When thinking of Rwanda, perhaps two things come to mind, the gorillas of Dian Fossey and the atrocities committed in the Rwandan genocide. Certainly, I knew of little else myself. However, one thing I truly love about travel is the element of the unknown. I get excited thinking about visiting places I know very little about. It means I can enter with a blank slate, to observe and experience with fresh eyes. So we planned on a trip that would take us hiking in Rwanda.
I landed in Kigali at night and met Maurice and Emile, who would be guides and drivers for my time. For a capital city, I was surprised at the clean, crisp air and the blinking lights rolling on endless hills into the horizon. Welcome to the land of a thousand hills.
Rwanda: A history of strife and a mindset towards change
I arrived in April, which is an important time in Rwanda, for it marks the beginning of observing the 100 days of genocide, which began in April of 1994 and lasted until July of that year. It was a brutal, heartbreaking time when all across the country, murderous violence broke out, neighbor against neighbor, even inter-family murder, over the fomented differences between Hutus and Tutsis. Long-laid political agenda to wipe out the Tutsis erupted overnight. During the 100 day campaign, a million Tutsis were killed.
Since this awful time, Rwanda has been healing. Now, I walked the grounds of the Kigali Genocide Museum alongside many Rwandans who had come to visit loved ones buried in the mass graves, and to remember so that this never happens again. While it was difficult to take in, a visit to the genocide museums of Rwanda provide helpful context for travelers coming to visit.
Hiking in Rwanda: The Start of our Adventure
But like I said, Rwanda is home to much more than gorillas and genocide. The next day, I headed off the Nyungwe National Park. Nyungwe is the lungs of Rwanda and the source of water. Here in the mountains, shrouded in dense canopy and mist, I came to hike into the literal tree tops. I met Ami, a local guide. Together we would hike under massive trees until we came to a rope bridge strung across the sky. From here, we would no longer need to stare with our necks craning up to see the tree tops, we could hike above them.
Ami and I watched as the sun went down from our spectacular vantage point. It was a wild welcome to the national parks of Rwanda.
An Early Start
I awoke at 4:30 in the morning as rain and wind lashed at my tent. It had rained fiercely all night, it was the rainy season after all. I began packing my gear and preparing for a trek to see the chimpanzees of Nyungwe. Sleepily I greeted Ami again. He communicated via radio to the trackers who were following a band of recently awoken chimps. We hurried to hike along the trail to find them. We met the team of trackers who urges us into the forest, we needed to move fast. After waking up, the chimps were on the move and hunting for food.
The chimps were elusive. While we saw did catch up to them, they were hustling down the trail. Each time we were able to catch up to them, they would turn and jaunt deeper into the jungle. I saw a lot of chimpanzee backsides, but very few faces!
Rwanda’s countryside in lush, green, and extremely fertile. It’s also where some of the best coffee in the world is grown. As we drove alongside Lake Kivu, a giant lake of incredible beauty, we passed through vast coffee fields and farms growing all sorts of food products.
Volcanoes National Park
I arrived to Volcanoes National Park, one of the most special places of East Africa. Here lies the Virunga Uplift and, a la the namesake, a string of volcanoes. Volcanoes National Park lies at the junction of Rwanda, Uganda, and the Democratic Republic of Congo. The three countries share this unique and important landscape, the only place in the world where the famed mountain gorillas call home.
Following Dian Fossey
In the 60’s, a daring young woman named Dian Fossey moved here and began to study the mountain gorillas. She played an integral role in launching the scientific study of mountain gorillas as well as the conservation effort to keep the gorillas from going extinct to habitat loss and poaching. Her book, Gorillas in the Mist and her work with the National Geographic Society, inspired people all over the globe.
Today, you can visit the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund campus, where the research of gorillas and education of new generations of conservationists (such as the locals who live in the land surrounding the lone remaining habitat) continues. The gorilla population is on the rise. The people who live near the gorillas have discovered that it’s in everyone’s best interest to care for these gorillas. This is one of the few good news stories in conservation today, and is worth celebrating.
In Search of Gorillas
I met with Jolie, a guide, to hike into the forest to visit a family of mountain gorillas. We set off early with the hopes of spotting a family group of 22 gorillas, a dominant silverback, his entourage of females, and their offspring. The family is growing. Two brand new babies had just been born a few weeks prior.
Trackers radio’d to Jolie that the group had been spotted. We pushed through the brush and suddenly I found myself standing right next to a juvenile gorilla, quite the surprise! The family was lounging in an open area, casually eating their daily rations of 20+ kilos of vegetation. Getting to see the family in such an open area was a rare treat, as often they are obscured in the dense bamboo forest. I was so lucky!
The best moment came when one of the brand new babies became curious and approached me. Still learning how to climb and move, he awkwardly clambered up a bamboo barrier that was right in front of me. Penned in by the bamboo jungle, I couldn’t move away. Swaying and standing at the top, the little tyke reached out, curious about my camera lens. The mother casually watched, unconcerned. The baby, who’s not old enough to have a name yet, did his best to balance on the top of the bamboo. His fuzzy, matted hair glittered in the sunlight. My heart melted.
Mount Karisimbi
I had one more goal in mind for my time in Rwanda, to hike to the top of the highest point, Mount Karisimbi. There are eight volcanoes in the chain, five of which are in Rwanda. Karisimbi is the tallest.
To get there is no small accomplishment. I met with Beck, a guide familiar with Karisimbi. Joined by a team of porters, we set out across the forest to begin our two-day ascent. The mud! Oh the mud! There’s no getting around the mud if you are hiking in rainy season. We hiked for miles in ruthless, never ending mud. Often sinking up to my shins in mud, the trail was an exhausting adventure. It felt truly wild. I was loving every minute of it.
After a long slog, we at last made it to base camp. We had climbed over 3,000 feet of elevation gain, which is not easy when every step it feels as though the mud will suck your boots right off your feet.
At the Peak
We set out in the early morning with a fog still hanging thickly over camp. Today would be no easier, as the mountain got steeper while somehow remaining very muddy. As the sun rose, the clouds began to slip away, and we were treated to a gorgeous view of the other volcanoes poking their summits through the clouds.
As we approached the summit, the wind was howling. The clouds were ripping past us, but clinging to the rocks. It was a strange and beautiful sight. Gazing off, I could see the vastness of East Africa, clouds huddling in the forest of the Congo, and the beautiful landscape of Uganda and Rwanda. A stunning experience to celebrate such a beautiful time alongside wonderful people.
MANY THANKS TO VISIT RWANDA FOR ALL THEIR HELP!
Check out my previous article on Australia’s Grampian Mountains and the Great Ocean Walk.
Gear used in this review includes:
Backpack: Mystery Ranch Bridger 45,
Top: Otero Fleece Full-Zip Hooded Jacket – Men’s
