during our travels. Having endured an early morning and a long flight, we opted for room service and some much needed sleep.
Our first full day in Kigali involved some exploring and pool time. We found a rooftop restaurant for local beers and some lunch. The views were impressive as we looked over our hotel and could see the rolling hills beyond. A stop at a small grocery and convenience store allowed us to check out local foods and grab some water and light snacks in preparation for the coming days. We had dinner at the hotel on a quiet balcony overlooking the pool. It was a relaxing and easy going day. We walked to the car-free zone near the city hall on our second day. We strolled past some merchant stalls and found a tall building that looked promising for another rooftop restaurant with a view. Our intuition paid off as we enjoyed a bite, a beer, and a new view of the busy city below.
Amy received word from the safari company Gorilla Trek Africa that our driver/guide, named Elvis, would pick us up in the morning. An evening dinner at the pool restaurant rounded out our day before heading up to the hotel’s top floor lounge to look out at the city lights. The day ended with us eager for our upcoming adventures with Elvis.
Following our morning breakfast, we stepped outside the hotel and were promptly greeted by Elvis. He was charming and detailed our complete itinerary to ensure that what he had on paper matched what Amy had booked. He thanked us for choosing Gorilla Trek Africa and using an African company.
Amy does a great deal of work in her research and bookings to use well regarded options and selected the company based on their reputation as well as being regionally owned and operated. Elvis explained the day’s events and upcoming drive as we headed out to Akagera National Park for two nights. We enjoyed the rolling hills and people watching along the route. Villagers transported 20 liter jugs of water, bananas, bamboo, sugar cane, and other goods on bikes up and down steep hills. It seemed that there was something to see around every corner. A new bird, farmers hand tilling fields, a hillside vista, livestock, and tuk tuks.
During the drive, Elvis worked to temper our expectations for Safari after he learned we’d been to Tanzania and South Africa in the past. He explained, as we knew, that wildlife are unpredictable and there is no guarantee to see things. He went on to explain that our safari time in Akagera would be the appetizer for Rwanda, with upcoming “programs” serving as the main course and desert. He further explained that our boat trip and short game drive immediately afterward would be an amuse-bouche, or very light appetizer, with the safari drive the next day having the potential to be a heavy appetizer or more of the same. Again, nature and wildlife are unpredictable.
The first afternoon in Akagera started with a boat tour on Lake Ihema, the second largest lake in the country. Wildlife was visible on the drive to the boat launch with baboons along the road and hippos bathing in the shallow water nearby. The boat tour provided sightings of waterbuck, more hippos, crocodiles, and numerous birds including comerants, king fishers, ibis, and fish eagles which look similar to bald eagles back home in the States.
A hippo provided additional excitement as it charged toward our boat creating a big splash as it transitioned from land to water. The driver quickly backed away and gave the giant its space. As the tour was ending, the guide started shouting “elephant, elephant, elephant!” The boat quickly maneuvered toward the elephant standing on the shoreline. It was quite spectacular to see this from the water. The elephant, undisturbed after the boat shut down and drifted in, lazily ate and provided us an exceptional moment. The guide’s excitement was contagious and this moment was certainly a final highlight of the tour.
Elvis met us after our boat tour and provided a small game drive. We saw a vervet monkey, more baboons, some waterbucks and bushbucks, hippos in the water, and warthogs. With the park closing at 6 PM, it was a short trip before we headed back to our lodging at Mantis Akagera Game Lodge. We enjoyed a couple Virunga Silver beers at the bar while we overlooked Lake Ihema and watched large agricultural fires burn across the lake in Tanzania before sitting down for a delicious buffet dinner featuring beautiful salads, masala, Nile perch, cassava root with black beans, and a number of desserts.
Our second day in Akagara began with nervous anticipation. Would we see any of the quintessential African animals like giraffes, zebras, lions, perhaps another elephant, or would nature be uncooperative? Elvis’s words echoed from the day before. It’s hard to recall the specific order in which things transpired but we started to see some wildlife but tempered our excitement. We saw more waterbucks and some other varieties of antelope. We rounded a corner and found three male lions resting under a tree. No one else was around and we observed them by ourselves. We watched them until they strolled into more dense foliage as the shade of their tree started to wain.
We caught a fleeting glimpse of a large leopard, which was an exceptional sighting known to be quite rare in the area. We encountered a good number of giraffes, which are a highlight for me. Zebras, water buffalo, impala were fairly prevalent.
We came to a clearing where there was a group of giraffes and some topi, a reddish antelope, staring off in the distance. I figured they must be watching something. Sure enough, there was a small group of lionesses in the distance. And, slightly hidden further away, was a group of three rhinos. While we have yet to see a rhino in relative close proximity, we were at least able to discern what they were and see their horns through Amy’s spotting scope and my camera lens. In the end, we saw all of Africa’s Big Five, lion, leopard, rhinoceros, elephant, and African buffalo, plus a variety of antelope. Nature certainly cooperated and any concerns about seeing things, even up close, were relieved. If this was the heavy appetizer, the main dish would be spectacular.
The following day consisted of a lengthy drive across the country to Tiloreza Volcanoes Ecolodge located a short distance from Volcanoes National Park. The next morning would be our gorilla trek, or the “main course” as Elvis put it.
It was rainy when we arrived at the hotel and there was a good downpour accompanied by room shaking thunder throughout the night. Having paid our permit fees and making the appropriate arrangements well in advance, our trek was a rain or shine event. We went to bed hoping for the latter. Luckily, we woke to a slight overcast sky and mild drizzle. Elvis brought us to the national park where we were introduced to our guide, Javit, and the group of six other trekkers who’d be joining us for the experience.
Javit told us about the Ntambara family we’d be going to see. Ntambara means fighter. The group’s silverbacks have a legacy of being dominant fighters to protect their family and territory. Javit pointed to a volcano, Mount Bisoke, and said we’d climb halfway to two thirds up to the group.
We ascended at a relatively rapid pace, which was challenging for some of our sea level companions, and slogged through steep inclines of slippery mud. As we neared the gorillas, after about two and a half hours of trekking, a group of trackers joined us. We were briefed on how to behave and a couple sounds made by the gorillas – one that indicates welcoming and friendship and the other indicating annoyance. We were encouraged to make the welcoming and friendship sound, similar to a couple deep toned gravely hums. If we heard a coughing sound, we were to back away as this is a warning that the gorilla is annoyed. We donned surgical masks to protect the gorillas and ourselves from illness, as we share 98% of the same DNA and illness can easily transfer between species without precaution.
We left the trail and bushwhacked through heavy vegetation over steep terrain to come into the gorilla’s habitat. Footing was challenging with wet leaves and branches across the ground. We traversed the steep mountain slope and made a short downhill turn to find a mother and baby gorilla. We observed them for a short period with each person taking a moment to catch a view before moving on to respect their space. While close enough to touch, everyone followed the rules and left them in peace.
We continued into the area and saw black backs who are the cantankerous males, like teen boys, more mothers with young, and two silverbacks. Even writing this, my brain has not fully comprehended what my eyes saw. It was so surreal. I did not expect to be so close to these majestic and awesome creatures. At points, we had to move to make way as a gorilla or gorilla and baby passed by. One mother with her baby approached me and walked right beside me – incredible! A young male beat his chest and took off down hill to do whatever it is cantankerous gorillas do.
To the benefit of the gorillas, we only had one hour to observe them. Time went by quickly and we were soon headed back down the muddy slopes. Everyone in our group slipped and slid with many, Amy and me included, falling on our backsides. Colorado’s dry trails cannot prepare one for the mud covered, slip n slide, trails of Volcanoes National Park. Mud dries and pride can be restored. It was a great time. The day wasn’t over, however. We had another stop on the agenda.
Elvis took us to the “cultural experience” at Gorilla Guardians Village. The village supports the local community with an alternative source of income in lieu of poaching and supports wildlife conservation, community development, and villager livelihood. We were immediately greeted by a boisterous group of men performing dances with spears. I had asked Elvis about what to expect and if there were any cultural considerations we should be aware of in order to pay respect. He said no. We were not prepared for the greeting and being brought in for participation.
I’m more of a “watch and see” kind of guy in these situations, but both Amy and I were quickly brought over to play drums. As we made our way around the village, we learned about the former living practices of the villagers in the area. We were remarried as part of a ceremony where Amy was carried in a large basket to my assigned hut. This was followed up with dancing and, yes, more group participation. I am not a dancer, but can be a good sport. The women performing had huge smiles and it was the least I could do to get up and attempt to follow along. As luck would have it, we were taken past a banana beer sampling station and had a bottle to share. This may have taken the edge off a little. To be fair, watching the group dance was quite impressive. The performance showcased their talents and passion. We learned about the reformation of the former poachers who did it for money and survival following the genocide. They now have a different source of livelihood and work to conserve the nearby protected animal populations – gorillas, golden monkeys, and more.
Another storm swept through with downpours and loud thunder. We lost power a couple times but the hotel’s generator spared us from the darkness. We ate dinner and recounted the day’s events. There was a lot to process. We had one more day in the area, so we tucked ourselves into bed, complete with warm water bottles for our feet, and crashed.
The hotel kindly outfitted us with loaner gaiters for our next hike. We used our own the day before, but were leaving in the afternoon and the staff spared from dirtying ours. The previous day, they cleaned our gaiters and shoes to near new condition. Elvis brought us back to the national park where we were introduced to Faustin, our guide for the next hike. We were off to see golden monkeys. This would serve as the “desert” following the game drives and gorillas – the appetizer and main course respectively. Amy wasn’t feeling well and considered not going. She rallied like a champ and opted to hike.
We leisurely walked through farmlands toward a bamboo forest. Faustin stopped along the way and showed us some brush that chameleons often climb on. As if on queue, a porter caught a glimpse of the small lizard. Faustin allowed it to climb on his finger and showed it off to the group. The chameleon didn’t appear to have any concern and Fausin, a national park employee, assured us this was the case. Following the chameleon encounter, we continued on to the forest.
It was a short distance before we reached our first monkey. Faustin told us we could disperse as there were many monkeys to observe. Our key instruction was to avoid stepping on their tales or risk being bitten. The monkeys were plentiful, allowing fantastic viewing. Some played, others ate roots, and some mothers carried babies. Faustin made a point of directing me, excitedly pushing at times, to a large male off in the distance. He may have been more excited than I was.
I really enjoyed watching the monkeys and they didn’t seem to have a care in the world. Similar to the gorilla experience, we were allowed one hour before having to depart. Alas, it was time for our formal Rwandan wildlife experiences to come to an end. We were treated with one more chameleon spotting on the way back, however.
Elvis drove us back to Kigali after we returned to the hotel to eat lunch and give back our loaner gaiters. We again watched folks manage their loaded bikes up and down the steep roadways. There were men working long, vertical, pull saws to cut beams. One up high and the other below. Each pulled and pushed the respective end of the saw to split long timbers. This had to be incredibly strenuous work. We spoke with Elvis about the difference between mountain and lowland gorillas, his experiences working and living in Uganda, switching between vehicles with steering wheels on opposite sides and being able to drive either on the left or right side of the road based on the county, when he may work next, and what his trip report write-ups consisted of. I enjoyed gaining Elvis’s insights and it passed the time back to the city. We were gifted with one final wildlife sighting of a vervet monkey along the roadside. Elvis delivered us to Heaven Boutique Hotel and Spa and we said our goodbyes. We had one more night and the better part of a day before we would fly back to Amsterdam and stay in Leiden.
We visited the Kigali Genocide Memorial on our final day in Rwanda. Having researched and learned more about the genocide, we felt a visit was important. The memorial serves as an educational museum, mass burial site, and sobering place for grief and restoration. Not only does the site educate on the Rawandan genocide of 1994, it also covers other global atrocities throughout time as a reminder of the devastation and suffering such events cause. It is a strong caution that the world cannot ignore similar acts of violence and hate. Many organizations sponsor the memorial and work to provide education, aid, and other needed resources to protect against genocides and help those impacted by them. There were certainly difficult images and exhibits to view, but this is part of the world’s history and we can learn a great deal from our past to grow for the future. A large Kwibuka30 sign adorns the entrance meaning to remember.
We concluded our time in Kigali, and Rwanda, with lunch at Heaven Boutique Hotel’s Fusion Restaurant. We hopped in an SUV and darted through bustling city traffic on the way to the airport. Our driver laughed when Amy said there’s no way I could handle the driving. She’s not wrong. Endless motorcycle taxis cut in and out of traffic and lane divider lines are more of a suggestion than a rule – the same can be said for stop signs. Making a left into traffic consists of inching the front end of a vehicle into oncoming traffic and easing your way in front of another vehicle when there’s adequate space. Folks work around one another and accommodate whatever is going on. There’s little honking unless it’s to communicate that you’re being let in. Though different, it works and we made it around the country, and through the city, without incident or seeing a single accident. Our driver dropped us at the airport where we’d head back to Amsterdam’s Schiphol airport and lodging in Leiden.
Amy and I will remember our time in Rwanda fondly. The wildlife exceeded expectations, the country is exceptionally well cared for, and the people are very kind.
(Dates: September 15-24, 2024)
journeyaj.com 