Land of a Thousand Hills

by Janice Booth

As the mountain gorillas approached, we pressed ourselves back against the bushes lining the muddy track. This was their forest, and we were the intruders.

"Elle va te toucher!" whispered the guide, warningly - and indeed she did. As they ambled past us, one of the females rested her knuckles briefly on my shoulder just as if I were a tree stump or log. I froze. Out of the corner of my eye I could see every hair on her broad black hand, with its oh-so-human fingers. The touch was leathery and gentle - and one of the most amazing experiences of my life. Even writing about it seven years later makes the back of my neck tingle.

Tea Plantation

This was Rwanda in early 2000. I had come, with no thought of tourism, to try to discover news of a Rwandan friend who I feared had died in the genocide. It was my first visit and, in the aftermath of the genocide, a bit scary; so finding that the gorillas were accessible was a welcome treat.

There were hardly any tourists at that time, and the demoralised staff at the tourist board doubted they would ever return. Before the genocide, Rwanda's mountain gorillas made it a popular wildlife destination, particularly for francophones, and tourism was second only to coffee and tea as its main source of foreign exchange. The roads were relatively good, accommodation was comfortable, and several tour operators ran trips there. But then, in 1994, the country had exploded into horror and the old days seemed lost forever.

Sometimes called the "Land of a Thousand Hills", Rwanda hangs like a teardrop from Uganda's south-western corner. It's so far from Africa's ocean ports that it largely escaped the attention of the early slave traders and merchants, so its people have no history of enslavement. Joined with neighbouring Burundi, and known as Ruanda-Urundi, it was in German hands from 1885 to 1916, then a Belgian Trust Territory until independence in 1961. Less than half the size of Scotland, this tiny, mountainous country manages to pack in an amazing variety of scenery, including three very different National Parks and the wide expanse of Lake Kivu.

And it is stunningly beautiful! In 2000 I travelled around it alone in battered, bone-shaking public minibuses and the panoramas took my breath away - misty hills stretching into the distance, blazing sunsets, high ancient volcanoes, waterfalls, damp dark rainforest and dusty savannah, huge-horned Ankole cattle browsing at the roadside, bustling local markets and tranquil reed-fringed lakes mirroring the sky. The touristic "wow factor" was massive. Hills and valleys are intensively terraced and cultivated, in a dozen shades of green, and every twist of the road seemed to reveal something new, whether farming, birds, children, brick-making, construction, livestock or just day-to-day village life. Local legend tells that Imana, the creator of all things, travels the world by day to check up on his creation but always returns to Rwanda for the night. I could well see why...

Against all expectations, I was captivated. And at the same time I was deeply moved by this small nation and its courageous people, struggling so hard to emerge from the horror of their recent history. By then I'd traced two of my friend's relatives (he had died), so I felt involved and badly wanted to help. Clearly the renewal of tourism would provide vital income. I'd been copy-editing Bradt Travel Guides since 1996, so was well placed to propose and co-write a Bradt guide to Rwanda. The country was peaceful, the mountain gorillas were in good shape, the old pre-genocide tourism structures were still more-or-less intact and tourists could safely be encouraged to return. And - it gave me a perfect reason to make more visits to this country with which I'd fallen seriously in love!

Six of those visits later, and with the guidebook now in its third edition, I can tell you that Rwanda is an astonishing success story. Through the determination and effort of its people, at all levels, the tragic, devastated place that we saw on our television screens in 1994 has become a modern, organised and energetic country, highly eco-conscious (plastic bags are banned nationwide!), and competing well on the wider African stage. Western countries, so silent during the genocide, have since provided generous grants, investment and support, the UK and US being the main donors. New hotels, businesses and colleges have opened, and more children attend school now than at any time in the past. French, English and Kinyarwanda are the three official languages.

Tourist figures had regained their pre-genocide level by 2004 and are steadily increasing. The tourist board (www.rwandatourism.com) is working flat out. In the peak months, there can be a waiting list of several weeks for gorilla-viewing permits, as strict conservation measures in the Volcanoes National Park mean that only eight people per day can visit each of the five habituated groups. Others can see a troop of rare golden monkeys, or visit Dian Fossey's tomb (Gorillas in the Mist was filmed in Rwanda), or walk round old volcano craters and in the forest. Longer treks up into the mountains are also possible. The park's rather less indigenous wildlife includes tourists from more than 30 countries, and on my last visit I got tangled up in a group of incomprehensible but hugely enthusiastic Japanese.

The deep, dark, atmospheric Nyungwe Forest in the south-west - where a new source of the Nile was discovered in 2006 - has 13 other primates including chimps, as well as orchids, butterflies and many of Rwanda's 670 recorded bird species. But for birders the richest pickings are in Akagera Park, whose lakes (fabulous at sunset!) host a range of waterbirds including fish eagles. Akagera can't compete with Kenyan or Tanzanian game viewing, but you're still likely to see crocs, hippo, giraffe, buffalo, zebra, baboon and various antelope. Lions recently killed some cattle and an elephant trashed a car, and the park's hilly savannah means that you never know what's waiting over the next ridge!

Wildlife apart, the country's history stretches back many centuries, and is gradually being developed and displayed for tourists. The National Museum in Butare is one of the best in East Africa and worth a good long browse. You'll even find a recipe for local banana beer! Performances of traditional dance and drumming are increasingly held; and handicrafts, many produced by cooperatives, are being promoted. All of this helps the villagers to get back on their feet and earn a reasonable living. Some of the profit from the park entry fees is ploughed back (by the tourist board) into local projects, so that inhabitants living around the parks also benefit.

In the small, hilly capital, Kigali, you can play golf, watch football, sample more than 75 restaurants (a friend of mine has just written a guide to them!), take a tour of historic sites or just stroll and enjoy people-watching. In the west, a few days chilling out beside Lake Kivu can soothe muscles overstretched by gorilla tracking. Accommodation around the country ranges from Kigali's newest 5-star hotel to home-stays in local communities, with a wide selection in between. Public transport varies in comfort but goes everywhere. Eventually. And in such a small country nothing is more than a day's drive away.

So, what of the genocide? The country is now as peaceful as anywhere in Africa, but of course no-one forgets. Not a family was untouched. The horror of 1994 is an immoveable part of its history, and Rwanda takes very seriously its responsibility to spread to the world the message of "Never Again". There are memorials around the country, some starker than others, that you can visit if you choose. People will answer questions if you ask (and will appreciate genuine interest), but won't flaunt their grief. I find Rwandans such brave, bright, dignified, articulate people and it breaks my heart to know their stories, but the short-term visitor need not be drawn in. It's up to you.

Finally, I mustn't make it all seem too perfect! This is Africa, after all. Of course there are problems and shortcomings, at many levels. If you haven't been to Africa before, it's not the easiest destination to start with. It's not particularly cheap and there are no direct flights from the UK - our best links are via Brussels or Nairobi. Apart from the gorillas, the wildlife can often be elusive. Things can go wrong, whether with transport, accommodation or people. Minor roads aren't surfaced. About 20 UK tour operators offer either scheduled or tailor-made trips and this is by far the easiest option, but if you hate organised travel then do at least get your gorilla-viewing permit through one of the good local operators in Kigali. They can fix accommodation and vehicle hire too, and are listed on the tourist board's website (above).

Oh yes - and you've just time to enrol for the annual International Peace Marathon which will be held in and around Kigali on May 13 2007! In 2006, there were 3,000 runners from 30 different countries. It's quite tough, in this "Land of a Thousand Hills", but there's also a Fun Run for the less athletic - and a terrific atmosphere. For details see www.kigalimarathon.com. It could prove the incentive that you need to visit my favourite country. I can't wait to go back.

First published in VISA issue 72A (Apr 2007)