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Rwanda

Into the

enchanted forest Determined to see endangered mountain gorillas in their natural home, Adrienne Jordan headed to northern Rwanda to explore Volcanoes National Park.

The brilliant greens, curiously shaped trees and synchronised birdcalls evoked a fantasy world worthy of children’s fables OPPOSITE: ANDY ROUSE / NATUREPL.COM ; THIS PAGE: NELIS WOLMARANS

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Rwanda

SAFARI PLANNER

“If it rains on the morning of your expedition or the night before, it will be quite muddy,” a local had warned us.

But this had not deterred me. I was determined to see those majestic primates in their natural habitat, even if it meant taking the occasional tumble.

Our guide announced that we would be tracking the Kwitonda group, a family of thirteen adult and juvenile gorillas. They had been spotted earlier that morning in the deepest, thickest underbrush of Mount Visoke, so we began our ascent, helping one another over the six-foot jagged stone wall used to keep the wild buffalo in. As we struggled up the steep slopes of the volcano our guide used his machete to hack a path for us through the rainforest.

Mist from last night’s rainfall clung to the dense air and dampened the landscape. The brilliant greens, curiously shaped trees and synchronised birdcalls evoked a fantasy world worthy of children’s fables. Being a plant-lover, I stopped to admire several interesting species pointed out by our guide, such as the eucalyptus plants used as a salve by the indigenous Batwa pygmies. Among them I spotted the flattened droppings of the elusive elephants that roam here.

Needless to say, we never encountered one.

We had been trekking up Mount Visoke for nearly two hours before we first heard the guttural grunting of the great apes. As we approach them I dropped my walking stick in case they associated the spear-like object with the instruments used by poachers. Quietly we approached a clearing. There, encircled by shiny, green bamboo, we came face to face with Akuervedo, a colossal twenty-year-old silverback, leader of the Kwitonda group.

Unfazed, he showed us his powerful back, while a baby gorilla meticulously groomed him and nibbled on insects caught in his fur.

Without warning, another juvenile approached me.

Tentatively, he placed a hand on my leg, then he gazed up

Unfazed, he showed us his powerful back, while a baby gorilla meticulously groomed him 118

Spring 2015 | Travel Africa

ADRIENNE JORDAN

ARCO IMAGES / ALAMY

n Where to stay Virunga Lodge, a

FLPA / ALAMY

he air was heavy with the distinctive aroma of the pyrethrum, a daisy-like flower cultivated as a natural insecticide in Central Africa, and we passed lines of women, in their colourful imishananas, gathering the prized blooms.

We were on our way into the Volcanoes National Park in northern Rwanda – the Land of a Thousand Hills – to encounter the endangered mountain gorillas.

at me with big, brown eyes, alive with the curiosity of all youngsters, whether primate and human. But the moment was short-lived, and the guide shooed him away with a gentle “oomp, oomp” noise. The guides use special sounds with the gorillas to convey the message, “we are friends”.

They’re also very alert to the danger of tourists passing on viruses or other diseases to the apes.

Next we made our way to an area where several adults were grooming, eating bamboo and lazing around, oblivious to our presence. I was busy trying to capture the scene on camera when I became aware of fire ants crawling up my chest and wreaking havoc in my tummy-button.

But the mayhem on my skin barely registered. At the same moment a female jumped down from her perch, sauntered past us, almost brushing our legs, and started gnawing a clump of bamboo. Gorillas eat up to 27kg of food every day.

Their diet includes 142 varieties of plants such as nettles, thistles, herbs and, their favourite snack, bamboo shoots.

By law, it’s only possible to spend one hour among the gorillas. Reluctantly we bade them farewell and began our descent. As we approached the base of the mountain it occurred to me that I had never had such an intimate encounter with an animal so like ourselves. I had stood so close to the ‘greatest of the great apes’ that I could have touched its dense fur, if tempted. It had been a truly exhilarating once-in-a-lifetime experience.

But gorillas aren’t the only mammals you can see in Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park. The forest is also home to black-fronted duiker, spotted hyena, buffalo, bushbuck and elephant. Golden monkey tracking and bird-watching are popular activities, too. On my second day I set off in search of the former. It is usually a shorter walk to the golden monkeys, since they tend to be found at a slightly

lower altitude. After an hour and a half we stumbled across a group in the forests of Mount Karisimbi. Whereas the gorillas had ambled around at a gentle pace and stayed resting in the same place, the monkeys played, jumped, climbed, swung precariously in the bamboo stalks and treetops and hurled themselves about at breathtaking speed. Watching the flurry of tawny bodies was riveting, and made me realise how aptly we name playground equipment such as monkey bars and jungle gyms.

Besides all this, approximately a third of Africa’s avian species are found here, in the Land of a Thousand Hills.

There are 200 to spot in Volcanoes National Park alone, including 13 endemic to the highly biodiverse Albertine Rift, so a day’s birdwatching is imperative. It was a privilege to sight so many vibrant and globally threatened birds.

These included Lagden’s bush-shrike, the African green broadbill and the Kivu ground thrush.

Hiking through the forest we encountered varying habitats, from bamboo groves to Hagenia abyssinica trees to alpine meadow. On one occasion I saw an olive woodpecker quietly working away at a cracked branch in search of beetle larvae. When we reached an elevation of about 2900 metres, Chubb’s cisticolas were calling and we caught sight of an African dusky flycatcher nabbing insects. Buried deep in the misty rainforests and lush, rolling hills of Rwanda lies a breathtaking array of flora and fauna that will transport you into another world.

There’s much, much more to the mystical Volcanoes National Park than the mountain gorillas. So, once you’ve made the acquaintance of our so-close relative, seek out the lesser-known creatures, observe the region’s rare and colourful birds, and try to glimpse those hyperactive golden monkeys. Your visit will be even more magical.

TOP LEFT Hair apparent.

A juvenile grooms the silverback Akuervedo TOP RIGHT Monkeying around. Also found only in the Virunga range – and highly endangered – golden monkeys are a delight to watch. Usually seen in groups, the animals are active as they feed on fruit and bamboo BOTTOM RIGHT Many visitors make a point of calling at the grave of Dian Fossey, the conservationist who fought for thirteen years to protect the mountain gorillas and raise awareness of their plight. She was murdered by suspected poachers and buried alongside some of her beloved gorillas. Her story was popularised through the film Gorillas in the Mist BOTTOM LEFT Green party.

An adult African green broadbill in display. The species is endemic to the montane regions of Rwanda, Uganda and DRC, where it is vulnerable due to pressure on its forest habitat

45-minute drive from Volcanoes National Park, offers an insight into the local community through traditional Intore music and dance displays. The non-profit Volcanoes Safaris Partnership Trust (VSPT) supports the group by providing them with salaries, rehearsal facilities and uniforms.

Sabyinyo Silverback Lodge, close to the National Park headquarters, is owned by a community trust, SACOLA, built and managed

by Governors’ Camp with the support of the African Wildlife Foundation (awf.org) n Getting there Several tour operators arrange trips to Rwanda. The writer travelled with eco-tourism company Volcanoes Safaris (www.volcanoessafaris.com), which has a fourday programme in Volcanoes National Park, offering gorilla and golden monkey tracking, as well as a chance to visit Dian Fossey’s grave and the Karisoke Research Centre. It can also arrange birdwatching ventures. n When to visit Avoid Rwanda’s rainy seasons, which are April-May and OctoberNovember. n Things to do In addition to the above, visitors can explore the twin lakes (Bulera and Ruhondo), the Buhanga Sacred Forest or Gishwati Forest, Gisenyi, the Musanze Market (Ruhengeri) or Iby’iwacu cultural village. n Read more Gorillas in the Mist: A Remarkable Story of Thirteen Years Spent Living with the Greatest of the Great Apes

by Dian Fossey; Bradt Guide to Rwanda (5th Edition) by Philip Briggs. n Tourist info For further information on Rwanda, visit www.rwandatourism.com or email info@rwandatourism.org

UGANDA DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO

Volcanoes National Park

RWANDA

Akagera National Park

Kigali

LAKE KIVU

BURUNDI

TANZANIA

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