| ABOUT THIS TRAVEL Uganda- Rwanda
18 days, june- july 2005
RWANDA INTRO
Kind of travel: alone in a wholly independent
travel
When: 24th june-
12th july 2005
How I moved: autobus,
minibus (matatu), moped (boda- boda) and hitch hiking
Where I slept: cheap
guesthouse and dormitory
What I liked: the
peacefullness of the country despite its past, the fresh weather, the absolute lack of
cars on the roads and travelling around on the mopeds (boda- boda).
What I disliked: being
addressed as white man (mzungu), being packed like hell in the minibus (matatu), waiting
at the bus station and the price for the Gorrila tracking (375$)
How much daily: Rwanda
defenitely is not a cheap country! For eating, accomodation, pubblic means of
transport 30$/day for a low budget travel + visa fees (60$ for every entry) +
Gorilla tracking (375$)+ park fees (from 50$).
Freezing or baking?:
fantastic weather (do u know the lowest point in the country is 970m?): warm and
fresh!! It can be even chilly, bring a good sweter!
Dangers:
watch out bathing on the lakes (risk: Bilharzia) and protect yourself again mosquitos
(risk: malaria). Obviously keep away from the off-limits areas like the Congolese and
Burundian border and keep informed on the lastest news.
What you do need: if
travelling by pubblic means of transport a lot of patience and don't forget a good flash
lamp!!
THE TRAVEL IN RWANDA
[In Uganda]
...it took 9
hours (10$, breakdown included) from Kampala to Kigali passing by the border point in
Gatuna; it has been an easy travel despite the long distance.
In Kigali I slept in the Muslim quarter (very typical) and the day after I
arranged the Gorilla tracking. It was the 28th June and there was almost no
more availability, since the whole July was overbooked (I'm sure about it)!! Luckily there
was a place for the day after, so I didn't hesitate to book it and jump over a matatu
(minibus) to Ruhengeri. It cost a fortune: 375$!!!!!!! (tips for
the gorrilas tracking) In 2 hours I reached this "big village" that is the
base for the Gorilla tracking in Rwanda. Here I met some other mzungu (whites) with whom I
arranged the jeep to reach the head quarters of the park, one hour away from the town (try
to share the cost since the round trip is 50$). I saw the Amahoro B family: it took from
8.00 to 16.00 by jeep, walking in the park tracking the Gorillas, spending one hour with
them and coming back.
The next day I headed to Gisenyi by matatu (minibus, 2h) where I spent one
very relaxing day on the clean and desert sandy beach. Gisenyi is the last place you
wouldn't think to find in a country like Rwanda.
The leg Gisenyi- Kibuye has been the toughest of the travel: it took 9h to
do less than 100km on a supercrowded rusty bus (read the story!!).
However it was worthwhile, since Kibuye turned out to be located in a very nice area of
lake Kivu.
The next day I reached Butare by matatu, via Gitarama (7h). Butare is
definitely the nicest town I visited in Rwanda: very fresh climate, very nice people and
more lively then Kibuye and Gisenyi, but calmer then Kigali. Here I spent 3 days visiting
also the shocking memorial of Murambi, where hundreds of dead bodies are kept in 24 former
classrooms.
Then by bus, matatu, taxi and finally boda- boda (moped) in 9h I did from
Butare to the wonderful lake Bunyonyi in Uganda.
[In Uganda]
IMPRESSIONS ABOUT RWANDA
To most of the people Rwanda
sounds just as a dangerous place but a lot changed since the '94, when the genocide
happened. In fact now it's a safe country where to be backpacked and meanwhile still a
kind of virgin area for a traveller; if you want to do an
"off-of-the-beaten-track" travel, Rwanda is your destination! Of course this has
pro and cons: people are friendly, I didn't meet any dodges and overcharging was not
common. However you are a mzungu (white) and this is how you will be often addressed.
Personally I was quite bothered for this, and it was one of the main reasons why I felt
more at ease in Uganda where I didn't feel an alien every minute I was among the people. I
found a strange attitude of the locals towards me in Rwanda. A sort of respect (they
wanted me to sit on the bus or everybody will greet you on the streets) mixed to a strong
curiosity of interacting and observing me to such extent that often seemed like there were
teasing me. For instance people commenting about me on the bus and laughing at me
everything I did calling me loudly mzungu. I'm sure everybody wanted to be friendly, but
after ten days I was a little tired of all this explicit attention.
One thing that won't help your travel is the irregular presence of
electricity and fresh water, even in the main towns, but being a little bit organised it
hasn't been a great deal.
On the other hand one of the best surprises for me has been the sunny and
fresh weather: forget sweating and baking, in fact most of the time I was wearing a light
sweater.
Another nice characteristic has been the frequent means of transports and
the complete lack of traffic: you travel around the country on the white matatus (minibus)
horning and rocketing over the desert roads, even if without enjoying the way since you
will be suffering being packed like hell. The uncomfortably travels definitely were my
main concern.
From the budget point of view Rwanda is not south east Asia, hence
travelling is not peanuts, especially for the park fees (50$), the gorilla tracking (375$)
and the visa (60$). Consider at least 30$/day for a single traveller.
One thing you've really to keep in mind: you are in Africa, you need to
have patience; things will work out, but they need their time, in particular dealing with
the public means of transport.
Obviously there are some off-limit areas are
like the Congolese and Burundian borders from which it's better to keep the distance and
keep informed on the insta
Alby
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