Author: Gorilla Highlands Experts
Our Stories:
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Primates in the Mist: Climbing Mount Bisoke in the Rainy Season
The Virungas are currently in the rainy season, and hiking the volcanoes feels completely different compared to the drier months. Two brave team members decided to take on the challenge of climbing Mt Bisoke (3,711 m/ 12,175 ft): our Greek volunteer, Sifis, and Rwandan office manager, Sasha. At the park headquarters we were paired with…
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Fishing Experiences on the Congo Nile Trail
Three connected boats, powered only by singing fishermen with no engine in sight — the Dutch TV crew was impressed! They came to Rwanda to film a travel documentary for 3 op Reis/BNNVARA, with the Congo Nile Trail as a featured highlight. Since the trail hugs Lake Kivu’s shore, capturing lake life was essential. Consider…
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Eggs! Eggs!! Eggs!!!
Let’s rewind to Christmas 2024 for a sec — remember what you were doing? Eating too much and dodging awkward family convos? Meanwhile, at Edirisa on Lake Bunyonyi we were on the edge of our seats. Because on 23 December, drumroll please, 300 fluffy little layer chicks landed — all alive (imagine that!!!), all peeping,…
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Fertile Trails: Hiking Through the Rich Soils of the Virungas
When your hike takes you into the rich agricultural soil of the Virungas — like our three Slovenian trekkers doing the Volcano Quest route from Lake Bunyonyi to Mgahinga Gorilla National Park — take a moment to fully appreciate the fertile wonder beneath your feet! Here, nothing goes uncultivated, and one could easily get addicted…
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Mama Nelly: A Pillar of Hospitality on the Congo Nile Trail
Mama Nelly has long been a beloved figure among travellers exploring Rwanda’s Congo Nile Trail (CNT). For years, she’s been offering delicious homemade meals to adventurers passing through her home village of Nkora. Stopping by her modest eatery has meant more than just a taste of traditional Rwandan cuisine; it has provided a genuine connection…
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Self-Declared Nomad With a Cam
Guess who’s been camping at Edirisa on Lake Bunyonyi for a week? Jonathan Fontaine – winner of a 2023 World Press award for documentary photography! He popped by for “just a couple of nights” (famous last words), and ended up sticking around much longer, bewitched by the calm charm of our village haven. Have a…
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Chillin’ on the Trail, Thanks to Mansuet
A good trekking guide can elevate your hiking experience no matter where you are. Here’s an example involving a group of British students on the Congo Nile Trail (CNT) … Amri, Amy, Georgie, Kitty, Matthew and Ryan were guided by Mansuet Umugwaneza — simply because Ryan thought it was important to have an expert at…
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Virunga Valley Academy: Why We Made Our Home in the Virungas
We could be based anywhere in the Gorilla Highlands region, but our choice is Musanze under the Virungas. The reason is very simple: it isn’t easy to get quality education in rural Africa, and here in the north of Rwanda we have found a remarkable international school. We’ve invited our little Lan to tell you…
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Cyimbili on the Congo Nile Trail: Now & 50 Years Ago
Cyimbili may well be the most peculiar overnight stay on the Congo Nile Trail. It’s staggeringly picturesque, lying right on the sandy Kivu waterfront and with an iconic island just off shore — yet it does not feature on everybody’s itinerary! Cyclists skip it because it’s a bit too close to Gisenyi/Rubavu while some hikers…
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