MY JOURNEY TO THE NATION OF A THOUSAND HILLS
If someone asked you, “What’s the first thing that comes to your mind when I say, ‘Rwanda’?” there would be a high chance you would reply with just one word: “Gorillas”. And nobody would blame you, because along with Uganda on its northern border, close encounters of the gorilla kind have long been Rwanda’s biggest tourist drawcard, luring animal-lovers and adventure-seekers chasing their Dian Fossey moment from all across the globe.
also known for its devastating past, the 1994 genocide is still very much a part of this country’s consciousness today. But 25 years on, the nation often called the ‘Switzerland of Africa’ and the ‘Land of a Thousand Hills’ is in the midst of mighty, positive change.
Heading to Rwanda
Bordered by well-known Tanzania and Uganda, Rwanda is a small country in East Africa with big potential and much to offer budget and luxury travellers alike. With opportunities to see wildlife and culture as well as extreme adventure, my time in Rwanda is nothing like I’ve ever experienced before. It’s no secret that Rwanda is well on its way to becoming one of the most desirable tourist destinations in Africa. The country’s clean city streets, lush volcanoes, playful gorillas, and, most recently, the new luxury lodging options make this small country a favourite place to visit.
But when I told my friends that I was heading to Rwanda, the reaction was almost uniformly of disbelief, edged with disapproval, as if I were going into the middle of a warzone.
But over the past quarter-century, Rwanda has turned its country around, deservedly so. When international attention turns towards the country, the reports that follow are invariably positive. So why not visit this peaceful country?
We had come to see wildlife – great and small, running, flying and sleeping – without having to share the privilege with the swarms that buzz around the safari honeypots of Kenya, Tanzania, and South Africa. We flew north from Johannesburg, on a quiet Sunday afternoon on the national carrier, RwandAir. It’s a relatively young airline, only operating flights from its base in Kigali (KGL) since 2002. After the devastating genocide, the government decided it needed a reliable transportation link that would firmly connect the country to the rest of the world.
After this five hour flight, I can honestly say RwandAir has certainly set the bar high for African airline offerings.
A Heart Wrenching Quest to Genocide Museum
On our first day in Kigali, we took a drive to the Kigali Genocide Museum. This dignified memorial was constructed in Gisozi, the bur
ial site of over 250,000 people killed in the 100 days of Rwanda’s 1994 genocide. It stands out among all the others because here they’ve put on display corpses of the victims of the massacres, bleached white by lime, and in horrible contorted shapes, some still clutching rosaries, others with half-split skulls.
The exhibition leads you through room after room. It was at times unbearable, heartbreaking and gut-wrenching in equal measures. But rather than opting out after the first room, which would have been an instinctive reaction, you feel a duty to do the circuit to the end and pay your respects to all the victims, and to their families.
The brutality of the memorial has a purpose – to prevent genocide denial in a country where healing is necessary.
Forgiveness and Restoration at the Liberation Museum
Our next stop was the Liberation Museum located within the Parliament building. While not as popularly known as the Kigali Genocide Museum, this museum details the sequence of events before, during, and after the struggle of 1994. Officially named ‘The Campaign Against Genocide Museum’ focuses on the story of the RPA’s 600-strong battalion based at the Parliament to protect the dignitaries still in the building. The museum has an educational and an inspirational importance because the place serves as an irreplaceable source of the national pride, inspiring the spirit of heroism, determination, courage and humanity shown by the Rwandan Patriotic Army during the campaign against genocide.
Each room inspires, shocks and gives hope to the efforts and sacrifices made by Rwanda’s leadership to end the tragedy they faced. From the roof, bullet holes are still visible on the building's exterior walls where it received an onslaught of gunfire.
In Search of the Golden Monkeys
Our second day had our group trekking in search of these beautiful little creatures found only in the high-altitude forests of the Volcanoe National Park. The golden monkeys leap from tree branch to tree branch, sizing us up with yellow eyes as they do so. Predominantly a group of females, we are able to pick out a juvenile male here and there. In the middle of this thick and thorny forest, I edge closer to get a better look, but I only end up with my bottom on the slippery and muddy ground.
We continue our morning walk through the Volcano National Park, treading through slippery grounds and much undergrowth with thorny bushes. “Please tread softly as the bushes will show no mercy,” our guide Jay says, grabbing his long balancing stick closer. We follow in single file, stopping to catch our breath and maintain our balance. Like many Rwandese guides, Jay had a hilarious sense of humour as he delivered deep knowledge of the properties and behaviour of his country’s wildlife.
He and his team of guides lead us back through thicker bush, putting his finger to his lips when I stand on a dry branch. With hearts pounding, we emerge into an open glade – to find beautiful farmlands. We found solace, good food and a soothing foot rub at a local lodge at the Gorilla Mountain View Lodge.
Finding Stillness on Lake Kivu:
There are many beautiful lakes in East and Central Africa, but you cannot swim in most of them. Sitting on the Albertine Rift, Lake Kivu is one of the few lakes you can swim in without fear of jaws coming from beneath. Shared by both Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo, Lake Kivu stretches 89 kilometers long, 48 kilometers wide, and 240 meters deep. Small towns and big cities line the shores, framed by the region’s famous rolling hills and towering volcanoes.
In the warmth of mid-afternoon, we hopped onto a sizeable speed boat for a tour of this great lake. The captain of our small ship barely spoke a word of English, which made it a more delightful experience refreshing my high school French! We started off smoothly, gaining momentum as we sped away from the shore. It didn’t take long to settle easily into the rhythm of bouncing over the water. We passed by a few fishing boats and saw a few children on their way home from school. We stopped a few times and got to take in the serenity of the still, open waters. After what seemed like a few moments, but in reality was over an hour later, we turned back toward the beach.This sophisticated lakeside town is a welcome place for a weary traveller. While I didn’t want our journey to end, I looked forward to a cup of Rwanda’s famous gorilla coffee, before soaking my aching limbs and sinking into a soft bed. The luxury is welcome. But I already miss the simplicity, quiet and beauty of life on the lake.