A lie in today after early starts. Then a short drive to Chanika, the Ugandan border. We get our passports stamped then walk over the border past money changers before discussing Liverpool F.C. with a friendly imigration officer. The roads deteriorate rapidly as we drive through fields and villages to Mt Gahinga Lodge.
We get a friendly welcome at the (rather tired) lodge. Rooms are fine and the sitting room comfortable with old photos and batiks and a central fire.
We go on a long walk in the afternoon in the Mahinga Park. Starting in the rain we walk through former farmland, bamboo forest, swamp and woodland. There are fine views of Sabinyniyo (Old Man's Teeth) and down to Lake Bolera and Kisoro, the nearest town. Lots of buffalo and elephant tracks but too wet for wild life.
Again we are outnumbered by our guides, complete with AK47s. Vicky befriends a couple while Cindy goes worm hunting.
Tea at 5pm then bacon and eggs and off in the dark along awful roads. After Kisoro the road climbs along ridges past lake Mutanda with fabulous views of patchwork fields and valleys until we reach the tracking station at Nkuringo where Augustin, our guide gives us the gorilla briefing.
Then off again on ridge top hairpins - slippy red clay road to our start point.
We then walk down to the valley, crossing streams then hillside to where we find the gorillas at the forest boundary. The Nkoringo Group has 18 members and we see 12 including 2 babies and the dominant silverback. We are lucky to find them in the open stripping bark off trees and feeding. Then long haul back to car and home.
We finish our trip back in Rwanda in Gisenyi on Lake Kivu. A restful few days by the lake. We walk one day to a fishing village to the North passing through villages on the way and on our last day we visit Goma over the border in the DRC. This proves a huge contrast to sleep Gisenyi and we are alternatively amazed by the lava flows and bustling crowds and signs of wealth.
A lie in today after early starts. Then a short drive to Chanika, the Ugandan border. We get our passports stamped then walk over the border past money changers before discussing Liverpool F.C. with a friendly imigration officer. The roads deteriorate rapidly as we drive through fields and villages to Mt Gahinga Lodge.
We get a friendly welcome at the (rather tired) lodge. Rooms are fine and the sitting room comfortable with old photos and batiks and a central fire.
Tea at 5pm then bacon and eggs and off in the dark along awful roads. After Kisoro the road climbs along ridges past lake Mutanda with fabulous views of patchwork fields and valleys until we reach the tracking station at Nkuringo where Augustin, our guide gives us the gorilla briefing.
We then walk down to the valley, crossing streams then hillside to where we find the gorillas at the forest boundary. The Nkoringo Group has 18 members and we see 12 including 2 babies and the dominant silverback. We are lucky to find them in the open stripping bark off trees and feeding. Then long haul back to car and home.
We finish our trip back in Rwanda in Gisenyi on Lake Kivu. A restful few days by the lake. We walk one day to a fishing village to the North passing through villages on the way and on our last day we visit Goma over the border in the DRC. This proves a huge contrast to sleep Gisenyi and we are alternatively amazed by the lava flows and bustling crowds and signs of wealth.