Category: RIP Tom Karemire (1945-2025)
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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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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What Tom Meant to Us (And Why You Should Care)
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 employer in an unfortunate situation because…
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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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The 30th Island of Lake Bunyonyi?
Right, so officially Lake Bunyonyi has 29 islands … but who’s keeping track, really? (No one actually knows how they came up with that number.) With the water creeping up bit by bit, a brand-new island looks like it might be joining the gang soon. One of the longest ones, Habukomi, seems to be slowly…
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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…
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Coming Together
Quarterly newsletter for Gorilla Highlands lovers How remarkable that we were there again — in the clearing next to a simple tin-roofed house, above a campsite with a couple of spacious tents, on the hillside of a medium-sized Lake Bunyonyi island — where the January newsletter was set. Over the years, legendary Tom had hosted hundreds…
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How Does a Ugandan Village Work?
The LC Pyramid of Uganda For a remote village on the edge of Uganda it is as important as it is for any town to have security, stability and unity. Property disputes and most crimes are often best dealt with locally. When someone breaks the law, there must be solutions that do not involve the…
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Little-Known Hiking Overnights in Southwestern Uganda
I am Levi Ayebare, 28, and I have been working with Gorilla Highlands Experts on the Ugandan side of the region as a tecnico. This means that I am providing technical support to hiking groups on the Gorilla Highlands Trails. I take care of setting up camps, allowing tired trekkers to hit the mattresses as…
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