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 to the abundance of fresh food on offer. The fields are full of magnificent produce: potatoes (Irish and sweet), beans, pumpkins, sorghum (used to make local beer), peas, yams, maize, sugarcane, onions, cauliflowers, green peppers … it’s impossible to miss any of these!

Among the fruits, avocados, bananas, pineapples, and tree tomatoes dominate — and we shouldn’t forget good old tomatoes either! Step outside the croplands, and you’ll spot passion fruits vines and the local spinach known as dodo.

Meanwhile, coffee and tea stand tall as cash crops, providing essential income for local communities and valuable foreign currency for the countries.

It’s surprising how quickly the volcanic soil dries after rain! This land is not only incredibly fertile but also very porous, which makes water supply a real challenge. And then there are the thirsty eucalyptus trees — a single large one can absorb up to 20 litres of water a day!

So be sure to pack enough drinking water and a few snacks for the journey … and in the evening, let indigenous chefs impress you with a delicious, locally sourced dish!

text by Owen Bright, photo by Avgusta Sutanovac

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