|
In addition to being the cleanest African country I've seen, Rwanda must also get the award for the most
nimble farmers. These people can grow crops on the steepest terrain I've ever seen. Bananas, cassava, beans,
peas, maize and more are planted, tended and harvested seemingly at a 70 degree angle with little if any
terracing.
They call Rwanda the land of a thousand hills but really it's more like 100,000. It's difficult to describe
their beauty and seemingly even harder to capture it on film. Suffice to say that if you tried to design a
more perfect mosaic of green hues, you could not.
My trip has been greatly enhanced by my guide, Alex. Born in a Tutsi refugee camp in Uganda in 1960, he was
one of the first to return to Kigali after the genocide ended in 1994. He's been a postal worker, hotel work,
and pineapple exporter, and is now an enthusiastic and entertaining ambassador for the new Rwanda.
Today's chimp trekking was very nice. It was steep and slippery and I did get an unplanned foot wash when I
fell into a stream, but overall it was beautiful and fun to see and hear the chimps. It was also very relaxing-like
meditation-to be in the forest.
This afternoon we had a bumpy ride north along the shores of Lake Kivu…which is really stunning. In one town
it was market day and we saw large canoe style boats ferrying Congolese back to their country after unofficial
trade visits. Now I'm enjoying a Primus beer as a lightning show is beginning across the lake in Congo.
Gorilla trekking was the highlight of my visit to Rwanda. I joined three other visitors in trekking for Group
13, a family of 26 led by the stately Silverback Agashya.
Gorilla trekking begins with an early morning check-in at Volcanoes National Park headquarters in Kinigi.
Visitors are divided into groups based on which gorilla group they have been assigned to. Those of us trekking
for Group 13 then drove about 30 minutes up the hill, then walked another 30 minutes through family gardens
planted with beans, potatoes and maize. When we reached the 4-foot stone wall that marks the parks border we
were told the gorillas were very close. In fact, we could even see a juvenile peeking out from the upper
branches of a small tree. At first we were told the gorillas would be coming out to snatch a few snacks from
the locals' gardens but they did not appear so we hopped the wall and walked a mere 30 yards to where a female
and youngster sat eating leaves. It was so easy that it was actually disappointing! I had been looking forward
to at least a brisk hike in the forest. (Apologies to all who suffered on our marathon gorilla trekking in 2006.)
Disappointment was soon forgotten as we found new members of the group including fat bellied females, rambunctious
adolescents, tiny babies and finally the Silverback. He gave us a look, took account of his group, then lay down
for a rest, moving only when wrestling youngsters bumped into him. More group members moved in providing new
chances for photos and before long it was time to go.
After lunch at the newly opened Gorilla Mountain View Lodge, I visited the nearby cultural village to see some
dancing and crafts, we visited the well perched Virunga Lodge before staying the night at the spectacular and
expensive Sabinyo Silverback's Lodge.
Today after breakfast we made the 2.5-hour drive back to Kigali where I visited the Genocide Museum. It's
difficult to convey the emotional impact of a visit to this excellent museum. It does a fantastic job of
explaining the root causes and development of what ultimately became one of Africa's greatest tragedies. I
consider it a must-see on any visit to Rwanda.
I arrived two hours before my flight to Nairobi--good thing as it took off 30 minutes early! Now I'm once
again cooling my heals in Nairobi Airport on my way to Tanzania. Arusha here I come.
|