Maks's account of the expedition to the heart of Black Africa
You've probably heard the term "Bucket List" many times. It's simply a bucket list of things/dreams you must do in your lifetime. A trip to Rwanda should definitely be on the bucket list of every traveler who appreciates nature and, like me, has fallen in love with Africa.
Rwanda is a small country, slightly smaller than the Wielkopolska Voivodeship, located in East-Central Africa, bordering Burundi, Uganda, Tanzania, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. This former German colony has a fascinating, albeit bloody, history.
The people of Rwanda were the Tutsi, Hutu, and Twa tribes. The Hutus were primarily farmers, and although they were the most numerous tribe in Rwanda at the time, the Tutsis held power and managed the cattle and land. Over the years, a caste system took root, with the Twa occupying the lowest social position.
Everything changed dramatically in 1994. A mass genocide was carried out by Hutu extremists against the Tutsi population. Approximately one million people were murdered within 100 days. This is a very sad piece of history, but one that must be remembered. To this day, it remains a topic of great reluctance to discuss locally.
In the capital, Kigali, the Kigali Genocide Memorial, a monument commemorating the tragedy, is definitely worth a visit. Thirty years after these events, Rwanda has become one of the safest countries in Africa.
When I learned that our long-time partner, One & Only, had invited us to visit their two luxury hotels in Rwanda and received an offer to participate in this trip, I was speechless. Without hesitation, I expressed my interest in the trip, as seeing mountain gorillas in their natural habitat had long been one of my many travel dreams.
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Sightseeing in Kigali
You can fly to Rwanda conveniently with one transfer via London with British Airlines, Amsterdam with KLM and Qatar Airways via Doha, and the main airport is Kigali, where it is worth spending the night after arrival and spending the next day exploring the city.
The country's most frequently visited national park is Akagera National Park, where you have a good chance of spotting The Big Five of Africa—the African elephant, black rhinoceros, lion, buffalo, and leopard. This national park features savannahs with wetlands and mountainous terrain.
The National Parks that the following text focuses more on, where we can find Colobus Monkeys, Golden Monkeys, chimpanzees and mountain gorillas, are Nyungwe Forest National Park and Volcanoes National Park.
This park is located in southern Rwanda, and there are two ways to get there. We highly recommend helicopter transfers, which take about 30-40 minutes over beautiful landscapes. A car transfer, although only 200 kilometers, takes six hours. Although Rwanda's roads are in good condition, they are often congested, with many trucks traveling at a blistering speed of just 30 km/h.
The road from Kigali to Nyungwe winds south past numerous villages and ubiquitous tea fields, making even a long drive enjoyable. After arriving at Kigali Airport, we went to the charming The Retreat Hotel, where, after a very good dinner, we spent the night. The next morning, we went to the city center to see the Genocide Memorial, and just being there and listening to the guide's account was a unique experience.
After a short excursion, we made our way to Nyungwe, where we were warmly welcomed by a local performing group performing the traditional Boma dance. Guests can also enjoy this dance during their stay at One&Only Nyungwe House, where it is often held before dinner. Dancers with small shields and spears symbolizing the war costumes of yesteryear, wigs styled like lion's mane, and women gracefully moving with baskets carrying goods on their heads, are an incredible sight, something you can only see in Africa. After such a welcome, every tea and every meal tasted delicious.
One&Only Nyungwe House
One & Only Nyungwe House offers 22 rooms and suites. Each guest has access to an infinity pool and a very intimate yet well-equipped spa featuring cosmetics from the renowned Africology brand. The hotel is situated in a tea field, where tea tastings are held. We are introduced to the process of harvesting tea leaves and the proper method of brewing tea. It was an incredibly interesting experience, and it made me realize that I had been brewing tea incorrectly at home my entire life.
All meals and laundry are included in the price of your stay at One&Only Nyungwe House. Top attractions in the area include trekking in search of colobus monkeys and the Chimp Trek, a challenging, hours-long trek through the jungle in search of chimpanzees. These animals typically feed around 7 a.m. and then disappear high into the treetops to build nests and rest after their meal.
The journey to the colobus monkey trek takes about 40 minutes. The trek begins at the main meeting point in Nyungwe National Park, where the guide and driver receive information from the rangers tracking the monkeys about the current location of each family. After a short 10-15-minute drive, the trek begins through dense jungle, where the local guide often cuts a path through the dense undergrowth with a large machete.
After a while of very interesting, though not intense, walking, we heard them 20 meters above our heads: colobus monkeys leaping from branch to branch—dozens of them! It's amazing how these animals move "in the clouds," stopping only to snack or to pick various unwanted intruders from each other's mane. It's almost like a monkey spa in the treetops as they massage each other's heads. We spend about an hour with the monkeys, walking beneath them through the dense jungle, providing a unique opportunity to capture incredible photographs and videos that will stay with us for a lifetime.
After returning to the hotel, our hiking boots and all our clothes are taken to the laundry and prepared for the next day, and we can relax in the spa or try our hand at archery, javelin throwing, or ride around the area on electric bikes.
The dinners are exquisite, the products are of the highest quality, and the wines are surprisingly good and perfectly matched to each dish.
The next day, we departed from the hotel at 4:45 a.m., as the drive to the part of Nyungwe National Park where chimpanzee families are most likely to be found takes about two hours. Fortunately, the experienced guides have indestructible Toyota Land Cruisers, as the route is truly off-road, with no paved surfaces.
Nyungwe National Park is a pristine rainforest, and the trekking is demanding. Many paths are quite muddy and steep, but to find chimpanzees, which don't have a permanent den, you often have to deviate from the path and fight your way through dense undergrowth. Porters—people who gather at the meeting point and help navigate the forest and carry trekking backpacks—will help you navigate the steep ascents. A standard tip is $10 per person for each porter hired—one per person is recommended. This is a way to support the local population; it's often the only job they do, and it's crucial to support them in this way.
Trekking with chimpanzees
After two hours of intense trekking, the scent of fresh fruit finally reached us, meaning a family of chimpanzees, fresh from breakfast, was right in front of us. We found them high in the trees, building a nest. They descended one by one, searching for more fruit, as they spend most of their day resting in the nest, which they build only for one day.
An adult chimpanzee can reach up to 160 cm in height and weigh up to 60 kg, but despite its relatively small size, it is extremely strong – its strength can be up to twice that of the strongest men.
Observing these primates is fascinating. They cleverly use sticks and other hand-made tools to help build nests or crack open tougher fruits. When threatened, they often use large branches as clubs. We spent about an hour and a half with the chimpanzees, sitting in a clearing and enjoying a modest snack, taking a moment to rest. The trek back to the village took about two hours, after which our drivers picked us up and took us back to the One & Only Hotel. The entire Chimp Trek lasts between six and 10 hours, depending on where the chimpanzees are staying that day. Including transfers, it's a demanding trek, best suited for physically active people with mobility issues.
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A unique and wild holiday at One&Only Gorilla's Nest
The next day, we headed back to Nyungwe National Park for the Canopy Walk, where we walked across chasms on suspension bridges. It took about 40 minutes to reach the bridges from the main National Park checkpoint, following a groomed path. The longest suspension bridge is almost 200 meters long and hangs over 50 meters above the ground, above the treetops. It was a magnificent experience. Back at the hotel, we once again had some "hard work" ahead of us: a visit to the spa, where we were prepared for our journey to One&Only Gorilla's Nest in Volcanoes National Park the following day.
After a delicious breakfast with a beautiful view of the dense, wild jungle, we set off for the second One&Only hotel. The drive took about six hours and led from the south to the north of the country.
The landscape gradually changed, as Volcanoes National Park lies at an altitude of 2600 to 3600 meters above sea level. As we approached our destination, tea fields gave way to eucalyptus and bamboo forests. While chimpanzees aren't found in this national park, it does house what many consider to be the most important primate species—mountain gorillas—but more on that later.
At One&Only Gorilla's Nest, we were once again greeted by smiling faces and the traditional Boma dance, this time with subtle differences stemming from the distinct traditions of this region of Rwanda. The hotel lobby is impressive, with sculptures and other elements depicting magnificent gorillas omnipresent. In contrast, at O&O Nyungwe House, many decorative elements symbolized chimpanzees. A common denominator for both places is the ubiquitous local art. This is one way the hotels support the local population by purchasing handicrafts that are used to decorate the rooms and common areas of both hotels. Furthermore, before One&Only Gorilla Nest was built, Kerzner, the owner of the O&O brand, contributed significantly to the construction of a school nearby, enabling children to receive an education and providing adults with jobs at the newly opened facility.
Gorilla's Nest is nestled within a eucalyptus forest. These enormous trees were imported from Australia, but are now ubiquitous in northern Rwanda, reaching heights of up to 30 meters! The hotel was built from scratch on beautiful grounds just a few years earlier. It opened just before the end of 2019. As is common with lodges and hotels in Africa, all meals and beverages are included in the price, as are laundry and many other services, excluding spa treatments.
Each of the 20 suites is essentially a separate treehouse built on wooden stilts. As a child, I dreamed of a treehouse, and I finally managed to spend a few nights in one. However, this is a completely different kind of "treehouse," as it features all the modern amenities – a huge terrace, a large bathroom with a bathtub, three large mirrors, a shower, and heated floors, as well as a living room with a sofa, a remote-controlled fireplace, and a very comfortable double bed. Of course, there's a fully stocked minibar, a Dyson in the bathroom, and other amenities worthy of the world's most luxurious hotels.
On our first day after arrival, we had time to relax before heading out for dinner at Jack Hanna Cottage – the only building on the hotel grounds dating back to the 80s. It once belonged to the renowned zookeeper Jack Hanna. Although he was involved in the conservation of many species, he is most remembered for his work in gorilla conservation and the fight against poaching in Rwanda. The next day, we embarked on a gentle trek in search of golden monkeys. We met at the Volcanoes National Park Headquarters in Kinigi, a 15-minute drive from the One&Only hotel. This is where training sessions with a local guide take place before embarking on each trek. From there, the drive to the starting point took about fifteen minutes. We encountered the golden monkeys after a 25-minute leisurely stroll, and there were over a hundred of them! They were nimbly jumping from bamboo to bamboo, constantly snapping a new branch and feasting… These monkeys don't really do much else except cause mischief, roll around on the ground, pretend to fight, jump from branch to branch, and eat bamboo shoots. These adorable monkeys are the size of a large cat and are so accustomed to humans that you have to be very careful not to step on any of them. We spend about 45 minutes with the monkeys and then return to the car, where we return to the hotel.
After a moment of relaxation, we headed to The Ellen DeGeneres Campus of the Dian Fossey. Ellen DeGeneres is a renowned American screenwriter and actress, winner of several Emmy Awards.
Dian Fossey, on the other hand, deserves a much longer paragraph. She is an American zoologist and primatologist who specialized in ethology and was a pioneer in the study of mountain gorillas worldwide. Dian began her work in the 1960s in the Congo, but was forced out of the country due to civil war. From Congo, she traveled to Rwanda, where she opened the Karisoke Research Center, a gorilla research center. Meanwhile, she wrote her doctorate in zoology, which she defended at the University of Cambridge in the 1970s. When Dian began her work, mountain gorillas were near extinction, primarily due to poachers. Gorilla paws were once a hot commodity and served as "amulets to protect against evil spirits." The Ellen DeGeneres Campus of the Dian Fossey presents Dian's private journals and describes some of her favorite gorillas, with whom she spent much time. In addition, you will find a wealth of interesting information about the behavior of these magnificent animals, a description of each gorilla family and the places where they were spotted on an interactive map – the gorillas are not marked, daily reports are prepared by specially trained trackers working in the national park.
After returning to the hotel, dinner.
A movie night was arranged especially for us, and is highly recommended for all One&Only Gorillas Nest guests. We were literally captivated by the 1980s film Gorillas in the Mist, which chronicled Dian's story. The next day, we were to admire gorillas in their natural habitat, just like this wonderful person.
Early morning wake-up call and breakfast. Another drive to Kinigi for another training session, where we learned which gorilla family we were assigned to. Families are assigned based on their location; for those less physically active, families closer to the starting point are chosen. We, with a moderate difficulty level, were assigned to a group that took over two hours to reach through deep mud and dense undergrowth.
Meeting with mountain gorillas
And here it is. The Igisha family. 34, or thirty-four, mountain gorillas, one of the largest families in Volcanoes National Park. Including 10 females, 6 silverbacks (adult males, including one alpha male), 1 blackback (male 8-12 years old), 3 young females, 3 children, and 11 infants.
Honestly, I don't quite know how to put it into words. Subjectively, of course, but it was the most wonderful experience of my life so far, more wonderful than the rainforests of Costa Rica, more wonderful than climbing a five-thousand-meter peak in Kenya, more wonderful than seeing rhinos in Zimbabwe, more wonderful than a helicopter ride over Victoria Falls.
There were a dozen or so of them there. Some were playing in the clearing in front of us, while smaller ones were falling from the bamboo a meter away.
Mothers entertained their babies, silverbacks felled enormous bamboos as if they were matchsticks, and a primate sat 15 meters away, watching the entire group with a watchful eye, completely calm. The way the family's behavior resembles humans, the closeness between them, is incredible. It was one of those moments when you feel truly happy and want to freeze time. We spent an hour in this majestic setting. A regular smartphone would have been enough to take sharp and clear photos. We were lucky to get this close. Gorillas inspire respect, but not fear; we simply sat and watched the youngsters' clumsy climbs on bamboos and their antics, smiling. Fascinating.
This experience was certainly enhanced by the preparation – visiting the Dian Fossey Foundation, seeing the film Gorillas in the Mist, and all the preparation that had been built up over the past six days.
Over dinner, we exchanged our own impressions and animatedly discussed all the events of the past week. No meal had tasted so good in a long time.
The next day, farewell to Rwanda. Unfortunately.
We received wonderful souvenirs from the One&Only Gorilla's Nest hotel – plush gorillas and a local trekking stick, similar to those used for hiking, but richly decorated and foldable into three sections, making it easy to fit in a suitcase. Gifts aside, only in Africa have I had the opportunity to meet such kind, smiling, and grateful people. Africa was, is, and will always be my favorite part of this beautiful world.
The return to Kigali airport took 3 hours.
The airport is small but very secure. The car was scanned before entering the airport. A quick passport process and off we went to Amsterdam.
Author: Max Mazur, CARTER
