Week 29 in Rwanda

This week we are in Rwanda.  As Denise said we are not coming all this way and not seeing the gorillas.

Last week I was supposed to watch the NRL Grand Final, but due to the barman having a late night, he didn't even respond to my SMS until after the game had finished.  Lucky the Sharks weren't playing.

For those reading the online blog, there is more if you click on the Read more>> button below.

 

Wednesday 9th

Arrived in Kigali and was amazed at how clean, green, modern and developed it is.  Coming home from dinner Denise said it reminded her a little of Canberra on a smaller scale.

We met our guide for the next 5 days, Enos met us in the foyer to explain what was happening and I asked him about dinner at which he offered to take us somewhere.  After getting in the car I discovered there were two of them and I was immediately concerned how much dinner would cost.  Not to worry, the second person left when we got to dinner and Enos only had two cups of tea as he had already eaten.

The itinerary for our gorilla trip is/was (My comments in italics):

Day 1: 10th Oct. Transfer to Nyungwe National park.

In the morning, you will be picked by the tour guide and set off a scenic drive to Nyungwe National park. You will have en route visit to Nyanza Kings palace for cultural visit, Butare national museum, Murambi genocide museum among others. Proceed and Reach Nyungwe in the evening for dinner and overnight at Gisakura guest House.

When we stopped in Kigali for fuel, we were identified by street hawkers.  Now if we weren't used to them in Arusha we would have called it harassment, but they have nothing on the ones in Arusha.

I thought I had seen everything in driving in Tanzania, but I found a new one here. To fill the car we backed onto a block.  When asked why I was told you get more in.

Rwanda has eucalypts and the roads were mostly excellent.  I realised quickly why it is called the country on a thousand hills.

The Kings Palace is not big and I was glad he hadn't wasted money on excesses.  Rwanda no longer has a king.  The thing I liked most was the royal cows.  Look them up on the net.  I have never seen such large horns on a cow.

We did find some really bad roads with big potholes, but that only lasted about 30 of the 100kms after lunch.  The road passed through a refugee camp for displaced Congalese.  The camp itself look quite good with small houses all over the top of a hill.

This last 10kms was quite scenic through a forested/jungle National Park.  The elevation of the roads today ranged from 1,500mtrs to over 2,480mtrs.  The car had an altimeter.

Day 2: 11th Oct. Chimpanzee tracking and afternoon Colobus monkey tracking. Forest

Canopy walk/Nature walk.

In the morning, you will set off to the forest for chimpanzee tracking adventure. Embark to the hotel for lunch and in the afternoon, either go for colobus monkey tracking where you will encounter other primates as baboons, vervet monkeys, and others. Or go for forest canopy walk or Nature walk in the forest. Dinner and overnight (Day 1).

This morning we had a 5am start to see the chimps.  Breakfast was a banana with the packed breakfast not eaten until around 9.30-10.

We went with a family of 4 from England.

The chimps required an hour drive followed by a 40 min walk mostly downhill.  The tracks were OK until we met up with people who tracked the chimps.  From here on in it was through the jungle at which point I felt for Denise as the English lady as it got steep and difficult.  Something like the worst of Kokoda for those who know it.  We eventually found the chimps and stayed with them for about 30mins.

The chimps are in an isolated forest that is only about 4sq kms and there are around 40 of them.  Apparently the numbers are increasing.

After climbing back out of the jungle and along the tracks we made it back to the car and then drove back for lunch.  After that it was sleep time for until 2pm when we got up to go and see the colobus monkey.  As rain was imminent we had to wait as the monkeys hide in the rain.  After about 30mins we got in the car and were promptly told to get out as we were walking to them.  They were a short 10-15min walk on an easy track, much to Denise's delight.  The group we found was about 20 and right on the edge of the forest so we got within a few metres of them.

Day 3: 12th Oct. Transfer to Volcanoes national park.

Early morning, you will set off a spectacular drive to Volcanoes national park with stop overs for photography and lunch. Reach Volcanoes national park in the evening for dinner and overnight at Muhabura Hotel.

Today it was another early start.  Breakfast at 5am.

The rest of the trip will be in next weeks blog.

Day 4: 13th Oct. Gorilla tracking and afternoon cultural walk.

Early morning, with packed lunch, you will go to the park headquarters for briefing before embarking on the gorilla tracking adventure. In the evening, you will go for a cultural walk to Iby'wachu for cultural visit where you will learn more about the Banyarwanda culture (Optional at 20PP). Later visit the Batwa community and learn about their culture as well. Dinner and overnight(Day 3).

Day 5: 14th Oct. Golden monkey tracking and Transfer back to Kigali.

Early morning, you will go for golden monkey tracking. On return, transfer back to Kigali, reaching early to visit the gisozi genocide memorial, local markets among others.

We will spend 3 nights in Kigali, 1 at the start and 2 at the end.

Attached is a teaser of the remaining trip.

First sighting

 

Until next time.