Rwanda. The very name evokes contrasting images of senseless slaughter and tranquil gorillas in the mist. Perhaps the whispers of the 1.1 million who lost their lives in 100 days of brutal tribal violence in 1994 has kept Rwanda from your bucket list, but I am here to tell you that those voices are calling to the world to show that beyond the dark veil of genocide, there is light and healing, beauty and wonder. This is a must-see destination!
So why would I travel to Rwanda in the middle of the global pandemic?
Simply, I was invited! For over 2 decades I’ve enjoyed a strong partnership with Dragonfly Africa, Southern & East Africa’s leading travel company. We’ve pulled off incentive travel miracles in other locales together in the past. To demonstrate their ability to conduct a healthy and safe experience, they had partnered with some of their favorite lodges and guides to show off what Rwanda had to offer. How could I pass this up?
Reaching Rwanda
One connection. That’s it. Flying from Salt Lake City to Amsterdam and from Amsterdam to Kigali was a total breeze. Rwanda has several other gateways that provide direct service such as Brussels, Istanbul, Tel Aviv, and Doha. For anyone traveling from the United States, the Delta/KLM connection in Amsterdam is the most likely. Reaching Rwanda is actually easier than you would think.
As a born and bred Utah boy, I was surprised to find out that Kigali is at a higher elevation than Salt Lake City. Kigali is only 140ft shy of the Mile High City of Denver, Colorado. The country is beautifully mountainous and goes by the moniker The Land of a 1000 Hills. It seemed that nearly every square meter was cultivated with coffee, tea, cassava, and many other crops.
Pride of Place, Pearls of Wisdom
Having traveled throughout Southern and Western Africa, I have experienced the raw beauty as well as its poverty and third-world conditions. Rwanda blew me away with its cleanliness. While the people live in similar conditions to their African neighbors, it is apparent that one of the ways they take pride in their country is by keeping things tidy. Seriously, it was beyond rare to even see a wrapper or discarded water bottle on the side of the road.
The Rwandans emanate a bright light. Those that lived through the genocide seemed to possess a pearl of quiet wisdom born from recognizing errors of the past, complete forgiveness of others, and a resolve to live better. They are not victims. They are victors. I came away wanting to be more like them.
Trekking with the Chimpanzees of Nyungwe National Park
After a long but beautiful journey by Land Cruiser, we arrived at the One & Only Nyungwe House, an exquisite resort nestled amongst a working tea plantation and on the border of the National Park. Every room is its own standalone suite, each perfectly appointed. That evening we enjoyed drinks and dinner with our group and settled in for a Rwandan cultural display of dance and song and our orientation for our trek with the chimps the next morning.
As the sun was rising over the horizon, we stepped into a dense and lush jungle. About a mile in, our guide hushed us so that the only sound around us was the low rustling in our verdant surroundings. We did not spot them at first, but their howls and calls rang out as they announced to each other our arrival. The sound was nearly deafening and a bit haunting as we settled into our spot to observe a large troop of chimps move tree to tree, feeding and playing along the way. It was surreal to have a front-row seat to watch the one primate with which we share a 99% DNA match and observe their complex social structure and simple way of life. The experience was humbling.
The Gentle Gorillas of Volcanoes National Park
Six hours and a long, picturesque road trip later, we checked in at the One & Only Gorilla’s Nest, our home base for two days of trekking with the wandering, gentle mountain gorillas of Rwanda. Yes, these are the famous Gorillas in the Mist studied by American primatologist Dian Fossey whose book inspired the film. This jungle lodge resort is quite simply the nicest, highest-end, and most beautiful property I have ever stayed in…and I stay at luxurious locations for a living! I believe it is the crown jewel of the One & Only brand, and its hefty price tag is worth every penny.
Like the title of the movie, we literally set out into the mist trekking through the farmland that makes up the foothills of six imposing volcanoes that form the border between Rwanda and their lawless neighbor, The Democratic Republic of the Congo. We hiked several miles through dense jungle, up against tough inclines through mud and tangled branches to reach a green plateau. It was there, just miles from Dian Fossey’s cabin site, that we encountered our first family of Gorillas. Skilled trackers and guides stayed out by night, following the movements of each family of gorillas so that we could have a direct path to them. From here the clock started ticking. The government mandates that you can stay just one hour with the gorillas after making contact. Our guide expertly moved us through the underbrush staying within meters. Being habituated to people, they are for the most part indifferent to your presence. However, these gentle beasts can run a foul mood and beat their chests, and charge tourists that don’t obey the directions of their guides. It’s sobering, to say the least, that a silverback could easily tear you from limb from limb. And though that undercurrent of danger exists, while in the skilled hands of seasoned local guides, the experience of seeing these majestic creatures in their native setting is life-altering. The humanity, strength, and peace these animals emanate is indescribable.
Bucket List Revision
Remarkable Rwanda deserves a place on the adventurous traveler’s bucket list. The very act of recovering in less than 30 short years from the doom of genocide to become a clean, safe, mind-blowingly beautiful destination earns it a spot. Somewhere in heart of Rwanda where the rare mountain gorillas live in harmony with their environment, I found love for a people that I had only read about, connected on a deeper level with my wife of twenty years, forged even stronger relationships with suppliers, and discovered an unforgettable travel destination that I could whole-heartedly recommend to my clients and colleagues.
