Go Gorilla Trekking: Uganda Vs Rwanda
A trek to view the critically endangered mountain gorillas in the wild is incomparably the rarest experience that comes once in a life time. Whereas gorilla trekking has become the world’s most sought after and repaying adventures to trekkers on safaris to Africa, there is ongoing debate about where to go to trek these charismatic wild creatures.
Most travelers have found it challenging to choose between gorilla trekking in Uganda and Rwanda and hence questions such as which is the best destination to go for a gorilla trek Uganda or Rwanda? Which is more viable or cheaper – Bwindi Forest National Park or Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park, which is easier to access? Is trekking gorilla in Uganda better than Rwanda? The Great apes are inhabited in only three countries; Uganda, Rwanda and Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), however due to the insecurities in DR Congo, gorilla trekking has not been as vibrant as that in Uganda and Rwanda.
With not more than 1060 individuals that are still thriving in the world, about 480 of the gorillas live in Uganda while the rest are shared between Rwanda and DR Congo. Visitors who have visited gorillas in Uganda and Rwanda have had varied views some of which are not realistic but all in all it is what they experienced. We would like to compare between gorilla trekking in Uganda and Rwanda and ascertain which is one better than the other. There are numerous factors that we want to use to make comparisons between the two destinations as explained below;
Accessibility to Uganda and Rwanda
Most gorilla trekking safaris in Uganda are only conducted in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park and Mgahinga Gorilla National Park in the Southwestern part of the country. For trekkers to access these destinations means they have spend nearly 9-10 hours drive from Kampala city while trekkers to Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda can send about two and half hours driving from Kigali International Park which puts Rwanda at a higher comparative advantage. However, while traveling to Bwindi or Mgahinga Gorilla National Park, visitors have higher chances of getting pre-trekking experiences along the way. Visitors can make a stop at the Equator at Lake Mburo or Queen Elizabeth National Park. At Queen Elizabeth Conservation Area, visitors have opportunity to sight at the rare tree climbing Lions at Ishasha sector as well as the general scenic beauty of the area which isn’t a case with Rwanda.
Gorilla Trekking Permits
To trek mountain gorillas in any of the ten habituated groups, the cost of permits is $1500 per person and it applies to all categories of visitors whereas in Uganda gorilla permits are obtainable at $600 per person for foreign non residents, $500 for foreign residents and shs.250000 for East African residents and this is relatively cheaper compared to Rwanda. Besides, during the low season Uganda Wildlife Authority issues discounted permits at $450 for foreign non residents, $400 for foreign residents and shs.150000 for East African residents and this applies in the months of April, May and November. We realize that Rwanda’s main challenge leis in the cost of gorilla permits.
Gorilla Trekking Experience in Uganda and Rwanda
Uganda offers visitors two options to track the critically endangered mountain gorillas which means that trekkers will visit Bwindi Impenetrable National Park where over 480 gorillas live representing about half of the great apes in the world. Therefore there are about 11 habituated gorilla groups that have been set for tourism purposes in Bwindi and as well, there is gorilla Habituation Experience for trekkers to par take in Bwindi making it the most exceptional protected area in the world.
The other option is Mgahinga Gorilla National Park which inhabits about 80 of individuals featuring one habituated family for visitors to realize their dreams. In total, Uganda has 12 gorilla groups set for tourism, meaning a large number of trekkers are not left out choice to realize their dreams. Besides, Uganda has four trailheads where trekking takes place especially in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest and they include Buhoma, Ruhija, Rushaga and Nkuringo sector. In Rwanda, Volcanoes National Park is the only place where gorilla trekking is conducted and features ten habituated groups.
However, in Bwindi Forest National Park, the gorilla families may be found in distant areas from the park headquarters and involves hiking through he thick vegetation and hilly sides which also comes with challenging adventures but for visitors who can not manage carrying their luggage, there porters to be hired to help relieve you from the heavy luggage. The thick vegetation in Bwindi some times makes it a challenging for trekkers to take pictures of these intelligent Apes in the wild. Gorillas in Volcanoes National Park live within the altitude 2500 meters and beyond offering visitors a higher opportunity to encounter these rare primates and also to take photographs.
The People Around the Parks
Regardless of the long distances to arrive at gorilla habitat, Uganda is incomparably a cultural melting pot featuring over 60 indigenous languages belonging to 5 varied linguistic groups, and an equally diverse cultural mosaic of music, art and handcraft. Visitors who are planning for their gorilla safaris to Uganda therefore have opportunity to encounter the unique Batwa pygmies as well as the Bakiga around Bwindi Forest.
The Batwa culture is remarkable on its kind and it is undoubtedly Uganda’s main cultural attraction when you visit the Batwa community. After gorilla adventures in Bwindi or Mgahinga National Park, tourists can also participate in distinct activities such as the Batwa trail, traditional dances, music performances, community walks, forest walks. The sweetest moments of the Batwa trail is when you are caught up in the pitch dark cave, then sweet voices in harmony sizzle from nowhere before the torches are switched welcome you. The theater stage has cast of children and women dressed on leaves strangulate their vocal chords in praise of the gods, the beautiful girls or past on ancestor. It is in deed authentic African experience not to be missed while on gorilla trekking safari in Uganda. Whereas in Rwanda, it may be hard for you to encounter such exceptional cultural experiences like it is a case in Uganda.
In conclusion, Uganda and Rwanda East Africa’s ultimate mountain gorilla destinations offering the most thrilling experience of a life time. You can visit both Uganda and Rwanda to find out the differences in this life time experiences. However, gorilla trekking in both countries is remarkable on their own as trekkers get varied satisfaction levels of encounters as well as value for their money. You can either travel from Uganda to Rwanda or Rwanda to Uganda.
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Best Places Where to Buy Art & Crafts in Rwanda
Although not yet fully explored, cultural tourism in Rwanda is at arise. Many tourists are now visiting the country to learn and discover more about her unique culture and diversity of fine crafts produced by the local Rwandese. Today, Rwanda has many cultural locations where tourists are entertained by local music, dance and drama performances, they get all kinds of crafts produced in the country as souvenirs and a chance to have experiential tourism by participating to local activities especially the dances.
The major crafts produced in the country include jewelry, baskets, wood carvings, pots and other related clay products, shopping bags, papyrus mats, calabashes and many others. While on a tour in Rwanda, below are the leading places where tourists can buy art pieces and crafts for souvenirs;
Nyamirambo Muslim Quarters
This is one of the biggest city suburbs and among the most active neighborhoods in Rwanda with various youth centers. It’s a multi cultural center with a large percentage of Muslims hence the name Muslim quarters. This is one of the best places for city tours and walks; a visit to these quarters gives you a chance to learn about the culture and ways of life of Rwandese city dwellers.
At Nyamirambo, there is the Nyamirambo Women’s Center (NWC) that provides guided walks and tours around Nyamirambo. They take you through their markets where you can buy fruits if you want, visit the West African communities in the area and learn about their culture; hair styles, dressing code among others. The women’s center also provides homestays to interested tourists who get a chance to learn basic Kinyarwanda or how to prepare a simple local Rwandese meal. Nyamirambo has a prominent recording studio where many Rwandese upcoming artistes flock to try out their talent. A visit to this studio will give you a chance to listen to the sweet amazing voices and lyrics of people of Rwanda.
The Gatagara Pottery Experience
This pottery experience can be got in Gatagara which is an hour and thirty minutes drive from the capital Kigali. The local artisans are always ready and willing to teach the pot making process to any interested tourist. The Gatagara area has a number of clay products which include cooking pots, flower vases, bawls, clay plates and cups. All the clay products from this area are unique because Gatagara is blessed with special clay soils with some mica components.Tourists to this culture and heritage site are given chance to create their own pieces which provides a good and unforgettable Rwanda tours experience. Most of the pottery skills possessed by the Gatagara artisans were got from the Batwa –the original inhabitants of the place. Today these skills are being complimented by new modern skills to produce beautiful clay products.
Ivuka Art Center
It was opened in 2007 in Kaciyru district to explore the artisan talents of the local Rwandese and to act as selling center of the locally made crafts. The center exhibits various pieces of art including carvings, sculptures, pottery, pictorials and many others. Today, the Ivuka art center exhibits art works of over 14 local artistes and even gave way for the establishment of Bwiza arts Kigali, Uburange arts and Inema arts center. The Ivuka center also carries out international art exhibitions which any one on a Rwanda safari or cultural tour should not miss.
Rwanda Nziza
This offers a variety of local Rwandan made handcraft products like jewelry, carvings which makes all the earned profits to go back to the local economies. Different artisans also get to be known because all art products have the artisans’ personal profile, product description, its cultural significance and the cultural values attached to it. This has played a big role in preserving the art and craft cultures of the Rwandese. The Rwanda Nziza is also known as the Rwandan fair trade artistes association that was started to promote Rwanda cultural tours.
Ishyo Arts Center
This is a concert and events center in Kigali. The center was started to bring together musicians, dancers, comedians, actors and actresses to one cultural performance that would act as a learning platform form and support initiative to the upcoming talented artistes. If you are so much interested in having fun, this center can be a good place to visit on your Rwanda tour.
Caplaki Craft Village
At this crafts village, we find the Caplaki co-operative that deals with locally made handcrafts. While at the Caplaki craft village, you will find a variety of hand made crafts of all kinds. There are many craft shops around therefore you will have a wide range of options to choose from. Caplaki is among the oldest craft market streets and the craft villages also have crafts from Congo, Uganda, Tanzania and Burundi.
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Top 10 Rental Cars Hired Out in Rwanda
Looking to exploring Rwanda but wondering about which car to use for your travel? We have reviewed some of the best cars for travels in this mountaineous country. Choose from the wide array of car rentals and explore the land of a thousand hills in a new way. Here are the top 10 rated vehicles that you can think about hiring a car in Rwanda for your travel or occasion;
4×4 Toyota Rav4
Our Toyota Rav4s are compact and best of the small SUVs. They are perfect car rentals if you plan a self drive tour, conference meetings, picnic tours, weekend getaway, camping, or business tours in Rwanda. They are spacious for your cargo, for you to stretch your legs. Besides, they have the best fuel consumption rate. They accommodate up to 4-5 people and consist of air conditioner.
Toyota Land Cruiser TX
Book our luxurious and comfortable 4×4 Toyota Land Cruisers TX and enjoy your road trip to different part in Rwanda without any worries. Our Toyota Land Cruisers TX takes 5 visitors and consists of air conditioners. Choose from our Toyota Land Cruisers-diesel and petrol-manual or automatic transmission.
Roof tent Land Cruisers Prado TZ
Rent Roof Tent Land Cruisers Prado TZ and enjoy your wildlife tours in Rwanda’s Akagera National Park in a new style. Our Roof Tent Land Cruisers Prado TZ are spacious and you do not have to worry about where your cargo will be.
Roof tent Land Cruisers V8/VX
Reserve our Roof Tent Land Cruisers V8 with Camping gear and get the best of your safari in Rwanda.
Coaster Bus
We have the best Mini buses for hire especially for group safaris. They take about 23 people and they come with air conditioners, MP3 and CD player.
4X4 Toyota Prado with Sunroof
Our 4×4 Toyota Prado car rentals take five visitors and they come with adequate room for your cargo.
Luxury Land Cruisers V8
Our luxury Land Cruisers V8 are exceptional luxury large SUV Class. They are built in such a way that they can tackle any kind of terrain. They have the best interior and they come in automatic transmission.
Toyota Prado
We have the best Toyota Prado for your road trips in Rwanda. They accommodate up to 5 people and they come with air conditioner. Choose from either manual or automatic transmission.
4×4 Toyota Land Cruisers Hard Top
Get the best of our 4×4 Toyota Land Cruisers Hard Top and embark on safari in Rwanda in comfortable way. Our 4 wheel drive Toyota Land Cruisers Hard Top takes between 6 and 9 people. They come in manual transmission, spare tires, lift jack, mini fridge, and ideal for wildlife safaris.
4×4 Toyota Land Cruisers Hard Top Extended
Book our luxurious 4 wheel drive Toyota Land Cruisers Hard Top Extended cars and get a reward of Rwanda road trip. They are comfortable and take between 6 and 8 people. They come with a mini fridge, air conditioner and you can get it at pocket friendly price.
Super Custom
Our medium size Toyota Super Customs are well maintained, comfortable and they take about 8 visitors. They are diesel powered engines with AC, luxurious to offer you that total comfortable while on a road trip in Rwanda. They are a perfect way to get around Kigali and several parts in Rwanda.
Saloon Cars such as Toyota Coronas; Our Toyota Coronas have a capacity of 4 and consist of air conditioner, airbags, CD player, and comes in manual or automatic transmission.
Safari Vans
Our Mini Vans take about 8 people. They consist of Air Conditioner, adequate space, pop up, roof rack and they are good for safaris in Rwanda.
Toyota Premo
Interested in city drive? Book one of our luxurious Toyota Premo cars and embark on road trip in Kigali in comfortable way. Our Toyota Premo cars have airbags, centralized door lock and-both manual and automatic transmission.
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Athlético Marseille signs France goalkeeper Sofiane Mahmoudi from Luynes Sport FC
Marseille, Bouches-du-Rhone based club Athlético Marseille have signed French-Algerian goalkeeper Sofiane Mahmoudi on a short-term deal from lower club Luynes Sport FC.
The 17-year-old is a free agent having played with Luynes Sport FC last season.
“I’m delighted to become part of this great club with a lot of history. I am here to also help the team in its campaign in the Championnat National 3 league” he said.
Mahmoudi is one of the highest rated youth goalkeepers at Luynes Sport FC, we are happy this opportunity came to him, we wished him well in his next chapter and he’s always welcome home at Luynes,” coach of Luynes said.
The young goalkeeper is being regularly called up to the Algerian national U17 team, but is yet to make her senior debut.
Despite finishing 5th in the Championnat National 2 league, Athlético Marseille were relegated to Championnat National 3 league and will play in the Championnat National 3 league in the 2020 season.
Read MoreMusanze Gears up for Christmas Village Market
A group of women are sitting huddled next to each other as they weave basketsand chat among themselves. It is in the afternoon, and it has just rained somehalf an hour ago, so the air is still cold and misty.
However, such an uncompromising weather does not dampen their spirits. Sitting on a large mat, the six women continue to furiously make different traditional handicrafts, which they hope will make them have a merry Christmas this time round.
In front of them are displayed different traditional handicrafts they have managed to make today: mats, baskets, gift cards, small pots, clothes, sandals and shoes; all made from traditional materials.
Just a few meters away, the sounds of traditional African drums can be heard. A group of children, youth and men are singing and dancing to the symphonic beatings of the drums by the drumsticks, but the sounds can be cut off after every some few minutes and would attentively listen as their leader, who is their trainer, teach them some aspects and moves of the songs and dances.
They are practicing since in just a few days, they should have polished their traditional music and dancing skills to be able to showcase to visitors who are expected to throng their village during this festive season.
The group of weaving women and dancing children, youth and men are expected to showcase their different skills during the 12- day Christmas Village Festival that will officially kick off on 22 December 2018 and end on January 1, 2019. The cultural fiesta is going to happen at Red Rocks Cultural Center in Nyakinama Village, Musanze district.
The main aim of the festival is to connect the locals with tourists and the theme is to display different shades of Rwanda authentic traditional and cultural life.
Greg Bakunzi, the founder of Red Rocks, says they have been holding Christmas Village Party for seven years now, and its main agenda is to provide the local community an opportunity to sell their products and skills to visitors who are going to come to various establishments like Red Rocks during this festive season.
“This is the end of the year and these women are going to have the opportunity to sell their products at discounted prices to clear the stock they have and make way for the new products they are now making that will also make part of their next year’s collections,” says Bakunzi.
Bakunzi adds that the 12 days is going to be a marketing blitz for the locals, and will also give them the chance to sell some of their traditional products to tourists who purchase them mostly as souvenirs and gifts to their loved ones.
“The locals will also take this opportunity to showcase their music and dancing skills throughout this period, since we want to make our visitors to have that festive environment when they come here during this festive season. This is going to be provided by our traditional dancing troupe,” he adds.
Apart from selling their handicrafts, other activities expected to rock the festivals include preparation of traditional Rwanda cuisine, demonstration of how to make the traditional banana beer, story telling by the sides of the campfire, interaction between the locals and the tourists, and playing of various traditional and modern games.
The festival, according to Bakunzi, is meant to showcase Rwanda traditional culture to tourists, to make the locals gain from their talents and skills and to create an atmosphere where people of
different backgrounds are going to converge and learn from each other.
Bakunzi further says that since its inception, the Christmas Village Party has fostered mutual cultural understanding among the tourists and locals, and has also provided an avenue through which the locals can now gain from thriving tourism around the Volcanoes National Parks in.
“Most of these women and youth come from vulnerable families. Some of them don.t have husbands to take care of their families. Most of the time, they rely on their small farms for subsistence farming but this is not enough to cater for all their basic needs. But when they use their art and handicraft skills and make products that tourists can buy, then they are able to supplement their resources and help uplift their livelihoods,” says Bakunzi.
For Jeanette Mushekimana, a 39-year-old widow and mother of three, she says that she has been selling her products at Red Rocks Rwanda and in Musanze town and hopes that the coming festival is also going to help her make money from her products and enjoy the festive season with her children just like the rest.
“I have made over ten different products I hope to market during the festival. I will sell the products that I had made this year at discounted prices and hope that next year, I will manage to sell all
the products I am currently making,” she says.
Mushekimana adds that she is also going to make traditional food during the festival and if opportunity comes take some of the visitors to her home to show them how Rwanda rural families go about their daily lives.
Theophille Kamana, a traditional herbalist is also busy making healing concoctions that he hopes to display during the festival, adding that even though people now resort to modern cure when they are ill, traditional medicine still have a place for its curative values
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The Success of Gorilla Tourism in Rwanda
Several factors have been attributed to the success of gorilla Tourism in Rwanda and the other country where mountain Gorillas can be visited safely is Uganda, however the Democratic republic of Congo is relatively unstable. With quite a broad client base the demand has been higher than the availability of permits and the good accessibility of the gorillas is an advantage. Rwanda is a small country and the mountain gorillas are fast to be reached within 2 hours from Kigali, the capital city of the Republic of Rwanda as opposed to Uganda which is about 6 hours from the capital city Kampala. There are viable tourists assets which are necessary but not very sufficient, requiring t more infrastructure and to be set up in Rwanda.
A prerequisite is the relative ease of habituating Mountain Gorillas facilitated by the temperate climate. A sustainable Tourism development plan was designed by the republic of Rwanda with the support of the United Nations World Tourism Organization. The Virunga mountain gorilla represent an isolated island population in an upland area surrounded by a sea humanity at some of the highest human densities found on the African continent.
Threats to Mountain Gorillas
Mountain Gorillas are severely threatened by anthropogenic disturbance such as need for agricultural expansion and illegal extraction of resources. Until recent, mountain Gorillas are not hunted down for meat as it was before. Many Mountain Gorillas were killed and other wounded with other groups disintegrating as a result. This resulted in high demand to trap infants which were taken on the black market in the Virunga range. Illegal hunting was mainly motivated by meeting subsistence needs for the poorest people around the Virunga National Park and this pressure presently represents the greatest threat to the survival of the mountain gorilla and the integrity of their habitat.
A key focus for the Contemporary conservation of Mountain Gorillas
There has been a focus of contemporary conservation strategies where the local communities have persistently addresses the local welfare needs to mitigate some of the poverty related conservation threats. This has combined the conservation with the local development through the integrated conservation and development projects. The communities in Rwanda are involved in gorilla tourism in the following ways including; creation of a department for community conservation which is aimed at working with the local education and social infrastructure projects.
The republic of Rwanda has initiated revenue sharing scheme whereby 5 percent of tourism revenues from the park fees are injected into local community projects around the national parks. This has been made possible to ensure that the local people consider the parks as one of their own and it is not known what proportion is shared with revenue represents the budget of the local councils
Benefits of gorilla tourism
The Virunga Mountain Gorilla represents an Isolated Island of Island population in an upland area which is surrounded by sea of humanity at some of humanity at some of the highest human densities found on the African continent. Employment opportunities have been offered to the people of Rwanda through National the national park. The local community have been have been employed as guides, trackers and antipoachers while some privately tour operators have offered community based tourism activities including stays with local family, village walks, banana beer production or even volunteering opportunities in the local communities. As compared to other countries, Rwanda has shown a strong commitment to promote the tourism sector and have developed a clear tourism strategy and a marketed destination. A private sector was involved in the policy sector and dialogue and generally have improved the country’s business environment.
Read MoreThe Memory Maker
WOW! Welcome effect.
Our ‘queen’ seemed visibly delighted by the warm reception she had just been accorded and appeared to be in a hurry to ‘hop’ into the next phase of her visit. The bar had been set and every effort had to be made by every member of my team to keep dazzling Mrs. Sinclair.
A great guest or customer experience begins with a great first impression. Make sure to design an experience that delivers nothing short of that. The first impression of a person, product, or place always sets the bar for any relationship; therefore when you raise the bar and manage to keep it there, odds are you can build an enduring relationship with a customer. In a world that’s always on the go, it may not always be easy to keep traditional friendships intact. Thus customers crave, more and more, real relationships with service providers or the people that contribute directly to making their experiences golden and memorable.
Make it personal
What followed was a hearty chat with the guest as we slowly paced towards the main entrance leading to the hotel’s reception.
“Great to have you here Madam Sinclair,” I said, truly meaning it. And as I ushered her into the hotel I said with a flourish, “Welcome to paradise!” and flashed her a heavenly smile.
“It feels really great to be here!” she responded with an equally heavenly smile.
I knew exactly which buttons to press, having done this many times before. When I addressed her by name, I noticed the “OMG!” look in her eyes- she seemed actually surprised that I had taken the trouble to remember it. I loved the whole experience because I knew this was going to go very well!
It is very critical for every Customer Service Provider to fully appreciate and master how to use Emotional Touchpoints during service delivery to produce powerful effects that leave ‘ happy bumps’ on customers. Emotional TouchPoints are aspects of a person’s life or experiences that are important or dear to them. A person’s name is probably the sweetest melody they can ever want to hear in a place they have never been to before or in a place where they are not known. Within five minutes of arrival all the check-in formalities had been completed and David, our Front Desk representative was ready behind the wheel of his golf cart waiting to dutifully chauffeur Mrs. Sinclair to her room.
Delighting Unexpectedly!
What Mrs. Sinclair did not know was that “she had seen nothin’ yet” as the mother of all delights was patiently waiting to pounce on her as soon as she stepped into her room.
Behind the scenes, my team had gathered information from her passport that it was two days after her birthday. The assumption was that whatever the case, her plan must have been to celebrate her birthday during her trip to The Land of a Thousand Hills. So we had a nicely worded card with the words, “Happy Belated Birthday” and a small gift of finely ground Rwanda tea packed in a little ‘agaseke’ basket. This was our version of a flower bouquet since our lodge is located within a tea plantation. Her bed also had extra pillows.
The moment she walked into her room, she stopped, took a long pause…… and slowly the tears of joy started flowing down her wrinkled cheeks as the team, until then hidden strategically behind the curtains, emerged singing “Happy birthday to you…” for her.
Find out in our next issue how this memorable customer experience was simply the grand beginning of a relationship that changed our business like never before.
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FAQs About Gorilla Trekking in Rwanda
The Virunga mountains in Rwanda are famous for to be a home of to over 40 mountain gorillas which is half of the world’s big population and some of these gorillas where discovered in the neighboring Bwindi Impenetrable Park. There are ten gorilla families that have been habituated for viewing by tourists and they are a must see. The mountain gorillas in Virunga move in a big group including babies, juveniles and the mothers.
Planning your Gorilla trekking safari.
The fact remain that gorillas can be tracked all around the year in Rwanda therefore as a tourist, feel free and ready for you expeditious safari. During the rainy seasons in the republic of Rwanda in April- May and November you are required to carry a rain jacket, walking boots and warm clothes. Its quiet hard to predict weather in Africa because it can rain anytime.
How and when to secure a Gorilla Permit.
Securing a permit, you need to use a reliable tour company which will arrange for you. The permits cost UD 750 and only 80 permits are issued each day for the different gorilla groups though the money seems to be a lot, it is very rewarding to see these gorillas.
Conditions required for Gorilla tracking
As a tracker, you must be physically fit since is the only way you will enjoy the hike as you move through the forest, searching for the gorillas. Some breaks are given as you walk along the walk which enables you to catch a breath. In case you feel so tired and you cannot continue you may hire a porter at a fee. During the walk, some gorilla groups are close and can be seen within 30 minutes though this depends on the one assigned guide.
What is expected on your Gorilla Safari?
You will require an early morning breakfast then head to the park head quarters in Kiningi village for briefing about the rules and regulations that govern gorilla trekking in Rwanda. After you have been assigned a gorilla group to track by the ranger you will be required to move to the forest and it is quiet strenuous although rewarding to you as a trekker.
What is required to be packed for your Gorilla Safari/ Tour
You will only enjoy your trek by packing the right safari/tour clothes which include Khaki clothes, jeans, long and short sleeved shirts, walking boots, sandals, Gloves, Rain jacket, sweater, socks and a safari hat. The trails are muddy sometimes or slippery and do need strong walking shoes. You will also need a walking stick to support you as you walk on the steep slopes of the mountain.
What is the best time to take photos when you are in the field?
Tourists/visitors who come to track gorillas want to remain with good memories. A camera is a must to carry and make sure that it is fully charged or have extra batteries. You must take magical pictures that will remind you of an adventurous safari you had in Rwanda. As a tourist, you will be kindly required to switch off your flash light when taking photos since it disturbs gorillas and they decide to walk away. Since these areas are rain forest, you need to take care of your camera and these needs to be protected. The park is known to have 10 gorilla families for tracking including; Agashya, Amahoro, Sabyino, Umubano, Susa, Karisimbi, Hirwa, Kwitonda, Bwenge as well as Uganda group of gorillas. All these gorilla groups are exciting thus take adventure with the Mountain Gorillas of Volcano National park in the Republic of Rwanda.
Read MoreRwanda Shines in Conservation Where Her EAC Partners Falter
The government in Kigali stands out from amongst the partners in the East African Community through a number of things, but for the purpose of this article particularly in their stand on conservation and environmental protection.
Some years ago, when the ‘kaveera pest’ swept across all of Eastern Africa, Rwanda took an unprecedented step to ban the production, importation, and use of plastic bags, and following a short and sharp campaign the prohibition stuck and is in fact being enhanced yet more through an amendment to existing law. Other countries in the region bowed to the pressure of well-connected industrialists, looked to justify their diddling and dithering and while marginally amending their own laws as to the micron strength of plastic bags, the curse is still with us and pollute our environment as do the darned plastic bottles which are littered almost everywhere, turn caps and shrink wrappers included.
But the focus of this article is on wildlife conservation, protection of crucial ecosystems, water towers, forests, rivers, and lakes where Rwanda truly excels, said to be the envy of others but at the same time bringing global recognition to the country with positive ‘fallout’ in other areas of the economy and trade. President Kagame, an enlightened leader by any standards, has taken good advice to heart and his directives about environmental and conservation measures to his cabinet have been translated into action.
Re-forestation is now ongoing in Rwanda on a nearly unprecedented scale, closing crucial gaps between once-connected forest patches and this goes hand in hand with publicity and public awareness, and education campaigns, but also evictions were necessary to stop encroachment and keep wildlife habitats intact. Better agricultural methods are being employed to increase food production, instead of carving out more and more land from protected areas for that purpose, and the use of affordable electricity is being promoted, notably through a soon to be built methane gas the power plant, tapping into the gas trapped deep underneath Lake Kivu so that the use of charcoal and the
indiscriminate felling of trees can be reversed.
The country’s tourism successes speak for themselves, as the accolades Rwanda receives abroad draw even more visitors into the country, making the tourism sector the number one foreign exchange earner and breaking record after record in an almost unreal trend. The establishment of the Nyungwe Forest National Park a few years ago widened Rwanda’s tourism attractions and the success of this park – including its unique treetop walk – has fueled rumors that another forest national park may be in the making to provide more choices of itineraries and fulfill the country’s tourism vision to attract quality tourists who are staying longer and spend more money, making the ‘industry’ succeed in the long run for generations to come. However, in comparison much more needs to be done across the national borders, in Uganda, Kenya, and particularly Tanzania, where ‘the corridor of destruction has brought the global wrath of conservation and ‘green’ groups upon the government in Dar es, Salaam.
Mining concessions for gold and other precious minerals are located just ‘beyond’ the Serengeti’s borders towards Lake Victoria and need to be connected to Arusha and the coast by a new highway, which however threatens to cut the Serengeti National Park into two parts and is crucially thought to have a massive and irreversible impact on the great herds of wildebeest and zebra, which presently draw hundreds of thousands of tourists to Tanzania year after year.
The highway is also due to connecting to the planned soda ash extraction plant at Lake Natron, where again concerns and objections of leading experts are being tossed aside – here the imminent danger is the destruction of the sole breeding grounds of the lesser flamingo, which while presently appearing across Eastern Africa in their millions could soon be reduced to a few patches, making the ‘pink shores’ of the Rift Valley alkaline lakes only a distant memory. At the Tanzanian coast, the Tanga Marine Park at Mwambani is under threat as a harbor extension is being planned there, at exactly the spot where ancient, almost prehistoric fish are found and where only a few years ago a marine national park was launched.
In Kenya, just to give one example, the Nairobi National Park, a true gem right next to the capital city, is under growing threat. The ancient migration routes across the Athi plains are already all but gone, fenced off for pastures, farms and residential estates, threatening the crucially important DNA exchange with migratory animals. It is however the pressure for yet more land, which is the greatest threat for NNP in coming years, as the present population of an estimated 3 million inhabitants is expected to triple, eventually completely encircling the park and arguably snuffing the life out of it as we know it, turning it into a large ‘safari park’ similar to those in Europe and North America but fundamentally changing its essence and fabric.
No one can be sure what future governments in Nairobi will do and if not eventually the rocketing real estate prices will lead to degazetting in small portions, accelerating until nothing is left. A nightmare scenario – undoubtedly for all the friends of the Nairobi National Park. In Uganda, it is Mt. Elgon National Park which has become a hotspot but even Queen Elizabeth National Park or some of the game reserves like Pian Upe are under growing threat.
Land grab at Mt. Elgon, incidentally a crucial national water tower, is almost normal and it is only the threat of yet more landslides – a growing rip over a stretch of about 40 kilometers around the slopes of the mountain has opened up progressively more under continuous rains and ongoing illegal logging – is making it possible for authorities to stem the tide of invasions into the park. Uganda Wildlife Authority’s staff consider a posting at Mt. Elgon a real hardship assignment and several of their colleagues were in the past attacked and even killed while defending the park’s integrity and its wildlife.
At Queen Elizabeth National Park it is the fishing villages, well embedded along the shores of Lake Edward and Lake George, which have attracted a lot more people from ‘outside’, although set aside initially to cater for the original ‘habitants’ and their descendants only and cattle invasions have caused running battles between UWA rangers and the invaders, who in the process also regularly poison predators, causing a substantial loss of the lion and hyena population in the park through the use of highly poisonous chemicals banned in many other
parts of the world.
Conservation is never easy, always full of the challenge to keep growing populations reconciled with having protected areas set aside near where they live and percolate benefits to those who live nearby, derived from tourism and conservation income. But when tourism has become a key sector of the respective national economies, has attracted megabucks in foreign investments, is responsible for hundreds of thousands of direct and a multiple of that for indirect jobs across the region, the very foundation of wildlife-based tourism, an intact environment needs to be looked after at almost any cost, unless our governments are ready to sacrifice the sector on the back of ‘progress and development’, when the sanction ‘development’ at the expense of intact nature for which tourists travel from around the globe to our shores to see and experience it. Rwanda seems to have struck the happiest coexistence and balance of the two, in spite of being arguably the most populated country in East Africa in terms of people per square kilometer, and inspired leadership committed to these goals has much to do with it.
I do not deny that all of our East African leaders do spend a thought or two, at times at least, on the environment and the need to protect it at nearly any cost, lest we leave a burned earth behind for our children’s children. Yet, that is clearly not enough and they need to listen more to green advocates and conservation gurus, just as President Kagame apparently does, and not envy him his success to raise the New Rwanda from the ashes of the 1994 genocide. They need to emulate him and his actions and copy much of what makes Rwanda such a tourism and conservation success story today. The Land of a Thousand Hills, born out of the ashes of one of the darkest tragedies in recent human history, is always worth visiting, always worth the journey.
The Author
Prof. Dr. Wolfgang H. Thome
Twitter: whthome
Blog: www.wolfganghthome.wordpress.com
Zen Oriental Cuisine
Sushi
Sushi is a Japanese dish consisting of cooked vinegary rice which is commonly topped with other ingredients, such as fish or other seafood, or put into rolls. Sliced raw fish by itself is called sashimi, as distinct from sushi. Sushi that is served rolled inside or around dried and pressed sheets of seaweed (or nori) is makizushi.
Dim Sum
Dim Sum is a traditional Cantonese cuisine. They come in a variety of small, delicious, steamed, or fried buns, dumplings, or rice rolls which contain a range of fillings that include beef, chicken, vegetables, or prawn options. The size of a dim sum is usually small so it is always a good idea to choose a number of different varieties of dim sum when you place your order. Zen Restaurant serves a wide variety of dim sum and they range in price from 3,700-7,200 Rfw.
Zen Restaurant has a wide variety of different meals to choose from their menu and these range from starters to soups, salads to their signature dishes, sushi to dim sum, and noodles to rice – not to mention their delicious desserts.
The Starters on the menu range in price from 3,700- 11,200 Rfw and one can order meals like the Spicy Chicken Wings, Lettuce Wraps, or the Crispy Duck Rolls. The Soup on the menu ranges in price from 4,200-6,000 Rfw. As a lover of great-tasting soup, I ordered the Tom Yum Soup (mushrooms flavored with lemongrass, chili, kaffir leaves, and lime) for 4,200 Rfw and it was heavenly. It was spicy and delicious and I just couldn’t get enough (despite the fact that they served the soup in a big bowl that would have satisfied two hungry souls with ease). The Noodle and Rice dishes vary in price from 2,000-5,500 Rfw and their Signature Dishes from 4,800-19,000 Rfw – the latter will get you a Whole Lobster!
Once you’ve managed to get through one or two of the meals that are served and you find you have enough room to“spoil yourself” a little further, why not try one of the desserts on the menu. I ordered their Chocolate Mousse which was pure decadence – it was creamy, rich, and downright delicious. Zen is fully licensed and they have a good selection of wines and spirits, beers, and cold drinks. They also serve a variety of different teas and coffees – in my opinion, they serve the best African tea with Ginger I have ever had.
The waiters/waitresses at Zen Restaurant are attentive, well dressed, have a friendly manner, and have an even better understanding of what’s on the menu. They make you feel comfortable the minute you walk in. I thoroughly enjoyed my first visit to Zen Restaurant. I enjoyed their delicious food and their excellent service and I will definitely be going back. As a vegetarian, I was most impressed by how many vegetarian meals they had on offer, and for that reason alone, I will be going back.
For reservations/more information, please contact: Zen Oriental Cuisine, Just pass MTN
Centre, Nyarutarama, Kigali.
Mobile: +250 782588593.
Email: melaniecordero@zenkigali.com