Slip back into the colonial era so vividly described by Rosamond Halsey Carr in “Land of a Thousand Hills”. A fashion illustrator from New Jersey, she married a British adventurer in 1942 and went on to spend more than half a century in Rwanda. No matter where exactly she lived at any moment, her heart was at Mugongo in the remote north-western corner of the country; this tour takes you straight there, starting and ending at Musanze/Kinigi. It makes a perfect afternoon add-on after gorilla tracking or other activities in Volcanoes National Park. Have a full day at your disposal? Consider Roz Carr’s Royal Circuit instead.
Highlights
• get picked up from your hotel by a knowledgeable guide in a comfortable vehicle
• hear Roz Carr’s life story on the drive to Mugongo, or talk through the details if you’ve read the book recently
• visit the museum covering the orphanage she founded after the genocide and her previous pyrethrum business, built on a natural insecticide
• pay tribute to Roz at her grave, accompanied by staff members who knew her personally
• treat yourself to a tasty meal in the creeper-clad house where she lived and Dian Fossey was a frequent guest
Facts
duration: 4–5 hours
area: Musanze/Kinigi to Mugongo
start: daily at your convenience
price per person:
8+ people: USD 110
6–7 people: USD 120
4–5 people: USD 150
2–3 people: USD 180
1 person: USD 330
included: guiding, transport, entrances, a meal, tips and contributions
Vegetarian, vegan and other dietary preferences can be catered to.
You are reading one of our growing number of day experiences in Rwanda and Uganda. Click for an overview of these experiences or check out our multi-day treks.
Itinerary
It takes a good hour to get from Musanze to Roz Carr’s home. Most of the drive is on the perfect tarmac of the Gisenyi road, but the last 20 minutes are rougher as you turn into deeply rural country. The ride is a great opportunity to chat about Roz’s personal history and the grand African adventure that turned into her life’s mission.
The conversation gains a visual layer the moment you reach the museum. Its displays evoke the pyrethrum era and the orphanage years, the two best-known chapters of Roz’s work.
But the site’s uniqueness only becomes clear as you walk towards the old house: everything here is preserved just the way she left it. You are free to wander through her gardens and even her home, and to get cosy by the fireplace. It’s easy to see why Mugongo drew visitors from near and far during her lifetime.
Roz passed away in 2006, and you will visit her grave, tucked away in a pretty grove, together with a staff member who still remembers her. The children she helped are grown-ups now, working with international friends to keep Roz Carr’s legacy alive.
The final act of your Mugongo experience, before you hit the highway back to Musanze, is a goodbye meal served on Roz’s own china. The delicious mix of Rwandan and European flavours captures the spirit of the place: creatively bringing together the local and the global to build a better future for all.
Will you leave with a brand-new copy of “Land of a Thousand Hills: My Life in Rwanda”? If you already own it, why not buy one for family or friends and pass the story on?
photos by Miha Logar; archive images courtesy of Ann Halsey
Please schedule a call or leave us a message to learn more about this itinerary, express your needs and share your wishes.
Choosing us supports pioneering non-profit initiatives by
Gorilla Highlands Experts.