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We leave Kigali in southern direction to the student
city of Butare. The city was the
largest and most important city in Rwanda prior to 1965
when it lost out to more centrally located Kigali. The
city hosts nowadays several academic institutions,
including the country's largest university, which makes
it the intellectual and cultural pulse of Rwanda.
We become once again silent and intensely sad when we
pass the Murambi Genocide Memorial Site.
The former technical school was one of many locations
where ten thousands of Tutsi's were killed in one pitch
black day and shows that the recent dark history in
Rwanda is never far away.
The road winds through the rural Rwandan landscape of
rolling tea plantations and terraced hills when we
approach the Nyungwe Forest National Park.
Before we know it, a dense tangle of trees rises from
the cultivated fields. For a full 50 kilometres the road
clings to steep forested slopes, offering superb views
over densely swathed hills which tumble towards the
distant Burundi border.
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The Nyungwe Forest National Park protects one of the
oldest forests in Africa and is a remarkably rich centre
of biodiversity, harbouring 75 mammal species, 275 bird
species, 120 butterflies and more than 100 varieties of
orchid. The main attraction of Nyungwe is the large
selection of primates which you can spot climbing high
up in the trees or running over the road just in front
of you.
We cycle to the west of Rwanda, which is bounded by
Lake Kivu and lies along Africa's Great Rift
Valley. The lake dominates the border between Rwanda and
the Democratic Republic of Congo. We pick up the
Congo Nile Trail and follow this picturesque
track for two stages. The trail curves back and forth
continuously as it weaves through steep hills and
mountains beside the lake. Every corner produces another
gorgeous view. Eucalyptus trees line the road, while
every inch of the hills seems to be terraced with
bananas. Villagers smile and wave, and children
constantly call out "Hello Mzungu!" as we cycle
past.
We arrive in the Volcanoes National Park,
which was made famous by the work of primatologist Dian
Fossey and is evocatively portrayed in the book and film
"Gorillas in the Mist". The mountains of the
most famous destination of the country are linked by
fertile saddles, formed by lava flows, and are one of
the most striking sights in East Africa. Although home
to elephant, buffalo, and duiker the park is best known
for the 300 mountain gorillas that reside amongst the
bamboo forests on the upper slopes. About half of these
gorillas live permanently in the Rwandan sector of the
mountains and gorilla tracking here is one of the
wildlife highlights of Africa. That's why a rest day is
planned in nearby Musanze, also known
as Ruhengeri.
We cross the border into Uganda, a country with
fantastic natural scenery and a rich mosaic of tribes
and cultures. The first place where we make camp in
Uganda is Lake Bunyonyi. The lake,
which means "the place of many little birds", is
surrounded by steep sided heavily cultivated mountainous
scenery and are dotted with dozens of little islands.
The lake surface is 25 degrees Celsius which makes it an
ideal spot for a refreshing swim.
We continue further to the north through the
Bwindi Impenetrable National Forest which lies
on the edge of the Rift Valley. Its mist-covered
hillsides are blanketed by one of the oldest and most
biologically diverse rainforests, which date back over
25,000 years and contains almost 400 species of plants.
This "impenetrable forest" also protects an estimated
320 mountain gorillas - roughly half of the world's
population.
We camp in Ishasha, for us the entrance
gate to the Queen Elizabeth National Park.
We cycle through the park for about 100 kilometres,
which makes it possible to spot some big wildlife while
you are riding.
The Queen Elizabeth National Park include sprawling
savannah, shady, humid forests, sparkling lakes and
fertile wetlands. The diverse ecosystems make it the
ideal habitat for classic big game, ten primate species
including chimpanzees and over 600 species of birds. Set
against the backdrop of the jagged Rwenzori Mountains,
the park's magnificent vistas include dozens of enormous
craters carved dramatically into rolling green hills,
and panoramic views of the Kazinga Channel with its
banks lined with hippos, buffalo and elephants. A rest
day in the centre of the park is necessary to enjoy all
this African beauty. And don't be surprised to find some
warthogs or playing monkeys around your tent. So, be
aware on the bike and keep your tent closed to avoid
uninvited guests.
A dozen of pretty little crater lakes are hidden like
pearls between the hills when we follow our route to
Fort Portal. A rest day is planned in this lush and
liveable town, and is one of the nicer urban centres in
Uganda. Fort Portal is also a base to track chimpanzees
in the Kibale Forest National Park or
to drop down into the Semliki Valley, with its wildlife,
hot springs and Pygmy villages.
Four hilly stages are left through a verdant tea-growing
area, before we reach the end of our third section in
Kampala. The capital, and by far the
largest city, of Uganda is nowadays a modern looking
city, with outlying townships spreading far beyond the
original "seven hills" the city was built upon. |
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