Tracking the Mountain Gorillas in Rwanda
Gorilla trekking is a unique once-in-a-lifetime experience that you should not miss while in Rwanda. This is one of the best rated adventure activities on TripAdvisor and surprisingly, it can be done safely in Rwanda.
On a Rwanda tour you should not miss visiting the Volcanoes National Park, the oldest park in Africa! The park’s history dates back to the creation of the Albert National Park that was created by the Belgians in 1925. This is one of the only four national parks protecting the mountain gorillas.
It is estimated that there are as few as only 900 mountain gorillas left globally. The mountain gorillas are listed as endangered species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). Did you know that there are only three countries where you can see these endangered species? These great apes are only found in the countries of Uganda, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Rwanda.
The Volcanoes National Park is part of the Virunga Region, the montane forests of Central Africa protecting the mountain gorillas. The region has two other parks that include Virunga National Park in the Democratic Republic of Congo and the Mgahinga National Park in Uganda.
For the past two decades, gorilla tourism has been promoted in these countries most especially Uganda and Rwanda. Today there are several habituated gorilla families that can be visited in these countries. However based on easiness, Volcanoes National Park is the best place to track the mountain gorillas in Africa. It is also safe to say that this very special experience is very rewarding and interesting – giving you up to 1 hour to watch and photograph these great apes.
Planning a Gorilla Trek in Rwanda
There are limited gorilla permits available for gorilla tracking in Rwanda. Today there are ten habituated gorilla groups that can be visited by tourists. Each group is allocated only 8 tourists and the number is limited based on guidelines that were set while planning gorilla tourism as a sustainable tourism activity.
Given that there are less permits available, it is advisable to book a gorilla permit early enough most especially if you are looking to gorilla watching in the peak months of June – September and December – February! Gorilla permits can be booked at the ORTPN offices in Kigali, at the Volcanoes National Park headquarters or through a local tour operator based in Rwanda.
Costs for gorilla permits:
- USD $1500 per person for non-nationals
The fees for gorilla permits are inclusive of park entry fees.
Please note that gorilla trekking requires good physical fitness, stamina and a yellow fever certificate. The trek encompasses visiting some of the most beautiful volcanoes, amongst the Virunga mountains, in the world. Four days and 3 nights, all you need for this fulfilling experience (a good add on to a traditional Safari trip to Tanzania).
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Enhancing Customer Experience Through Value Creation
Fact
As a result of today’s economy, customers are more likely to seek value rather than luxurious ambiance or amenities when deciding on a hotel or restaurant. This provides a great opportunity for value properties and restaurants to snatch up and keep new customers – those who would typically stay at higher-end properties. Yet, the economy will rebound, so you’ll want to make sure that you, your staff, and your property make the best impression possible in order to gain customers for life.
Testimonial
A couple of weeks ago, I was having a chat with an old friend who had traveled from Nairobi to come and visit me in Kigali. I had him booked into one of the well-known small boutiques in Kigali; the idea was for me to get first-hand feedback from him about the experience at the hotel because I have heard a lot of great things about the hotel before. The fact that he loved the place was not in doubt as he kept talking positively about the hotel, the staff, and his overall experience at the hotel. I then decided to ask him what he really found outstanding about the service and his answer was simple……. “They treated me like a valued guest – not a nuisance. I still remember the friendly shuttle driver, the upbeat receptionist; even the General Manager welcomed me as he passed me in the lobby, “His response further confirmed to me that little things go a long way and leave a strong impression in the minds of customers. So, the big question today is “how can you turn a budget property into a four-star experience? Believe me, this is possible and is as easy as ABC but requires a lot of effort and attention to little details. Let’s have a look at how this can be achieved.
The Property or Premises
From the moment a guest turns into your driveway, they should see neatly trimmed grass, pruned flower beds, and a welcoming entryway. As they walk into the lobby or reception, make sure it is clean and attractive. Your front desk staff should be ready with a smile and friendly greeting. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve walked into an empty front desk, where I’ve had to wait for someone to come out…..biting on a snack or chatting on phone. Or worse yet, I’ve walked in and the first thing I see is a bunch of staffers clustered together chatting. My very first impression is that I’m not a priority and obviously if that is the case, then my money is also not a priority.
“Value is what your business does that makes it worthwhile to other people”
The Front Desk
The front desk is perhaps the best and most important way to leave a lasting impression. Often, your guests have traveled a long way, and are tired. Make life easy for them! Your staff should be ready to make the guest experience as pleasant as possible. Recently, I traveled to Kampala, Uganda for a business trip. The flight was bumpy and late. After traveling across the country, I was tired and just wanted to get to my room. I ambled up to the front desk at my value hotel and was greeted by a lovely lady called Kansiime. She quickly checked me in and while doing so, asked me a few simple questions:
Q: Are you here for business or pleasure?
A: Business
Q: Will you be taking clients out for dinner?
A: Yes Q: Will you have any downtime?
A: Yes
Kansiime then went on to recommend a restaurant for my clients, and even offered to make my reservations for me! She suggested some area attractions and gave me detailed information about transportation options. Sensing I was tired, she gave me background on local nearby dining and provided menus for delivery options because they didn’t offer room service. I knew she was busy, but rather than seem inconvenienced, annoyed or disinterested, she was friendly, helpful, and welcoming – resulting in a great impression which obviously won me over as a customer.
ART of Service
Kansiime in my opinion succeeded in enhancing my check-in experience because she demonstrated all the elements of a customer experience formula known as the “ART” of service:
A = Awareness. Kansiime knew local restaurants, area attractions, and transportation options and was able to give informed recommendations.
R = Relationships. By asking some very easy questions, Kansiime found out the reason(s) I was staying at the hotel and connected them with related activities.
T = Take Ownership. Kansiime got on the phone, and within minutes, had made my dinner reservations. By having knowledge about the surroundings, local attractions, restaurants, and property, Kansiime was able to take the place of a concierge or bellman, and still provide me with the type of help and service I would expect from a higher-end property and that was a big WIN for her.
In the next issue of TEM, we shall look at how housekeeping, room basics, and bathroom basics contribute to the overall guest experience.
Read MoreCelebrating Christmas Rwanda
Reservations Requested, Heaven, Rwanda
Little Rwanda, a nation of 12 million people, located smack in the middle of Africa, is one of the last places I know of where the holidays still are as they should be. There’s no black Friday shopping (something familiar to Americans – the insane holiday shopping spree that happens the day after Thanksgiving), no ludicrous race for reservations at Michelin starred restaurants (I’ll come back to that in a second), no gift-guide inspired lists. Today’s Rwanda is pristine and safe. Indeed, Rwanda has legendarily clean streets – you can walk its sidewalks for kilometers without finding a wrapper or errant plastic bag. These are among the many reasons Rwanda is a terrific place to spend the holidays. Furthermore, for those who take no joy from the cold, Rwanda has remarkably consistent and gorgeous weather. While neighbors in Kenya, for example, can face a downright cold season at points in the year, Rwanda’s year is merely divided by a couple of rainy seasons that bring plenty of warmth, sunshine, and the occasional downpour. In fact, right around Christmas week, the highs will be in the mid-20s, lows not below 15!). That weather and Rwanda’s lovely people are what has kept me, my wife, and our three kids here for a decade. Alissa, my wife, built and manages Heaven, one of Rwanda’s top restaurants, which has become somewhat of a gourmet oasis in Kigali. Alissa constructed Heaven eight years ago to create jobs for the nation’s youth. The holidays will include many of our biggest nights of the year, as tourists, ex-pats, and locals love coming in this time of year.
For the young American ex-pat community in Rwanda, mostly recent college grads coming to do a stint of social enterprise, business, or volunteering, the hardest time is, of course, the holidays, as not everyone is able to fly home to America every year. This puts quite a burden on Heaven. It was clear from the beginning that holidays would be at Heaven: our outdoor terrace floats above the city, surrounded by lush trees and the sparkling lights of Kigali. The holiday season is kicked off with Thanksgiving – a tremendous opportunity for Americans (and everyone!) to give thanks. The loser in this holiday is the turkey which is served up as the centerpiece of the meal. Turkey, our favorite holiday food, is not a traditional staple of the Rwandan diet. Thus for years U.S. embassy employees, who have always numbered among the ex-pats around our bar and kitchen, used to import American Butterball turkeys before we started serving it at Heaven around the holidays.
By sheer luck, out in a village one day, I came across a dozen very skinny live turkeys for sale. I took apart an old satellite dish to make a sort of turkey pen in the backyard. We then fattened them right up, with the kids feeding them and sometimes running for their lives from them. Now we work with local farmers who raise these amazing authentic turkeys for us. This year we’ll have two dozen of them! We started fattening them up in September with excellent feed…and they in turn feed Americans, Europeans, and Rwandans on Thanksgiving. Alongside the turkeys and mashed potatoes, we serve matoke puree––mashed-up green bananas with plenty of butter. And for drinks, we pour urwagwa, a local banana beer, in addition to the local regular beers and the American spirits in their proud bottles that are always a friendly sight, so far from home. The American ambassador always shows up to offer thanks for our little community.
Thanksgiving is the true start of the holiday season and is soon followed by the Jewish holiday of Hanukah. The centerpiece for the Hanukah table is called the menorah – which is an elaborate set of candles. Our kids have improvised a Coke bottle menorah for just that purpose with each bottle serving as a candle holder. For food, we make traditional potato latkes (pancakes), slow-cooked beef, and honey cake.
On the heels of Hanukah comes Christmas and hundreds of thousands of people will be up late on Christmas Eve as they make their way to church. Their beautiful prayers and songs will permeate the hills of the city where skyscrapers are going up, yet there are still micro-plots of land farmed for maize, beans, and cassava. On the very street where we live, our kids love to see the goats munching on the foliage of the neighborhood. Those very goats, not used for their milk, will make it on to many a Christmas day barbeque. In the early afternoon on Christmas day, traditional wood-charcoal fires will light up across the nation. Most will be three-stone fires, some of which will have a metal grate to support the bounty. We’ll have an abundant meal that evening and a popular Christmas day brunch loaded with ikivuguto (local buttermilk) pancakes, crepes, omelets, and loads of local specialties.
While Coca-cola has raised a Christmas tree or two at roundabouts in town, there are few Christmas trees to be found in homes nor lofty childhood expectations of Santa Claus. Among the upper class that has been exposed to Christmas elsewhere, there will be gifts exchanged. But for most, this will be a day for relaxation, prayer, and brochettes. Grilled beef and goat, fried potatoes, and rice will be the centerpiece of most meals – for many families, this will be one of the few days of the year when meat will be part of the meal. There will also be isombe – mashed cassava leaves – and green bananas slowly cooked in tomato sauce. For a kick, brave family members will grab a bottle or tear dropper of Akabanga, an outrageously spicy Piri-Piri concoction of oil and birds’ eye chile that has become a national condiment.
It will soon be back to work for nearly everyone until the main event of the season: New Year’s Eve. That’s right: New Year is the cornerstone of the holiday season in Rwanda. By far, it is the most exciting night of celebration and festivities. Although last-minute planning characterizes the evening, one thing is certain: everyone will be going out.
Alissa and I learned this the hard way back when we opened Heaven Restaurant in 2008. We ran a beautiful New Year’s dinner with filet mignon smothered in a cassava chimichurri and rum bread pudding covered with caramel sauce. It was a mellow evening, and at around 10 PM we were bidding adieu to the few remaining customers when hundreds of Rwandan partygoers began to appear – with no prior reservations of course. We all danced on the floor until the early hours of the New Year, and then retreated to our families and a day off, the only one Heaven takes during the course of the year.
This year we’ll be doing our best to encourage reservations, as our beautiful terrace maxes out around 200 customers. I don’t think we’ll have much trouble filling up that evening, as Rwandans have so much to be proud of and to celebrate in what will be the 21st year of their peace, stability, and prosperity.
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A Rwanda Lodge’s 5-Star Recipe For Success
Mr. Jerry O. Were is the General Manager of Nyungwe Forest Lodge. Located in the South Western Province of Rwanda, within Nyungwe Forest National Park, it is the only 5-star lodge in Rwanda.
Jerry was hosting some guests at the lodge when he received amazing news: Nyungwe Forest lodge had just been nominated “Best new safari property” in CNN’s prestigious 2015 Safari Awards. Dubbed ‘The Oscars of the travel Industry’, the awards are the highest honor for any hotel.
We sat down for a chat with Jerry and he shared with us the secrets that make Nyungwe Forest Lodge tick.
TEM: Let me start by congratulating you on Nyungwe Forest Lodge’s nomination for the CNN Safari award…
Jerry: Thank you so much. We give the glory to God!
TEM: It seems to be award after the award for Nyungwe Forest Lodge. How do you do it? What is the secret recipe for your success?
Jerry: Actually, ours is simple. We take care of the basics. At the foundation of our structure is a 4-pronged approach, which a lot of people may not be willing to accept as an official strategy, but it has worked for us: First, the investor did a great job in making sure the property is top-notch. Next are the structures: you must have the right structures in place to enable you to get excellence. The third is your staff- treat your staff like Kings and queens, and they will treat your clients like royalty. Finally, put God first in everything.
TEM: After taking care of the basics, how can one stand out enough to be recognized as extraordinary?
Jerry: Pay attention to the small details. It is the smallest things that make the biggest impression. In the area of service, a good way to do this is to anticipate the guest’s needs even before they ask. For instance, say it’s at the restaurant: if someone orders fries, they don’t have to ask for salt, ketchup, mayonnaise, etc. These are things that should be thought of and provided with the food. Other ways you can make the experience memorable for the guest is to be courteous all the time- smile, and remember their names, their order preferences, and so on. The best part is that these are habits that you can make a part of the procedure as you train your staff until they perfect the routine.
TEM: Tell us about the facility itself. Is there anything about Nyungwe Forest Lodge- the physical property itself- that makes it a must-see destination?
Jerry: A number of things. Actually, Nyungwe forest lodge should be at a disadvantage because we are located in one of the remotest parts of the country, in the middle of nowhere; I mean we are in a mountain-forest!- but we have people lining up to visit the lodge all year round because the lodge itself is an experience!
One unique thing about us is, we are an eco-lodge; and with the current emphasis on environmental conservation and being green, this aspect of Nyungwe attracts many people. Everything in Nyungwe Forest Lodge, from construction to management is eco-friendly. In fact, we are the only lodge in East Africa that is Greenleaf certified. Secondly, the way the project was conceived allows for some memorable experiences. For instance, we’ve created the rooms in such a way that from your balcony, from your bathtub, you can enjoy a view of the forest. Something else you may find attractive: you come to our tea lounge, and the chandeliers themselves have been made from tea sieves! The attention to detail is simply amazing. No wonder guests have nicknamed Nyugwe Forest Lodge “Rwanda’s Garden of Eden!”
TEM: What is the most memorable experience guests to Nyungwe Forest Lodge will carry away? What will they rave about to their friends and relatives back home?
Jerry: The unmatched encounter with nature. 100% natural experience, no filters. You will see birds here that are nowhere else in the world. From your balcony, the monkeys will come so close that you can observe and try to identify over 14 different types of monkeys.
But most memorable of all is our Tea-ceremony: Nyungwe Forest Lodge owns a tea plantation that is run by the locals as part of our Corporate Social Responsibility. They look after it, harvest it when it’s ready and take it to a nearby tea factory, and get paid; all the money from the tea goes direct to the local residents’ pockets.
Now, at some point during your stay at the lodge, you will be given the opportunity to take part in a unique ceremony. First, you will be given a kit and taught how to handpick the tea; after that, you will take it to the factory and then in the evening we have a tea ceremony where you can sample the tea you picked. Understanding how it all came about from start to finish makes it such a powerful experience. For most of our guests, this is the highlight of their stay.
TEM: OK, say you’ve won us over. We want to visit the lodge. What is the best way for a guest to “arrive in style” at Nyungwe Forest Lodge?
Jerry: (laughs) Arrive by helicopter. We have two helipads, and a chopper, so the most stylish way you can arrive in Nyungwe is to be choppered in.
Read MoreClues of Quality from a Guest’s Perspective
The words QUALITY HOTEL are always on everybody’s mind whenever they are planning for a vacation or a business trip. The following tips are meant to help hotel keeper’s fit the bill and join the league of quality hotels. Experienced travelers are very good at picking up clues of quality from the curb of the hotel to the corners of their rooms, so make sure you have paid special attention to the key areas mentioned in this column.
Curb Appeal – This refers to how attractive your hotel looks from the outside. Your guests’ first impression of your hotel is critical, beginning long before they get to your curb and continuing right up to your door. From travel guides and websites to signage, lighting, and landscaping, creating quality curb appeal will bring customers into your hotel.
Staff – Your staff should be well-groomed, friendly, responsive, and polite. Putting on clean, well-pressed uniforms and good quality nametags form an important part of staff grooming and should be emphasized. Special attention should also be paid to the hair.
Cleanliness – A minimum expectation of every guest, cleanliness requires extra effort and attention to detail. It goes without saying that every room should be cleaned as often as is needed. But, for excellence, go the extra step to clean above, behind, and underneath every article in the hotel, as well as in the corners. Pay special attention to the bathroom, where bright, hard surfaces and mirrors make quality easy to see.
Comfort – Your guests expect quality furnishings, fixtures, and amenities to make their stay enjoyable. Planning and communication are vital to keeping your public areas and guestrooms functioning, modern, and clean. Provide quality in-room amenities and pay special attention to “guest touch” items.
Service – Your personal contact with the guest can create positive memories and capture future business. From a fast, friendly registration to helpful service during the stay to show your appreciation at check out, make the most of every guest service opportunity.
Problem Resolution – Because quality is in the details, occasionally you’ll slip up. But a guest problem is actually an opportunity to earn their business for the long term. Practice problem resolution strategies such as listening, empathizing, apologizing, creating solutions, and following up.
Quality is in the details, and everyone who works at your hotel needs to be part of the quality team.
Remember, “You never get a second chance to form a first impression, so make it count!”
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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Nyungwe’s Canopy Walk
Nyungwe Forest National park is, without doubt, one of the reasons why Rwanda has lately become a top tourist destination the world over. A visit to this place should be among the things on your ‘To Do List’ before this year ends. It is not only a place for relaxation but also one for adventure and insight into Rwanda’s unique beauty.
Nyungwe Forest is the largest protected mountain forest in Africa covering between 1600 and 2000 square metres; and, being a five-hour drive into the heart of Rwanda, the long drive to Nyungwe gives visitors a chance to drink in the country’s diverse scenery and impressive landscape en route to the main attraction.
Once you get there, prepare yourself to embark on one of the most incredible adventures you will ever have: The Canopy Walk!
Besides the beautiful scenery, huge, centuries-old trees and extra thick forest, this outstanding tropical forest is shelter to a 200m Canopy Walk way that will give a thrill that can hardly be matched by anything else.
Getting to the Canopy is about 2 hours from the starting point at Uwinka Visitors centre. This forest is on a mountain and so the hike down is quite slippery because of the mere fact the ground on which the tourists trek is wet and moist. Seeing the Canopy on arrival, especially for those afraid of heights, it could be described as ‘The endless walk to Hell’.
The bridge suspended between huge trees gives one a feel of fresh air, 60 metres above the forest floor. Besides the freshness in the air and magnificent aerial view of the trees, you will enjoy the sight of beautiful birds flying across as you enjoy the walk.
The Canopy Walk is the favourite activity for park visitors. It is one of those things you want to attempt before you die.
Opened in 2010 it is the only one of its kind in East Africa and the third on the continent.
The 90 metrelong Canopy walkway offers unique face to face encounters with butterflies, colorful birds and monkeys.
Hard wood trees dominate the upper canopy while the lower part is beautified with a large selection of purple orchids and lush flora and fauna that flourish better in the higher altitudes.
Besides the Canopy Walk, the park offers a range of trails in to different parts of the forests for avid hikers and occasional walkers. All the guided walks depart from the central Uwinka Reception centre, the western Gisakura entrance and the eastern Kitabi entrance.
While the view may be better from above, this tourist attraction is equally fascinating from the forest floor.
A network of over ten mud trails takes you deep into the heart of the forest park.
Finally, do reward yourself after a 10km hike with a visit to Nyungwe Forest’s beautiful Ishumo waterfall. It may be small in size, but this calm waterfall is striking in its own way and the breeze to which one is welcomed will feel like one of life’s simplest and greatest pleasures.
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Discovering the Bats of Uganda
“I want to suck your blood!” was Count Dracula’s version of sweet-talking us in old movies. Dracula was a vampire, living off the blood of humans. He could shape-shift, changing his appearance from man to bat at his convenience. Part of the mythology of vampires holds that they must avoid sunlight, which is interesting since anything more than brief exposure to the sun does kill most bats by dehydrating them. Like the story of Dracula, scary beliefs have influenced mankind’s attitudes towards bats for ages. But are bats really so bad? Are they really here on earth to terrorize us, or do they have a useful purpose? Maybe they are just misunderstood, and as they say, we fear that which we do not understand.
Why don’t we start with the truth about one of the most misunderstood bats of all? Vampire bats are sanguivorous, meaning they feed on blood. They do this by cutting a small incision in a mammal’s skin. They usually target other animals and not humans, and their “victims” usually never know it happened. Vampire bat saliva has anesthetic properties which numb the tiny cut as the bat licks (not sucks) droplets of blood from the sleeping animal. Weighing from 15 to 50 mg., vampire bats are the size of an average mouse, and can only drink 1 or 2 ml. of blood at a time, which amounts to several drops. Worldwide there are only three species of the vampire bat. They are found in Mexico, Central America, and South America. There are no vampire bats in Africa. Even though many other creatures live on the blood of others, somehow we have managed to reserve our worst fears for bats, letting the blood-sucking ticks, fleas, mosquitoes, bed bugs, and flies, be known as itchy little nuisances. But bats! Run for your life! So vampire bats are really not that scary, but with a name like that, what can you do?
Bats have not always been villains. They are revered in Tonga as the sacred souls of departed humans. In China, Poland, Spain, and some Arab societies, bats are symbols of good luck. Then of course there’s Batman, a fictional hero with his lair in a cave who fights crime. Meanwhile, back in the real world, in Uganda, U.K., Indonesia, U.S.A., and Canada, bats are strictly protected as important wildlife species. Bats are widespread throughout Uganda. They live in cities, forests, islands, villages, parks, towns, even mountains. During the day they may hide in roofs, trees, caves, mines, or abandoned buildings, to name a few. If you think this plethora of bats is not uniquely Ugandan, you are right on.
There are around 1,100 species of bats on earth and they are found on every continent except Antarctica. 20% of earth’s mammals are bats, making them the most numerous mammal order in the world. Uganda has over 100 bat species, a healthy 9% of our planet’s total. Despite the fact that bats are often misunderstood, Ugandan primary school students scored remarkably well on a survey conducted in ten schools in Bundibugyo District. Only 6% of them thought bats are birds. Meanwhile, Burundian university students showed a much higher percentage of students who were convinced that bats are birds. It would appear that cultural and local beliefs and stories play a strong role in shaping peoples’ opinions about these animals.
The truth is, bats are important creatures with essential roles to play in nature. First of all, bats are mammals. At first glance, their teeth are similar to the teeth of a dog. Most bats have soft, dense fur, another feature of mammals. They produce milk, and unlike birds, they excrete urine and faeces from two separate ducts. Mothers give birth to one baby, which they carry on their chests where they suckle milk until they are nearly full-grown. Some bats can live for more than 20 years.
In Uganda, there are several species that are very interesting indeed:
The Yellow-winged Bat is one of the most amazing yet strange-looking creatures I have ever seen. Usually observed in the daytime as it flies or hangs in acacia trees, this bat is believed to be one of the only semi-diurnal bats anywhere. It has the largest eyes of all insectivorous bats, assisting it with navigation in darkness as well. What makes this colorful mammal so interesting to look at are its huge yellow ears and its great long leafy nose, as well as bright yellow-orange wings which are among the broadest of all bats, relative to its size. This wing shape allows for slow flight through dense, thorny acacia thickets. It eats a startling variety of insects, from beetles and butterflies to flies and mosquitoes. The yellow-winged bat is the only bat that has been observed intentionally sunning itself to warm up, as other bats avoid direct sunlight or quickly become dehydrated. Breaking free of the norm, yellow-winged bats are common in warm savannah woodlands.
Another interesting bat in Uganda is the Egyptian fruit bat. This species is well-known as a suspected vector of Marbug Virus, but if left to themselves these bats play an important part in the spread of beneficial fruit trees. They spend their days in dark places like caves, emerging in the evening to fly to trees where they eat figs and other fruits. Amazingly, when Egyptian fruit bats need a drink, they have the ability to fly over water while skimming the surface with their chest fur which soaks up water. Then they lick the water from their fur while still flying. This is a wonderful adaptation for an animal that cannot afford the energy required to take off from the ground. That may be why most bats hang from perches, so they can fall into flight with minimal effort.
Another bat in Uganda that has remarkable attributes is the long-tongued fruit bat. These relatively small bats feed on nectar from the flowers of sausage trees and African tulip trees, and in the process of their feeding, they inadvertently pollinate the trees. While they are poking their faces into flowers to lap up sweet nectar, powdery pollen from the flowers sticks to the fur on the bats’ faces and is carried to the next flower where it enters the pistil and fertilizes it. Long-tongued bats have a ridiculously long tongue that allows them to reach nectar that many other animals can’t access, earning them the title of nectar specialists. From the sausage tree and the tulip tree alone, Ugandans have derived at least 25 medicinal uses, and even some recipes for a local brew! Its role in the reproduction of these important trees makes the long-tongued bat a very beneficial neighbor to humans.
While fruit bats are large and maybe more commonly seen, less than a third of all bats are frugivorous. There are myriad smaller, less conspicuous bats out there. 70% of the world’s bats are insectivorous, and some species can eat 1,000 mosquitoes in a single hour! In certain parts of the world, bat colonies are so big they can eat unbelievable amounts of insects. A colony of 1.5 million bats was studied in North America, and it was discovered that in one night this massive swarm of flying mammals was able to catch and eat 15 tonnes of mosquitoes! Imagine what an itchy existence we humans would have if bats weren’t gobbling up so many mozzies every night.
If bats are so wonderful, you ask, then why do we vilify them? For one thing, they sometimes seem to be diving at our heads when we are outside after dark. This frightens people for obvious reasons, as it is quite startling. Why do they do that?! Well, the bat isn’t interested in you at all; it is hunting your arch-enemy, the mosquito, which is hunting you! While this explanation might suffice for some, others might be asking, “What if a hunting bat accidentally flies into me?” That is very, very unlikely, and here is why:
Bats have the amazing ability to fly around in the dark without smacking into anything. They accomplish this feat in different ways. Larger fruit bats use their big eyes to absorb even the tiniest amounts of light so they can see amazingly well on a night when you can see nothing at all. Most insectivorous bats, however, while certainly not blind, use an even more remarkable method of navigating the darkness. Sending sound waves out ahead of them using squeaks and clicks, bats can interpret these sounds as they echo or bounce off of objects. Whether a tree, a wall, a human, or even something as tiny as a mosquito, a bat can pinpoint its location without ever seeing it. This ability is called echolocation…sonar! Sending out the clicks and squeaks is easy, but collecting the echoes takes some special adaptations. This is why many bats have interesting leafy noses and big ears to help them collect returning sound waves. So no matter how dark it is or how close a bat flies to your head, relax.
Just as bats help to control insect populations around the world, bat populations are also controlled by certain predators. Many species of snakes feed on bats, as do some birds and mammals. Pythons and cobras, for example, enter caves to hunt bats. Sometimes a snake will even live in the cave among the bats. Pythons are specially equipped for hunting in pure darkness, using heat-sensing pits on their lips to find warm-blooded prey, while cobras hunt by sight and smell and tend to hunt bats that roost in slightly lighted places. The Bat Hawk is a special bird of prey that eats only bats – it is an evening hunter that snatches bats in midair as they leave their roosts.
Genets, the beautiful, furry little predators so common in Uganda, will climb trees and enter caves in search of bats to eat. Most interesting of all, there are two species of bats that hunt other bats! If you are slowly becoming a fan of bats, don’t hate these predators. The pressure they put on bat populations ensures that the fittest bats survive as the weak or less vigilant ones do not. Just when bats are starting to seem like angels, there are a few things to take note of. After all, they are wild animals, and wildlife should be given its space. Some mammals carry diseases that can sometimes be passed on to humans. Dogs, cats, mongooses, bats, and many other mammals can carry rabies. It is not recommended to handle bats as they might be frightened and try to bite you. Living with bats in your home, while maybe a good insect control method, can also have some negative results. Bats that roost in homes during the day eventually leave a build-up of feces which can dry and turn to dust containing harmful pathogens.
Bats have been misunderstood for millennia, and why not? It isn’t easy to get to know a creature that hides so well during the day and that possesses abilities that seem almost magical. I mean, no other mammal can truly fly except for us, right? And only owls, also mystically regarded worldwide, can fly around avoiding obstacles and catching tiny prey in pitch darkness. In recent years, science has been able to enlighten us about bats enough to give us the choice to appreciate bats for the amazing flying mammals they are. We need bats, just like we need bees, but we don’t keep beehives in our homes or we will be stung. Similarly, bats are important to the health and diversity of our environment, providing insect control services, pollination, and fruit tree propagation, so let’s give bats a break and let them fulfill their roles in Uganda’s rich and diverse natural places. To be continued in the April -June 2010 issue.
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Kigali City – Business District
Kigali City is the Capital City of Rwanda, situated almost in the Centre of the country. Its geographical position is Latitude 1°57’S and on longitude 30°04’E. Kigali is located in a natural region called Bwanacyambwe within the proximity of the Nyabarongo river basin, between Mt.Kigali(1852m high) and Mt.Jali.The city is built on interlocking hills, which progressively converge and are separated from each other by large valleys giving them oval shapes. Originally the city occupied the hills of Nyarugenge and Nyamirambo which covered an area of about 200hactares at the time of independence but has since expanded to cover Kiyovu, Gikondo, Kicukiro, Kacyiru, Kimihurura, Remera Kicukiro, Nyarutarama, etc. While on your visit to Kigali for a conference or business trip you need a few our to get the real feel and taste of Rwanda the Land of a thousand places, These are the suggested places that you can go to visit and unwind.
Richard Kandt’s House/Museum of Natural History
Dr.Richard Kandt was a medical doctor by profession; he was also a soldier, an explorer, a scholar, a poet, and an avid naturalist. He was born of a Jewish Kantorowicz family of Posen in 1867. After attaining a degree in medicine in 1894, completing his military service and a stint as a physician assistant, he embarked on an exploration of Africa. His inspiration was to solve the puzzle of the source of the Nile thus Rwanda became his destination naturally. With an inherited personal fortune of 80,000Marks, he arrived at the East African Coast in 1897 and organized an expedition of 150 members.
In June 1898 he stayed at the court of the King of Rwanda from where he finally discovered the source of the Nile in Rwanda in August 1898. Later he settled at Shangi on the shores of Lake Kivu from where he thoroughly discovered Rwanda.
In 1902, he returned to Germany. In 1904, he published his book “Caput Nile-a a sensitive Journey to the Source of the River Nile”. It was reprinted in 1991.
In 1905 he returned to Rwanda to continue with his research. By 1906 he had identified a site in Gakinjiro on Nyarugenge hill as his residence. A year later, it doubled as his headquarters when he was appointed the first colonial Resident Governor of Rwanda in 1907 a position he held up to May 1916 when the Belgium troops occupied Kigali bringing an end to the 22 years of Germany colonial rule.
In 1908, he named his headquarters Kigali; after the nearby Mt.Kigali.It was officially gazetted on 19th October 1908. Richard’s task as Governor was to develop Rwanda into a modern state. In this regard, he identified and introduced coffee as a cash crop and identified and identified the Irish Potatoes as food crops to meet the subsistence needs of the local population. He also embarked on the development of infrastructures. It should be remembered that during his tenure the colonial office had approved a railway line for Rwanda. The line has not been constructed yet.
In 1914, Richard Kandt left Rwanda never to return. While on a vacation in Germany, the First World War broke out and he volunteered his services as a surgeon to the Bavarian Army. In 1918, he died in Nuremberg as a consequence of gas poisoning at the frontline. His grave is in Johannisfriedhof Graveyard in Nuremberg(grave N°478)
Places of Worship
European missionaries, notably the White Fathers, introduced Christianity to Rwanda in the late 19th century. A 2001 study indicates that about 94% of the population is Christians: 50% Catholic and 44% Protestant. Muslims account for about 5% of the total population and about 2% professed no religion at all.
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Kigali (Latin: Archidioecesis Kigaliensis) is an ecclesiastical territory of the Roman Catholic Church in Rwanda. It was erected from the Archidiocese of kayi by Pope Paul the IV on April 10 1976 with the dioceses of Butare, Byumba, Cyangugu, Gikongoro, Kibungo, Nyundo, Ruhengeri.
The mother church of the archdiocese and thus seat of His eminence the Archbishop is St. Michael’s Cathedral the oldest in the Country.
Nyamirambo Muslim Quarters
Islam was first introduced into Rwanda by Muslim traders from the East Coast of Africa in the 18th century. Since its introduction, Muslims have been a minority in the territory
The word Nyamirambo is derived from the Kinyarwanda word,’ Imirambo’ to mean dead bodies. This is the point where the Banyoro and Banyarwanda had a fierce battle during the post-colonial era. The Banyoro had intentions of capturing and expanding their territory to Rwanda.
Camp Kigali (Venue of the massacre of Belgian Blue Beret at the onset of Genocide). The 10 Belgian in MINUAR under the command of General Romeo Dallaire were deployed to guard the Arusha Accord transitional Prime Minister Uwilingimana Agatha.At the onset of Genocide, the Ex. Far soldiers invaded the home of Uwilingiyimana Agatha and disarmed the Belgian soldiers (10) and transported them to Camp Kigali and Killed them from there.
KIST
This was a former Military Training School at this site. There is a small house just next to the administrative block which in the late 50s was ‘Ecole des Officiers’ where the Habyalimana was. In it was expanded through the Belegian Military Cooperation and became ‘Ecole Superior’militarie. This has been transformed into the leading National University for science and technology to strengthen the education status in the country and help Rwanda cope with fast-developing technology in the world.
Kigali Independent University – This is the first privately run University in Rwanda that has Changed the trend of Higher education in Rwanda. The setup of the campus and resources available to the people of Rwanda and foreigners is amazing.
The Parliament – Shell marks are still visible on the walls of the Parliament Building because of the power struggle during the 1994 genocide era.
The Legislative Power is exercised by a bicameral Parliament which consists of the Chamber of Deputies (members are called Deputies) and the Senate (members are called Senators). After the October 2003 parliamentary elections, women achieved 48.8% representation, the largest in the world.
The Parliament of Rwanda was established by the Constitution of June 4th, 2003. It is the first democratic Parliament since national independence in 1962 that includes seven political parties (the RPF, PDC, PDI, PL, PSD, PSR, and UDPR). The previous transitional parliament (1994-2003) set up immediately after the 1994 genocide. It was governed by the then fundamental law mainly based on the 1993 Arusha Peace Agreement.
National Bank of Rwanda – (Banque Nationale du Rwanda) is the central bank of Rwanda. The bank was founded in 1964 and is quartered in Kigali. The National Bank of Rwanda has undergone a transformation since 1911. Rwanda, which was kept apart from the Leopoldville center of influence, noticed once again that the installation of various common institutions in Bujumbura would harm its economic development. The four years of the economic and monetary union were just a failure, each party feeling cheated and blaming each deficiency on the other party. The divorce between Rwanda and Burundi became a reality when the economic union was liquidated from 1st January 1964.
The National Bank of Rwanda, established by the Law of 24th April 1964, came into force from 19th May 1964 with the aim of fulfilling one of its main missions, namely the issuing of currency on the Rwandan territory. The B.E.R.B. rights and obligations were ex officio transmitted to the Royal Bank of Burundi (B.R.B.) and to the National Bank of Rwanda (B.N.R.).
Rwanda National Television and Radio (ORINFOR)
ORINFOR was established in 1973 to operate the electronic mass media national radio and Television. Today almost 500 employees work through the coordination of ORINFOR to secure access to a broad and diverse spectrum of information relevant to all religious and other groups making up today’s society of Rwanda.
ORINFOR serves as an umbrella for the three main national news- and media organizations including TV- and Radio Rwanda
Seat of the Radio Television Libre de Milles Collines (RTLM)
The antennae of the infamous hate Radio which was instrumental in mobilizing Hutus to Kill the Tutsi. The Radio was sponsored among others the fugitive businessman Cyprien Kabuga. It would seem that the genocide had been planned long in advance and that the only thing needed was the spark that would set it off. For months, Radio-Télévision Libre des Mille Collines (RTMC) had been spreading violent and racist propaganda on a daily basis fomenting hatred and urging its listeners to exterminate the Tutsis, whom it referred to as Inyenzi or “cockroaches”
Sports and Recreation
Swimming – Nyarutarama Tennis club, Novotel, La Palace hotel, Kigali Serena hotel, Mille colline Hotel. Cicle sportif.
Golf – Kigali Golf club.
Tennis – Nyarutarama Tennis club, Cicle Sportiff.
Night Clubs – B Club, Planet
Basket Ball – Nyamirambo Court.
Foot Ball – Amahoro Stadium, Nyamirambo Stadium
Art & Galleries
Ivuka Arts, the Kinyarwandan word for birth, also evokes the companion idea of rebirth. And indeed, Rwandan contemporary art demands nothing less at this critical moment in history.
A little over a decade ago, during the terrible days that befell the Land of A Thousand Hills, the world witnessed the passing of what may have been today’s Rwandan Masters. Rwanda’s only major art school, L’Ecole d’Art du Rwanda, was destroyed, along with countless works of art that defined the country’s contemporary cultural heritage.
But though the body was destroyed, the soul refused to die.
This new gallery is located in Kakyiru. www.ivukaarts.com
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Tall Stories: Mvule (An unusual choice of Christmas tree this year?)
The Once Much Mightier Mvule – too popular for its own good?
In The Eye’s last issue, Cathy Watson gave lots of sound advice about how to grow Mvule. But there’s a lot of (natural) history behind why we should be planting it, upon which more light deserves to be shed.
Botany: Known more commonly across the world by its trade name ‘Iroko’, its botanical name is Milicia excelsa (previously Chlorophora excelsa), belonging to the Moraceae family – and is thus closely related to the Figs.
Ecology: A beautiful, tall tree that grows naturally across much of the lowland forests and wet Savannahs of Africa, it is widespread across all the moister parts of lowland Uganda. Mvule is dioecious (di-Oikos = greek for “two houses”), meaning that it has separate male and female trees (whereas monoecious species carry male and female flowers on the same tree). It is also a ‘pioneer’ tree, i.e. it likes to colonize open ground, and is therefore common in forest edges and farmland (seeded by birds and bats from mature trees within the vicinity). From that point of view, it’s unlikely ever to be threatened with ‘biological extinction’ – i.e. it does not depend on the undisturbed forest for its regeneration as do many threatened species and will keep popping up, so long as we don’t cut all the parent trees. However, that does not mean it’s safe.
Economics: Mvule timber is popular due to the high quality and natural durability of its wood, particularly in outdoor uses, such as doors and windows. It resists decay and termites well, without any chemical treatment. Locally it is used for furniture, boat building, and general-purpose building timber (and in many forms, as a medicine).
The favorable characteristics of its timber command a high commercial value, both locally and internationally. It is widely used as a substitute for “Teak”, being almost as strong, and durable, but significantly cheaper. Some even call it “African Teak”. Till recently, many architects, and engineers insisted (some still do) on specifying Mvule for certain uses where the timber is likely to be exposed to the weather, or termites, and you will find much older, (and not so old) houses in Kampala are laden with mvule parquet floors, roof joists, door frames and so on.
Uganda was famous for exporting Mvule up to the mid to late 20th Century. Entire sawmills depended primarily on this, and Mahogany as their ‘bread and butter’, especially in Busoga land, where huge Mvule trees were once a common sight. Of course, as with any other valuable crop, farmers have been keen to sell trees for cash. But they also consciously protected young trees that regenerated on their land, knowing their future value. And Mvule was also widely planted across the country in the early part of the 20th Century, particularly along boulevards in most administrative headquarters in its natural range. Sadly this tradition seems to be dying out.
Protection: Due to its excessive exploitation across Africa, in 1998, IUCN (the World Conservation Union) raised its status from “Not threatened” to “Lower Risk, Near Threatened” species. This does not make trade illegal but should raise all of our attention that all is not well. In Uganda, the Forest Department banned the export of unworked Mvule timber back in 1987, and the last concession for harvesting of Mvule within Forest Reserves was terminated in 2000. Contrary to popular belief, it is in fact not clear that harvesting on private land (where most remaining stocks are now found) is “banned”. Instead, Mvule is legally defined as a ‘reserved species’ meaning that prior permission to cut must be requested from a forest officer. In practice, this is translated into a blanket rule that almost all Mvule intercepted on the road / in the market is confiscated, and then auctioned by the National Forest Authority.
Politics: Needless to say, when Governments ‘restrict’ trade, it doesn’t mean it suddenly stops! But such restrictions can have perverse effects: they create a new sense of scarcity – a higher ‘snob’ value of being able to afford the banned substance, or a sense that if one sees it on the market, one should buy some ‘while stocks last’… Thus the demand for Mvule has far from disappeared within Uganda, and many of us would have to raise a guilty hand to admit that we too have bought into the demise of Mvule – so let’s not be too quick to blame the lawmakers or enforcers. And banning harvesting of Mvule would mean that it makes even less commercial sense for farmers to plant, or protect young growing trees – the fear being that a government officer will either deny you the right of harvesting it later, or worse, only allow you to harvest if you pay him (or her) either a high royalty or to look the other way.
Genetics: Not surprisingly, if one selectively cuts all the straightest, tallest trees in the natural population, and leaves the bent, and branched specimens, these ‘rejects become the parents to the next crop, which will inevitably not be as good quality as the first generation. In a rather perverse way, without taking much more care than we do at present, we do the opposite in harvesting Mvule than happens in agriculture – where the very best bulls are kept to sire the next calves. So if you are going to plant Mvule, check where your seed comes from.
Cultivation: So why, one asks, if it is so valuable is Mvule not commercially planted, like Teak? Its main problem is that when planted in dense ‘monocultures’ Mvule is vulnerable to leaf gall insect attack that damages the leading shoots, and if indeed it survives, it results in a rather forked, ‘branchy’ tree not much good for timber. Mixed, or single tree planting, is therefore recommended over plantations. But while Mvule grows relatively quickly: 60-80 years to maturity, few commercial investors would wait this long for their return on investment.
Christmas trees: Back to the title of this article, I was surprised to find the concept of planting Mvule trees in Uganda being promoted in the U.S. as a charitable alternative to buying a ‘Christmas tree’. The Kibo Group’s “Mvule Project” website asks you to send them $45 to plant one Mvule tree in Uganda– in fact, they get school kids in Busoga to plant, and then contribute at least some of the money to the school for education, though at that price, I would be interested to know how much is used for ‘administration’ of the scheme.
In conclusion, I am not promoting the project per se, but given its depletion in Uganda, I do encourage any of you thinking about buying Mvule timber this Christmas for whatever reason, to think again, and instead consider investing in planting some first, or better, if you have landed at your disposal, planting a few of your own.
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