ABOUT RWANDA
Introduction
In all my travels I have ever had in life, I have never seen a country’s population more determined to forgive, build and to succeed than Rwanda. Rwanda is a country located in central Africa, it boarders Burundi, democratic republic of Congo, Tanzania and Uganda.
Rwanda is a small country, landlocked and its bordering lake kivu in the western part. Rwanda is a country with a thousand hills, volcanoes, 23 lakes, rivers and national parks including, volcanoes national park, Akagera national park, and gishwati mukura national park.
How was Rwanda founded
Germany colonized Rwanda in 1884 as part of German east Africa, followed by Belgium, which invaded in 1916 during world war 1. The European nations ruled through the kings and perpetuated a pro –Tutsi policy. The Hutu population then revolted in 1959.
History of Rwanda
It is believed that the work of the Rwandans was began shortly after the last ice age .By the 11th century , the inhabitants had organized into a number of king doms .Then later in the 19th century , rwabugiri of the kingdom of Rwanda conducted a decades long process of military conquest and administrative consolidation that resulted in the king dom coming to control most of what is now Rwanda .The colonial powers Germany and Belgium , allied with the Rwandan court .Thereafter , a convergency of anti-colonial and anti-Tutsi sentiment resulted in Belgium granting a national independence in 1962 .The elections resulted in a representative government dominated by the majority Hutu under president Gregoire kayibanda .Unsettled ethnic and political tensions were worsened when juvenal habyarimina , who was also Hutu ,seized power in 1973 .In 1990 , the Rwandan patriotic front , a rebel group composed of 10000 Tutsi refugees from previous decades of un rest , invaded the country , starting the Rwandan civil war . The war continued, worsening the ethnic tensions as the Hutu feared losing their lives a gain.Habyarimana remained in power for over twenty one years running a conventional self-serving military dictatorship .But later on his Hutu ethnic policy creates an increasing problem on Rwanda’s frontiers .over the boarders there were a lot of Tutsi refugees ,but as time moved on the they were increasingly un welcome in the host country and then the efforts were made to send them to their homes which suggestion was disagreed and rejected by Rwanda .Habyarimina made a statement in 1986 saying that there will be no right to return the Rwandan refugees .But as time went on the Rwandan exiles made a group which soon transformed the situation . The group was known as the Rwandan patriotic front which committed to armed struggle against the habyarimina s regime.
Things to do in Rwanda
Rwanda is an eco-tourist dream, it has over 670 bird species, 400 butterfly species and the primates galore. It is a small and accessible country with good roads. The following are the things one should not miss once he or she goes to Rwanda;
Volcanoes national park
This national park is well known for gorilla trekking. Therefore, a number of tourists go to the volcanoes national park to trek the gorillas. The national park shares a border with Uganda and the democratic republic of Congo, this national park is a home to a growing number of critically endangered mountain gorillas. It is said that the volcanoes national park has over 600 gorillas a significant increase from 240 to 250 individuals in 1981.
The volcanoes national park has over 18 gorilla families which have been habituated to humans, and for one to visit some of the gorilla families you have to obtain a gorilla permit which is over 1500 dollars per person. The simplest way to get this permit is through a tour operator who will help you arrange transportation to the park headquarters. The trekking starts at exactly 7 am in the morning with a briefing at the headquarters with a help of a trained a tour guide. The tour guide will help you trek the families of the gorillas by moving following their footsteps and later find where they are grazing. The trekking lasts for over four to eight hours while in the jungle. Once the gorillas are found, you will be allowed to stay with them for over one hour taking photos and playing with them . While going for trekking remember to higher the porters to take you through the slippery slopes in the jungle and to help you carry the heavy language .After the trekking o not forget to visit the dian fossey gorilla fund international karisoke research center in the nearby town of musanze .It contains a small museum having information all about mountain gorillas and the work of conservationist dian fossey , whose efforts to protect the gorillas were made famous by the 1988 drama , gorillas in the mist .
Kigali genocide memorial
Rwanda had a terrible genocide that left over 800000 people dead just in 100 days. This county has come a long way from this war but the impacts of this relatively recent history has left a notification and a stamp on the lives of the people and those who will come up in future. Therefore, this is something that a tourist cannot miss once he or she come to Rwanda.
This genocide has always created job opportunities to people because , museums have been created ,horrors for those who like films , photo graphs ,art crafts and books have also been written which has brought money to the people .Exhibit halls have also been created , and the most exhibit hall wraps around poignant sculptures and the features stained glass windows that cast a hope full glow on the space .This museum also includes an emotionally charged children’s room given to the young victims of the genocide .
Nyungwe forest national park
The main activity here in this forest is chimpanzee trekking which has been habituated to humans by the tour guides and this is what attracts the tourists most in Rwanda. This forest contains a lot of bio diversity, plant species which are over 1068, 322 species of birds and 75 types of mammals. A part from the chimpanzee trekking, the park is also the only canopy walk in east Africa and it is roughly a 90-minute hike from the uwinka visitor center. This canopy walk helps you to see the different tree species, land scapes and the mountains of the Virunga.
Kings palace museum
This is one of the most visited place in Rwanda by the tourists. this is because the place is so beautiful and it has the Rwandan girls who always entertain the tourists by showing them the Rwandan traditional dance, the way they cook their traditional food, they show up their cows and they also show the people how they milk them. These Rwandese can mean to perform their rituals while these visitors are seeing. The tourist gets to explore the colonial style home that was once the royal residence of the king mutara iii in the mid 20 th century.
Akagera national park
In this park , game drives are usually conducted ,tourists get into the boats and they are taken on the shores of the waters .This game drive usually takes two and half hours while exploring the nature in Rwanda seeing the different animals , the savannah , wetlands and the lakes .The park has all the big five and the different bird species not forgetting the antelopes .More so for those who are lucky will need to spot out a lion and rhino in the park , this is because they are still few in the park ,but however you will have to spot the zebras , hippos , Nile crocodiles , elephants and the giraffes in the park easily without any disturbance .
Lake kivu
It is one of the African great lakes. It lies on the borders between the democratic republic of Congo and Rwanda and it is in the Albertine rift valley. This lake has attracted most tourists because of its important methane it has which people are planning to mine in order to get hydroelectric power.
The lake is 2700 square kilometer emerald green oasis surrounded by misty mountains and it is Rwanda’s largest lake.
Ethnographic museum
This museum is located about 130 kilometers south of Kigali in the district of huye .It is a place where Rwanda keeps its archeological articratfs .And therefore these attract most tourists to come and see them .This museum was gifted to Rwanda by Belgium in 1989 in the honor of the 25th anniversary of Rwandans independence .Once the tourists visit this museum , they will see the woven baskets ,traditional garments made from the animal hides and the woven grass , spears and the bows .More so they will also find the musical drums of the hundreds of years ago and also the old farming tools .Therefore the tourists can enter and see the authentic royal home hen learn more about it not forgetting how it was constructed .
The gorilla guardian’s village
The gorilla guardian’s village is a nonprofit umbrella organization that aims at improving the lives of reformed poachers and communities around Rwanda’s volcanoes national park through provision of conservation incentives, supporting community enterprise development and live lihood based projects
Where to stay when you visit Rwanda.
The Bisate lodge
This is a unique eco lodge bordering the volcanoes national park .This lodge has rooms which are ensuite with the bathrooms and the toilets inside not forgetting the showers .The lodge is made up of six opulent villas resembling traditional Rwandan huts .The lodge has a bar inside which is filled up with drinks that any tourist may like .they also have staff that is well behaved and has customer care and service which has attracted most tourists .The meals served are both full board and half board depending on what the tourist has paid for and what his choice is .The lodge has a campsite where the tourists are allowed to set their tents at night and have a rest ,they are provide with fire which is lit to provide warmth and protection from the wild animals at night .The lodge has a balcony which gives great views to the tourists such as seeing the endangered mountain gorillas , the golden monkeys volcanoes , mountains and the different tree species in Rwanda .
Mardashi camp
This is located in akagera national park. This camp has attracted most tourists because of its best accommodation and services. The lodge has a luxury tented safari camp in akagera national park. Once you spend a night in this camp, you will be able to view the big five animals because of the balcony around which helps to provide a great view to the tourists. You will also be a ble to have day and night drives with the help of the trained tourist guide. This camp is located near akagera which helps the tourists to do bird watching.
Ruzizi tented lodge
This is a luxury tented eco lodge which offers classic safari experience in akagera national park.
It has rooms which are ensuite with bathrooms and toilets inside .it provides both warm and hot water to its clients. During the night, the tourists set up their tents in the camp ready to sleep. They are provided with fire which gives them protection from the wild animals and warmth at the same time.
Since the lodge is located near the akagera national park, it provides game drives on the boats to its tourists. The tourists get to see different animals, landscapes and the big five in the park. The drives are normally done in the evenings and in the mornings. The lodge has a well situated balcony to help you have an exceptional view of lake ihema not forgetting the bird watching.
Conclusion
The secrets of survivors are not easily surrended. They are locked away behind barricaded doors and accessed at great risk to those who possess them.
