Located 92km southwest of Kigali, Nyanza is the former royal capital and home to the King’s Palace compound (🎟️13000 RWF). Before colonial rule, the monarchy was scattered across 50 or so residences in Rwanda; it was only in 1899 that they set up camp permanently in Nyanza. It was...
Rwanda’s ‘second city’, Huye, is a relaxed and sprawling town. It was the nation’s former capital. Butare, as it was known (and Astrida before that, in tribute to the 29-year-old Swedish wife of Belgium’s King Leopold III, who was killed in a car accident), was established under Belgian...
We arrived late in the afternoon at the Gisakura Gate Information Centre; we found out that they would like to charge 25 USD for the Tea Plantation visit without visiting the factory, so we skipped it and went back to the Gisakura Guesthouse in the little village Colline Ruvumbu. Next to...
Today, we were lucky and had lovely weather. We drove from Karongi towards Nyungwe Forest National Park. The road was perfect tarmac with some occasional bumpers. We made many photo stops and really enjoyed great views of Lake Kivu and local villages dotting steep hills. The road was...
Our next stop was the relaxed lakeside town of Karongi (commonly known by its old name, Kibuye), another good place to enjoy Lake Kivu. We hired a boat (50 USD / 4 hours) and visited the lake’s islands. Most famous is Napoleon Island, named for its resemblance to the pint-sized French...
Rwanda may be landlocked, but it didn’t stop us from enjoying a day at the beach. Kivu’s gently lapping waters and soft sands do the trick – throw in a few beach bars and palm trees to add that tropical feel. Rubavu (which most locals still call Gisenyi) is a sprawling town...
Relaxed and well-manicured Musanze is the gateway town for Volcanoes National Park and a popular base for those here to explore the region. Sitting at the foot of the Virungas, its magnificent volcanobackdrop entices the adventurous. Some quality restaurants like Silverbacks Cafe or...
It was another smooth and efficient border crossing. We arrived at the first gate, where you must wash your hands and register in some health system. Then we parked next to the building with a scanner; they asked us if we had some baggage; we told them that we did not have it, and then we...
Life is extremely difficult for children who have been orphaned in Uganda. Part of Sub-Saharan Africa, Uganda, shares the issues that all other countries in that region face. In addition to extreme poverty and high incidences of malaria and AIDS, there is an ever-looming history of...
After a bad experience in Kisoro, we drove to relax at Lake Bunyonyi, an archipelago of 29 islands. It is surrounded by lush tropical vegetation, and this remote, quiet spot makes a perfect getaway. Its gorgeous scenic views include crop terraces growing cassava and sweet potato and hilly...