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Elie’s Offline Anguish at Lake Bunyonyi
On 20/12/2025 Elie Cirhuza set foot on Ugandan soil again, four months after his first stay on the shores of Lake Bunyonyi. Passionate about tourism and cultural diversity in the region, this Congolese Friendship Camper returned as a volunteer with us. Elie was driven by the desire to improve his English and sharpen his multimedia…
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Who Holds the Speed Record on Mount Karisimbi?
The gorilla national parks of Rwanda, Uganda and DR Congo are superb hiking destinations, with the Virunga volcanoes as the centrepiece. The highest peak is Mt Karisimbi (4,507m/14,787ft), usually conquered over two days. But some exceptionally fit people manage the climb in a single day. Rangers at Volcanoes National Park whisper about seven hours being…
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We Are Together: The Congo Boy of Lake Bunyonyi
🇺🇬❤️🇨🇩 Hear a voice that unites, straight from the shores of Lake Bunyonyi! Abraham Otebwa, a young Ugandan with a big heart, shares a powerful and sincere testimony: his unwavering love for DR Congo. 💗 His message reminds us of an essential truth: we — Rwandans 🇷🇼, Congolese 🇨🇩 and Ugandans 🇺🇬 — are one…
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Counting Down from Mt Karembe: They Hiked in 2025, They Canoed in 2026
“Zdravo, kako si?” guide Owen surprised a group of Slovenians at the end of December with this greeting. He freelances for us thanks to a volunteer from Slovenia who found him as a kid — giving him what he jokingly calls his “Slovenian roots”. Moreover, he has been working with Seba, the team leader, for…
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Mama Nelly Is Cooking at Nkora Again
We have some big news to share: Hadidja Nyirababikira, better known as Mama Nelly, is back in Nkora on the Congo Nile Trail! Six months ago we shared her life story and her decision to relocate to a more urban area. What has changed? “I found a new business opportunity,” Hadidja explains. “I now buy…
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Booklet Launched, Then Daylight Hit
We launched our Pocket Treasure at Kigali’s Kamahwa-Tsobe last night! Quizzed by Fred Murwanashyaka, ML Rwebandira guided the cheerful audience through the project philosophy, hiccups and successes. Anticipation grew until, following the serving of delectable snacks, the box from Kampala was opened in front of everyone. Among the excited first readers of the publication was…
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Happy 2026! (Better Late Than Never, Right?)
Guilty as charged! We’re sharing these wishes a little late, our team of course meaning “this year” when they say “next year” 😜 — but straight from The Heart, the historical name of Edirisa on Lake Bunyonyi. Created by Elie Cirhuza from Congo, our volunteer who has plenty more brewing. Can’t wait to show you!…
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Your Trailblazer Takes You to Congo (And Kampala!)
Quarterly newsletter for Gorilla Highlands lovers I only like Kampala on Sundays. This awesomely crazy city is much more relaxed, quieter and enjoyable on weekends. So being stuck alone in Uganda’s capital during the holiday season does come with a benefit: it feels like some kind of Sunday again and again and again! But why?…
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The People Who Will Put It in Your Pocket
The Pocket Treasure booklet means very little without distribution partners, without the people who will help it actually get into visitors’ pockets. That’s why we’re reaching out to hotels, craft shops, duty-free stores, bookstores, organisations, … — you name it. We’ve been there, or we’ll be there soon (suggestions most welcome!). The good news is…
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First 100 Pocket Treasures
Merry Christmas 🎁! The first 100 copies of the Pocket Treasure were ready in Uganda’s Kampala last night, neatly packed in box. Meanwhile in Rwanda’s Kigali, we have been checking on potential venues for the launch. As you wait for the place information, save the date and time: Thursday, 8 January 2026, 5pm. Join us…
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Our Gift to the Region: Pocket Treasure
What do you want for Christmas? Our region wants a beautiful little booklet! The team at MPK Graphics in Kampala has just started turning our “Pocket Treasure 2025” file into 5,000 paper copies. Pocket Treasure is the successor to the Gorilla Highlands Pocket Guide, last published in 2019. It will cost USD 10 (RWF 15,000…
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How to Shop Smart in Bukavu (Rebels Love to Dress Well Too)
Eight months after M23 rebels took Bukavu, the city is as warm and dynamic as always. The national parks and banks are closed, the border with Rwanda is more user-friendly than ever, there’s a weekly community cleanup activity — but outside of that our Congo remains Congo! We can’t take you to Kahuzi-Biega to admire…
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Milan vs. Bunyonyi: Not A Bad Start!
This is Milan, a student of UC Leuven-Limburg, who arrived at Edirisa on Lake Bunyonyi last month. Like others before him, he’s doing a 6-month internship that’s part of the “Global Citizenship and Development” course. We first sent Milan to a 2-day canoe tour with a friendly group of World Insight travellers from Austria and…
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That’s Provia’s Homestay Now
“Munonga, munonga, munonga!” said Provia Ndyahisahe when we inquired about her interest in hosting people on Lake Bunyonyi’s Habukomi Island. “Much, much, much,” in translation. After the passing of her fabled husband, Tom Karemire, we weren’t exactly sure what the future would hold. Tom was special in many ways, and one of them was that…
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It Hits Different: Illumineers Video, Friendship Camp Edition
The freshest, the most 🔥 version of the Illumineers promo video is here — with tons of footage from Friendship Camp! Feeling generous today? GoFundMe link is right here. 😎 You may also like: Trouble for Batwa “Pygmy” Communities: Echuya ForestTrouble for Batwa “Pygmy” Communities: Lake BunyonyiPartnership with Batwa “Pygmies”: Not the Easiest but Highly…
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Last Minute: Join Sean’s 6-Day Hike Through SW Uganda!
This weekend — on 2 November 2025 to be exact — Sean from America begins his 6-day Ultimate Hike through Uganda’s stunning highlands, and he’s looking for company! THE MAN This 38-year-old trekking enthusiast grew up hiking California’s Sierra Nevada mountains. Since 2016, he’s worked as a logistician with Doctors Without Borders across Central and…
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What Tom Meant to Us (And Why You Should Care)
Quarterly newsletter for Gorilla Highlands lovers It is notoriously difficult to find a decent nightwatchman in the Gorilla Highlands region. The local mentality is that “you can kill two birds with one stone, do two jobs at once — one during the night, one during the day,” Edirisa staff Moses Oshaba explains. That puts the…
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Tom Karemire (1945-2025)
UPDATE, 17/10/2025: Tom’s family has met and defined tomorrow’s program. We are expecting our Zoom funeral coverage to begin at noon, but we can’t guarantee that yet. The best way to assure you stay updated is to send your email to experts@gorillahighlands.com. The bellowing voice and infectious smile of Tom Karemire will now beam only…
