A Gorilla Trek- Rwanda

Rwanda is a surprise, An amazing country with a lush, verdant, mountainous topography. We have encountered the kindest people. We’ re staying in a 5 star lodge , the Bishop House, with the most exemplary service. Most of all, we are here to experienced the gorilla trek in the Volcanos national Park . We saw golden monkeys, trekked through muddy knee deep pot holes that we slogged to get to the Hirwa gorilla tribe lead by one silver back gorilla of 19 years old and his tribe of 17 gorillas with one 5 month old baby.
We were literally 8 feet away from the tribe and at times very close to us!
Dawn was helicoptered to the top because of a broken foot (their term for a stretcher) with 8 porters!!! A 3.5 hour bucket list kind of a trek!

Rwanda is an African success story. It’s landlocked and it is in the center of Africa. After the genocide of 1994 it made significant progress in education, agriculture, healthcare and security. It is considered a world leader in gender equality as the parliament is majority female. Their president Paul Kagame is a dictator who works towards a safe and prosperous country.
It’s a family oriented nation, and they all learn to cultivate the mountainous land and tons of crops are terraced on hillsides ( not sure if it’s GMO free).
I’ve tasted the best coffee ever… grown by a coop of women. They are quite self sufficient in its own production of food.

It is one of the cleanest country I’ve ever been too! The Rwandans constantly clean their sidewalk and gutters !

We were picked up by our guide/ driver Issac, who found a boot for Dawns foot after going to 3 pharmacies! Dawn broke her foot in Tunis et the airport prior to flying here in Kigali! It was a major ordeal in Tunis!

Rwanda is a stunning country and worth the very long flights it took us to get here!

Dawn’s new boot after hunting for it in 3 pharmacies!
Undoubtedly the best coffee I have ever tasted. It is smooth, chocolate over tone with no acidic taste in your mouth. I must find a way to import it!

The courtyard at the Coffee centre
Yes question Eveything especially in the world we live in now!
The Rwandans terrace their hillside with food and cultivation is all done by hand!
That’s how villages get their milk! Not from a milk truck
Our room at the Bishop house
Overlooking the jungle
Students after school are encouraged to paint
Students are also encouraged to sing dance and play instruments
The farmers market in Muzanze
Sewing at the farmers market
On our way to the gorilla trek
Land Force One! Our driver
The golden monkeys on the trek
They carry their babies wrapped around their bodies
Our trek through bamboo fields, muddy, agricultural fields and lots of rocky terrain / it was a four hour trek
The mommy and her 5 month old baby gorilla
The 19 year old silver back gorilla- head of the Hirua gorilla family
Dawn’s helicopter aka stretcher
Women in the agricultural field on our way down
The way they transport food
Bsmboo
The bishop staff saying goodby!
Before going to the airport we spent a couple of hours at the genocide museum in Kigali. It’s a small museum but it is the resting place of 250,000 victims of genocide against the Tusti. To think that this horrific event happened in 1994! Where members of the same family could turn against each other. And perform violent acts of massacre

We shall always remember the kindness , compassion and knowledge of our wonderful guide/ driver Isaac!

We are now on our way to Kenya!

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