Musanze, Volcanoes National Park and Dian Fossey - 7th June

 Volcanoes National Park

We got up at 5:30am to drive to the Volcanoes National Park visitors centre. Sadly I had hurt my leg on the walk in Nyungwe so I knew I would not be doing the trek to Dian Fossey's grave, but I wanted to go for the journey. 

When we arrived we got a welcome drink of African Tea, and the guides were all fleeing around finding their groups of people. There were many rich Americans there who had paid the £1500 per person to see the Gorillas. With the Dian Fossey trail, you have a small chance of seeing them briefly, but the guides deliberately tell you that is not what you have paid for! 

We then had to drive for around 30 minutes to the start of the trek. The majority of this was complete off roading - 4x4 only! The good old prado was great and just tackled the rocks no problem. These villages were obviously used to many tourists coming through too! 

At the base of the trail was a small gravel car park where I was staying in the car. It was in the middle of a small farming village and local porters were lined up waiting - you can hire them for about £5 and they help you on the hike and carry your bags for you. An older Belgian man opted to have one with him.

Ben set off on the hike and I hunkered down in the car with netflix downloads and a puzzle book. 2 hours in I was desperate for the loo - one local had turned their back garden into a little bar for tourists and I wandered in and found the bathroom. I returned to the car and left the door open, feet up on the dashboard - I felt very safe in the middle of nowhere! The bar owner came to me and offered food and drink and I told him that we would come in when Ben returned - he went back and didn't bother me again!

A scout ran up to me and said they'd be back in 10 minutes, then started putting out their hand carved gorilla statues - sure enough 10 minutes later they returned from the hike! Ben said it was amazing. The first hour trekking up through farmland, until the tree line where they met ther armed guards. Once in the park, it was muddy and hard going (perhaps better that I didn't go?!)and they came face to face with some Buffalo. The guards did a good job rattling their guns to scare them off. 

They reached the grave site with the graves and the wooden beams and places that the camp once was. For Ben's review you can find it here! : Beautiful hike with amazing views, unforgettable way to experience the national park - Review of Karisoke Research Center - Dian Fossey Camp, Ruhengeri, Rwanda - Tripadvisor

Dian Fossey Memorial Centre


On the way back from the trek we stopped in at the Dian Fossey memorial centre. Mostly paid for by Ellen Degeneres (although Sigourney Weaver and many others also donated) it is a centre dedicated to the work of Dian Fossey, and the ongoing research since her passing. 

There is a small cafe and a chance to do a fewe interactive things. They ask for a donation of $20 on entry, rather than official tickets, but it was worth it to see everything there. 

We returned that night to the same hotel, mainly to sleep! Tomorrow we are heading to Safari.

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