Inflight Magazine of Brussels Airlines

In Africa

Text Tabitha Lasley
Image Chloë Greenbank

Although it’s the most densely populated country in Africa, Thomas Martin’s aerial photos capture Rwanda as a serene and seemingly uncrowded destination

The Volcanoes National Park, with Lake Bulera in the foreground, is home to Rwanda’s famed mountain gorillas and is the country’s primary tourist attraction

A new day dawns and passengers trickle into Nyabugogo, Kigali’s main bus station, as the matatu (local taxi buses) prepare to head off to the provinces, as well as Uganda, Tanzania and Burundi

A terraced hillside, close to Ruhengeri, where the creation of co-operatives has enabled farmers to join their land together and farm more productively

Hotel with a view

Volcanoes Virunga Lodge

Where is it?
Parc National des Volcans (www.volcanoessafaris.com).

What’s the view?
Perched on the crest of a hill, the lodge commands 360° views that take in the Virunga volcanoes, as well as Lakes Ruhondo and Bulera.

What to expect
Banda chic. Eight cottages, each with their own private verandahs and attendant, amazing views. Polished wood floors, big windows and bright, patterned throws in the bedrooms. Roaring fires and wicker furniture in the lounge.

Need to know
It’s been newly refurbished, but fret not, any changes fall firmly in line with the lodge’s clean, green credentials. So expect solar power where possible, gardens that make use of grey water (from the showers and sinks), and a portion of profits given over to helping the nearby Mwiko School. Next year, they’re planning on adding two honeymoon bandas to the existing eight.

Why go there?
Mainly for the gorillas. The lodge is miles from pretty much everything, but a stone’s throw from the gentle giants’ stomping ground. Virtually everyone who’s been close to gorillas in their natural habitat says it’s a life-changing experience, and worth the whopping permit rates many times over. You will also be able to climb volcanoes and visit the grave of Dian Fossey, who devoted her life to the gorillas.

What does it cost?
Rooms from €340 per night.

The must-do list

There’s a lot more to Rwanda than gorilla spotting…

Spy on one of the five habituated families of mountain gorillas in the Parc National des Volcans. It should be your first order of business here.

Meet Intore dancers and medicine men at the Iby’Iwacu Cultural Village in the Musanze district, near Parc National des Volcans.

Learn about the 1994 genocide at the Kigali Memorial Centre (www.kigalimemorialcentre.org). It’s a sad chapter in Rwanda’s history, but one you should know about if you want to get a handle on the country as it is today.

Kick back at the Moriah Hill resort (www.moriah-hill.com) on the shores of Lake Kivu. Blissful seclusion after the dash and bustle of Kigali.

Good if you…

like a bit of old-fashioned female empowerment

Yes, that’s old-fashioned female empowerment. The sort that dealt with jobs, and education, and equal pay, and stuff like that (rather than the newer, more rubbish version, which seems largely concerned with lipstick, lacy pants and lap-dancer’s poles).

The Kinigi Guesthouse was bought by the Association of Solidarity between Rwandan Women, to provide jobs, and much of the money made from the guesthouse still gets ploughed back into the community. It’s well placed for gorilla tracking but you’ll also get a chance to meet local women, and there are plans afoot to introduce community tours and dance shows. www.rwanda-kinigi-guesthouse.com

Insider tip

Sarah Read at Audley Travel (www.audleytravel.com) recommends setting some time aside to see another native primate, the golden monkey:

“There are currently two troops of the monkeys in Parc National des Volcans which have been habituated to visits by tourists, both of which number around 80 members. They’ve conquered their initial shyness to accept daily visits by researchers and tourists.

“They are very sprightly creatures and leap from tree to tree, which is really entertaining, if a little difficult to photograph! Set your camera to a fast shutter speed, to allow for low light in the dense undergrowth and to better your chances of capturing the golden monkeys on film.”

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