Category: Our People
Our Stories:
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Let’s Create Provia’s Homestay 2.0
When Provia’s son approached us with a request to upgrade some of their homestay facilities, he had no idea how far our proposal would go. After all, why stop at repairing toilets if we could in fact improve the houses themselves? Wouldn’t it be wonderful if guests arriving on Lake Bunyonyi’s Habukomi Island could opt…
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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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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…
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Jenna’s Traveling Roots: Why We Made Our Home in the Virungas
Some very special people are choosing to live in Musanze, Rwanda … This is the second instalment in the Why We Made Our Home in the Virungas series, a story about Jenna’s Traveling Roots. (Click here for the first video, Lan’s cute take on his school called Virunga Valley Academy.) You may also like: How…
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The Virungas’ Most Intriguing Ethnic Group
Of all the cultures found around the Virungas, the Bafumbira are perhaps the most intriguing. Though they speak a dialect of Kinyarwanda, they live in Uganda’s southwestern corner, in Kisoro District. Their influence in Uganda far outweighs their numbers. They are a small minority, as there are only around 700,000 Bafumbira in their district while…
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Digital Superman under Rwanda’s Famous Breast
“Cows are everything to me. They are my siblings, my comfort zone, my love. They raised me, fed me, and shaped who I am,” says Alexis Ngabo Karegeya. His passion for cattle is contagious, and it’s turned him into a fascinating guide for visitors to the lush pastures of Bigogwe. Found on the southern side…
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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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Rest in Peace, Pleasure Katusiime (June 2024 – April 2025)
Before we all dive headfirst into the craziness of a new week, we want to take a moment and raise a feathered toast to a tiny legend who somehow stole all our hearts — our cheeky little Pleasure Katusiime (or just PK, if you were lucky enough to know her). She wasn’t just flapping about…
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Happy 2025 — with Tom in Musanze!
It used to be our tradition to ring in the new year on Tom’s island in the middle of Uganda’s Lake Bunyonyi. Yesterday, however, we brought Tom Karemire to Rwanda instead. Fulfilling his wish to visit our home in Musanze was a delight and added something fresh to our celebrations. Alongside the usual New Year’s…