Monday March 23rd: Kigali Rwanda – FINALLY
What an ordeal! After a three hour wait, our flight finally took off from Johannesburg to Kigali in Rwanda. The flight was expected to arrive at 1.30am but we didn’t touch down till 8.30am the following morning! Just as we were about to touch down, we felt the plane ascending again and the plane landed in a neighbouring Burundi. It was a truly African experience! We were stuck at Burundi for another three hours as the pilot argued with the airport about the refuelling payment (They wouldn’t let us take off until we’d paid in full!). Poor Liz had been waiting for us to arrive for 8 hours! When we finally checked into our hotel we were spent and slept most of the day.
Tuesday & Wednesday March 24th and 25th - Kigali to Lake Kibuye
We started the day with a visit to the Kigali genocide museum which was a sombering experience. In the period of one and a half months, 1 million people were slaughtered. Apparently they are still finding mass burials through the country even today. It is chilling to think about what happened and how we could let it happen. Although Rwanda is a safe place now, I find it hard to look at people in the eye. I find myself looking at the scars on the locals and asking myself questions like “How many of their family members were killed? Did this person commit atrocities?”.
Afterward, we drive for several hours to Kibuye on Lake Kivu which forms the border to the Democratic Republic of the Congo. It is a beautiful setting, but apparently this area was the worst impacted by the genocide. Just around the corner from our simple hotel is a church where 10,000 people sought refuge and were slaughtered in the church. In fact in many instances the priests were the ones who turned them in. It defies belief. Needless to say, I don’t sleep well on this evening.
The next day, after Rich and Liz take a short boat ride on the lake, we drive several more hours on rough dirt roads through forest of gum trees to the volcanos, which form the border with Uganda. It is from here that we trek to see the gorillas.
Thursdsay March 26th - Gorillia’s in the mist
It’s an early start to meet the rest of the trekking group. We are accompanied by two gunmen (in case we encounter poachers) and several trackers to get through the jungle. In the guidebooks they tell you to be prepared to get dirty. Good thing they do. The track (if there is one!) is very muddy often surrounded by Stinging Nettle. At various points of the walk, I am ascending at what feels like a 70 degree angle clinging onto vine leaves! We walk for about an hour before we spot our first Gorilla, which is an adolescent but then we set eyes on the Silverback - all 220 kilos of him. He is beautiful and majestic. He sizes us up before turning around and putting his back to us. We sit close and watch the gorilla’s while they eat and play. They are so human like. Truly amazing!
Friday & Saturday March 27 and 28th – Lake Muhazi
We drive for several hours to make our way back towards the other side of the country. Rwanda is the “land of a thousand mountains” and our drive is a bumpy one as we roll up and down different mountains in Liz’s old Landcruiser. We get to Lake Muhazi and spend a couple of days of chilling before we head to Tanzania.
The Tanzanians are so friendly...At the border check we are greeted by big grins and “Jumbo!” (Hello in Swahili.)
What an ordeal! After a three hour wait, our flight finally took off from Johannesburg to Kigali in Rwanda. The flight was expected to arrive at 1.30am but we didn’t touch down till 8.30am the following morning! Just as we were about to touch down, we felt the plane ascending again and the plane landed in a neighbouring Burundi. It was a truly African experience! We were stuck at Burundi for another three hours as the pilot argued with the airport about the refuelling payment (They wouldn’t let us take off until we’d paid in full!). Poor Liz had been waiting for us to arrive for 8 hours! When we finally checked into our hotel we were spent and slept most of the day.
Tuesday & Wednesday March 24th and 25th - Kigali to Lake Kibuye
We started the day with a visit to the Kigali genocide museum which was a sombering experience. In the period of one and a half months, 1 million people were slaughtered. Apparently they are still finding mass burials through the country even today. It is chilling to think about what happened and how we could let it happen. Although Rwanda is a safe place now, I find it hard to look at people in the eye. I find myself looking at the scars on the locals and asking myself questions like “How many of their family members were killed? Did this person commit atrocities?”.
Afterward, we drive for several hours to Kibuye on Lake Kivu which forms the border to the Democratic Republic of the Congo. It is a beautiful setting, but apparently this area was the worst impacted by the genocide. Just around the corner from our simple hotel is a church where 10,000 people sought refuge and were slaughtered in the church. In fact in many instances the priests were the ones who turned them in. It defies belief. Needless to say, I don’t sleep well on this evening.
The next day, after Rich and Liz take a short boat ride on the lake, we drive several more hours on rough dirt roads through forest of gum trees to the volcanos, which form the border with Uganda. It is from here that we trek to see the gorillas.
Thursdsay March 26th - Gorillia’s in the mist
It’s an early start to meet the rest of the trekking group. We are accompanied by two gunmen (in case we encounter poachers) and several trackers to get through the jungle. In the guidebooks they tell you to be prepared to get dirty. Good thing they do. The track (if there is one!) is very muddy often surrounded by Stinging Nettle. At various points of the walk, I am ascending at what feels like a 70 degree angle clinging onto vine leaves! We walk for about an hour before we spot our first Gorilla, which is an adolescent but then we set eyes on the Silverback - all 220 kilos of him. He is beautiful and majestic. He sizes us up before turning around and putting his back to us. We sit close and watch the gorilla’s while they eat and play. They are so human like. Truly amazing!
Friday & Saturday March 27 and 28th – Lake Muhazi
We drive for several hours to make our way back towards the other side of the country. Rwanda is the “land of a thousand mountains” and our drive is a bumpy one as we roll up and down different mountains in Liz’s old Landcruiser. We get to Lake Muhazi and spend a couple of days of chilling before we head to Tanzania.
The Tanzanians are so friendly...At the border check we are greeted by big grins and “Jumbo!” (Hello in Swahili.)
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