Piotr Godzisz MUZUNGU KURUHU IN THE LAND OF A THOUSAND 1 HILLS Rwanda Trip Report London, February 2016 1 Muzungu (or mzungu) is a Bantu language term used in Rwanda and other countries in the Great Lakes region to denote white people. Muzungu kuruhu (Kinyarwanda) means literally “a white person in skin only,” and can denote a white person who does not have a lot of money or does not accede to various demands for change, water, candy, bottles etc. For the purpose of this report, muzungu kuruhu denotes a white person travelling on a shoestring. CONTENTS Basic information ....................................................................................................................... 3 An outline of methods of travel, route and types of accommodation. ........................................................................................................................................................... 5 Planned ........................................................................................................................................... 5 Final ............................................................................................................................................... 5 Commentary to the itinerary ........................................................................................... 6 Impressions ..................................................................................................................................... 7 Tourist attractions – general comments ................................................................. 7 Accommodation ............................................................................................................................ 8 Activities ........................................................................................................................................ 8 Trekking along the Congo-Nile trail ........................................................................ 8 Hiking and climbing ............................................................................................................ 10 The Bisoke volcano climb ............................................................................................ 12 Eucalyptus honey trip around lakes Burera and Ruhondo ....................... 13 Climbing mount Kabuye ................................................................................................... 14 Chimpanzee trekking in Gisakura (Nyungwe Forest) ................................... 15 Genocide Remembrance .............................................................................................................. 17 People and community .............................................................................................................. 18 Budget ............................................................................................................................................... 19 Submitted to ETC (in £) ................................................................................................... 19 Planned (after decision from the ETC) ................................................................. 19 Executed ...................................................................................................................................... 19 Commentary to the budget ................................................................................................ 19 BASIC INFORMATION Destination: Rwanda, East Africa Date of departure: 27 November 2015 Date of return: 13 December 2015 Duration: 16 days Summary of travel objectives: The goal of the travel was twofold, as I aimed to improve my knowledge of wildlife conservation in East Africa and the history of genocide in Rwanda. Specifically, the objectives (3) To gain a better were: understanding of the issues (1) To gain an understanding of related to wildlife the causes of the Rwandan conservation by spending one genocide and appreciate its day trekking apes in their socio-political consequences natural habitat; over 20 years later through (4) To improve my hiking skills visiting memorials and speaking by hiking one or more days on with local people; the Congo-Nile trail and in (2) To appreciate the local other locations; culture and traditions through (4) To appreciate the water speaking with local people, at wildlife and improve my the same time improving my kayaking skills by spending one French language skills; or more days kayaking the Nyabarongo River. COFFEE AND TEA PLANTATIONS IN WESTERN RWANDA. AN OUTLINE OF METHODS OF TRAVEL, ROUTE AND TYPES OF ACCOMMODATION. PLANNED # Date Location Means of transport Activity Accommodation 1 2015- London, Kigali Plane Travel from London to Kigali Couch Surfing, hostel or 12-12 guest house2 2 2015- Kigali on foot, local Visiting Kigali (the Genocide Memorial Centre Couch Surfing, hostel or 12-13 public transport and the Remera Heroes’ Cemetery) guest house 3 2015- Kinigi public transport Travel from Kigali to Kinigi, visiting Kinigi Couch Surfing, hostel or 12-14 (bus) guest house 4 2015- Volcanoes on foot Gorilla trekking, travel to Kibuye Couch Surfing, hostel or 12-15 National Park guest house 5 2015- Kibuye public transport Visiting Kibuye (genocide memorial; Lake Kivu) Couch Surfing, hostel or 12-16 (bus), on foot guest house 6 2015- Gisenyi, Kigali on foot Hiking 1 day on a part of the Congo-Nile Couch Surfing, hostel or 12-17 Trail; travel to Kigali guest house 7 2015- Nyamata public transport Day trip to Nyamata (genocide memorial) Couch Surfing, hostel or 12-18 (bus), on foot guest house 8 2015- Mageregere Kayak kayaking the Nyabarongo River, wildlife Couch Surfing, hostel or 12-19 watching guest house 9 2015- Kigali, London Plane Travel from Kigali to London - 12-20 FINAL # Date D. of From Via To Means of Activities Accommodati week transport on 1 11/27/2015 Friday London Istanbul Kigali airplane hostel 2 11/28/2015 Saturday Kigali Kigali Moto-taxi Kigali Genocide Memorial; Rwandan Private birthday party paid acc. 3 11/29/2015 Sunday Kigali Nyamata- Kigali Coach Nyamata and Ntarama Genocide Private Ntarama memorials,couchsurfing meetup paid acc. 4 11/30/2015 Monday Kigali Kibuye/Ka Coach hiking around Kibuye/Karongi campsite rongi hotel 5 12/1/2015 Tuesday Kibuye/Karong Gisenyi Coach Congo-Nile trail - crazy bus trek; couchsurfin i couchsurfing meetup g 6 12/2/2015 Wednesda Gisenyi Ruhenger Kinigi Coach climbing the Rubavu mountain; campsite 2 https://www.couchsurfing.com/. y i/Musanz visiting Ubumwe community centre; guest house e Gisenyi beach 7 12/3/2015 Thursday Kinigi Parc Kigali coach, climbing the Bisoke volcano couchsurfin National hiking g des Volcans 8 12/4/2015 Friday Kigali Kigali Hiking climbing Mount Kigali, Nyabugogo campsite hills hostel 9 12/5/2015 Saturday Kigali Kibuye- Mugonero coach, Congo-Nile trail base camp Gishyita hiking 10 12/6/2015 Sunday Mugonero Nyungwe Mudasomwa Private Congo-Nile trail; hiking the guest house car, Karamba trail in Nyungwe Forest hiking 11 12/7/2015 Monday Mudasomwa Gikongor Huye/Buta Private Murambi Genocide Memorial, guest house o- re car, sightseeing in Huye/Butare Murambi coach 12 12/8/2015 Tuesday Huye/Butare Cyangugu/ coach afternoon by the lake, couchsurfin Kamembe couchsurfing meetup g 13 12/9/2015 Wednesda Cyangugu/Kame Gisakura Kigali coach chimpanzee trekking in Gisakura couchsurfin y mbe -Nyungwe (Nyungwe Forest); meetup with g expats 14 12/10/2015 Thursday Kigali Kinigi Ruhengeri coach, hiking in lake Burera and Ruhondo; couchsurfin /Musanze private eucalyptus honey trip; visit in g car Kinigi 15 12/11/2015 Friday Ruhengeri/Mus Gakenke Kigali coach climbing mount Kabuye couchsurfin anze g 16 12/12/2015 Saturday Kigali Istanbul London airplane sightseeing in Kigali home COMMENTARY TO THE ITINERARY • The original plan was to spend 9 days in decided to stay in Rwanda for the entirety Rwanda. When booking the international of the trip. flight, I saw that the price for a longer stay (about two weeks) was lower. As a result, I decided for a 16-day trip. • I was considering to spend a few days in Burundi. Due to an increasingly tense political situation there, however, and negative travel advice from the FCO, I IMPRESSIONS GENERAL COMMENTS Finding things to do in Rwanda tourist attractions are costly. without spending lots of money For example, a visit to a on overpriced tourist coffee plantation will set you attractions – this is one of back £34. Even normally cheap the biggest challenges for a ways of spending time outdoors budget traveller in Rwanda are overpriced: £34 for a bicycle/kayak hire a day. Rwanda’s tourism industry revolves around the national As a result, the structure of parks, with gorilla trekking the tourism industry caters being the main attraction. This mostly to package-holiday should not be a surprise. tourists able to pay sky-high Rwanda is one of three prices. countries (the other two are Finding outdoor activities like the DRC and Uganda), where hiking and climbing which are mountain gorillas, an extremely cheap or free of charge is endangered species, can be seen difficult and requires a lot of in their natural habitat. research. Most of land outside Rwanda mountain gorillas have national parks, where the entry been made famous by the classic is paid, is used for movie Gorillas in the mist agriculture. While some (1988), starring Sigourney countryside places may have Weaver as naturalist Dian magnificent views and can be Fossey. Fossey’s resting place great for trekking, it is not