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Terra Nova Travel
Professional trip designing for the inquisitive, independent and intrepid
Primates Primer 2012
From Rwanda’s capital, Kigali, it is about a three hour scenic drive through the bucolic countryside to the PNV, home to ten habituated mountain gorilla families and a troupe of golden monkeys, set in the stunning backdrop of the Visoke and Karisimbi volcanoes. At the park’s headquarters, the 80 gorilla park permit holders are divided into ten groups of eight people. According to the location of the ten gorilla families, these ten homo sapiens groups are segregated according to a short ( 1-3 hour), medium ( 4-5 hour) or long (up to an entire day) hike. Although special trackers monitor the gorillas’ locations, the families can move from the last sighting which the trackers report around 8 am to the park officials. Accompanied by their guides, all gorilla trekkers converge on the park headquarters around 9:00 am to await their assignment to a gorilla family. While the guides are wheeling and dealing on their clients’ behalf, a local dance troupe performing the traditional Ugandan dances accompanied by live music entertains the excited trekkers. The Intore dance, translated as the “Dance of the Heroes” or “Chosen Ones”, was originally performed for the royal court which is now the 21st century tourists madly shooting photos and videos of the warriors in their raffia manes gyrating to the drums’ beat. Anticipating a three hour return drive back to Kigali on the day of my gorilla trek, I did the short trek to visit the Amamoro (Peace) family of about 18 members, including an 8 week old baby!
Unquestionably, the mountain gorillas and golden monkeys are the major attractions, but there are also wonderful excursions to local villages, and hikes with panoramic views of Lakes Ruhondo and Bulera. Aficionados of Dian Fossey can also arrange a day hike to her grave site. While the road from Kigali to the PNV is good by African standards, Rwanda is NOT a self -drive destination. A driver/guide is worth their weight in gold (or USD)!!! The road to the Dian Fossey trailhead was the worst of my entire 2800 km road trip throughout both Uganda and Rwanda!
My little slideshow is representative of the mountain gorilla viewing and surrounding Ugandan and Rwandan terrain. The show commences with Uganda’s Impenetrable Forest which features my trekking experience with the Mubare gorilla family and ends with a view of Lake Ruhondo from the Virunga Lodge. I hope this slideshow compels you to want personally experience the exhilaration of being in the physical presence of our amazing primate cousins! Call or email Nancy Pole-Wilhite for more details.